SansAmp GT-2

[Dave G]

Hey guys, being that this is my first post i just wanna say this forum is amazing.

Now, a while back i was digging through an old answering machine and happened to find a jrc 4558 inside of it. This made me consider building a tube screamer. I still havent built it yet though because i'd want a pedal that can do more distortion as well. Today i foudn the GT-2 for the first time and it looks pretty versatile and also it looks like a fun build. I've only heard that it does pretty hardcore distortion. Can you get any overdriven, tube-screamer-ish tones out of it. Doesn't need to be spot on just similar.

I was just wondering about this before i go ahead and build it. Thanks

[lightningfingers]

I dont know about the sansamp bit, but dismiss the claim that you would need a real JRC4558 to build a tubescreamer its mojo bs IMO, the Texas Instuments 4558 and 4559 work just as well (which they will give you for free, incidentally) if not better.
A lot of people round here have built the sansamp, so know doubt you will get some opinions  

Welcome to the forum :mrgreen:

[Dave G]

Oh don't worry i know all about the mojo stuff now it's just that the 4558 made me think of a screamer.

[Aharon]

Hey guys, being that this is my first post i just wanna say this forum is amazing.

Now, a while back i was digging through an old answering machine and happened to find a jrc 4558 inside of it. This made me consider building a tube screamer. I still havent built it yet though because i'd want a pedal that can do more distortion as well. Today i foudn the GT-2 for the first time and it looks pretty versatile and also it looks like a fun build. I've only heard that it does pretty hardcore distortion. Can you get any overdriven, tube-screamer-ish tones out of it. Doesn't need to be spot on just similar.

I was just wondering about this before i go ahead and build it. Thanks

The SansAmp will do TS type tones.Download the settings from the GT page,it tells you where to put the switches and knobs to get a certain sound.
If you are planing on making one use the Tonepad layout but make sure you read the Pisotones page for the skinny on it.
AHaron

[Dave G]

I have read both pages, what exactly do you mean by the "skinny"? I'm definitely planning on using rotary switches and cool led's like he dide, but is there something important im missing?

[Aharon]

I did not mean anything "really" important ,the Gt will work with any TL0xx op amp but if you use the right ones specified in that article you will be rewarded with righteous tone,i think they are TLC2262 or something plus one TL072 in a specific spot.

I built my first one with all 4558s and it worked but when I made my second one with the right chips there was a big difference.
Aharon

[bwanasonic]

Both the TS and GT2 were a bit too ambitious for me when I started building pedals. Besides, I have owned both pedals for many years, so there was no mystery in it for me. That's why I went with ancient and legendary circuits swathed in the mists of mojo, like the Ge Fuzz Face and the Rangemaster. But I must say both the TS and GT2 are all around really useful pedals that I wouldn't want to be without. The GT2 is much more of a swiss army knife than the TS, and responds much better to guitar volume knob control. It's just not a pedal I would pick for my first build in terms of cost, availabillity, difficulty, tweakabilty, etc. One of the first things I consider on a build is "Can I buy it for <$100 on ebay?".  Not to take anything away from either the TS or GT2, but I would consider some of the more unique and obscure (and simpler!) builds that are well documented in these parts. To me that's the real beauty of the so-called DIY stompbox *scene*. YMMV

Kerry M

[Aharon]

Why would you impose limits on yourself when it comes to DIY.Tackle anything and everything.
Yes,I recommend having a plan,like building a couple of simpler boxes before going for a more complex one but that's about it.
That's the beauty of 9V operation.
The same advice does not apply to tube amps for obvious reasons!!!.

Aharon

[bwanasonic]

Why would you impose limits on yourself when it comes to DIY.Tackle anything and everything.

 Because I just don't have time to build everything, so if I can find a given stompbox used at my local store for cheap, it's not likely to end up on my *To Do* list unless I can customize/improve it significantly. I was not suggesting imposing limits as much I as was hinting that the GT2 is not widely considered a begginer project, and that are a lot of unique non-commercial designs circulating around here.

Kerry M

[Aharon]

Why would you impose limits on yourself when it comes to DIY.Tackle anything and everything.

 Because I just don't have time to build everything, so if I can find a given stompbox used at my local store for cheap, it's not likely to end up on my *To Do* list unless I can customize/improve it significantly. I was not suggesting imposing limits as much I as was hinting that the GT2 is not widely considered a begginer project, and that are a lot of unique non-commercial designs circulating around here.

Kerry M

No disagreement there,if you can get a pedal at the store for the price of the parts go for it.Personally I don't take my labor into account cause I do DIY for the love of it and the challenge.I just love to build stuff.
It does lead to harder stuff,I mean,I went from an EasyDrive some years ago to tube amps and pro gear worth 1000s.
Aharon

[Dave G]

Another quick question, if i use the layout from tonepad, 16 mm pots, rotary switches, and a 3pdt switch, do think there's any hope of crammign it into a 1590BB?

[benno]

The SansAmp will do TS type tones.Download the settings from the GT page,it tells you where to put the switches and knobs to get a certain sound.
If you are planing on making one use the Tonepad layout but make sure you read the Pisotones page for the skinny on it.
AHaron

I wish i could read what ever language that is, it looks very interesting.

[Aharon]

The SansAmp will do TS type tones.Download the settings from the GT page,it tells you where to put the switches and knobs to get a certain sound.
If you are planing on making one use the Tonepad layout but make sure you read the Pisotones page for the skinny on it.
AHaron

I wish i could read what ever language that is, it looks very interesting.

It's a spanish site ,maybe a translator program or a spanish speaking friend?
Aharon

[benno]

Google translation is the worse translation ive ever seen  :cry: .
I tryed 3 others from this website: http://www.word2word.com/freead.html
They all produced some jibberish.. ill just admire the piccies. and pretend i can read spanish.

Ben