Plextortion/Marshall similar sounding circuit suggestion

[Renegadrian]

A guy here asked me for a pedal, he would like to have a plextortion but schem is not available and maybe I wouldn't builid that as respect. Which circuits would you suggest me to get in the ballpark?! I mean, something marshallesque, plexiesque, something like that...with TMB eq gain and vol.

[Renegadrian]

What about the Marshall Drive Master?! Would it fit?!
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curiously the plextortion is aimed at getting the jcm800 sound...

[petemoore]

   A dirtbox w/3 band eq...
   Anything...with Mu amp driven hard, or even a D+ or OD250...they're popular for a reason.
  Some type of clipping distorter....about as close as it gets for 'Marshallesque' distortion.
  As far as 'plexi-like', a 'beast amp' tone...Jfets distorting, a batch of active stages.
   Really close to the M sound might be the CMOS tube-sound, which is thick 'n smooth...kinda like the amp, not 'hard distortey'.
  When using my Plexi's, I used Shredmaster or other distorter to make it 'Marshalley' sounding, otherwise it's not unlike a Twin into a stack...with respect to either amp being hard to make distorted or very distorted sounds with.
   Shredmaster mentioned because it has mid-scoop and it's fun for a longwhile to play around with the interactive controls and that alone keeps the novelty factor high for a good while, nice 'stackey' sound too.
   D+ mentioned as a Dirt-Engine to start with, then 'carbeurate it' [add buffer or booster to input], and work the exhaust note to your liking [adjust the 'valves' {diodest] to the "RPM/Powerband" preferences], I tune mine to 'center' then use SWTC or just treble-cut knob to get the HF's right at various levels/usages. But this 'simpler yet tuned well' design required quite a bit of 'perfbreading' [a modification accomodating perfboard design]...there are many 250/D+ variations, who knows what others use to preboost or what PU's ? Skinny sounding, fat or 'generic' voicings etc. clipping amounts, voicing and re-design of the 'gain-feed' components/values...D+, CMOS, Double-MU, or say quad or quinta Jfet string-designs...
   Starting with the 'basic Distortion Engine', then feeding it from different 'carbeurettors' [guitar volume works as accellerator and choke, but a booster may be tried for 'blown' tone], then tune the exhaust pipes [TC, notch or other more or less OTC, output tone control] to match the 'powerband RPM frequencies'.
  I like my engine light and powerful, so instead of overdesign, I strive to 'underdesign' after overdesigning...ie try different treads', gearings and exhaust notes 'on the track' [why I like to perfbread loosely w/box and bypass/etc.]...maybe combine some boxed perfbreading with a breadboard for tone controls, you probably have boosters available to patch into the input...see what he's liking !
  Personal preferences aren't that picky about distortion engine in particular, they all 'power up dirt', but gettting that dirt to the desired consistancy...see what it does to fit the desired role, then make it do just that.
  Notice that every approach includes more than one stage doing the distorting, and involves a good deal of tone controlling. This is because no source and amplification notes accompany any 'real' preferences. The 'real' preferences take more time than 10 posts allow, basically requires looking at every piece in the chain. The M-stack tone has been desired in a kickbox ever since when it was discovered to be what it is, and that is quite a trick to even get close to even though a thumb can't be put on precisely what 'it' is.
  Great tone can't be a named dirtbox because the user requirements involve taking the time to sort out every piece and wire in the complete signal chain.
 ...That said, shortcuts are recommended because they may reveal shortcomings, you have to start somewhere to get 'there' !

[Davelectro]

Menatone KOTB.

[Perrow]

something marshallesque

ROG has two Marshall "based" pedals.

[nocentelli]

Catalinbread's Dirty Little Secret is a nice marshall-esque mu-amp-based OD: Plus, Nic from Catalinbread is very cool about DIY clones, so there's no ethical issues. You'd have to graft on the TMB stack as it only has a treble control, but it shouldn't be too much effort.

[ubersam]

how about the good ol' BSIAB2 but with a TMB in place of the BMP-ish tone control?

[Renegadrian]

uh altough it may not be the best choice, I convinced him for a drive master...gotta use my vero layout...at the same time, thx for the suggestions, they may come handy to me or to someone else any time!!!

[soupbone]

uh altough it may not be the best choice, I convinced him for a drive master...gotta use my vero layout...at the same time, thx for the suggestions, they may come handy to me or to someone else any time!!!

Have you checked out the "Thor" from run off groove?

[deadastronaut]

hi adriano: try this out....quite versatile....

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=94608.0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_vp2igXBmY

you can always stick a TMB on it....which is my next project...when i get time....

[soupbone]

hi adriano: try this out....quite versatile....

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=94608.0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_vp2igXBmY

you can always stick a TMB on it....which is my next project...when i get time....

I forgot about your pedal Rob!That thang sounds bad-azz!

[Ice-9]

Having owned both of the original black steel chassis Drivemaster and Guvnor pedals I would go for the Guvnor. There both the same circuit with some different values in places but the Guvnor is better than the drivemaster.

[Renegadrian]

Yeah the SPITFIRE kicks serious a$$, but I think I'd stick with the Drive Master, customer decided he liked it.
I wouldn't go ROG as the guy is gonna pay me for the pedal and it won't be fair for my conscience, as I repect them.
At the same time, as the thor or thunderhead are almost xerox of the original amp schems they emulate, I believe it wouldn't go too much against their work (I am doing some experiments myself following the same TUBE/FET approach)

[deadastronaut]

(I am doing some experiments myself following the same TUBE/FET approach)

cool, sounds good!...