Jordan Bosstone Build Report (Pics Added 8/1/06)

[Paul Marossy]

Thanks for the compliments all. Ever since I did my first airbrush job on an armor model around six weeks ago, I just had to try out something similar on a stompbox. I think I'll use my airbrush on the next build for a sunburst finish and see how that goes... 

[Yun]

ah, the great boss-tone,  with stock values; mines didn't have ANY sustain at all,  So- here's the mods from my notes:

-High gain transistors (MPS's)
-18K is changed to 22K
-Ommit the 470pf cap
-add tone control (big-muff)
-Add Compression control (AMZ)

Those were a few that REALLY made a change in the tone/sound of this particular fuzz.  The results were actually quite cool.  It was really touch-sensative and had A LOT of feel to it, sustained better than a Big-Muff, etc. 

Pretty cool little circuit, definateley one of my faveorites....

[Paul Marossy]

with stock values; mines didn't have ANY sustain at all

Mine actually sustains pretty nicely. Must the combination of transistors that I have, I guess.

It was really touch-sensative and had A LOT of feel to it, sustained better than a Big-Muff, etc.

Mine is really touch sensitive as is. In fact, I think it's the most touch sensitive of all the pedals that I own... go figure. 

[Mark Hammer]

Stock, it's quite nice.  Following up on some comments Aron made maybe two versions of this forum ago (  ), I increased the input cap value, or rather made a second cap switchable.  Increasing the input capacitor value has an interesting effect.  It fattens it up a bit but it also has the strange quirk of producing what sound like octave-down undertones for some notes.  Not exactly an obvious octave-down box, but certainly a different flavour of fuzz and quite fun. 

I don't think there is any magical cap value, but it makes sense that significant changes to input bandwidth wouldn't occur with anything smaller than something around 3-4 times the original value.  That might say .02uf on the schem but obviously it will be .022uf in standard values, so switching to a .1uf cap (or greater), or simply tacking on .068uf or more in parallel, should be fine.

Since I don't have multiple channels with individual EQ on my amp, I like to set it for bright clean tones, which kind of obligates something to tame the fizz on distortion pedals.  here, I just used a cap in parallel with the clipping diodes, similar to the Dist+.  I have a 3-position slide switch on mine, with stock, treble cut, or bass boost being the three settings.

[hilbi]

are there any sound samples available?

[Paul Marossy]

I don't know about sound samples, but I can get some of that early Al Di Meola tone at a certain setting. What a fun little box! 

[Yun]

with stock values; mines didn't have ANY sustain at all

Mine actually sustains pretty nicely. Must the combination of transistors that I have, I guess.

It was really touch-sensative and had A LOT of feel to it, sustained better than a Big-Muff, etc.

Mine is really touch sensitive as is. In fact, I think it's the most touch sensitive of all the pedals that I own... go figure. 

Hmmmmm, now that i look back on it, i was using a Marshall stack.  As all of youse guys know- Marshalls and clipping devices (FUZZ, DIST, and OD pedals) do not mix well. 

Compared to the stock pedal, and the "yunified" pedal, i MUCH prefer the yunified one. 

[Paul Marossy]

Compared to the stock pedal, and the "yunified" pedal, i MUCH prefer the yunified one. 

That's the cool thing about DIY - you can tweak things to your heart's content. 

[Yun]

Compared to the stock pedal, and the "yunified" pedal, i MUCH prefer the yunified one. 

That's the cool thing about DIY - you can tweak things to your heart's content. 

Right on, my friend 

[Paul Marossy]

Right on, my friend.

[oldrocker]

OK.  I just breadboarded this one and as much as I try to fight making another distortion box this is a great sounding pedal.  I like how it doesn't over fuzz the single note high strings too much and then when you hit a power chord it kills.  Some other fuzz pedals I've made fuzz out the high lead notes a little too much sometimes when I just need a light distortion on those notes.  Yet when playing double note bar chords I want that high power crunch.  The Bosstone gives me both and the sustain is fantastic.  My wife heard me playing through the breadboard and yelled "Oh no!  Not another fuzz box!!"  But I just have to box this one up.  She just doesn't understand.  I hope this doesn't put my marraige on the rocks. LOL!

[Paul Marossy]

as much as I try to fight making another distortion box this is a great sounding pedal.

For me, the quest for the perfect distortion box is never ending. But, I think the Boss Tone is one of those pedals that makes it seem possible that the perfect distortion box is acheivable! 

[oldrocker]

The quest for the best sounding distortion box is impossible.  There are so many different variations and tweeks that I have to have a large enough arsenal just so I don't leave anything out.  It's nice to find one I haven't built yet that doesn't sound like any of my other ones.  Aagh!!  Will it ever come to an end?  (I hope not.)

[Gilles C]

Thanks for the compliments all. Ever since I did my first airbrush job on an armor model around six weeks ago, I just had to try out something similar on a stompbox. I think I'll use my airbrush on the next build for a sunburst finish and see how that goes... 

A box from the past, still waiting for the perfect circuit. (could be a Fetzer Valve V2... Sunburst = Fender = Fetzer)

http://gtechblues.com/SunburstMaking.html

Gilles

[Paul Marossy]

The quest for the best sounding distortion box is impossible.

I know, it's too subjective. But for a circuit that sounds good and is very sensitive to picking dynamics, etc., the Boss Tone as I have built it sounds excellent.

A box from the past, still waiting for the perfect circuit.

I remember that sunburst finish enclosure. I hope a circuit can find a home in it some day! 

[RDV]

I'm a siclion fuzz whore

Then try RDV's TP NPN Si!

Regards

Carsten

http://fatboy.ssguitar.com/schems/sitonebendermk.jpg

RDV

[Phorhas]

Yeah, I saw that one in my Silicon/hybrid fuzz escapades

Breadboarded it - sounds preatty cool... but the bender is too "contained" for my taste

[brett]

Hi
a couple of years back I built a couple of these - one with a muff tone section and one with 2 x single-pole filters that rolled off at about 7 kHz.  Looking back, a problem with these was that they increased the output impedance. 

Knowing what I now know, if I was trying to control high-end buzz, I'd use 2 filters consisting of (a 1k resistor in-line and a 0.022uF cap to ground).

As all of youse guys know- Marshalls and clipping devices (FUZZ, DIST, and OD pedals) do not mix well. 

Hmmm.... There are Marshalls and Marshalls.  Maybe JCM900s don't respond (they are one-trick ponies, really) but my 18W and the clean channel of my JTM60 both respond really well to fuzz and distortion pedals.  Tubescreamer, bluesbreaker, fuzzface, fuzzrite, bosstone, tube-sound fuzz to name a few.  Next on the list is a Maestro MFZ.

cheers