True bypass and rehousing a TS10 tubescreamer??

[Michael]

Hi all!

I have an old TS10 tubecreamer and the switch is not working to well (as is common with that pedal).

Also it is not true bypass...

I have a nice metalbox and a 3pdt switch, and i was thinking about taking the inside of the ts10 and putting it in a new box, and at the same tome make the effect true bypass.

So... how to do this? i have read "technology of the tubescreamer", but it is a bit to advanced for me, and i was hoping that someone has a visual guide on how to do this? Like you find so many of, on the subject of converting a ts9 to a ts808 and so on.

Either that, or someone who can tell me exactly what to do, and how to locate the parts on ts10 board... yes im a newbie

Thanks
Michael

[petemoore]

  It couuld be done, and you'd learn alot probably about Jfet buffer switching.
  I'll just be preachy I guess.
  Your project is a rather in depth one.
  A 1 gain stage booster helps explain many fundamentals.
  A true bypass TS is probably easier show 'how to' than reboxing and de-buffering or whatever else it takes to mod the TS10. I wouldn't recommend either as first project.
  Tube Sound Fuzz might be a good second project.
  Build up some chops by getting a gain stage going, test that, then test yourself on 'basic' wiring a true bypass switch and in/out jacks type stuff.
  Maybe there's a tutorial on exactly what to do with the TS Reboxxing, otherwise your efforts may prove more rewarding following the path of 'start simple'.

[phaeton]

I also have a TS-10, and while the switch is ok, it suffers from the *other* problem- the jacks are all separating from the PCB.

I've thought about repairing mine, reboxing it, and then modding it, but in the end I've decided to just build a clone of a modified TS-808 from scratch- and some of the schematics running around already show it as having a true-bypass switch along with other 'modernizations'.  Seems that it would be easier to build something per the schematic vs. modifying something that's broken.  The Lazy Approach?  Maybe....

Also- the TS isn't the most complicated pedal out there, but it's a bit to bite off for a beginner project.  I've put together about a dozen circuits with a good amount of success, and I even though I think I could pull it off, I'm going to do a few more pedals between now and then- i.e. the Tube Sound Fuzz like suggested,  a couple of Tremolos,  or that blasted Fuzz Face circuit 

Good luck.

[Michael]

thanks for the advices.

Petemoore: i have allready made a looper/switcher, and modded a few pedals. But what you said is off course right... its just a case of having a probelm and having the parts to solve it ( i think) but not having the patience to wait for my knowledge to catch up i think we have all been it that situation.

Well i think i will drop this projekt for a while, or build a single looper and have the ts10 on all the time and just turn the loop on and off as needed... this will solve both my questions... the switch and the true bypass.

Thanks for the input also "phaeton" im also a fuzzface candidate! but im thinking about starting off modding a reissue (3pdt, LED and socket capacitors so i can try different transistor types).

Thanks
Michael

[phaeton]

Thanks for the input also "phaeton" im also a fuzzface candidate!

Well, as much as I'm embarassed to admit-  I've built a bunch of Si NPN fuzzfaces and none of them have worked. 
I've gone through R.G. Keene's diagnostic steps on each one as much as I've had patience for, but still no dice.  Some had no output, some were "gated" and one worked ok but whistled dixie.  I can breadboard them all day long, but for some reason they die when I solder them down.  It could be that my lack of soldering skill was killing them with heat. Contrary to most beginner advice,  I'm actually much better at soldering with my iron set on 40W than on 20W-  fast in, fast out.

Who knows, I might be ok to try it again.  I've built a bunch of other fun stuff that's worked great since I gave up on the FF.

[Michael]

Yeah i hear you... i also tried making a fuzz some time ago... it did not work.

What i would suggest is that you use sockets for the transistors... then there is no chance of burning them, as no soldering is done on the transistor.

Thats what i am going to do the next time.

Michael

[phaeton]

What i would suggest is that you use sockets for the transistors... then there is no chance of burning them, as no soldering is done on the transistor.

Yep.  I didn't have any transistor sockets at the time.  I still don't- they're on the list for my next order to Smallbear.  For fun once, I did build a small overdrive/boost unit (of my own design) onto a 16-pin IC socket which I then screwed to a small square of plastic I had lying around.  I did it this way so i could swap out everything.

I might use a small 8-pin socket for transistors and do the same for the FF.  Although, I'm much better at soldering (and debugging) than I used to be.

For right now though, I'm having a blast with Jack Orman's "Muffer":

http://www.muzique.com/schem/projects.htm

It's a great beginner project and also a great building block to try out all my crazy ideas on.  I've put together about 20 incarnations of it on breadboard, and built one permanent version so far.  Simple, fun, and it sounds pretty good in front of a tube amp.