ROG Omega VS Texas Cattledrive

[rpjones]

Both Rangemaster circuits, has anyone built both? Compare and contrast? Any info/thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

[tcobretti]

The omega is not a rangemaster.  It can sound like a rangemaster or like a full voice booster, but it is very different electronically from a rangemaster.

Every ROG project I have built has been very cool, and despite the fact that I have a number of boosters I have been tempted to build the Omega because it is such a cool idea.

[soulsonic]

The Texas Cattle Drive isn't a Rangemaster - it's an Orange/Apollo Treble/Bass Booster. I "inspired" the design for that one (and came up with the inappropriate name - that pedal has nothing to do with Texas - LOL). By "inspired" I mean I gave Ted the finished and verified design I used for my first Rangemaster style booster, and he ignored it and instead just copied the circuit for the Apollo booster (which sounds terrible). With a little bit of work, the Texas Cattle Drive kit can easily be modified to be more like a Rangemaster and sound much better. I had a whole system worked up for modifying the stock circuit board to work with my design... The most annoying thing about Ted's board is that it switches power simultaneously with the bypass, so there's this nasty pop you can avoid without reworking the board. I should post up the complete rework instructions. My modded version of the kit has been built for several Weber customers at special request and they've all been very satisfied with the results.

Even though the stock circuit is lame, the Cattle Drive is a really good deal for a kit of parts for building a Germanium booster. The pedal enclosure they sell are decent quality as far as the metalwork goes, but the holes for the jacks are in a really bad spot on the sides - they totally get in the way of the controls if you use full sized pots with it. and having the jacks on a separate section makes the wiring kind of a bear to deal with.

[markm]

I've built both.
I'd go with the Buckaroo!! 

[John Lyons]

I liked the Omega because of it's versatility. It does a number of boost tones well and it's tone is infinetely variable with the "range" pot.
There is a clip of mine HERE

John

[Gilles C]

I built the Cattle Drive from the kit, and wasn't really satisfied with the sound. I never used it after putting it on a box...

I used a germanium I bought from Aron instead of the one which came with the kit. The specs were better. And if you do not modify the power switching  connections, the pop kills you.

Any modification ideas would be welcome... 

Gilles