Any reccomendations folks

[Kilby]

As it can be guessed like most everybody around here I like fuzz tones, and distortion in general.

Please forgive the mention of the digital content in this posting

However I have the misfortune of only owning a Line 6 Spider 112, which to say the least is very bland and very very obviously emulated. However it dosn't sound too bad when played clean.

Although I like my fuzz sounds, I am looking for something with more depth.

I know a decent amp would help, but cash is short (bank manager and ex significant other to support).

Tones along the lines of the following Clapton (Cream era), Angus Young, Floyd of any era (particularly Animals and Piper) or the Who (66 to 72) (asking for a Billy Gibbons tone is way too much)

So any suggestions for a more three dimentional tone/sound ?

Thanks,

Rob...

PS for anybody interested in digital effects I would recomend the Korg Pandora 4 as being way better than the line 6 kit I have tried.

[petemoore]

I have and use a Boss RV3...gotta have reverb !!!
 If I were you ...[or if you are like I was when I owned an RP100 excuse me...cough, just before seeing all this], I would build a booster and FF [Fuzz Face], or at least an "Opamp Clipper'  like DOD OD 250...an MXR Dist+...or a Ibanez Sonic Distortion, or New Clipper.
 If you've never built, start with a low parts count item like Booster...I used to think: {What the heck do I need with a Booster, my amps plenty loud enough"... I use a booster 90% of the time.

[Peter Snowberg]

I have to agree with Pete.

There are so many textures out there that building a booster, a FuzzFace, and a diode clipper is a great place to start. You might find what you a looking for when using all three in combination. Distortion is such a personal thing.

Since you brought up Angus.... One of the crucial ingredients in his tone was the use of giant strings. It's the old garbage-in garbage-out thing, meaning that the distortion is working off of what it is fed with. Big strings = big tone. Also use a wound G string (on your guitar of course , stage apparel is up to you).

I'm convinced that distortion is something that should NEVER be emulated in digital.... clean effects are fine when given enough DSP horsepower, but distortion IMHO is only at home in the analog domain.

Take care,
-Peter

[Kilby]

Well I built a couple of Big Muffs and a scrambler and I love the sounds that they can help produce.

However I feel that the amp dosnt' react in any way to the input sound infact I think it sterilises the sound (my sons danelectro honeytone has more personality).

Although I have the parts to build a TS but I feel that building it is probably pointless till I get a better amp.


However, the fuzz face is on the list once I get around to getting some Ge tranistors, though if it wasn't for work I would have picked up a couple of early tonebenders last weekend.

Thanks,

Rob...

[Nasse]

I too agree that Fuzz Face or even Tone Bender is certainly worth building if you are looking for that late 60s 70s or bluesy tone. Simple and cheap circuit but high bang for the buck ratio. So many hit records cut with this sound. It wont work allways but if you have a good one it can do some thing so very good. And some things not.

But dont bother if you dont want to tune and bias it properly, and learn and select and seek after suitable trannies. And my thanks for Geofex, for start

[Peter Snowberg]

Well I built a couple of Big Muffs and a scrambler and I love the sounds that they can help produce.

However I feel that the amp dosnt' react in any way to the input sound infact I think it sterilises the sound (my sons danelectro honeytone has more personality).

My guess is that you're right on with that.

If you want to build yourself a great little amp that will love any full-bodied distortion you throw at it, consider giving Doug Hammond's FireFly a shot.

Take care,
-Peter

[Kilby]

Strange that you mention it my old guitar is shod with heavier strings (it's an elderly SG copy), however shorts are not for me.

Although I like clean tones for practice , I do yearn for a warmer tone for when I am having fun with the odd riff or two (with my playing theyre very odd).

Are there any particular diode clippers or boosters you would recomend as a good place to start (though I will eventually end up building them all with these long winter nights ahead of me) ?

Hmmm, notices a use for those clean tones after all if the link below points to something with a decent neck and pickups (they should do one without the effects).

http://www.danelectro.com/12strblast.htm

With thanks

Rob...

Still wanting a Fireglow 360-12

[Nasse]

I must say that you should look for cmos inverter distortion circuits like Double D or Jack Orman´s minibooster designs.

You may debate till end of time if they sound like tube amp or not, but I think if you play trough this kind of circuit, it affects your playing like a nice tube amp. Somewhat.

[Peter Snowberg]

I'll second the choices that Nasse posted. They're easy to build and well worth it.

This is a great place to hear lots of samples of distortion:
http://runoffgroove.com/fuzz.html

-Peter

[Kilby]

Friday night and I have another 1.5 hours to go in work

Nasse:

Strangely enough I am looking at the "3 legged dog" which is inverter based. I liked the soundclip at runoffgroove. Though I am currently designing a PCB for it (but that's another forum thread altogether)

Though in reality I know that the real solution is to buy or build a valve amp. I don't need much as I only play in the house anyway for personal pleasure.

Peter:

The firefly suggestion is certainly an option, though with no knowledge of valves and power circuts (too many years of digital work), I don't suppose you know of an "idiots guide to assembling valve amps" ?


With thanks,

Rob...

[drew]

I got an old Fender silverface champ a while ago, and it has sounded fantastic. It's plenty loud enough for recording (by myself) and hearing myself play, and I don't have to turn it up to ridiculous volumes to get it to sound great. You can either build a clone of the original version (pretty easy!) or pick one up used on ebay, etc. for around $100-150... I highly recommend it!


drew
toothpastefordinner.com

[sfr]

If you want to build yourself a great little amp that will love any full-bodied distortion you throw at it, consider giving Doug Hammond's FireFly a shot.

I've heard this amp mentioned before here - where's the schematic at?  I used to have it on my HD, I thought.

[Peter Snowberg]

I'm somewhat surprised Aron doesn't have a link to it in "Schematics". In any case there is a link to Doug's site there.

http://home.cfl.rr.com/dbhammond/doug.htm

There are two designs.... now choices become the classic version or the high gain version with a cascode for the 1st stage.


Rob,

I don't have any good sites for getting started with tubes, but I'm sure you will find some useful information at:
http://www.ampage.org/
http://www.ax84.com/

There are a number of books out there on the subject, but if you treat the high voltage with respect, you can just think of them as JFETs with a heater.

I'm from digital-land too and the transition was not hard at all. Now I look at transistors and think, "that can't possibly work; no heater? how can anything work without a heater?"

Take care,
-Peter