Rehousing Danelectro FAB pedals

[unknowndude]

This idea came to me after seeing the article about rehousing a FAB echo on Beavis Audio Research.  I have a FAB overdrive and FAB flange, and I like the sound of both of them, but I hate the cheap jacks, pots, switch and enclosure. do you have any tips on rehousing these pedals into a stompbox?  I don't mind spending a little money since this is more for experience and upgrading either to a better pedal would cost more anyway. I've seen a picture posted here that showed how to add true bypass, although it looks like it adds a momentary SPST switch where the original CMOS switch was- would this mean it'd have to be pressed every time the pedal's turned on?

Other than that it looks pretty basic, dano suggests that the original parts don't even need to be put on, to just hack parts on. I'd rather replace unneccessary parts, I just hope I wouldn't be damaging anything in the process. Also, I'd like to replace the pots, but the picture doesn't mention that. How do I find out what kind and value of pot each is, and then replace it? just unsolder each one and solder the new pots connections in place?

Now, I am a total novice, my only previous electronics experience has been wiring a passive bass. Would I be in over my head with this, or would it be the perfect cheap beginner's project? I'm cool with going for a BYOC clone or something if experience is recommended.

If I am capable of this, what enclosure would you suggest? Do you think the parts (the two boards and replaced pots, jacks and switch) would fit in one of these:
http://pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PPP&Product_Code=1004&Category_Code=ENC12
Or should I get something bigger, maybe a 1590BB?

I can provide pictures of the insides of both pedals if needed. I also have a Surf & Turf compressor, and if that's easier to rehouse then I'll do it first. Sorry about all the questions, there's just lots I feel I need to know.

Thanks,
Richie Preiss

(here is a link to dano's picture if anyone needs to look at it: http://www.beavisaudio.com/xstorage/Projects/DanolectroRehouse/danolectro_distortion_rehouse.gif)

[jonathan perez]

are you going to be touring around the world with them, any time soon?

if not, you might want to consider leaving it alone. the bypass is PERFECTLY fine, and the switch/jacks/pots hold up VERY well, as well. ive got one in my rig, the chorus, and i play every week. im in a metal/thrash band, and sometimes my leadfoot gets out of control...and this sucker looks like it going to last a life time...plastic? dont let anyone tell you danelectro sucks. 

but anyways, the link you posted is self explanitory, but is the layout for the overdrive and flange the same as the layout for the distortion provided in the link?

if you feel youre ready to take on something like this (which is relatively simple) then go for it! otherwise, i suggest building one of the beginner projects on the beginner project forum.

[pi22seven]

I talked myself out of rehousing my Fab Chorus after I figured out that it'd be easier and cheaper to just buy a back up Fab Chorus.

[Meanderthal]

 Heh- now there's an idea- disposable pedals!

[markm]

Kinda like disposable BIC lighters huh?!

[Meanderthal]

 Yeah, more plastic for the landfills...

But they are amazing pedals, and the price is even more amazing.

Somebody recently posted a tutorial on rehousing a Behringer elcheapo...

Oh, and those tiny pcb's will easily fit in that enclosure!

[unknowndude]

but anyways, the link you posted is self explanitory, but is the layout for the overdrive and flange the same as the layout for the distortion provided in the link?

Yep, each pedal has that same board for the switching and power, just the effect boards are different. Again, I only thought of this as a fun beginner project, it's obviously not practical to spend $25 rehousing a $15 pedal otherwise. Do you know where to get the momentary SPST switch or if it's necessary? That's my only concern, the rest I have figured out (besides the pots, which are small, board mounted and I still don't know how to identify those). Besides, if it doesn't work out, all the parts would be reusable if I decided to build a circuit.

[dano12]

Hi Richie, sorry I didn't respond to your email, but here are some ideas.

Regarding the skill level, re-housing the dano fab stuff (or any SMD-based device) is a bit tricky. You need some good soldering/desoldering skills, and some experience with the mechanics of drilling enclosures to get it all right. If you go into it assuming you'll mess it up a few times, you won't be disappointed

You'll have to:

- Choose an enclosure. A 1590BB is a bit big, but will give you plenty of room to work with. If you want to squeeze it down, you could try and fit in in a NS size box, but I'd recommend a BB for your first try.

- Wire in a new power supply jack. The standard boss work fine. Simply find where the existing pcb-mounted power jack is, de-solder it, and run wires to the new power supply jack.

- Replace the PCB-mounted in/out jacks. It would be worth it to put in a pair of nice switchcraft jacks--they'll last forever. Like the power supply jack, look at the "utility" board (the one that is common to all the FAB pedals--its the one with the in/out jacks on it). Find the three connections for the input jack, tip/ring/sleeve and run wires from there to the new input jack. Same for the output jack, but it is only tip and sleeve. Whether or not you want to de-solder and remove the exisitng jacks is dependent on the size of the enclosure you choose for re-housing. If you have enough room to fit it all, just leave the existing jacks on there. Otherwise de-solder and remove them.

- Jumper the existing "on/off" switch. The Fab pedals use transistor switching instead of true bypass. In my diagram, I had a switch there, but I think it will work just by jumpering the connection. You should try it first.

- Run a new LED. Desolder the existing LED and run two wires from where it was. Run these to a new LED that will be on your enclosure. You don't need a current-limiting resistor because one is already built into the board.

- Pots: make a not of which pot goes where and de-solder them. If the pots don't have standard codes, like B100K, etc. use your multi-meter across lugs one and three to measure the value. Get some standard Alpha 16mm pots to replace them. Run wires from where the pots used to go on the pcb to the new pots.

Regarding parts, www.smallbearelec.com will have everything you need. Feel free to holler if you need help with specific parts.

Any of the true-bypass wiring schemes will work (check out generalguitargadgets.com's tech articles for more info).

Hope that helps!
-dano
www.beavisaudio.com

[unknowndude]

- Wire in a new power supply jack. The standard boss work fine. Simply find where the existing pcb-mounted power jack is, de-solder it, and run wires to the new power supply jack.

- Run a new LED. Desolder the existing LED and run two wires from where it was. Run these to a new LED that will be on your enclosure. You don't need a current-limiting resistor because one is already built into the board.

OK, so you're saying to ignore that part of your diagram and instead just replace the old LED and power jack? That makes sense to me, but I'm not totally sure about how the true bypass will work- will the LED still light on when the pedal is on and turn off when it's off, even though it's on the effect board and running through the old switch (which will be jumpered, but I'm not totally sure how these things work). Otherwise, do I follow the diagram you laid out? input sleeve and ring going to the board, tip going to the 3PDT, and on the output the sleeve going to the board and the tip to the 3PDT?

I'm probably making this a lot more complicated than it is, haha. I'm going to New York on Wednesday and I'll be sure to pick up a FAB Echo to try your mod (replacing the resistor that controls time with a pot) out.

I think I'll order a painted 1590BB from pedalpartsplus.


EDIT:
No easily distinguisable markings on the pots, not to me at least. Each one says L51 on it, and they all have a different marking: A103, B354, B104 (this is the Fab Flange).

[RDV]

I think I'll rehouse all my other pedals into Dano enclosures.

RDV

[Processaurus]

EDIT:
No easily distinguisable markings on the pots, not to me at least. Each one says L51 on it, and they all have a different marking: A103, B354, B104 (this is the Fab Flange).

I think its like the resistor code, the first two digits followed by the number of zeros.  A103= Audio taper 10,000 ohms or 10K, B354 = Linear taper 350,000 ohms or 350K (which is an odd value...)

Check out the 125B sized box, I think the effect circuit board can slide right in, then you just drill holes and use the existing pots.  I'd just use a metal momentary switch to replace the little tact switch the plastic stomper actuates, and use their bypass rather than diddling around with the flip flop and running a bunch of wires.

I think I'll rehouse all my other pedals into Dano enclosures.

RDV

I have a gutted Fab echo (I wanted delay in something else) and some of those little pots, I may just do that  , using the switching/buffering board with the jacks...

[dano12]

I think I'll rehouse all my other pedals into Dano enclosures.

RDV

Hmmmm... Kind of like a new form of anti-mojo? Interesting...

[unknowndude]

Hmm, maybe I will just use the stock pots then. I'd still like to try and do the true bypass, just because I want some experience with that before building a pedal from scratch -I'll probably do something easy like a Green Ringer or something. Heck, I can always do that before doing this if need be.

[christobean]

Hmm, maybe I will just use the stock pots then. I'd still like to try and do the true bypass, just because I want some experience with that before building a pedal from scratch -I'll probably do something easy like a Green Ringer or something. Heck, I can always do that before doing this if need be.

honestly, its not worth it. theres virtually no difference with these pedals in or out of the signal path when bypassed. i have problably 3 of them byspassed at a time in my 'rig'.  i think itd just be a waste of time/materials to try and mod something thats already this good. maybe you could true bypass another 'tone-sucking' effect pedal.  do what you wish, just seems a shame to me to spend as much on new parts for it as the thing costs new, when there wont be a real difference sound wise.

[dano12]

OK, so you're saying to ignore that part of your diagram and instead just replace the old LED and power jack? That makes sense to me, but I'm not totally sure about how the true bypass will work- will the LED still light on when the pedal is on and turn off when it's off, even though it's on the effect board and running through the old switch (which will be jumpered, but I'm not totally sure how these things work). Otherwise, do I follow the diagram you laid out? input sleeve and ring going to the board, tip going to the 3PDT, and on the output the sleeve going to the board and the tip to the 3PDT?

No, I'm saying replace the pots. I think it will be more trouble to try and get the PCB lodged in an enclosure to hold the stock pots. Plus, if you are re-housing, I am assuming that part of the reason is to make a more durable pedal. If that's the case, panel mounted pots are the way to go.

Regarding the pot values, again--use your multimeter to check the resistance across lugs 1 and 3 once they are desoldered. That will give you the ohms.

The good thing is that there are no rules: do as much or as little as you want. Either way it is a great learning project.