NPD " Sort of"

[Trouble]

A few months ago I decided to try my hand at building effects pedals. I ordered a lot of components, most of them from Asia so has taken awhile to get everything. I decided to try some existing designs to get an idea of how everything works and see how I would like it.

 

The first thing I did was build a test box, a 1590bb with lots of holes drilled in it to try switches and pots, with a standard true bypass stompbox harness in it so I can basically just plug in the new circuit and see how it works.

 

So far I've built a couple fuzzes and overdrives, nothing really grabbed me until I built a Menatone Red Snapper circuit, the early 3 knob version. Really nice light OD/boost with a clean open sound. I boxed it and it's on my pedalboard now. It's great for bright country twang and boosting other overdrives into infinite sustain without changing the way they sound at all. It is like what other people describe the Timmy as being, my sound just more.

 

I just finished a Dan Armstrong Blue Clipper but I had to call it a night before I got a chance to put it in my test box and try it. The circuits are actually really cheap, it's the box, jacks, pots and footswitch that are expensive. By putting them in a test box I get to try them without wasting to much money, then if I like them I can put them in their own box.

 

So I guess I like building pedals. Gonna probably build a few more OD's that I wanted to try, a clean octave for my bass player, maybe a delay and then maybe an amp or two.

 

I'm doing this strictly for my own learning/entertainment, no plans to sell anything and I really don't have time to do it at all but what the hell sleep is overrated.

[JeffB]

Ive always thought the Red Snapper would be a pedal I might like. Ive never been able to try one.

Ive assembled some pedals but I havent liked any of them enought to stick them on my board.

Any clips of the red snapper?

[Trouble]

I'll try this weekend, I plan on finishing up a couple others this weekend too so may have a couple to show off.

[JeffB]

I'll try this weekend, I plan on finishing up a couple others this weekend too so may have a couple to show off.

Awesome! look forward to it.

[Steiner]

Sleep. What's sleep but laying there in the dark doing nothing? Take another pill.

 

Trouble - what you're doing is awesome. People that can build electrical assemblies are the mystical ones who are able to do the impossible. I too look forward to hearing your efforts.

[Trouble]

I haven't had time to set up pc and record clips. I've been putting stuff together today and had company yesterday. I ran out of a pretty common capacitor too so I have 3 boards done waiting on caps, a Jetter Gain Stage Black, Menatone Blue Collar and something else but I've forgotten what it's called, another overdrive though.

 

I also got a Dan Armstrong Blue Clipper hooked up and tested, which is a nice 1 knob fuzz but just a bit dark sounding and a catalinbread Naga Viper boost built and tested, it's a boost but has three knobs, they have names like bite and range but basically seems like a volume and 2 presence knobs basically, since you cant' really overdrive it I changed 2 of the external knobs to trim pots and set them at max and then just have the volume external, though I haven't put it in a box. I really don't need a boost but I'm thinking of putting both the blue clipper and Naga Viper together in the same box, and use the boost as a preamp for the fuzz. It would brighten up the dark sounding fuzz and add a ton of sustain. If I do I'm going to wire them both on one switch so they are both on together all the time, should be a cool dirt box. The fuzz alone would also be great with a bass so who knows.

 

Hopefully I'll get some caps this week and record some clips next weekend. The Jetter is one I've been wanting to try for awhile, figures I wouldn't get to finish it.