What’s on *YOUR* workbench?

this is the first time i’ve played a high gain JFET distortion that actually made me want to keep playing.
IMG_1906.jpeg
it sucked in front of the amp, but into the FX loop return, i'm shocked that a JFET distortion can sound this good (with an overdrive/boost in front of course).
which is quite a relief, because i've already got the PedalPCB board for it 😅
 
The lead guitarist in my band ask me to do a couple mods to his Joe Bonamassa Wah. I pulled the slide switch used to switch between 'hardwire bypass' and true bypass and actually hardwired it to true bypass. I also added a status LED, which required a 3PDT switch in place of the DPDT that was in there. While I was in there I traced the PCB and made a schematic. There are things I like and things I dislike about this circuit.

1000006112.jpg 1000006113.jpg 1000006133.jpg 1000006134.jpg Schematic_JB-WAH_2026-01-08.png
 
My first dislike is the mix of THD and SMD in the signal path, makes modding the output difficult. Another is the switch between True Bypass and 'Hardwired" Bypass. The 'Hardwired' Bypass is inferior in every way so it should have been True Bypass only from the get-go. The last is the output impedance, it is comically high at 10K. What I do like is the fourth transistor stage, just like my Ernie Ball Wah it buffers the signal coming out of the feedback loop. The second thing I like is the Range capacitor C6 is doubled from stock so it shifts the filter lower. Power looks like it is better Regulated but I can't find the type of component it is. If someone more familiar with SMD can help identify I would appreciate it greatly. Part Number is either IG126 or lG126.
 
Technically all off the bench, but I haven't shown off any sweet white ink on matte black sand in a while, and I don't feel like making a bunch of build reports -
View attachment 70777

In order, left-to-right, top-to-bottom:
  • Cepheid w/ Speed range, Vibrato, and Delay time toggles
  • Lumitron w/ lower tuned filters
  • Prismatic
  • Lead Solder OD
  • Sunstone w/ Univibe cap values
  • Pepperbox
  • Polar Cap
  • Lumitron
  • Sea Horse w/ delay time and shape tweaks
  • Awful Waffle w/ comp cap, LM709, and brighter
  • Nutty Fuzz w/filter cap toggle
  • Proletarian
  • Pacifier w/ more lowend and asymmetrical clipping on both sides. Fuzz side modded to Os Mutantes spec
  • Low Tide mini
  • Woodpecker
  • Frajeelay modded to Turbo Rat spec w/ Asym IR / Red, Symm Red, and No diodes
  • SoulDrive
  • Butthead w/ LED clipping, diminished high end, and expanded gain range

Hey, I know this was like two years ago, but do you remember how that Awful Waffle worked out with the 709?

I’ve got a Waffle on the bench and I happen to have some metal can 709s. I was debating whether it would be worth also having to mess with/ figure out what to use for a comp cap.
 
My first dislike is the mix of THD and SMD in the signal path, makes modding the output difficult. Another is the switch between True Bypass and 'Hardwired" Bypass. The 'Hardwired' Bypass is inferior in every way so it should have been True Bypass only from the get-go. The last is the output impedance, it is comically high at 10K. What I do like is the fourth transistor stage, just like my Ernie Ball Wah it buffers the signal coming out of the feedback loop. The second thing I like is the Range capacitor C6 is doubled from stock so it shifts the filter lower. Power looks like it is better Regulated but I can't find the type of component it is. If someone more familiar with SMD can help identify I would appreciate it greatly. Part Number is either IG126 or lG126.
Suspect that may just be a diode array.
 
Hey, I know this was like two years ago, but do you remember how that Awful Waffle worked out with the 709?

I’ve got a Waffle on the bench and I happen to have some metal can 709s. I was debating whether it would be worth also having to mess with/ figure out what to use for a comp cap.
I don't remember the exact value, but it was something high for the comp cap. Above 1n

The OP07 is fun in it, too. And, it doesn't require a comp cap
 
Back
Top