Firecracker and Fire Starter are super!

[vortex]

Big props to Dragonfly and Martymart!!!

I love my Mosfet clean boosters and wanted to explore the diode clipping tail end on these type of circuits. Both the Firecracker and Fire Starter circuits are great OD's! I built both this weekend and in the limited time I've had playing them, I am impressed! I made each circuit in the stock form with the exception of using a 50K pot for volume.  I built the Fire Starter first and liked the sound and response of the 1n4148 diodes. Nice choice Marty! When i built the Firecracker I planned to socket the diodes for further experimentation but ran out of room on my vero for the sockets so I went with the 1N4148's again. Still a good choice! I have the input and clipping caps socketed on the Firecracker and will play with these options some more.

I use a Princeton Reverb II amp for gigging and it's quite fussy about overdrives, (or maybe I am). So far, with the Princeton at bedroom volume levels and into my Boss VF-1/computer soundcard the Firecracker circuits are looking promising. I like a the idea of simple circuit in my signal path and these fit the bill.

Sonically, the OD charactor is in the Marshall arena, lots of harmonic goodness, presence and punch. Not a fuzzy mess. The circuits clean up fairly well with the guitar volume knob but unfortunately lose some top end in the process.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks to Dragonfly and Martymart for sharing these fine circuits. For those looking to build a sweet OD, I say, check these out they are simple and very cool!

Build notes: On the Fire Starter vero the tranny info should read (from top to bottom) D/G/S

[jpm83]

Sound samples would be cool.

[MartyMart]

I'm glad that you're enjoying them
I'm always impressed by how great "simple" circuits can sound ....

BTW, It's mostly Dragonfly's work, I just "adapted" it a little  .. !

Marty.

[Dragonfly]

glad youre liking them !  the firecracker is a nice building block/starting point thats been waiting for some "refinement", so i was glad to see marty get to it !

and marty...dont sell yourself short...i started the ball rolling but youve taken it to the next level....

[swt]

Hey Guys! where can i check this circuits?. URLs?? Thanks  lot!

[MartyMart]

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/Martys-layouts-and-photos/Fire_Starter_OD?full=1

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album19/DRAGONFLY_FX_FIRECRACKER_OVERDRIVE_LAYOUT

Here you go !

Marty.

[nag hammadi]

hey marty, i have a question about the two connected diodes in the fire starter.

do they attach directly too one another in series, or do they both also go into the strip of vero between them?

in other words, does the pair "jump over" that middle vero strip...       

[MartyMart]

hey marty, i have a question about the two connected diodes in the fire starter.

do they attach directly too one another in series, or do they both also go into the strip of vero between them?

in other words, does the pair "jump over" that middle vero strip...       

Yes they are in series, join 2x together - watch polarity ! - as in the vero drawing.
Hope you enjoy it, it's a "wicked" little overdrive
Marty.

[Dragonfly]

IT'S ALIVE !!!

(And here I thought these two circuits would never be revived !)

BTW...one of the reasons that these two simple circuits sound good is the combination of the mosfet overdriving and the clipping diodes smoothing that out and adding to the gain sound....