Is it worth doing a jfet version of this?

[nelson]

One of my favourite songwriters is Kurt Cobain.

He used a polychorus, a rat, DS-1/2 a small clone into a mesa boogie studio preamp into a crown power amp throughout his short but prolific career.

Now I have all the gear he used, apart from the DS-2 the crown power amp and the mesa boogie studio preamp.

I think a jfet emulation of the mesa boogie studio preamp wouldnt go amiss.

Schematic here

http://www.tubefreak.com/studio.gif

Now, looking at the schematic, I can cut out the reverb section, change the EQ section to a standard active EQ (switchable) at the frequencies stated, replace the speaker emulation outs with marshall speaker sims (kurt used Marshall cabs) or even a diff mesa sim. Basically to get rid of the reliance on inductors.

What is particularly good about this unit is the two channels normal and lead, the LDR switching indicates that a 3PDT can be used to switch between lead/normal. Not to mention the stereo effects loop and stereo outs.

Obviously this is a big build, although it could be used as a full blown studio preamp aswell as used as a compact pedal if you leave out the EQ and speaker sim sections.

My questions are, do you think its worth all the trouble?

Am I missing anything in my thinking?

Or should I just build a dr boogey and tack on an EQ and a stereo speaker sim?

Would you build it?

[Ge_Whiz]

No. I'd make my own sound. After you've built all that, you'll still need to rob his grave for his fingers.

[nelson]

No. I'd make my own sound. After you've built all that, you'll still need to rob his grave for his fingers.

Hohoho.

His fingers werent that great.

was that really called for?

My aim with this isnt to copy kurts tone, its to get a good studio preamp for direct recording, aswell as a channel switching pedal. The fact that kurt used it is just a bonus as I like his tone.

It seems like people who build the Jfet amp sims want channel switching, with this it would come as standard.

[MartyMart]

Hi Nelson,
I would try the "Dr Boogey" - which has a full eq section BTW
It really sounds fantastic, I have mine in front of my Condor ( adjusted to Marshall cab )
and that works a treat ! ( I went for a more simple BM type tone stack on Dr Boogey )
It also sounds great with both Valve/SS amps too ....
I'm sure that you'll be happy with the Fat "rectified" sounds, perhaps build the Condor as a
separate as I did, so you can tack it onto any of these wonderful amp sims ?

Marty.

[Medved]

What are you going to do? Just replacing tubes with JFETs is a BAD idea. It will work, but it won't sound. If you want to do a jfet version, you should take only ideas. Nevertheless it won't be Measa boogie anyway- it 'll have its own sound. But... it can be better than mesa boogee $)
If you want mesa- build mesa, if not- may be i can help with JFETs.

[nelson]

Hi Nelson,
I would try the "Dr Boogey" - which has a full eq section BTW
It really sounds fantastic, I have mine in front of my Condor ( adjusted to Marshall cab )
and that works a treat ! ( I went for a more simple BM type tone stack on Dr Boogey )
It also sounds great with both Valve/SS amps too ....
I'm sure that you'll be happy with the Fat "rectified" sounds, perhaps build the Condor as a
separate as I did, so you can tack it onto any of these wonderful amp sims ?

Marty.

I think this will sound very different to the dual rectifier sound. Screw it, I will build both. Leaving out the cab sim section of the studio preamp and building a rog condor instead.

[Paul Marossy]

I don't think you can go wrong building the Dr. Boogey. 

[Connoisseur of Distortion]

you can't go wrong with the little doctor. It has some Mesa sounds, but it also has its own range of tones that Mesa doesn't cover. you just have to experiment.