Can I add a tone stack to the grey 250?

[CBD]

Built this and it sounds pretty good but I would like more control over the tone.
can I simplyadd a tone stack?
How would I hook the two together using the strip board?


http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/ulysses/ulysses_layouts/ulysses_77_grey_dod_od_250/ulysses_77_grey_dod_od_250_1_0.gif.html

[starekase502]

stealing this from Brain Wamplers Distortion plus mods.  http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Dec/MXR_Distortion_Plus_Mods.aspx
wire a 1m pot in series with c5 for a simple tone control

[WGTP]

The above approach is good if you want a Treble control.  If you search, there should be some other threads about this.  The problem with the 250/MXR/etc. distortions is that the tone stack, for example the Big Muff Pie, reduces the output and it isn't that high to begin with.  There are various solutions such as changing the diodes to LED's, but that changes the character of the distortion.  If it uses a 10k pot for the output, change it to 100k.  Also, you can use a gain recovery stage after the tone stack. 

[Renegadrian]

I'd say try the SWTC or else you can add a baxandall using a double op amp

[cab42]

The above approach is good if you want a Treble control.  If you search, there should be some other threads about this.  The problem with the 250/MXR/etc. distortions is that the tone stack, for example the Big Muff Pie, reduces the output and it isn't that high to begin with.  There are various solutions such as changing the diodes to LED's, but that changes the character of the distortion.  If it uses a 10k pot for the output, change it to 100k.  Also, you can use a gain recovery stage after the tone stack.  

I have done a vero/stripboard layout for a bmp tonestack with gain recovery: http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/Cab42s-layouts/bmp_tonestack.jpg.html

Regards

Carsten

[Mark Hammer]

When you say yu would "like more control", do you mean tailoring it so that it is "just right", or do you mean being able to get a broad range of very different sounds?  If your goal is to get the tone just the way you like it, then that can be done without needing a tonestack, and the volume loss that produces.

For the basic Dist+/DOD250 "engine", it tends to be a bit harsh, and doesn't provide a way for one to adjust the treble content so that switching from bypass to effect doesn't oblige you to run over to the amp and turn the treble down.  "Fixing" the pedal so that it produces a more vocal growl without slicing your ears off is a fairly simple thing.

[DavenPaget]

When you say yu would "like more control", do you mean tailoring it so that it is "just right", or do you mean being able to get a broad range of very different sounds?  If your goal is to get the tone just the way you like it, then that can be done without needing a tonestack, and the volume loss that produces.

For the basic Dist+/DOD250 "engine", it tends to be a bit harsh, and doesn't provide a way for one to adjust the treble content so that switching from bypass to effect doesn't oblige you to run over to the amp and turn the treble down.  "Fixing" the pedal so that it produces a more vocal growl without slicing your ears off is a fairly simple thing.

So basically it should be a matter of increasing the input/output caps ?

[Mark Hammer]

The input and output caps play very little role.  The critical caps in shaping the tone would be:
-  the .047uf cap on the ground leg of the op-amp (larger keeps more bass at high gain)
-  the (missing) feedback cap in parallel with the 1meg feedback resistor, which would provide some of the trimming/taming of high end (47pf rolls off around 3.9khz)
-  the cap in parallel with the clipping diodes (the stock .001uf rolls off around 16khz)

Playing with those values can add more bass, and trim the treble.  Wise juggling of the feedback and cap to ground values (on the output) can provide some nice 2-pole lowpass filtering which will round the edges off.