confusion regarding treble response in dist+

[comfortably_numb]

No need for embarassment.  Thanks for clearing that up.

PaulC - I've still not gotten any solder braid, but I've been thinking about that .001 input cap.  If I move the pedal behind another with an output buffer, should I then be able to determine if your theory is correct concerning the high end sucking of that capacitor, since it will not be interacting with the large resistance of the guitar volume pot?

Just a thought.

[comfortably_numb]

Okay, so I just tried it.  I stuck my Blues Drive in front of it - Off - and there is quite a bit more presence.  Sounds pretty sweet as a matter of fact.  So I suppose I'll just replace that .001 cap with something smaller, and make the tone control changes.

Of course this all depends on my available free time.

[Elektrojänis]

We can figure a guitar's ouput Volume pot is 500k and the impedance of the pickups is comparatively negligible.

Is it really neglible? The impedance of a pickup is not even nearly purely resistive. It's quite inductive... So, even if it's DC-resistance is aruond 8kohm, its impedance on higher frequencies might be a lot higher.

[Transmogrifox]

When you dial the pot to 50%, the PU's have an effect that is more or less negligible.  The series/parallel resistance from the output pot at 1/2 volume significantly damps any resonance with the PU and input capacitance of the circuit in consideration.  There are quite a number of impedances that I dindn't take into consideration in the calculation because I wanted to present it for the concept--and to get into the ballpark.  It's a way of getting an idea for RF filtering capacitance values to begin experimenting.  Nevermind the fact that you don't always keep your volume pot in the same position, thus throwing off this calculation by more than an order of magnitude.

So in the end, all things considered, I think the pickup impedance for the worst-case scenario is of little consequence.  Maybe I should take a scope and signal generator to a guitar pickup and measure the impedance just so I have a clue about what I'm talking about 

[comfortably_numb]

Well, whatever the pickup impedance and volume pot impedance, plus the impedance of my volume pedal amounts to, the pedal sounds a hell of a lot more present coming after a pedal using buffers (my Boss BD-2 set to OFF).  This must be because of the lack of interaction of that capacitor with anything previous, correct?  It could also be a byproduct of having a buffered signal. 

I'm kinduv at a loss on what exactly to do.  I'm planning on eventually putting a clean boost in front of this pedal, (fetzer valve, possibily housed with a mosFET boost) which I suppose would alleviate the need for removing/lowering the value of that capacitor.  On the other hand, I want it to be useful in a variety of situations, so I can make others without need to make alterations for the circumstances in which they will be used. 

Any thoughts?

[WGTP]

Cut the .001uf and see what happens.  You may not get any radio.  I don't have one on my breadboard dual op amp high gain distortions and only pick up radio when some wires touch that shouldn't.  Or, try a 100pf cap.  The Radio frequencies are way up there and you may not need a cap as large as .001uf.  IMHO there is still have too much bass getting boosted with the .47uf cap.   

[comfortably_numb]

Well...  I have good news and bad news.

First the good.  I cut the .001uF cap and TA-DA!  Restored brightness and no radio frequencies!  Sounds nice.
I also changed the 10k fixed resistor to 1k, and the tone control cap from .001uF to .01uF.  I now have a nice functional tone control.

Now the bad.  The pedal now sounds buzzy with harder pick attacks.  What used to be touch sensitivity is now really nasty.  It's sensitive I suppose, it just sounds like poo.  I can only think this is because of the change in resistance before the diode clippers.  I suppose the obvious thing to do is continue to adjust the tone control until I get something I am happy with.  I really liked the sound with that 10k resistor in there.  Without it...well, not so much. 

Problem is, if I restore the 10k resistor, I'll need a 100k pot and the previous .001uF cap to get the same low pass filter range.  I imagine that this will cause a bit much in the way of passive loss of volume.  I'm liking the pedal's capability to push the amp a bit harder.  So...now what? 

I really wish I had had a breadboard before I soldered this up and stuck it in a box.

Anyway, just thought I'd let you guys know how it turned out.  I"m not sure what I'm going to do about that tone control.  I'm game for ideas though.

[Transmogrifox]

I really wish I had had a breadboard before I soldered this up and stuck it in a box.

Breadboard a copy now and tweak with it until you can get something you like.  Then do that mod to your boxed pedal.