Modbreaker (modded BBreaker) output curves

[Steben]

Hi guys,

I drew some graphs based on the gain structure of a Bluesbreaker with the added clippers in the first stage.
This is still one of my favourite drive layouts ever. What is very very obvious here is that on lower gain settinngs it is still exactly a standard Bluesbreaker.
It is only in the highest gain settings the first clippers start working. This might be exactly why I like these added diodes: it tops of the end gain region where soft clippers go too soft.
Another thing I might add are yet another pair of diodes at the input. These clip really high input which might make the opamps clip way beyond the clipping ratios of the standard circuit.
It would make the circuit respond even more like an amp when fed by a booster. This is something which lacks in soft clippers.

Mark did the same idea with LED clippers. This feels a treshold too large to my taste.

Once again one notices that although the BB is never a real hard clipper, it gets closest to one in the lowest gain settings. Each gain setting renders a complete different clipping style because of the resistor in series with the diodes in stage 2 which sets the amount of signal beyond the treshold in relation with the gain pot.
It is especially in the low to mid gain settings simple yet brilliant design by Marshall. If you need a bit of clean with a touch of edge a crisper clipping is useful. A classic overdrive gives soft clipping all the time with even softer clipping relatively at lower gain. This always felt muffled to me. mellow very soft edge is much more useful at higher gain although this might seem odd and contradictory to most...

This is applicable to high freqs. Lower freqs have less gain in the BB and will have different curves.

[Mark Hammer]

Check this thread from a little while back:  https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=126135.0

It puts a little more "oomph" in the first drive stage, such that lower Gain settings still manage to nudge a little clipping out of the diodes in stage 1.  Your implementation of a bit of rolloff just ahead of the Tone control may yield a smoother tone than mine.