Built in guitar clipper?

[Seamus]

Hey i had this idea:

If i was to put a small circuit inside my guitar (the one im trying to do this on is an SG, ive got quite some space inside) then drill the body and add some switches.  But i need to know this: if you put any signal throguh a diode, what happens? This is what I mean:


WIRE FROM PICKUP --> DIODE --> PATCH CORD --> AMP

like so. Also, anybody know any little things that i could do, simple, not too many compnents, that i could add to my little board and that could get me some neat sounds? a feedback booster? nything goes!

[Outlaws]

Hey i had this idea:

If i was to put a small circuit inside my guitar (the one im trying to do this on is an SG, ive got quite some space inside) then drill the body and add some switches.  But i need to know this: if you put any signal throguh a diode, what happens? This is what I mean:


WIRE FROM PICKUP --> DIODE --> PATCH CORD --> AMP

like so. Also, anybody know any little things that i could do, simple, not too many compnents, that i could add to my little board and that could get me some neat sounds? a feedback booster? nything goes!

A DPDT toggle to switch between two different cap values.  You probably have a .02uF in there right now.  You can add a different one then for more tonal options.

[petemoore]

...use a DPDT switch/pot so you can have bypass without drilling your guitar, probably saves space being 2 in 1.

[littlegreiger]

Some one posted something like this a few months back heres the link http://www.diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=25660&highlight=strawberry.

[aron]

I'm not sure how good this will sound. I have heard that people use shottky (sp?) diodes for their low clipping threshold. I think you would need an active circuit (i.e. battery) to get something really good.

Still, it's worth a try. There's a commercial product that's something like this.

[Mark Hammer]

I'm not sure how good this will sound. I have heard that people use shottky (sp?) diodes for their low clipping threshold. I think you would need an active circuit (i.e. battery) to get something really good.

Still, it's worth a try. There's a commercial product that's something like this.

It's the "Black Ice" module.  It has been around for several decades, and you can buy them through Stewart-MacDonald among what is likely many other places.

Normally, some gain is needed to bring signal level up to where Ge or Si diodes could be made to clip consistently.  Schottky diodes have a much lower clipping threshold and are "clippable" without an active circuit, but generally only "hot" pickups with high output, and typically not unless you whack the strings.  Gentle chord strumming high up on the unwound strings using single-coil pickups is unlikely to get you anything noticeable.  Power chords on a humbucker equipped guitar probably *will*, but nothing you'd describe to anyone as "gobs" of distortion.

So, very cheap and easy but needs special conditions to be pleasing.

[rubberlips]

I was just looking at that the other day -its only a couple of schotkey diodes - one forward biased the other reversed across the tone control. I think I saw he diagram at the www.stew-mac.com from memory. Good site for a few tricks

Pete

[Ge_Whiz]

Gee guys, I was only tryin' to save you $25. FYI, it sounds great on my guitars, HB or SC. But yeah, like any overdrive, you play lightly, it don't do so much... :roll:

Heck, you only have to buy the diodes and wire them across a guitar lead to try it out! $2 tops.