New BOOSTER for ya !!!!

Started by Dragonfly, January 15, 2005, 10:36:40 PM

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Dragonfly

This is a nice little boost I designed tonite...it uses ideas from several other boosts, is super easy to build, has a low parts count, and most of all, SOUNDS GREAT !  With the gain knob set low, it gives a nice clean boost...with it set higher, it gets a nice overdriven boost !!! I'll probably build some for sale, but you guys can build it yourself and save CASH!!!

I'm not exactly set on the name yet (too close to the Sparkledrive name for my taste, but I had to name it something :) )...but  here's the schematic for ya !

enjoy !
Andy
Dragonfly FX


Alpha579

Great! sometimes the simplest thing sound the best, well done  :)
Alex Fiddes

Dragonfly

Quote from: Alpha579Great! sometimes the simplest thing sound the best, well done  :)


...so far i've tested it with a Tele and a Les Paul through both a '56 tweed Fender Harvard and a Egnater TOL50...sounds great through the Harvard, and absolutely AMAZING with the Egnator, which leads me to believe that the booster should work great with Marshall and Vox style amps, as the Egnater is a "little of both" ....

MartyMart

That looks very neat !  cool idea and thanks for sharing  :D

Marty. 8)
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm"
My Website www.martinlister.com

Torchy


BD13UK

Thanks AGAIN Torchy !!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian

bwanasonic

Just breadboarded it myself. For the 1uf, I used a metal-film. I tried subbing a 5457 for the j201, but didn't like it as well- it got a little *trashy* on breakup, and didn't transition as smoothly from clean to dirty. For my purposes it might work just as well to have a switch for hi/lo gain , instead of a pot. Haven't tried any cap swaps yet. Also need to try cascading boosters (AMZ Mosfet/ Fetzer/ Sparkle).

Nice circuit
Kerry M

Dragonfly

Quote from: TorchyNot hijacking this thread, but I just put this together and sounds _really_ good with my Tele and Tramp. Low gain settings are cool, but there's a fair bit of kick as you wind it up. Thought others might like a tiny veroboard layout for it ...



I used a 47nF input cap as marked.

THANKS DRAGONFLY  :D

SWEET !!!  Glad you like it...i REALLY like this booster a lot....coolest thing i've designed so far, if i do say so myself :)

Awesome vero layout, as usual....

Dragonfly

Quote from: MartyMartThat looks very neat !  cool idea and thanks for sharing  :D

Marty. 8)


Your welcome :)


Its such a cool sounding boost, and EXTREMELY easy to build....



BTW...i use the NTE458 in mine....breaks up great, especially into a amp thats just on the edge of overdrive.

Dragonfly

Quote from: bwanasonicJust breadboarded it myself. For the 1uf, I used a metal-film. I tried subbing a 5457 for the j201, but didn't like it as well- it got a little *trashy* on breakup, and didn't transition as smoothly from clean to dirty. For my purposes it might work just as well to have a switch for hi/lo gain , instead of a pot. Haven't tried any cap swaps yet.


i'm thinking that for a fuller range booster, anywhere from a .068u to a .1u cap on the input should work well...i like the "sparkle" and "cut" that this boost adds quite a bit.

the 5457 wasnt as good, huh ? probably a good thing to make a "mental note" of.

also, you might try using a stomp switch for the boost, that way you can get more versatility out of it.



Quote from: bwanasonic
Also need to try cascading boosters (AMZ Mosfet/ Fetzer/ Sparkle).

Nice circuit
Kerry M

i havent tried that yet, but i thought it would be good for that purpose...all in all, i think that this simple little circuit shows a LOT of potential.

RAWK ON !!!

petemoore

Is the input cap necessary? Jfet input doesn't 'necessarily' need an input cap, I noticed reducing Cap value on a Jfet booster has a much smaller effect on the HP filter than say with a BJT booster, I think this is because the Jfet gate passes so little current....anyway I use the output cap value  as a HP filter adjuster.
 Don't 'gospel' this, and correct me if I'm wrong...it's a tentative question posing as a statement.
Convention creates following, following creates convention.

Dragonfly

Quote from: petemooreIs the input cap necessary? Jfet input doesn't 'necessarily' need an input cap, I noticed reducing Cap value on a Jfet booster has a much smaller effect on the HP filter than say with a BJT booster, I think this is because the Jfet gate passes so little current....anyway I use the output cap value  as a HP filter adjuster.
 Don't 'gospel' this, and correct me if I'm wrong...it's a tentative question posing as a statement.

i'm not sure...i just posted the schemo as "i" built it...i always tend to use some sort of input cap...might just be "habit"...i'll build on with a socketed input and test your theory soon...meanwhile, hopefully Jack or someone more knowledgable than myself will answer your question correctly :)

what i "do" know, however, is i have a new favorite booster !  :D

jmusser

Man, you sure stay busy! I still have two or 3 more of your circuits to build. Did you ever get the design finished on the little Cookbook circuit that used the quad op amp (LM324 I think)? My computer at home is belly up, so I didn't get a chance to see if you had finished at the end of the thread, or if you had actually built it to know what it sounded like. I scabbed Tim's Octup Blender on mine.
Homer: "Mr. Burns, you're the richest man I know"            Mr. Burns: Yes Homer It's true... but I'd give it all up today, for a little more".

Dragonfly

Quote from: jmusserMan, you sure stay busy! I still have two or 3 more of your circuits to build. Did you ever get the design finished on the little Cookbook circuit that used the quad op amp (LM324 I think)? My computer at home is belly up, so I didn't get a chance to see if you had finished at the end of the thread, or if you had actually built it to know what it sounded like. I scabbed Tim's Octup Blender on mine.

ive finished the "design" of the cooker fuzz, but havent finished the layout...as soon as i finish that, i'm gonna build it and see what tweaking it needs.....

i saw your octup combo...great idea to paste those two circuits together...

as for the Sparkle Boost..i'd suggest moving it up to the front of your "build line"...its easy, inexpensive to make, and sounds absolutely amazing ! i'm not "pulling your chain" on this one...i'm REALLY proud of this little circuit.

i'll post a couple pics of my Sparkle Boost in a few minutes....

Dragonfly

here are a couple of pics of the #2 Sparkle Booster i built (today) ...its not as "neat" of a wiring job as i normally do, but i was in a hurry to finish it...besides, this ones for my "personal" rig :)





Alpha579

Quote from: Dragonfly
Quote from: petemooreIs the input cap necessary? Jfet input doesn't 'necessarily' need an input cap, I noticed reducing Cap value on a Jfet booster has a much smaller effect on the HP filter than say with a BJT booster, I think this is because the Jfet gate passes so little current....anyway I use the output cap value  as a HP filter adjuster.
 Don't 'gospel' this, and correct me if I'm wrong...it's a tentative question posing as a statement.

i'm not sure...i just posted the schemo as "i" built it...i always tend to use some sort of input cap...might just be "habit"...i'll build on with a socketed input and test your theory soon...meanwhile, hopefully Jack or someone more knowledgable than myself will answer your question correctly :)

what i "do" know, however, is i have a new favorite booster !  :D

i believe it wouldnt make any difference to the sound, because the high pass filter it creats with the 1M res has a 'knee' of 7.2 hz, well below the range of a guitar... i think thats right , neway.... :?
Alex Fiddes

Peter Snowberg

Not using an input cap may affect things if this effect follows another which leaves some DC in the output. The JEFT will end up mis-biased. Any well designed pedal will not leave DC on the output, but I'm sure there is a box somewhere.... :D
Eschew paradigm obfuscation

Paul Marossy

Looks nice. The wiring looks pretty neat to me...  8)

Dragonfly

Quote from: Paul MarossyLooks nice. The wiring looks pretty neat to me...  8)


thanks....its just "ok" to me, but i'm REALLY picky.....i like to use old Hiwatt amps as the "ideal" wiring...if youve ever seen those, theyre immaculate inside.

Dragonfly

Quote from: Peter SnowbergNot using an input cap may affect things if this effect follows another which leaves some DC in the output. The JEFT will end up mis-biased. Any well designed pedal will not leave DC on the output, but I'm sure there is a box somewhere.... :D

i put the input cap in there more out of "habit" than anything else....its nice to know that theres a good reason for it to be there :)

i  thought it sounded great, so i left the pedal exactly as i built it...