Breadboarding my first electra mod

[alvynmcq]

Hi I am just starting out with DIY pedal making.

I have started with the electra circuit, mostly because I like pedals like the lovepedal cot etc.

Just to play about I have ran one electra circut minus the diode clipping into another electra with the clipping diodes added to see what sort of boost it will give, the sound is pleasing enough but more distorted than a woodrow or cot. At the minute this is just for playing about to see what sort of sounds I can come up with. I am thinking of adding a switch to change between the clean boost and distortion as the next bit.

Have I got it right running one circuit into the next? I have placed a 10k resistor between the boost section and the distortion section to reduce the level of the signal going through, not sure if this is right or wrong, but it sounded ok.

[smallbearelec]

Hi--

Here is my take on a better-controlled Electra clone:

http://diy.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BreadboardUrsaMinor/BreadboardUrsaMinor.htm

It looks like you already have the parts you need, and yes, putting a clean boost before the clipping stage would give you a lot of distortion.

[alvynmcq]

Thanks smallbear, that guide is really helpful as it details some of the things I was thinking about, the soft clipping was something I wanted to try. As I am new to electronics I have been fumbling my way through reading schematics, but I am slowly getting there.

The other thing is that I am testing the build with a roland microcube on the roland JC setting, which I am sure isn't the best pedal platform, my theory is if I can get a decent sound with it then hopefully it will sound good with a better amp.

I am going to order more parts this afternoon and see how far I can get with some sort of TS type circuit or a D style Fet preamp pedal (I would love a look inside a current Special Request pedal), this seems as if it can get addictive . But I do like the sound of the electra circuit even with its simplicity.

Hoping to build a veroboard version of the lovepedal champ in the near future as well. Ultimately I would love to build a small wattage (0.5-1w) valve amp, but all the warnings about voltage have scared me out of it.

[duck_arse]

alvyn - I might be the only person on earth that doesn't have a googoo account, so I might be the only person who can't see your circuit, but I can't see your circuit.

welcome to the forum.

[alvynmcq]

I will rectify it when I get home duck_arse.

There's nothing much to see, prepare to be disappointed :-)

[antonis]

I will rectify it when I get home duck_arse.

for your info, only..

Duckie loves full wave rectification..

[alvynmcq]

I can't seem to make it share with everyone.

I will use a different host next time I post a picture up.

Last night I changed it slightly, I cascaded the electra circuit with soft clipping into a SHO circuit, I wasn't overly keen on the result. But it has led me to looking at the super duper 2 in 1 and thinking that it might get the result I am looking for

[duck_arse]

see? now, not only is my rectification secret outta the bag, but I'm also disappointed I can't see your circuit still, and now you've gorn and changed it, so that's two circuits I'm down. boo!

maybe you try the SHO first, feeding the electra?