Blues Blaster OD/Distortion MKII... FAIL!!!

Started by Ben Lyman, January 25, 2016, 04:26:09 PM

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Ben Lyman

 Well, I don't know if "fail" is exactly right, it's actually pretty cool and I would definitely use it on my board but it may not be right for my friend, whom it is supposed to be for.
I think it came out a little closer to a full stack than a bluesy OD. Something got lost in translation when it went from BB to solder, I don't know what happened, maybe I mislabeled my schematic or switched some components around or maybe the extra wires on the bb reduced the gain and when soldered up it got super loud. The gain knob ccw begins with something like a full stack on 11 and goes up to insanity. Here's where the first version started:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=112812.0
Then on to the creation of the second version:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=112994.0
Which turned out like this:
"I like distortion and I like delay. There... I said it!"
                                                                          -S. Vai

Kipper4

You could try a trimmer /pot on the output of the LPB. Or a suitable voltage divider. In conjunction with the 100k on the out put of the LPB. Or swap out the 100k for something bigger.
Just saying what in thinking
LPB That things loud.
Good luck. I've had similar issues from BB to box.
Ma throats as dry as an overcooked kipper.


Smoke me a Kipper. I'll be back for breakfast.

Grey Paper.
http://www.aronnelson.com/DIYFiles/up/

Ben Lyman

Thanks kipper, I like the idea of adding a voltage divider, I had not thought of that, it sounds easier than trying to unsolder that resistor and replace it. The good news is that I used plugs to install the board in the box so if he doesn't like it, I can take the whole board out in 5 seconds and plug a completely different circuit into the same box.
"I like distortion and I like delay. There... I said it!"
                                                                          -S. Vai

Ben Lyman

I just found a difference from my BB layout to solder, I'm not sure if it would have made a difference though.
On my BB I (apparently) followed the VL OD scheme in that I used a 1n4001 from +9v to ground.
In my soldered layout I automatically did what I have been doing for awhile now, which is to use a 1n5817 in series from +9v.
Hmm... how much impact could that have possibly had on the amount of distortion?
"I like distortion and I like delay. There... I said it!"
                                                                          -S. Vai

Kipper4

None impact. I wouldn't have thought.
The series diode is in the power supply and there fore part of the DC not AC.
Ma throats as dry as an overcooked kipper.


Smoke me a Kipper. I'll be back for breakfast.

Grey Paper.
http://www.aronnelson.com/DIYFiles/up/

Ben Lyman

figured as much... must be something else I fudged in there somewhere. Oh well, I'm not gonna let it bother me, it's still a great sounding pedal for super distortion playing.
It reminds me a lot of my MI Audio Crunchbox
"I like distortion and I like delay. There... I said it!"
                                                                          -S. Vai