drgonzo1969
Well-known member
you can dumpster dive some insulation... just dont change yer name haha
What’s on *YOUR* workbench?
- Thread starter Bricksnbeatles
- Start date
Fizz
Well-known member
Look Ma, no hands!
I finally finished a build that worked on the first try.. didn't even test the board before wiring it in the enclosure. I got up early to finish it so maybe that is the key. This is an Effects Layouts Skeleklone. Sounds pretty good but nothing that's blowing my mind. I can't hear the difference between the different clipping options. It uses 1N34As, none and 1N4148s. I did add sockets to the second option so I think I'll try LEDs and see what I think. This build had some odd components and fortunately Dan's gift box of parts saved the day with a handful of components I thought I had ordered but was missing. Without that gift, I'd have had to make another order and put this on hold. I just marked up the controls with a dry erase marker so I could test it. After I get some decals made, I'll wipe it off and make it look better.
I've got to say Effects Layouts made this an easy build with the included 3pdt board that matched the PCB. The 3pdt board didn't fit on the switch very easily but it was good enough.
When I get a little more experience I'll have to try and make these look nicer but right now I'm just glad they work
I finally finished a build that worked on the first try.. didn't even test the board before wiring it in the enclosure. I got up early to finish it so maybe that is the key. This is an Effects Layouts Skeleklone. Sounds pretty good but nothing that's blowing my mind. I can't hear the difference between the different clipping options. It uses 1N34As, none and 1N4148s. I did add sockets to the second option so I think I'll try LEDs and see what I think. This build had some odd components and fortunately Dan's gift box of parts saved the day with a handful of components I thought I had ordered but was missing. Without that gift, I'd have had to make another order and put this on hold. I just marked up the controls with a dry erase marker so I could test it. After I get some decals made, I'll wipe it off and make it look better.
I've got to say Effects Layouts made this an easy build with the included 3pdt board that matched the PCB. The 3pdt board didn't fit on the switch very easily but it was good enough.
When I get a little more experience I'll have to try and make these look nicer but right now I'm just glad they work
Fama
Well-known member
FWIW usually diode differences show up more clearly with the gain high up, because with low gain settings it could be that neither diode is clipping very much, so there won't be a big difference.Look Ma, no hands!
I finally finished a build that worked on the first try.. didn't even test the board before wiring it in the enclosure. I got up early to finish it so maybe that is the key. This is an Effects Layouts Skeleklone. Sounds pretty good but nothing that's blowing my mind. I can't hear the difference between the different clipping options. It uses 1N34As, none and 1N4148s. I did add sockets to the second option so I think I'll try LEDs and see what I think. This build had some odd components and fortunately Dan's gift box of parts saved the day with a handful of components I thought I had ordered but was missing. Without that gift, I'd have had to make another order and put this on hold. I just marked up the controls with a dry erase marker so I could test it. After I get some decals made, I'll wipe it off and make it look better.
I've got to say Effects Layouts made this an easy build with the included 3pdt board that matched the PCB. The 3pdt board didn't fit on the switch very easily but it was good enough.
When I get a little more experience I'll have to try and make these look nicer but right now I'm just glad they work
View attachment 61091
View attachment 61092
Fizz
Well-known member
I did just notice that when I retested it a little while ago.. I don't usually use a lot of gain with my pedals because I play a 2204 that really just needs a bit of a boost but when I turned up the gain and turned down the volume I had some usable sounds and was able to hear a bit of a difference. I definitely liked it better with the clip switch to the right (inside) but I am not sure which set of diodes that is using?
giovanni
Well-known member
Amazing work. I love all the components taking a nap
UtilityBeltFX
Well-known member
KR Sound
Well-known member
This is a copy of the Cataclysm Delay here that I copied when learning KiCad. I did the traces myself and it’s nowhere as neat and efficient as Robert’s. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Even with the components in the same place. Learn learn learn!
Anyway, I put one together last night in order to try out the Hold/Self-Oscillation with a momentary switch. It works perfectly and would be an easy add-on for most any 2399 delay. I used a 25k trimmer and it goes on and on.
I kinda cringe since I put my logo on this board. It’s just for me though.
Anyway, I put one together last night in order to try out the Hold/Self-Oscillation with a momentary switch. It works perfectly and would be an easy add-on for most any 2399 delay. I used a 25k trimmer and it goes on and on.
I kinda cringe since I put my logo on this board. It’s just for me though.
steviejr92
Authorized Vendor
A couple prototypes here. Both are based on 1590BB enclosures. One is for a horizontal orientation and one is for a vertical orientation.
If I’m going to be honest…at first I liked the horizontal orientation but after looking at it I don’t think I like it…as for the vertical one, I really like a lot and I know I can get better results in the future.
If I’m going to be honest…at first I liked the horizontal orientation but after looking at it I don’t think I like it…as for the vertical one, I really like a lot and I know I can get better results in the future.
benny_profane
Well-known member
steviejr92
Authorized Vendor
Nope it’s not I think it needs to be “sharper”. I think next time I need to get tighter with my bend radius but I followed the bend guide. I need to revisit the design in the future and work on that area.
dawson
Well-known member
@steviejr92 I think both designs are fantastic!
steviejr92
Authorized Vendor
Thank you! I still think the vertical one is better!
steviejr92
Authorized Vendor
Yeah I think so too! Yes the jacks are top mounted. It was a design choice just to try something different.
cooder
Well-known member
Somethin' a bit different today, no pcb in sight, not a single resistor.
Making two more bone carvings for my son and grandson who are coming soon (they live in Missouri) to visit. Haven't seen them since just before Covid hit. Will met my Granddaughter first time. Exciting times.
These will be family taonga (spiritual treasure) to pass down, the big one is me old fart of course which i made a while back, the two smaller ones will be given soon then. Made from a rib bone of a whale. The two smaller ones will be stained next and then lashing and string plaited.
Making two more bone carvings for my son and grandson who are coming soon (they live in Missouri) to visit. Haven't seen them since just before Covid hit. Will met my Granddaughter first time. Exciting times.
These will be family taonga (spiritual treasure) to pass down, the big one is me old fart of course which i made a while back, the two smaller ones will be given soon then. Made from a rib bone of a whale. The two smaller ones will be stained next and then lashing and string plaited.
Done and seems to work, first try!
New bridge pup, black winter, to pair with the sentient neck.
Also, the cool @JTEX Axtivator and a Freeway 10 way switch.
I can't turn up, only on the bench Peavey practice amp but man, it's cool!
The Axtivator really seems to open up the pups. I have a sentient/nazgul set in another bari but this sentient really sings now, even on the shitty 15w bench amp.
And the freeway opens up so much. I can get strat and tele sounds on a freekin metal baritone!
The tone knob is extremely responsive but doesn't muddy note clarity.
I literally toyed around on the beater for 30 minutes, put it down and said "I don't need another guitar"
It's f**king singing!
Can't wait to get it loud tomorrow!
Edit: No gut shots as I have super glue curing holding foam for the new battery
But, they ain't pretty. I don't do a lot of guitar rebuilds
New bridge pup, black winter, to pair with the sentient neck.
Also, the cool @JTEX Axtivator and a Freeway 10 way switch.
I can't turn up, only on the bench Peavey practice amp but man, it's cool!
The Axtivator really seems to open up the pups. I have a sentient/nazgul set in another bari but this sentient really sings now, even on the shitty 15w bench amp.
And the freeway opens up so much. I can get strat and tele sounds on a freekin metal baritone!
The tone knob is extremely responsive but doesn't muddy note clarity.
I literally toyed around on the beater for 30 minutes, put it down and said "I don't need another guitar"
It's f**king singing!
Can't wait to get it loud tomorrow!
Edit: No gut shots as I have super glue curing holding foam for the new battery
But, they ain't pretty. I don't do a lot of guitar rebuilds
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JTEX
Well-known member
Shhht, Axtivator is my best kept secret!
Doing a ton of cooking today but will plug up after I gain 5 pounds later. I didn't change anything in the tone circuit but it seems to have a different knee. Which it shouldn't. But it "sounds" like a sharper knee, with more clarity(I know I keep using that word). I'm guessing it's due to the tone pot no longer doing any loading?
Also. In my use case, I had to (nervously )bend the jumper pins to get it in the cavity. Would be better to have straight pins mounted on the other side of the pcb, IMO.
The only thing that would make the Axtivator cooler is if you designed it to have jumper or dip configurable modes switchable via push/pull or push/push pot. I know that would increase the board size some, and not sure if the long life pots you use are available in a push pot, but would be awesome. Maybe even just unity buffer as default and switchable to either boost or treble boost, as defined by the jumper/dip. Just some ideas. Know this guy isn't a priority product but if you ever decided to do a revision...
(Also, if you do a revision, I want one)
JTEX
Well-known member
Thanks for the feedback! It's a pre-production thing at this time, so I haven't settled on various possible features such as DIP switches yet. I will polish it a bit if I ever make it into a proper product (not very likely given people's low interest/awareness and my laziness + dislike of marketing).
And yes, as you said, the standard tone pot you'd use with passive pickups won't work the usual way after any low Z buffer, or active pickups and such. Axtivator has a 1k output impedance, it won't even notice a 250k or 500k tone pot with ANY size capacitor across its output until the pot is at almost 0% resistance. You should use an A25k tone pot, maybe even A10k, with probably as much as a 0.1uF cap to ground. I, for one, also like to add a 1k-or-so resistor in series with the cap to limit the tone pot's range because I never ever want the tone to be fully muffled, but that's very optional and ripe for experimentation.
OR, having said all this, you could place a standard tone pot and cap before the Axtivator, and it would work like any regular passive tone, load the pickup etc. Complete with that resonant hump in the low mids when you turn the tone all the way down. I personally don't like it, so I use a low value tone pot and big cap after the Axtivator.
BTW, EMG's site is a great resource on the right parts to use with active electronics, wiring etc.
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Fama
Well-known member
If a push/pull pot was possible, toggling with it from buffer to boost or treble boost (you could possibly set those somehow, with dip switches maybe?) would be cool. But tbh I put in a tiny DPDT switch which handles all three modes for me - although for my strat at least the treble boost high pass frequency is way too high, I would change the cap but I'm afraid of desoldering it. Maybe I'll practice with the hot air station I got and tackle that at some point later on when I'm more confident.
But otherwise the Axtivator is really great, I like how quiet the strat is even when turning the volume down now after installing the Axtivator and adding copper shielding, plus the boost is pretty nice too with some pedals.