Hwy 89 finally built it...NICE ONE!

[John Lyons]

I finally got around to building this one. I used markm's layout in the gallery.
I must say, this thing is a great sounding circuit. Thick and round.
The tone controls are subtle but effective.
Treble is just the high end. Turn down the treble and you still have a usable  thick tone.
Turn down the bass and the low mids are still intact.
Cleans up really well for sure.
If you want less gain you could probably use 2n3904s or similar. I used everything as stock...smokin!


Here are a few clips:
www.mrdwab.com/john/Hwy89_1.mp3
www.mrdwab.com/john/HWY89.mp3
www.mrdwab.com/john/Hwy892.mp3
www.mrdwab.com/john/Hwy89smokey.mp3

All the gain chages are with the guitar's volume control or pickup selector.
I used a les Paul copy (Agile!) The gain knob was never more than 3/4 up.

Now I just need to learn to play better and learn how to post the links without the full address showing...

John

[JimRayden]

Beautiful clips, wonderful circuit! Got a strat?

I have yet to take the plunge and build myself one. How does it compare to BSIAB?

---------
Jimbo

[oldrocker]

Hi john,
Yeah,  this is one of if not my favorite distortion pedal.  I brought it to rehearsal and let my guitarist try it. (I play bass.)   He didn't want to part with it and now he wants me to make him one.  He was using the Rat I built but switched to the HWY89.   
When I emailed Doug for the schem I didn't realize that www.home-wrecker had a perf layout and Markm didn't have the layout you used posted at the time.  I did my own quicky layout.  But when I first heard it I couldn't believe how good it sounded.  Doug emailed me about month ago and told he is working on some new designs that I'm sure are going to be stomp shattering.   He asked if I was interested in them and of course I said YES!  So I'm excited to hear what he's doing when he gets back from his break.  He heard my guitarist and it sounded like he wanted to hear what we thought of it.  So I will be honored.  The bands myspace website is linked below.

Anyway your samples sounded excellent and it makes me want to bring it out and start jamming on it right now.  Did you box it up already?  I housed mine in a metal tin container.  Yes I will be replacing that red switch with standard metal one soon.

http://www.myspace.com/thedarrylplummerband

[John Lyons]

I was planing on getting some clips done with a my strat but I got side tracked I guess. I'll work on those, Im curious as well!
The BSIAB2 isn't similar at all really. The Hwy 89 has a stronger lower midrange and less high end but without being too dark.
The tone controls are exactly what they say, Bass is just bass, and treble is only the high end. You can get a good sound with the bass off as well as with the treble down.
This one cleans up amazingly as well as you can hear in the clips. I didn't do much with the picking dynamics but maybe I'll get to that with the strat clips.

I haven't settled on a box for this one yet. I need to make up some more boxes. It's easier to make a few at once since cutting the pieces requires a good but of planning and setup. This one would be a good tweed covered candidate! Maybe a distressed well worn warn looking one...

I made a layout for this one today. I wanted to change a couple things from marks layout. Just compulsivness really though, no circuit changes.

John

[liakos]

wow! amazing clips !it is what i want for my band now !a good combination of  od with fuzz!but since Doug is having a "brake" i am afraid i won't build it

[tungngruv]

Wow... sounds great John. Congratulations on building a forum legend. I see what you mean about being "round sounding". Nice soudclips BTW. Thanks for taking the time to build and record it.

[John Lyons]

Tony, I'm still bummed that the Hwy89 you sent never made it here...

Liakos, Why not build one? The layout is in the Gallery for Mark M.
I can send you the Schematic if you want it.

John

[Paul Marossy]

I need to pull mine out of storage and take it for a drive. No pun intended... 

[oversight_failure]

Those clips are great.  I look forward to hearing samples with a strat...or I'll just build one and hear it for myself

PM sent!

[phaseman]

   great clips!!
I had no special interest for that circuit until now...
I've found unverified layout on Markm's gallery, and a perf layout at www.home-wrecker but I cant find the schematic...
Can you send me the schematic,too?
Thanx.


Marko

[ranchak]

You hooked me, I need to build one of these! Do you have the component values?

[MartyMart]

Great clips John, it's a little "cracker" isn't it !!
Didn't use mine for a few months - other stuff - but will use it again for sure.

MM

[d95err]

I tried emailing Doug Hammond for the schematic a while ago. Perhaps I used the wrong address or it got lost in cyberspace somehow, but I never got it. Does anyone know what the best way to contact Doug for the schematic is?

[MicFarlow77]

Hey John,

Great work, and nice clips as well!

I am sure you will do a great enclosure..... I like the distressed idea a lot...would love to see that done..... you could use a little 1 grit on it and do one heck of a distress job....some rusty chains....many many options....

Keep us posted!

Mick

[John Lyons]

Here are some strat clips, excuse the playing. I'm much more a builder than a player!

www.mrdwab.com/john/Hwy-89strat.mp3
www.mrdwab.com/john/Hwy-89strat2.mp3

All volume was controled from the guitar. (I have a treble bleed cap on the guitars volume that brightens up the low vol settings)

Let me know if there are any gliches as they may have happened on the upload, (dial up here only...gasp)

John

[oversight_failure]

Hey, thanks for sending the schematic!

Ironically, Doug sent out an email to all those that requested the schem shortly after you sent it to me.  The reason I bring this up is that you all may find this email of interest:

I no longer participate in diy electronics, so this is
the last Highway 89 schematic I'm handing out.

For everyone on the forum:

Feel free to PM, email, or otherwise share the
schematics with each other.

The Highway 89 has an impedance-scaled tone stack
based on the Dr. Z "Route 66" amplifier (hence the
"highway" name). In deference to Dr. Z, I did not want
to post the schematic. At this point in time it may
not make much difference as I've seen many Route 66
derivative amp schematics posted since, over the
years. So I leave that up to your collective
judgement, whether you want to post the schematic or
not. Either way, it doesn't matter to me. I was never
protecting "my" part of the design- it's a DIY project
and I expect people to copy and use it.

However, I'm not going to respond to any more email
requests for it as I'm busy with other stuff now.

Feel free to share this message with everyone on the
forum.

Thanks for your interest,

Doug

[Traintrack]

I have the same email, with the Schem., if anyone can post it I'll sent it to you.

[John Lyons]

Well...here it is then... Thanks Doug!



John

[pyrop]

Now I just need to learn to play better and learn how to post the links without the full address showing...

John

(replace "u r l" with "url" no spaces)

Normal link showing the url [u r l]www.the-url-you-want-to-link-to.com[/u r l]

Linking word/s without showing the url [u r l=www.the-url-you-want-to-link-to.com]THE WORDS YOU WANT TO REPLACE THE URL WITH AND CLICK ON GOES HERE[/u r l]

Note where the url it self goes


paulw

[John Lyons]

Thanks Paul! Now I can all fancy and post the link with just the text I want.

I appreciate it.

John