Funny "MOJO" stuff

[Joe Hart]

He everyone, I'm trying to come up with a list of all the funny "mojo" magic things that there are surrounding the world of stompboxes (I do not want to debate their merits -- that's been done to death -- just a listing of them). Here's some that I can think of right now...

Carbon Comp Resistors
Silver Solder
Tropical Fish Caps
The 4558 Chip

Anything else??
-Joe Hart

[Joe Hart]

Oh, yeah. And Ceramic Capacitors sound "gritty" and may be good in distortion circuits.
-Joe Hart

[toneman]

one-of-a-kind paint jobs.

"hand wired", no etching chemicals.

[Torchy]

Anything that starts with "Tubescreamer" ...

[puretube]

add a (mini-) tube for a little warmth!

[Fret Wire]

Batteries
Germanium Transistors
Sound Enhancing Knobs
Gold Plated Contacts
Oxygen Depleted Cables

[LinuxMan]

Sound Enhancing Knobs

:shock:  
Are you sure you didn't make this one up on your own?

Cheers
LM

[Gilles C]

Batteries
Germanium Transistors
Sound Enhancing Knobs
Gold Plated Contacts
Oxygen Depleted Cables

Not any batteries, ...carbon batteries.

Re: http://www.tonequest.com/articles/article24.htm near the end of the article.

My fav mojo... I should add: discrete sounds better than op-amps  :wink:

Gilles

Oh, some other mojos,

True bypass
Connect Fender or Gibson guitars only, nothing else sounds good with your diy effects.

[Nasse]

http://diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=18667&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=bullshit

Low oxygen copper is no bullshit IMHO

If this topic goes to the Lounge so it goes.

[travissk]

808 / "SRV in a box". The 4558 must be a vintage JRC chip used back in the day. A modern TI version (and anything else you can get new) has anti-mojo and will set your playing back three years.

I'd go so far as to say the manufacturer's name contributes to the mojo. It seems a lot of players wouldn't be caught dead with a danelectro or dod pedal, and a boss is only acceptable after having at least three big-name mods done to it ("Keeley").

Finally, ridiculous prices. If a TubeScreamer costs $500, then it -must- have something supernatural. Otherwise... what'd I pay $500 for?

The sound-enhancing knobs are no joke; someone is selling them to the audiophile crowd. I can't imagine there is much success, but hey...

[Fret Wire]

Sound Enhancing Knobs

:shock:  
Are you sure you didn't make this one up on your own?

Cheers
LM

Where have you been hiding? You have been living a sheltered life!  This has been a running joke here for awhile. You should buy these for your next silver soldered, vintage JRC4558 equipped, Tubescreamer! You will play like SRV or Jimi instantly! :roll:

http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NOB_C37_C&Category_Code=VOLUME&Product_Count=2

[LinuxMan]

I wonder why it slipped my attention ...

At least I know what to do for my next TS clone...

Cheers
LM

[Hal]

point to point wireing
TRUE BYPASS (in some cases)
switchcraft jacks
metal film resistors


I guess the last couple have "modern mojo", not "vintage mojo"

I used to lurk HCFX a little, until i caught a thread that said "how would changing the LED on an effect to blue effect my tone"  and they weren't talking about an LED/LDR combo or a clipping diode - they were talking about the indicator.  

so i guess blue led mojo

[puretube]

chickenhead knobs !

[LinuxMan]

point to point wireing
TRUE BYPASS (in some cases)
switchcraft jacks
metal film resistors


I guess the last couple have "modern mojo", not "vintage mojo"

I used to lurk HCFX a little, until i caught a thread that said "how would changing the LED on an effect to blue effect my tone"  and they weren't talking about an LED/LDR combo or a clipping diode - they were talking about the indicator.  

so i guess blue led mojo

This goes well with my other post. So switchcraft jacks are no different
than any others of the same type? As for example these.

Cheers
LM

[cd]

The reliability/contact merits of Switchcraft jacks can be debated to death, but they have a very nice "feel" that is NOT bunk IMHO.  A plug goes in and comes out easily, and is held in just the right position, even if you try to push in too far.  The cheapo jacks I use (which are like 1/3 the price) have a nastier chrome coating and grip a plug like crazy, but go funny when you push in too far and are more of a pain to pull a plug out of.

[Ge_Whiz]

1960s PVC-insulated wire that comes in a variety of rather dull, pastel colours and strips to reveal grey wires. Instant mojo.

[Doug_H]

;lkj

[Paul Marossy]

Silver wire. Some people out there are making amps with silver wire because "it's 7% less resistive than copper". While this is true, it doesn't amount to anything in a wire that is 6 or 8 inches long. If we were talking long distances and voltage drop was a concern, maybe. But in a guitar amp?! C'mon now.

[Jason Stout]

Three silly letters.....

N.O.S.