Electro-Harmonix clones?

[Kaiowas]

I'm looking form the schematics of the Electro-Harmonix "The Worm" and "Holier Grail", if someone knows something about them please tell me...

[Rory]

I know that the designer (co-designer) of many new E-H pedals frequents this forum and I don't think anyone else has the schems for them.  I know he was at the very least involved in the making of the worm, don't remember if he was with the holier grail or not.  But, he would be the person to ask.  I believe his handle was "puretube".

[amz-fx]

Also, I've heard the "Grail" pedals use a proprietary chip so it would not matter much if you had the schematic (assuming this is true).

regards, Jack

[Kaiowas]

Thanks to both of you guys, guess i'll wait and hpe "puretube" reads this.

[puretube]

hi Kiowas:

the "H.G." (designed by John Pisani, E-H senior engineer, who recently co-operated with Mike Beigel for the new rack-mount "BiFilter"; used to work with "Eventide" before...) uses a 64-pin smd dsp which is discontinued...

My "Worm" uses proprietary components, (b.t.w.: there was a schematic on the web a while ago, which had severe errors in it..., it was taken down on request),

and like for other pedals, that are still in production/stock/on sale,
the schematics are not intended for publication, sorry.

[Mark Hammer]

As I suspected, Mike Beigel was involved in the Bi-Filter rackmount unit.  This pleases me immensely, as I am sure he has been harbouring many ideas these last 20 years which can finally be realized and available to musicians.

As I understand it, the HG uses the (Cirrus) Crystal Semiconductor CS4811/4812, which the datasheet indicates can be set up for a variety of echo, reverb, chorus, and flanger functions.  Look at this page (http://www.cirrus.com/en/products/eol/index.html) and you'll see that it was discontinued this past September.  I'm sure Mike Matthews has plenty of stock to see him through for a while, though.  The HG was essentially E-H's first (and presumably not last) foray into digital products.

It's an interesting conundrum.  While digital chips make interesting and complicated things feasible at low cost, the digital world moves with breathtaking speed, and you can't rely on having a core chip remain in production and available for as long as, say a 2N5088 transistor or 4558 op-amp.  E-H's "brand", if you will, is enduring tones and products for a rock market; kind of the VW bug of the pedal world.  Of course, that means being able to turn out the same products for a sustained period, which in turn means being able to score the required components and maintain a same design over a long interval.  While there is absolutely nothing undesirable about use of digital technology for time-based effects, the kind of turnover in chips and designs this would anticipate and require runs kind of counter to the E-H spirit.

[puretube]

agreed, Mark,
except you didn`t mention the 16s Delay as being the really first digital E-H design ("discrete digital"...), almost 20 years ago.

Concerning the "spirit of E-H", we can be glad, that the production of tubes is in the same hands of those who strive to maintain the "brand",
and yet continue to innovate the stompbox-world.

[Kaiowas]

Well being that way....it's a pretty sad thing to hear (read), specially for "the worm"...  IT JUST SOUNDS SO GOOD!!!!, anyway, you may recomend me  a cool tremolo/vibrato analog pedal  :wink:

I was thinking in the univibe, but maybe you've got a better suggestion

Thanks!

[Kaiowas]

Sorry to bother this much, but i've been reading about the Voodoo Vibe, iwant to know if you counsel to build it, and if it's so, where can i find the schematics, and hopefully the pcb...

Thanks!

[RDV]

Sorry to bother this much, but i've been reading about the Voodoo Vibe, iwant to know if you counsel to build it, and if it's so, where can i find the schematics, and hopefully the pcb...

Thanks!

http://web.archive.org/web/20010414075359/www.green-fuz.freeserve.co.uk/vvibe.html

Regards

RDV

[Mark Hammer]

Gah!  You're right.  I completely blanked on the 16sec delay.  There was also the Instant Replay sampler, and probably a few other similar pedals in the early 80's.

I'll weasel out of my foolish claim and save face by noting that the HG was the first E-H pedal to use digital algorithms for effects, where the others used digital tech essentially for non-volatile (or reduced volatility) storage.

Incidentally, thanks for sparking my interest in Frantone Pedals.  I took a peek at Fran's website yesterday.  Tasteful, professional, dedicated, and decidedly non-bombastic.  A far cry from the one-fuzz-wonders out there.  I'd like to see her/them profiled in Vintage Guitar or some similar publication.  I think I'd like her attitude.

[Doug H]

Incidentally, thanks for sparking my interest in Frantone Pedals.  I took a peek at Fran's website yesterday.  Tasteful, professional, dedicated, and decidedly non-bombastic.  A far cry from the one-fuzz-wonders out there.  I'd like to see her/them profiled in Vintage Guitar or some similar publication.  I think I'd like her attitude.

I haven't been to that site in a while and I agree. What a refreshing change- a witty sense of humor and humble approach. Nice looking products too. Any site that includes links to the Onion, a computer game, and "Extremely quiet yet unbearably loud" in their hyperbole gets my vote.

Doug