whats a Red Llama sound like?

[gutsofgold]

Is it similar to a tube screamer or a distortion+ ? I can't get an idea because I'm not familiar with that huge chip it uses.

[solderman]

Check this and you will have au idee.
Same base type of circut.

http://www.runoffgroove.com/3leggeddog.html

[gutsofgold]

Hmmm seems to be close to what I want. I'm looking for something similar to the "lead" or "drive" channel on Marshall tube amps like the JCM800/900 series. Just real simple distortion, nothing over the top like metal sounding but a bit more than a tube screamer. If no one has any other suggestions I might give this a try.

[John Lyons]

Take a spin through the clips at ROG.
Eighteen
Thor
Three legged dog
Matchbox
etc etc. Get a marshallesqe tone.

john

[solderman]

OK

Check this out. It is very much the same but with two channels, one rhythm and one lead. I have built it my self and its quite OK. Really high gain in the lead stage. and smooth crunch in the rhythm. it has a drawback in that it has changes tonally with different gain but you can combine gain and volume to get a different tone. I'm working on a modded version and i will post it when (if) i get it ready.  


http://www.runoffgroove.com/doubled.html

[spud]

I built the DD once and only the Jiggle channel worked.  I abandoned it until recently when I saw a post on 4049's and the various circuits that were out there for it.  I've since prototyped the DD on my breadboard and I got decent tones out of it but it ate up my battery very quickly.  I've since added a 9v DC regulated wallwart and run it off that.  One thing that i noticed as my battery was running down - the dist increased quite a bit then it did this very funky high pitched oscilation when I cranked it (gain & vol on 10).  Anyway, I'm considering an amp with a 4049 as the pre-amp circuit.  Right now I'm considering the DD but want to prototype some of the others before I solder it up - including the Red Lama.  The power-amp side will prob be a TDA type - 20 or 30?  I need to look at a few things like how to power it (build it as a 120v AC device or running it at 24v DC from wall wart, etc).  Need to look at some more options before I finalize the design and begin building. 

So what do you all think? -

spud

[jlullo]

I think I am very alone in my opinion that I really don't like the Red Llama.  I built one and played around with it for a bit.  I found it to be a pretty harsh distortion.  I'm sure I could have smoothed it out and lowered the gain after chopping it up a bit more, but then it really wouldn't be a Red Llama anymore, would it? 

[petemoore]

So what do you all think?

  I think the circuits I've tried all sounded 'unique, CMOS-like, or ~tube-ey', and great, very usable except for the 100% failure rate.
  They fail for *me [I think I am alone and this is just coincidence] after in the chips have been in the circuit and sounding great for a short while...hours, or days, or weeks.
  Not exactly extensive tests [2 chips and about 4 circuits].

[Hanglow]

the tone factor mule is a clone of the red llama I believe, there are a few clips on youtube of it.

[grolschie]

I think I am very alone in my opinion that I really don't like the Red Llama.  I built one and played around with it for a bit.  I found it to be a pretty harsh distortion.  I'm sure I could have smoothed it out and lowered the gain after chopping it up a bit more, but then it really wouldn't be a Red Llama anymore, would it? 

Mine was harsh and farty in the bass. I wonder if the brand of 4049 IC makes a difference? Mine was a CD4049UBE, whereas some use an HCF4049UBE I believe. Can one modify RLs to use 4069s?