The joys of modding already-built pedals

[earthtonesaudio]

Just wanted to say I had a lot of fun this week modding a couple of my stock pedals to give them a little more versatility.  There's just something cool about making something more "your own," even if it looks like a stock pedal.

The first one was my TS-7 tubescreamer (the kind with the push-lock knobs).  It's already sort of like a "boutique" screamer because it has that "hot switch" to increase the gain frequency response, but I took it a little further with some relatively simple mods.  One mod was asymmetrical clipping.  I had previously switched out the clipping diodes with red LEDs and so I put a single shottky diode in parallel with one of them, and used a mini toggle to switch it in or out of the circuit.  The cool thing about using the mini toggle was it fit in the battery compartment (with room to spare for the battery) and when the battery cover/switch plate is closed, it looks stock.
Keeping with the "sleeper" theme, I wanted to do something to the tone section, so I wired a trimpot in parallel with the 220 ohm resistor that goes from the tone pot to ground.  By reducing the resistance value (to zero if desired) you can get a hot treble boost with the tone pot up full, or a treble cut without the shelving hump.  This part is adjustable with a jeweler's screwdriver via a tiny hole on the side, underneath the input jack.

The next victim was a Fab Echo pedal.  I have two of these, and already did the mods on one of them for infinite repeats/adjustable delay time/100% mix control.  The second one was begging for adjustable delay time, and the infinite repeats mod, so I did those.  In addition, I added an LED/LDR in parallel with the delay time pot, and a 1/8" jack so I can use an expression pedal at some point.


Debugging was the best part... the TS-7 worked without a hitch, and the Fab Echo at first didn't echo, until I pushed the foil shield off the 5V regulator with my fingernail and it worked perfectly after that!  Yay!

[newfish]

Sounds like you were busy - and with great results.

The detail involved in hiding a switch in a battery compartment is just crazy!  Any chance of piccies?

I'm currently waiting for a friend to bring back a couple of DS-1 s from the States (if he remembers) - so I'll be getting my feet wet doing some Keeley Mods...

[Steben]

Oh yes, cheap boxes, excellent switching, ... reliable ...
I used to swap the entire circuit of TS's and DS's, Bipolars to (mos)fets's, IC swap, cap selection, keeping the hardware...
fun fun fun
The simple truth is you ALWAYS can sell these modded pedals like donut, because they keep on being so sturdy.

[earthtonesaudio]

I forgot to mention that I did the "TS808 mod" to the output buffer of the TS-7.  No idea if it changed the sound though, especially after all the other mods... but maybe the placebo effect will make me play better. 

I almost took out the IC to put in a socket and swap chips later, maybe I'll do that in the future sometime. 


I'll take pictures tonight and try to upload them tomorrow.  I was having fun with trying to keep it looking stock.

[earthtonesaudio]

Modded Fab Echo: 


Sleeper TS7:


But what's that little hole on the side... say, there's a trimpot in there!  Shunts the 220 Ohm resistor for more gain in the tone stage, and a big treble boost.


Open up the battery cover, and there's a switch to select between "normal" LED clipping, or 1 LED and 1 Shottky diode.


Had to trim the lockwasher down a bit, but it fit with room to spare for a battery.

[ayayay!]

Even though I've just recently started building pedals from scratch, I still like making a good pre-existing pedal better.  I'm sorry, but some of these pedals do have excellent ergonmics and "ease of entry" down pat!  Sure makes it an easy way to make a few bucks! 

I still think those ToneLok pedals are a great design. 

[runmikeyrun]

its nice because it's an easy way to get a good pedal to sound better, if you know what you're doing 

[Steben]

I still think those ToneLok pedals are a great design. 

true.
Putting away the knobs is quite useful on stage, hence you can use small pots, cheap knobs...

Although they have a bit that overfancy 80ties Sf - character I dislike a lot on Ibanez (it's pathological  ), they look like the first real modern-western panzer equivalent of an EH Russian big muff box tank.
BTW: those danelectro pedals are on esthetics the worst "new" pedals I have seen so far...

[earthtonesaudio]

BTW: those danelectro pedals are on esthetics the worst "new" pedals I have seen so far...

So true!   

[Steben]

BTW: those danelectro pedals are on esthetics the worst "new" pedals I have seen so far...

So true!   

The first I saw made me think of broken down submarines (The "kursk" ones...).