Adding tone to distortion + Newbe

[msurdin]

HI,

I want to build the distortion + from ggg  http://generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/dist_plus_lo.gif
I was wondering if there is any way to put a tone into it.

Thanks for your help.

Matt

[Yun]

here you go, man:

[mattpocket]

yeah what yun said! haha

he helped me decipher tone controls when I built my distortion plus...

also, look in the DIY FAQ at the top of the page... one of the first light blue links is something like "modding your pedals" and it describe a shed load of tone controls. If you learn/know how to read schematics, they are excellent...

Yun's will work really well though, did for me...

Oh and, dont give up on the tone control, the distortion plus needs one... way too "middley"...

Hope that helps... if not get back to me... I'll give you some more pointers... I dont know how new you are to this...

What kind of sound are you looking for? What is your setup guitar/amp wise?

Matt

[Yun]

Far out, i'm glad that i helped you out, mr.Matt

Some other "input" that i have to give youse guys:

The tone control (no matter what type) WILL result in volume loss.  So, in my MXR D+ i put 4 1N914's in a row (in series), and i changed the volume control for a 2 meg....

Another remedy:  Put a booster (such as an EH LPB) RIGHT after the tone control- before the volume control, mind you. 

Assuming that you're using a PCB, that example in my last post will be nearly the best option.  Hence why i allways build with perf-board  .  Within reason of course....

[msurdin]

Where on the board on that link do I attach it? And the mod you did to help stop the vol loss (4 in914's and the 2 meg vol) What do i replace with the 4 in914's?

I play alot of Pink Floyd. I really have a good gilmour sound. The distortion + gives a really good ss-... sound. I was reading some place cornish took a old distortion + and gave it a tone and modded it for vol loss.

Does anyone know if the parts on this layout are for the newer distortion + or the script?

[Yun]

Where on the board on that link do I attach it? And the mod you did to help stop the vol loss (4 in914's and the 2 meg vol) What do i replace with the 4 in914's?

I play alot of Pink Floyd. I really have a good gilmour sound. The distortion + gives a really good ss-... sound. I was reading some place cornish took a old distortion + and gave it a tone and modded it for vol loss.

Does anyone know if the parts on this layout are for the newer distortion + or the script?

you attatch the pot, exactly as i showed you, to the very last capacitor in the circuit (before the volume pot) . 

No no, the diode clippers (the 2 diodes in the D+ circuit): put 4 in a row (meaning in series), on each side. 

PM me, and i'll modify the GGG layout and i'll show you exactly what i mean, savvy?

As for the script version:  go to www.tonepad.com and look for the MXR distortion + layout (PDF)....

[mattpocket]

My tone control doesnt cut too much volume, but if I were to use it on other pedals how do I go about using this booster after the tone control?

Would I just stick a pot in to control the boost, or is there a way to set it to keep a constant signal without getting too complicated? Would I better with a clean boost rather than an LPB or something? (I know the LPB is a tiny circuit though, which is useful)

Matt

[Mark Hammer]

Yun's suggestion is also a good one, but the stock Dist+ gets thinner-sounding as you turn up the gain, so you may not want a variable bass-rolloff control (which is what he showed).  If you would rather have something that takes some of the buzz out and warms up the sound, this circuit works very nicely.  I have it on mine and am quite happy with it.  From what I hear, many others are too. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/SWTC.gif

Essentially, what you'd do is replace the 10k fixed resistor just before the volume pot with a 10k pot.  The two outside lugs of the added pot get connected to exactly where the two ends of the removed 10k resistor went.  The wiper (middle lug) of the 10k pot gets soldered to a cap (.01uf to .018uf ought to be about right), and the other end of the cap goes to ground.  That's it.  Let your ears tell you whether linear or log taper is right for you.  Either will work.  Probably safe to start out with linear, though, if that's what you have available.  Just note that once you get to the treble-most end of the control, there will be a slight and sudden drop in treble as the added cap gets placed in parallel with the .001uf cap that parallels the diodes.  No danger, just a change in tone.

[Yun]

Yun's suggestion is also a good one, but the stock Dist+ gets thinner-sounding as you turn up the gain, so you may not want a variable bass-rolloff control (which is what he showed).  If you would rather have something that takes some of the buzz out and warms up the sound, this circuit works very nicely.  I have it on mine and am quite happy with it.  From what I hear, many others are too. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/SWTC.gif

Essentially, what you'd do is replace the 10k fixed resistor just before the volume pot with a 10k pot.  The two outside lugs of the added pot get connected to exactly where the two ends of the removed 10k resistor went.  The wiper (middle lug) of the 10k pot gets soldered to a cap (.01uf to .018uf ought to be about right), and the other end of the cap goes to ground.  That's it.  Let your ears tell you whether linear or log taper is right for you.  Either will work.  Probably safe to start out with linear, though, if that's what you have available.  Just note that once you get to the treble-most end of the control, there will be a slight and sudden drop in treble as the added cap gets placed in parallel with the .001uf cap that parallels the diodes.  No danger, just a change in tone.

Good one, mr.Mark.  i was afraid to tell him all that- didn't want to confuse him; and with my vocabulary and poor spelling; i didn't even want to touch the stuff that you just mentioned....hmmmmm, maybe i SHOULD've tried to graduate highschool afterall 

[Mark Hammer]

I'm rapidly closing in on 10,000 posts (don't NOBODY tell my wife or supervisor! ).  If I haven't learned anything about how to say it right after THAT much practice, it'd be time to pack it in.

Incidentally, what you suggested is quite compatible with what I suggested.  Run a 25-50k pot in series with a cap of your choosing, and stick that in parallel with the suggested 10k pot to provide a variable path for high end to bypass the SWTC.  When the 2nd pot resistance is at min, treble gets through to the output efficiently, getting a brighter tone.  Turn the pot resistance up and the whole signal goes through the 10k treble rolloff pot.

You will note that will just the cap and no pot resistance straddling the 10k treble cut pot we have.....TA-DA!...a midscoop filter.  Pretty cool, huh?

[Yun]

I'm rapidly closing in on 10,000 posts (don't NOBODY tell my wife or supervisor! ).  If I haven't learned anything about how to say it right after THAT much practice, it'd be time to pack it in.

Incidentally, what you suggested is quite compatible with what I suggested.  Run a 25-50k pot in series with a cap of your choosing, and stick that in parallel with the suggested 10k pot to provide a variable path for high end to bypass the SWTC.  When the 2nd pot resistance is at min, treble gets through to the output efficiently, getting a brighter tone.  Turn the pot resistance up and the whole signal goes through the 10k treble rolloff pot.

You will note that will just the cap and no pot resistance straddling the 10k treble cut pot we have.....TA-DA!...a midscoop filter.  Pretty cool, huh?

Yeppers,

By the way, the mid-scoop filter control that you put on your shin ei:  i use that tone control on almost every build.  It's pretty groovy, man....

[WGTP]

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/WGTP/MXR_YJM_DOD250Mods?full=1

Here is the answer to your output lose.  A Mosfet Boost at the end.  Sounds great.  Makes the stock Dist+ sound puny.   

[mattpocket]

Markm: any chance of a little drawing to demonstrate your two pot mid scoop tone control, I couldnt quite understand it without a picture...

Also, incedentally, two years ago I did an electronics course at college for a year... I thought it was the most boring thing ever, got the lecturer to debug all my work, barely passed and generally paid no attention whatsoever, and now look where I am! Damn it! haha

Matt

[Yun]

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/WGTP/MXR_YJM_DOD250Mods?full=1

Here is the answer to your output lose.  A Mosfet Boost at the end.  Sounds great.  Makes the stock Dist+ sound puny.   

I actually have done those mods to my DOD YJM.  that is a VERY cool mod.  i did jumper the 10K though.  In other words there's no resistance going to the diodes.  But i settled for 820 ohm resistor....

[WGTP]

Did you do the Mosfet too?   

[Yun]

Did you do the Mosfet too?   

I tried that too, but i settled for the rocket booster (the one that i designed).  why?  Simply sounded better to me.  i got more crunch and grit out of it, as well as touch synsetivity.....

[WGTP]

I guess you could also use one of your BMP stages? 

[Yun]

I guess you could also use one of your BMP stages? 

What do you mean eh?

[WGTP]

Instead of adding a Mosfet stage at the end of the Dist+, or your booster stage, you could add a BMP distortion stage.   

[Yun]

Instead of adding a Mosfet stage at the end of the Dist+, or your booster stage, you could add a BMP distortion stage.   

Hmmmmm, good idea, man!  I was actually thinking about AMZ's muffer the other day.....