Vero/Tagboard Mastotron

[p_wats]

This isn't a PedalPCB board, but I figured it was worth sharing anyway given the bypass board poll, as it's the first time I used a bypass board in ages (maybe the second time ever). In this case I thought the bypass board was useful, as the Tagboard layout dign't have an onboard CLR or LED connection (I usually catch that before I build and add a few rows/cuts to accommodate, but forgot). That said, unless I'm using a relay bypass board I still find it easier to just solder to the switch directly.

I didn't find a Mastotron/Woolly Mammoth listed in the PedalPCB options (I guess it's a basically a modified Fuzz Face/Factory anyway), so figured I'd give it a shot. It really made me remember why I love board mounted pots so much! I can't believe I used to do off board wiring like this all the time.

This thing sounds great! Very nasty with plenty of options depending on the settings. I also had fun with the angry elephant drawing (I was initially trying for a robot mastodon, but that didn't end up going anywhere).

 

[peccary]

Looks great! Nice cable management as well, especially for vero -that's always been a big challenge for me.

Also, awesome job on the artwork. Wish I had some skills like that!

 

[p_wats]

Looks great! Nice cable management as well, especially for vero -that's always been a big challenge for me.

Also, awesome job on the artwork. Wish I had some skills like that!

Thanks! I'm really happy with how this all came together. Sounds great too. I sometimes forget that I'm supposed to be building stuff that actually encourages me to play more. Ha. Looking forward to trying this on synths tonight too.

Can you tell I also tried to use up some extra large caps from way back in the early days of my stash? Those greenies get pretty large.

 

[peccary]

Thanks! I'm really happy with how this all came together. Sounds great too. I sometimes forget that I'm supposed to be building stuff that actually encourages me to play more. Ha. Looking forward to trying this on synths tonight too.

Can you tell I also tried to use up some extra large caps from way back in the early days of my stash? Those greenies get pretty large.

I like greenies! I bought a big grab bag of them from eBay years back. I haven't been using them with the PedalPCB builds but the bag I got they have all been super reliable and very on spec. I just use the box caps now though to keep things uniform and neat looking. One day I just need to build one with all of the weird-ass parts that I've ordered, many times on accident before I learned what I actually needed. I have some 450V caps that would look pretty wacky if I tried to fit them in somewhere on a build as well as some massive switches that I've held on to for some reason.

 

[p_wats]

I like greenies! I bought a big grab bag of them from eBay years back. I haven't been using them with the PedalPCB builds but the bag I got they have all been super reliable and very on spec. I just use the box caps now though to keep things uniform and neat looking. One day I just need to build one with all of the weird-ass parts that I've ordered, many times on accident before I learned what I actually needed. I have some 450V caps that would look pretty wacky if I tried to fit them in somewhere on a build as well as some massive switches that I've held on to for some reason.

Ha. I know the feeling!

You know what you must do now to use those up, of course? Get into amp building! it's an entirely different kind of addiction (and parts stash).

 

[peccary]

Ha. I know the feeling!

You know what you must do now to use those up, of course? Get into amp building! it's an entirely different kind of addiction (and parts stash).

I feel it's in the cards at some point. I got a book on building a tube amp, and it's been a good read. I have a ton to learn still and I want to brush up before playing with bigger power. I got hit by a 220V generator once when I had a facilities management job and, well... once bitten and all that

Have you done any amp building?

 

[p_wats]

I feel it's in the cards at some point. I got a book on building a tube amp, and it's been a good read. I have a ton to learn still and I want to brush up before playing with bigger power. I got hit by a 220V generator once when I had a facilities management job and, well... once bitten and all that

Have you done any amp building?

I have! Two of my favourite amps are ones I built from salvaged parts/cabinets---a 5F2A Tweed Princeton in an old record player box and a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe. They aren't that complex to build. It's just a different tolerance of parts (bigger, etc.) and much higher voltage, so safety and caution is a must.

Pretty rewarding when all is said and done, but not something I do often anymore, as amps are also much harder to make room for than pedals. Ha.

 

[p_wats]

Tried this in the studio last night and compared it to all the other dirt boxes I've got. The Mastotron is very good for letting bass through (sounds great on a bass guitar). I still like my trusty Bazz Fuss variant for simple, milky fuzz, but this is great for synthy/velcro/live-wire crackly fuzz.

Pro tip: this into a Tentacle sounds great. I'd consider boxing them up together in future.

 

[peccary]

I have! Two of my favourite amps are ones I built from salvaged parts/cabinets---a 5F2A Tweed Princeton in an old record player box and a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe. They aren't that complex to build. It's just a different tolerance of parts (bigger, etc.) and much higher voltage, so safety and caution is a must.

Pretty rewarding when all is said and done, but not something I do often anymore, as amps are also much harder to make room for than pedals. Ha.

That's really cool, and must be very fulfilling as well as a lot of fun.

Most stuff I've seen online are for guitar amps and as a bass player I'd like to build something that would be voiced well for bass. A low-wattage tube bass amp would be a lot of fun, I think. A little home made bass combo would be awesome, but years ago I researched building a bass cabinet but there's way too much that goes in to them to make them sound decent. And I don't really have many woodworking tools or skills.

I think that I will likely scavenge an old practice bass amp and then build an amp in to it, but I'm not even really in the planning stages yet, just reading and thinking about ways forward.

 

[p_wats]

That's really cool, and must be very fulfilling as well as a lot of fun.

Most stuff I've seen online are for guitar amps and as a bass player I'd like to build something that would be voiced well for bass. A low-wattage tube bass amp would be a lot of fun, I think. A little home made bass combo would be awesome, but years ago I researched building a bass cabinet but there's way too much that goes in to them to make them sound decent. And I don't really have many woodworking tools or skills.

I think that I will likely scavenge an old practice bass amp and then build an amp in to it, but I'm not even really in the planning stages yet, just reading and thinking about ways forward.

Yeah, the art of speaker cabinet making is not something I'm about to get into either. Ha. both my homemade tube amps are salvage jobs that came with cabinets and got sprayed in funky colours because I can't be bothered with tolex either.

I played the Mastotron through my homemade 5E3 last night and it was great.