R.G.-HELP! Austin Treble Blaster/Rangemaster/ Soon 2 B UFO

[tonemonster]

I built a Treble /Blaster using the terminal strip method, OC44, DPDT,  right to the letter of your build instructions*. I couldn't get it to work correctly, so I built ANOTHER one.

PLEASE guide me as to exactly where the connections referenced by steps 13, and 14 go to.  Please??? The tranny is biased correctly, my connections are solid, but I know that the only way I can make this work at all is WAY wrong.

* I carefully built a second one in case I'd overlooked some detail! ARRRGGGGHHHH!

[QSQCaito]

I would give advice.. but as you asked R.G. :p

Just a couple of things, read the what to do when it doesn't work sticky at the top of the threads list.

Provide schematic, or link to it and voltages. If any part has been changed, etc.

[R.G.]

I would give advice.. but as you asked R.G. :p

Oh, go ahead. You've probably studied that write up more recently than I did. I'd have to go figure out what I said first. 

[tonemonster]

HaHa...Very funny guys....



Would anyone that is reasonably certain that they can help solve this please come forward with the info?

R.G. I've attached your article for your reference.  (Just KIDDING!)

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Rangemaster/drm.htm

[R.G.]

OK, I'll go.

I couldn't get it to work correctly, so I built ANOTHER one.
...
The tranny is biased correctly, my connections are solid, but I know that the only way I can make this work at all is WAY wrong.

You'll have to give me more to go on than that. What EXACTLY does it do and not do that makes you think it's not correct?

Seriously, the stuff in "Debugging thread: What to do when it doesn't work" is not there just to run people around the bushes another time. Every piece of the requested information is needed for some facet of me figuring out what is wrong with a circuit without even seeing it.

PLEASE guide me as to exactly where the connections referenced by steps 13, and 14 go to.

13. Solder the output capacitor from the wiper of the output pot to the bypass switch.14. Battery connector (-, black) to the bypass switch.

The bypass switch is a Double Pole, Double Throw switch. From my article on bypass switching technology at GEO, a pole is a terminal of a switch that is always connected to one of the throws when the switch quits moving. The throws are terminals that are intermittently connected to the pole, depending on the switch position. A Single Pole, Single Throw switch has one pole and one throw; the pole is connected to the throw in one switch position, and not connected to in the other position.  A Single Pole Double Throw switch (SPDT) has one pole and two throws. Moving the switch from whatever position it's in causes the pole to be connected to the opposite throw.  A DPDT is two SPDTs side by side. The switch has six terminals. Two of them are poles and four of them are throws. Each pole can connect to only its own two throws, never to the other two throws. So you treat a DPDT switch as two SPDTs in parallel.

Take your ohmmeter. With it, identify the two poles and two throws on your bypass switch. The poles are the two terminals that are ALWAYS connected to one or the other of the throws. The throws are the ones which can be completely open in some switch settings.

Now refer to the schematic. One pole of the bypass switch connects to the negative lead from the battery. The other pole connects to the output jack. Flip the switch to the position you want it when it's on or engaged. With a push/push switch, this does not matter. Use your ohmmeter to identify the throw that is connected to the pole which is connected to the negative throw of the battery. Wire that throw to the circuit power connection. Use your ohmmeter to identify the throw that is connected to the pole which connects to the output jack. Wire that throw to one lead of the output capacitor. Wire the other throw to the input jack signal lead, which also connects to Cin.

Finally, solder the free end of the output capacitor to the middle terminal of the boost pot.

[tonemonster]

RG- Thank you VERY much for the personal reply. It sheds some additional light on the project that will most likely "Do the trick". I'll be sure to post the results.

[tonemonster]

"Hoisted by my own petard..."

Mea culpa. If I'd followed the "What to do when things don't work" instructions, I might have given you enough info to help me! Here it is:

I'm using an OC44 w/ a gain of 110, the circuit is biased correctly, and I'm using a DPDT bypass switch. The only modification I made was to remove the 6th tab from the terminal strip so that it would fit horizontally in the enclosure. The strip is bolted to the enclosure at lug 1 which is my ground. I began wiring the switch as indicated in your
Reply, but soon realized that something was amiss.

Thus far the only way I make this operate is by connecting the black wire of the battery directly to the power connection. When I activate the effect, the gain is waaaaay too high, and it seems to have the treble frequencies at full boost. Also, the pot operates in reverse (gain increases counter clockwise.)  I tried to follow your instructions about selecting the correct poles and throws (which I DO grasp) but I can't make it work as I'm still not sure about these connections.

Anyway... My understanding of wiring the switch for "true bypass" has me using the throws one side of the switch for "bypass", which is working properly, and using only the throws on the "other side" for the effect.  MY attempt to wire this did not work. I've attached a picture:  Input goes to pole at "top" of switch (as pictured), Cin passes under the strip and connects to the throw @ top right (yellow wire is a remnant of my attempt to wire per your instruction), output cap connects to throw at bottom right.

[petemoore]

Thus far the only way I make this operate is by connecting the black wire of the battery directly to the power connection.
  Whatever it takes to power the circuit. I believe youre talkin' Stereo phono 1/4'' jack PS wiring defeat trick through Sleeve/ring, which works fine with Mono 1/4'' plug inserted/removed.
  When I activate the effect, the gain is waaaaay too high, and it seems to have the treble frequencies at full boost.
  Sounds maybe about right..
  Also, the pot operates in reverse (gain increases counter clockwise.)
  Reverse the connections to the outside lugs [1 and 3] of the pot, and 'Cw becomes Ccw' [or vice versa]. 
  I tried to follow your instructions about selecting the correct poles and throws (which I DO grasp) but I can't make it work as I'm still not sure about these connections.
  One way is using DMM, find bypass switch position [switch/test], then plug cables to input and output, test for continuity between the tips at the ends...one at a time...cable to input jack, it's tips and the jack tip lug should connect, from the lugs wire to the switch pole/throw/bypass jumper/throw [output side of sw now]/pole, output jack tip lug wire, tips of output cable...so you should read continuity from the guitar cable tip to the amp cable tip in bypass mode, or find a misconnect in the mix..
  Then switch once, the tip of the input cable should go into input jack tip lug/switch pole/switch throw/circuit input
  The output cable tip should go into output jack tip lug/wire to switch pole/switch throw/circuit output.
  Anyway... My understanding of wiring the switch for "true bypass" has me using the throws one side of the switch for "bypass", which is working properly, and using only the throws on the "other side" for the effect.  MY attempt to wire this did not work. I've attached a picture:  Input goes to pole at "top" of switch (as pictured), Cin passes under the strip and connects to the throw @ top right (yellow wire is a remnant of my attempt to wire per your instruction), output cap connects to throw at bottom right.
  ~confused...GGG has bypass wiring diagrams. A common connection mistake is plugging the guitar into the output jack/ amp to input.

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[tonemonster]

Pete: Thanks for the input.

-Re gain and boost issue: It's  piercing bright and VERY loud  at about "2" , and it the input hits the circuit so hard enough that it's fully compressed/limited  if I play with more than moderate picking. (I've been playing and recording for 20+ years. It's not usable in it's present form.)

-For some  reason when I switch the wires to the lugs it doesn't solve the ccwise prob.

-I hope to get this wired correctly with bypass, no led, no ac power connection. Is it possible that this device DOESN'T work correctly with true bypass via a dpdt?


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[jonathan perez]

if it bypasses, its bypassed. true bypass, at that.

tonepad.com has some OFFBOARD (keyword) wiring diagrams, as does generalguitargadgets.com

did you switch the right wires on the pot?

it is a treble booster...id say its working.

[tonemonster]

 - I did switch the "correct" wires.

Re "I'd say it's a treble booster"... Au contraire... In it's present  form it's a sonic weapon, best used to disperse  a crowd.  ( Soon to become a UFO!)

[tonemonster]

I've tried to include a jpeg of this, but when I click on "attach an image" it won't let me. (I'm really not completely inept...Really!... I swear!...)

[R.G.]

The forum does not host the image. You have to put the image somewhere on the web, then insert an HTML pointer to the image in your post. Where you put the image on the web that is accessible by html is up to you.

What you are describing is a wiring issue all right. The business with clockwise/ ccw not being corrected by swapping lugs on the pot and it always being too loud is probably a result of the same issue.