My own DIY tubeoverdrive

[Dirk_Hendrik]

Guys,
After some weeks of prototyping I finally finished the basic version of the Tube overdrive I've been working on over the last 6 months (though not continuous)...

Some photo's:
Bottom of the PCB:

And the top:


Step 1, some tens of wire bridges:


All resistors mounted:


Capacitors, IC's and the TB relais:


And, after mounting the last components the first test. Almost worked at the first try. (Too much bass due to a too large capacitor):


Another one with the controls visible:


Does everything fit and can the case be closed":


Photo of the top PCB, which contains the control pots:


Everything mounted:


And, finally, the result so far:


What's next?
First testing it during band rehearsals. After that the graphics need to be finished.

[Thomas P.]

I'm really impressed how you've managed to put all the boards in there!!! :shock:

Great work!!!

[Doug_H]

;lkj

[Gilles C]

Really nice job.

How does it sound?

Gilles

[MartyMart]

Thats a great job Dirk, well done ! any chance of a sound clip from it??
Keep up the great work,
Marty

[Dirk_Hendrik]

Thanks guys :oops:

I'm really impressed how you've managed to put all the boards in there!!! :shock:

Great work!!!

It't pretty tricky. In every stage of the PCB design caution  needs to be taken to make certain that components aren't too high. That's also the reason the upper PCB doesn't sit under the whole front. It wouldn't fit with the jacks.

Looks nice! Is this a low-voltage circuit?

Doug

Yes it is. The whole circuit works on 9 volts which is internally stabilized from a 12 volts DC power supply. Only the heater voltage is the rough 12 volts.

Thats a great job Dirk, well done ! any chance of a sound clip from it??
Keep up the great work,
Marty

I'll be trying to make a sound clip later this week.
The whole project initially was focussed on bulding a TK999 tubeking into a 1590BB case and adding internal supply stabilization. Since I tweaked the tone controls quite a lot the sound is a little more harsch with all controls at 12 o'çlock. Furthermore the whole thing works fine for heavy lead and crunchy rhythm tracks but I haven't found a decent metal setting so far.

[Jim Jones]

Holy smokes - that looks great!

Jim

[remmelt]

that thing looks GREAT!
are you going to punch holes for heat?

[Peter Snowberg]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

[Fret Wire]

Excellent layout work!!

[Paul Marossy]

WoW.  :shock:
Maybe I can get my Shaka Tube in a Hammond 1590BB after all...

[Dirk_Hendrik]

that thing looks GREAT!
are you going to punch holes for heat?

It's planned. The ladyfriend is working on the cosmetics as we speak. At the other hand, since there is no high voltage the tube doesn't get so terribly hot that holes are realy necessary. The temperature of the tube is comparable to that of the tubes in a tube amp which is in stand by (and has been for a while). You won't burn your fingers on that.

[csj]

Wow...that must have been a real labor of love. So much work put into it! Beautiful.

[Dirk_Hendrik]

WoW.  :shock:
Maybe I can get my Shaka Tube in a Hammond 1590BB after all...

Just saw your page. I'm convinced you can.   That was really my "webbpage of the day" find.

[Paul Marossy]

Dirk,

Cool, glad that you like my webpage(s).  

[The Tone God]

I like.

Andrew

[george]

wow!

[mugan]

awesome!

ps: what's that "jamaican" resistor in the middle of pic#4 ?

[Mobisimo]

Great work there.  All the pics look real cool.  I also find it incredible that you fit all that in a BB in such neat order.
Would you ever consider selling these once you're comfortable with it?

[EdJ]

Hi Dirk Hendrik,
Nice work,looks great!
Are you the DH from gitaarnet?
Greetings,Ed