suggestions for an od build

[zhx]

Hi!

I just finished a tube amp project, and ended up with an amp with great fendery kind of cleans. The amp can' t give me the overdrive I need, so I have to get that from a pedal.

I'm looking for a tight, punchy, in-your-face kind of overdrive sound that is heavy in the mid-honk and tight at the bottom and hi end. Something like a cranked fender tweed twin driven with a tubescreamer. Not the kind of loose distortion you get from BSIABs or Dr Boogeys. And gain isn't that important either. An od's gain range is enough.

Oh, and the simpler the better too, of course...

Any suggestions?

[Dragonfly]

I havent built from this layout yet, but as soon as I saw the schemo and heard the soundclips and thought it was worth doing a layout for....i have the feeling that it will sound VERY good with certain peoples rigs.

sound clips are HERE !

schematic is HERE !

And heres the layout I did for it. If you build it and there are any problems, let me know...

[549]

 

[brett]

Hey! I like that value for C9 - 240pF.  Phat!

[Renegadrian]

Whatabout the ol' classic DOD 250? I really enjoy mine, built to grey specs (markm layout) but with LEDs clipping option too...

[zhx]

Hmm, the russian build seems interesting.

250 was one option, but I've had the impression that it's quite trebly and hissy. I don't want any sparkle.

Right now I'm thinking of cascading two simple circuits, a booster and an od/booster/something, so that the first gain stage would be pushing the latter to overdrive. Then adding clipping if necessary. Maybe bazz fuss w/o diodes pushing another one and then diodes to ground at he end for clipping... I dunno

[zhx]

Finally got home from work and listened to the 3000V samples. Sounds pretty ok, but you can get equivalent sounds with far more simple circuits. Seems a bit waste of parts. Could work with some low end boost though. Actually I think I'll try the matsumin valvecaster (I'm going all tube, it seems), a really simpla circuit, and appears to have a nice thick punchy oomph!

[Renegadrian]

Well, if you're going for more bass, you'll have it with the Valvy...It's not sparky.

[zhx]

I'm not after sparky, more like "tight". (People often associate Fender amps with hot rod deluxe sound, that is trebly and glassy, I'm thinking more of that old punchy country&western punch) The valvecaster might be bassy, but I would drive it with a rangemaster. It would be like an extra gain stage for my amp. (worth a try anyway, diy tube pedal = street credibility among peers )

Actually I listened clips of the boss od-3 sounds pretty close. Can't seem to find a layout though.

[Krinor]

I use the Valvecaster with my Fender Champ 5F1 replica. It really gives you that extra gain to drive the amp harder while also adding overdrive on it's own. I can't think of anything better. Allthough if you don't mind playing loud you'll be surprised at how much a simple booster can do with a tube amp.

[squidsquad]

Perhaps the Omega at the ROG site would let you dial in just how much bottom ya wanted. (An easy build)

[zhx]

Driving the amp works of course (it's a 5-20W fender champ-DSE-kind-of-thing), but I do need some od from the pedal itself, since I want to maintain the cleans when gigging. The Omega is a booster, right?   I do have a tubescreamer I haven't tried with this amp yet. Maybe I could also mod more juice out of that.
I think I'll stick to the valvecaster plan (partly for the mojo) and box it together with a booster.

[Krinor]

Why not make a twin Valvecaster ? That will give you anything from vintage sparkle to brown sound goodness 

[zhx]

Hmm, can I dial out that mid-punch goodness out of it?

[frank_p]

You guys, ar on something !!!  I'am sure...