brian may treble boost

[thomas2]

hey.. i was just looking at the hand drawn schematic of this.. (http://www.geofex.com/images/BrianMayboost.jpg).. what should i do with those components (4 & B) that have no values? should i leave them out? :shock:

[Michael P.]

I believe so. For awhile, there was a modified version of that schematic on a website that also had a photo essay on its construction using veroboard. I don't have the URL but if you do a Google search for "treble booster" "Brian May" you might find it.

[Torchy]

This is one I did when I made the booster a while ago ...

[jimbob]

thats great! Ill use that too.

[thomas2]

i built that one.. it cuts the lows but doesn't boost at all..
in fact it doesn't even matter if i take the transistor off from the socket.. the sound remains the same..  
i tried using 2n2222 for it.
i'm sure everything is wired correctly..  :roll:

[Arno van der Heijden]

i built that one.. it cuts the lows but doesn't boost at all..
in fact it doesn't even matter if i take the transistor off from the socket.. the sound remains the same..  
i tried using 2n2222 for it.
i'm sure everything is wired correctly..  :roll:

There's nothing wrong with that circuit, but there surely is something wrong with your build. It should boost. Are you sure you used the right component values?

[thomas2]

everything else but the transistor is correct :lol:

[jimbob]

Im not wanting to cut the lows at all--i just wanna add some highs

[thomas2]

well.. no panic.. i'll probe it later..

[petemoore]

Adding highs results in cutting lows. Because all these filters that distinguish between frequencies are passive, the only realy way to make it 'sound trebly' is by letting all the treble through and cutting the bass/mids, so proportion wise higher frequencies  represent a greater portion of what's in a signal.
 About an hour ago I decided to try the BMTB, I'd thought of trying it long ago, but with this clearer schematic I had no reason not to anymore...
 Fired right up, havent tested it all that much, I;m using a .01uf input cap...I guess it's ben too long and I didn't use 'n'much...so answer me again please...sorry  :oops:
 What is 4n7 in uf terms...I'ts got to be .0047uf!!! For a treble booster that is. I'll have to dig to see if I can find one that small...anyway it IS boosting !
 Are you guys just using the Guitar Volume or are you adding a volume pot at the end? If you are using a volume pot: 100k?
 Also what transistors do you find suits the circuit...I tried 3904 and NTE 47 [5089 sub]...
 I figure it is suppossed to add a little dirt, and it seems to do so.
 I just trimm potted the collector resistor,  [22k]  and tuned by ear.

[Michael P.]

Here's the site I mentioned earlier:
http://www.brianbooster.co.uk/treblebooster.htm

and here's the modified shematic:
http://www.brianbooster.co.uk/treble%20booster.jpg

[Michael P.]

That's schematic, not shematic - Shematic sounds like a sex toy :lol:

[thomas2]

hey.. does BC182L have different pinout than 2N2222 for example?

[petemoore]

DMM Hfe checker, use 'em if you got ;em for Si polarity and pinout info,...keep poking it in there different ways till you get a number that makes sense for that transistors data sheet. Ge' Hfe's polarity and pinout too...Hfe testing not so good for Ge's cuz they leak.
 I built a mini 3 pin 'extendopin' socket...three solid core wires, a piece of perf 'n socket...the contacts for my DMM's hfe thing are way down in the unit, this makes it much easier [possible] to test transistors which don't have full length legs.
 2n2222 BCxxx 2n3904's all are the same pinout....make sure the emitter towards ground. {Edit: I sould say the ones I have all have like pinouts]

[petemoore]

That thing works great!!!
 I was trying this thing out...works great through the usual list of things I try things with...great trebel booster!!!
 I put it in a clock bell, it came from a Big Ben Alarm Clock, I used the existing holes and made them bigger for the jacks...nice sturdy piece of metal.

[thomas2]

post a picture!!!
:twisted:

[thomas2]

what's the pinout of BC182L? my multimeter says that 2n2222's pinout is E B C..  :roll:

[Bluesgeetar]

Jesus man just buy Brian Mays guitar lesson video and he will show you 100% exactly how he get's his sound!!!!!!!!  Then that put your search finally at an end. :roll:

[petemoore]

This IS a nice Booster. Quite a character. Sounds cool by itself. Does 'funny' stuff to Od's 'n Fuzzes I like.
 I forget how I tweeked the smaller caps in sockets, I think I let just a bit more bass in.

[Bluesgeetar]

Oh I forgot to tell you Thomas.  If you do get tired of speculation and do want to know the real truth behind Brians sound you may want to get off your can and get it fast.  Hal Leonard carries the video and all of the other Star Licks master series videos but the Brian May video is no longer on the list.  People on other forums are complianing of not being able to buy the video that the video is always sold out.  I got a bad feeling that the video has been pulled for some reason.

Could be that Queen sold the rights to some of theri songs and the people who now own the rights made Hal Leonard pull the video.

The video is only $19  if you find it.  Still places that have them I think.  Just do a Google on:

Brian May Star Licks Master series

or just

Brian May Star Licks



No true Brain May should be without one.

I have one but I have one cause I like to collect celebrity guitar instruction videos.

Hot Licks and Star Licks are pretty much it.
I think Jack Bruce has a Bass video by Warner Bros.  That is my next buy.