MXR DIST+ MODS

[mattpocket]

So, I finished it, and it sounds OK, but its not as good as the amp distortion (marshall mg100dfx)... it sounds kind of solid and regimented, is there some other pedal I could put before or after it to contour it somehow... like an EQ, booster, another distortion pedal, something else?

Matt

[Meanderthal]

EQ, booster, another distortion pedal, something else?

All of that... eq after or/and before, boost before, distortion either or(might get sick though), but compared to tube distortion it will be rather 'regimented'. It's all about the diodes...

Try different kinds of diodes too.

[Mark Hammer]

See other thread.

[markm]

Well,
There ya go.
Some people LOVE this circuit, others don't. Maybe you're in the latter?
Personally, I like the OD250 or ROSS Distortion better, just an opinion though. 

[mattpocket]

I tried the diodes, I have used silicon 4148's and ge 1n270, I have the ge's in now.. it sounds ok, but there is something missing...

How about a distortion effect with a tube in it, there are a couple about, are they any better?

Thanks for the detailed reply Mark H, I will have a look at things and see what I get... I'm building some boosters next month, so i'll see what it sounds like with one of those, and maybe build another MXR with the suggested mod's.

Any other ideas are welcome, is there a layout for that frequency booster?

Matt

[fixr1984]

I love the sound I get from mine. I use it instead of
the built in distortion in either of my Marshall heads.
I boxed it up with a mosfet boost and to me that is a great
combo.

[vortex]

The Dist + type circuits work best with a tube amp. You should give that a try!

[John Lyons]

+1 on the DOD OD250

The MXR Dist+ can be converted to the OD250 super easily.
I would search for DOD OD250 and try out the 77 version.

I have some sound clips of it here www.mrdwab.com/john/soundclipspage.html

And yes,as mentioned above, the dist+ into a tube amp will sound much better than into a solid state amp.
The Dist+ is pretty gritty and needs a little help from a smooth tube amp. Try add capacitance across the diodes, maybe .004 or higher.
A cap to ground at the input (right after the input cap) may help as well. .001 or .002

John

[boyersdad]

I've made a few mods to the basic Dist+ cirtuit, and the main one I'd always do is change the 1u caps to 2u2. Also, try several different clippers. I really dig 1n914, red LED's and old 2n404 Ge trannies (base = cathode)

[MartyMart]

Of all the "variations" of these circuits, my most prized are :

Phillips Liquid drive
1977 OD250 with the 1N4001's
"Tan" Ross Distortion, with assym Ge diodes

MM

[mattpocket]

Hi,

I had another play through my MXR today, and it sounds better to my ears, I think I will invest/build an eq pedal to help smooth it out a little, would a compressor help thicken up the sound too?

Matt

[Yun]

hey, matt

Did you try that tone-stack that i suggested eh?  That will help tremendousley, man

[boyersdad]

Hey Yun, which tone stack? I have a D+ here I'd love to monkey around with some more!

[mattpocket]

Hi Yun,

I dont really understand schem's yet, I've not being doing this long, and I didnt know how to implement it... any help would be much appreciated, a little sketch maybe?

Matt

[anti-idiot]

Hi Yun,

I dont really understand schem's yet, I've not being doing this long, and I didnt know how to implement it... any help would be much appreciated, a little sketch maybe?

Matt

change the 10 resistor at the output of the D+ (original circuit) for a 1k or 100ohm resistor. find a tonestack schematic. add it at the output of the D+ (instead of the volume pot). add volume pot. bang your head like it's 1986.

[Yun]

hey, Matt

It's all groovy, man.  we all have to start somewhere, dude. 

the most simplest tone stack is:

the fatness control, which works like this: 

-take a 100K pot,  and jumper lugs 1 and 2 together. 

-Atatch a wire to the jumpered Lugs (1 and 2)

-Attatch that wire to the "left side" of the out-put cap.  The out put cap is the last capacitor in the schematic right before the out put (meaning right before the out put of the circuit) .  The "left side" means: the lead of the cap to the....well.....left hahahaha.  To clarify:  The out-put cap in the mxr Distortion plus is the very last cap in the circuit and the value is .001uf.  So you want to attatch this wire between the diode clipping circuit and the first lead of the out put cap (once again:  the .001uf cap witch is the last cap in the circuit. 

- Now that you've taken care o' that- there's only ONE MORE WIRE to go, man:

-Attatch a wire to the last lug of the 100K pot (lug 3). 

-Attatch this wire to the right side of the out-put cap.  meaning:  The second lead or "Leg" of the out-put cap. 

-JAM and enjoy a job well done!

Here's a schematic to make things easier for youse, man:

[mattpocket]

Cheers guys, I'll give it a go, but I'll need a bigger box first, I'm using a 5003 from Maplin (I'm from the UK) and they are so tiny it's untrue, I only just managed to fit everything in this time. I'll be using a BB size from Smallbear from now on.

change the 10 resistor at the output of the D+ (original circuit) for a 1k or 100ohm resistor. find a tonestack schematic. add it at the output of the D+ (instead of the volume pot). add volume pot. bang your head like it's 1986.

I didnt understand this, so I am replacing the volume knob with a tone knob and putting the volume knob somewhere else? :S

[anti-idiot]

Cheers guys, I'll give it a go, but I'll need a bigger box first, I'm using a 5003 from Maplin (I'm from the UK) and they are so tiny it's untrue, I only just managed to fit everything in this time. I'll be using a BB size from Smallbear from now on.

change the 10 resistor at the output of the D+ (original circuit) for a 1k or 100ohm resistor. find a tonestack schematic. add it at the output of the D+ (instead of the volume pot). add volume pot. bang your head like it's 1986.

I didnt understand this, so I am replacing the volume knob with a tone knob and putting the volume knob somewhere else? :S

insert this http://home.comcast.net/~machrone/bjr/princtone.gif just before the volume pot of the d+. yup, its like puttin the volume pot somewhere else...