What pcb did you buy on a whim and like?

[Robert]

The one mod I'd like to investigate is preventing oscillator bleed, which to my super-minimal understanding is frequently a thing with oscillators in a pedal signal chain situation.

Are we talking about the oscillator bleeding into other pedals (like when the Nutty Fuzz is bypassed) or more like a gate that kills the oscillator when you aren't playing? (I suppose one solution would solve both problems)

Take a look at the Cordyceps schematic, it uses a simple opto based gate to mute the carrier signal when you stop playing.

EDIT: Well, you know, it would help if someone would post the damned schematic. Give me a just a bit.

 

[jcpst]

the PPCB Desolate fuzz.

The Nutty Fuzz

Yesss

I like to set the sensitivity on my nutty fuzz to where a loud snare crack from the drummer barely triggers it.

 

[EisengesisFX]

Are we talking about the oscillator bleeding into other pedals (like when the Nutty Fuzz is bypassed) or more like a gate that kills the oscillator when you aren't playing? (I suppose one solution would solve both problems)

The former--I use an RJM loop switcher, and even with the Nutty Fuzz on but not in the preset I'm playing, if I've left my expression pedal mostly or all the way toe-down, a slight oscillator pitch can still be heard bleeding through.

Take a look at the Cordyceps schematic, it uses a simple opto based gate to mute the carrier signal when you stop playing.

EDIT: Well, you know, it would help if someone would post the damned schematic. Give me a just a bit.

View attachment 102585

I should learn how to better grok schematics I guess, lol! The other thing I should mention is I might not want a gate situation--when playing my noise preset, I like having the Nutty Fuzz's Balance all the way left and the Threshold knob at 12 or even all the way down, so it's the unbridled oscillator drone coming through and I have a noise source without any dependence on my guitar playing. I dunno. I do see that in his own take on the original Escobedo circuit, Will from Dead Air did some power routing (hopefully that's the correct term?) to shut the oscillator completely off when the pedal is disengaged but maybe that's moot since all my pedals need to stay in to be brought in and out of a given switcher preset change.

 

[Robert]

Does your switcher have expression or control outputs that can be set high/low or open/closed? I'm not familiar with the RJM but I know some have that functionality.

Grounding the Mute pad at the bottom kills the oscillator when the pedal is bypassed, you could connect that to a 1/4" or 1/8" jack and control the mute function externally, while leaving the pedal in active mode.

 

[EisengesisFX]

Does your switcher have expression or control outputs that can be set high/low or open/closed? I'm not familiar with the RJM but I know some have that functionality.

Grounding the Mute pad at the bottom kills the oscillator when the pedal is bypassed, you could connect that to a 1/4" or 1/8" jack and control the mute function externally, while leaving the pedal in active mode.

Yeah, it has two external switch outputs. That's an awesome idea, Robert! Thanks!

 

[HamishR]

Did you see where @kanengomibako traced a second one and found R5 to be 22K instead of 150K? (Lower gain range)

It also had two functional clipping diodes, where the one I traced (and the first one he traced) had what we suspect was an intentionally broken diode.

In both of ours it looked like someone had crushed the glass diode on purpose (and hidden it under goop).... and comically we both thought we had broken it ourselves removing the goop until one of us just happened to mention it.

R4? I use 10K. I'm sure 22K would work just as well. I hadn't seen that! I have an A500K as the GAIN pot and disregard the WIDTH pot and R6 - just leave them out. On the second stage I have done this:



It's not as effective as a bass pot on the first stage but I like the sound of it better. It does enough for what I want.

This is a killer OD for Les Paul or Strat. I've tried various diode combinations but a pair of 1N4148s works fine. It has become a firm favourite.