Hotcake Sample

[BDuguay]

The one I was able to de-goop, a 2 knob version, had no clipping diodes and no trannies. The board had a number of vacant holes so it makes me wonder how many variants there are.
Interesting.
B.

[aron]

Given that the Hotcake is clearly (from the picture) a simple enough design that a great many folks could easily throw one together (and to my knowledge something that does not rely on components that Steve Daniels would be unable to get), the risk of personal consequence to the manufacturer by tipping one's hand too much is increased.

Actually the first generation WAS very tricky. It relied on a certain component being there. The AMPAGE archives are long gone, but it was discussed a while back.

I was sort of disappointed that the link to Ricky Don's sample didn't work for me, because I've never actually knowingly heard one, and I was sort of curious.  Sometimes, one likes to hear things not because one wishes to clone the product, or even to judge it, but simply to have an idea of what sorts of sounds are even possible in the world of overdriven signals.  I'm regularly surprised by things I hear that step outside my mental template of what overdrive and distortion "sound like".

It's a very good sounding distortion (to me). Matches well with Train Wrecks and Fender Bassman heads :-)

The non-octave channel on the MXR Blue Box is also essentially a "pure op-amp distorter", and I'm constantly surprised by how much I like it.  I wouldn't use it as my *main* dirtbox, but turning the blend to get rid of the octave gets one a decent sounding distortion that provides a refreshing change of pace from many other diode and transistor-based pedals out there.  A little bit of diversity is a nice thing! icon_biggrin

Cool! I have tried some pure op amp distorters but none seemed to sound as good as the simple HotCake.

[aron]

I believe the Insanity Distortion uses a class A op amp circuit. Jack provided that to me a while ago.

[WGTP]

I've never noticed that 1.1K resistor "INSANITY" to ground at the op amp output before.  Is that the trick?   

[JHS]

This is not the trick.

Only very few single opamps can be pushed into class-A operation in a circuit with asym. power supply and BIAS devider, Texas TI 071 for ex. The trick is to tap some output current of the opamp, amplify it with a trannie (trannie biasing and current calculation is a bit tricky) and send this current to one of the DC-offset pins. You dont' need pin 4 anymore and it shouln't be connected to ground.

It's way esier to use a charge pump and a sym. power supply. Sample circuits and biasing methods can be found on the net, use Google and something like this "Biasing opamps into class A".

Nice pick Torchy, early switch version witch uses all the dirty tricks. Do you know the exact wiring of the BIAS-circuit with the Zener diodes (switch should labeled "midlift" one Zener is a 6,2 and the other a 3,3 - diodes should be wired parallel but I'm not really shure).

JHS

[aron]

he trick is to tap some output current of the opamp, amplify it with a trannie (trannie biasing and current calculation is a bit tricky) and send this current to one of the DC-offset pins. You dont' need pin 4 anymore and it shouln't be connected to ground.

Hmmm so that's what it was doing. Interesting.

[darron]

he trick is to tap some output current of the opamp, amplify it with a trannie (trannie biasing and current calculation is a bit tricky) and send this current to one of the DC-offset pins. You dont' need pin 4 anymore and it shouln't be connected to ground.

Hmmm so that's what it was doing. Interesting.

i agree. thanks for the insight!

[dubs]

The pcb is early version with mid-lift switch.
Looks similar to one I made the other day (called it the Hotfake!)  from info floating round on the net.
Only issue is I get massive popping and delay when effect is switched on or off (buffered bypass). But I wasn't using the "correct" transistor, something similar.
Any suggestions?

This early one I like more than the latest version I had.
BTW Out of respect for Paul I'll ignore any requests for info on this.

[Ben N]

No goop on the Barber DD, at least not on mine. No big secrets, either.

Anyway, gotta love a guy who got kicked out of Split Enz for building overdrives. (Always thought Tim Finn was a bit loopy.)
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Study/9077/hotcake.html

Ben

[hairyandy]

Anyway, gotta love a guy who got kicked out of Split Enz for building overdrives. (Always thought Tim Finn was a bit loopy.)

I worked for the Finn Brothers as a tech on all of the tours for their last album, "Everyone Is Here".  Tim IS a bit loopy but is also one of my favorite people on the planet.  He's a genius in my book for sure!  Neil has one of Paul Crowther's first Hotcakes and it sounds amazing through his rig (tweed Deluxe and an old AC30).  It's a little darker tan, almost brown, not like the new ones and the writing is in a slightly different font.  Unfortunately I didn't get any pics of it. 

BTW, I can't wait to see the newly reformed Crowded House.  They're playing Coachella in April...

Andy

[Ben N]

CH... w/o Paul? 

Very cool, Andy.  I love that album; I'm really sorry I missed them. Is Tim in the new CH?

(Sorry about the OT)

[aron]

I recently used a HotCake again on a jam session. My friend had a well known germanium fuzz tone (probably Fuzz Face) and sorry, but it sounded horrible with the Les Paul I was using (yeah I know). Anyway, I really didn't want to solo with that tone so I asked him if he something else and YES, a HotCake!

It sounded great with the Les Paul. I know some people don't like the HotCake but I do.

[hairyandy]

I agree Aron, i think they sound cool.  I have found though that they sound good with some guitars and not with others.  Mine sounds great with my LP and my Hamer Sunburst but it sounds like crap with my Strat.  It's pretty cool with my Tele as well but I think I like it better with humbuckers.

And no Ben, Tim is touring for his own new solo record.

Andy

[MartyMart]

Yup, they are great with HB's and a "bright" amp, otherwise quite "Whooly" and dark  IMO
.... not really my "cup of tea" though 

MM

[Serge]

I love the Hotcake too.  Both with single coils and humbuckers.  I have the version with the presence control.  It has kicked all of my other OD's from my pedalboard, and I have tried quite a few...  Amps used are a VOX AC30 and a 50W Marshall 1987.  I can understand the comment that it sounds "dark", but only at the highest gain settings.  Personally, I use the Hotcake for a dirty boost or at medium gain.  I'm now looking for a DIY fuzz that would sound nice next to the Hotcake...

[scaesic]

what goes the hotcake use to buffer the ouput of the op-amp if it's biased into a class?