Ring Stinger Photos

[markusw]

i think that you have just fulfilled a wishlist item for about half of the forum!

at least for the freaks that like this kind of noise makers 

[Gripp]

Thanks again for this, I'm stocking up on parts as I write.
Just one little thing, the value and taper of the blend pot (100k lin) is not in the parts list in the file. 
Got it in the schematics though.
I'm also having trouble finding the IRFU9024 here, but I'll look for some replacements or sub the good polarity protection for the old not so good one (1N4001).
Best!
Pelle G

[markusw]

Just one little thing, the value and taper of the blend pot (100k lin) is not in the parts list in the file.
Got it in the schematics though.
I'm also having trouble finding the IRFU9024 here, but I'll look for some replacements or sub the good polarity protection for the old not so good one (1N4001).
Best!
Pelle G

Thanks for your hint: will add the blend pot to the "reported bugs" list. Hm, actually it's the first bug.

Re IRFU9024: I just used this one because it was a: available and b: had a low on-resistance. You can replace it with any PMOS. To me it seems that power PMOSFETs simply have lower on-resistance. But maybe I did'nt check enough data sheets.

Good luck for your build.

Markus

[chokeyou]

so who wants to print me a board? I'll take care of drilling and pay postage. Paypal $15 to any takers.

oh yea, and whats the final word on any matched components? transformers? diodes? anything?

[soggybag]

I'm looking into enclosures for this project. The PCB is pretty big and there are 7 knobs and three foot switches plus the two rotary switches, it will need a lot of box to hold it all. Can anyone recommend an enclosure?

Looking through the Mouser catalog and the boxes are not very exciting. Here are the ones I'm lookoing at.

537-MDC862-01
546-1456FG4WHBU
546-1455p2201

The first two are similar to the original. The first is a bare metal, but the dimensions are a little chunkier than the original. The second is a Hammond box that looks closer to the orignal but it comes in baige top with blue sides. The last is an extruded aluminum box. I think this one could look good but I think it might hard to get everything in through the opening on the side. Especially challenging due to the PCB mounted post and switches.

Does anyone know of any other sites that sell enclosures that might be suitable for the Ring Stinger?

[chokeyou]

if you cant bend your own angular enclosure, i'd suggest staying away from them. A PCB this size may be hard (especially with onboard pots/rotary switches) to get to sit panel mounted in there.

[johngreene]

This thing is going to be a significant piece of hardware. Maybe you should call it the 'Bling Stinger' 

--john

[Connoisseur of Distortion]

This thing is going to be a significant piece of hardware. Maybe you should call it the 'Bling Stinger' 

--john

that does it... i am plugging a 18" cord from input to output when i'm done and i am wearing it! 

[chokeyou]

so nobody wants to help me out and etch a pcb for me? name your price! (in all decency please)

[markusw]

Does anyone know of any other sites that sell enclosures that might be suitable for the Ring Stinger?

The PCB will fit in a Hammond 1590F which is about the same size as the original enclosure (though it is'nt sloped).  You just will have to slightly grind off two of the ribs (or what ever those things are called) to make the PCB fit.
If you want to use another box just be sure that the box has a inner width of at least 6.7 inch.
Also the Lorlin rotary switches are slightly higher than the Bourns 91 pots so you will have to add washers to compensate for the difference.

Markus

[soggybag]

Me and a friend are getting ready to build a couple of Ring Stingers. I have my order ready except for the IRFU9024. This is not available through Mouser and I'm not sure what to sub, any suggestions?

[markusw]

I have my order ready except for the IRFU9024. This is not available through Mouser and I'm not sure what to sub, any suggestions?

Have a look at http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/mosswitch/mosswitch.htm
RG gives some suggestions. Basically, you can use any P-channel Mosfet. The lower R(ds)on the less V supply you loose. A BS250 could be used although I don't know if it has the same the pin out. The IRFU9024 has GDS.

Markus

[soggybag]

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll go with the BS250, and watch the pin out, if it doesn't work I can always go with the 1N4001.

[Gripp]

Markus, do you have an estimate of current draw for the string ringer?

Just wondering if I should omitt battery option right away, would possibly make box selection easier for me. Thanks for the Hammond 1590F tip.

On a second note, do you have a scan of the manual? Just very curious.

Build progress so far: Etched but not drilled the xfrmr pcb, have got the xrfmrs that I ordered but nothing else. Don't expect this one to be finished anytime soon as I'm a slow builder, but when I do finish there will be a report.

Best!
Pelle G

[markusw]

Markus, do you have an estimate of current draw for the string ringer?

Just wondering if I should omitt battery option right away, would possibly make box selection easier for me. Thanks for the Hammond 1590F tip.

On a second note, do you have a scan of the manual? Just very curious.

Build progress so far: Etched but not drilled the xfrmr pcb, have got the xrfmrs that I ordered but nothing else. Don't expect this one to be finished anytime soon as I'm a slow builder, but when I do finish there will be a report.

Best!
Pelle G

Sorry for the delayed answer.

Current draw is in the range of 30-40 mA. So battery won't last long. Even more important (IMHO) it sounds better at 12V.

I got a copy of the manual but the scan quality is'nt that great. Hope I'll get a better scan soon!

Markus

[Gripp]

No worries!
Useful info, thanks.
Re the 12V, I had similar thoughts when I build the McMeat, those extra 3V make a difference.

Progress: drilled and populated the xfrmr board minus the diodes. Still haven't got them but will perhaps today.

I'm really excited just to thest drive the heart of this thing! Can't wait to hear what a passive modulator really sounds like.....modulate the guitar with itself through a pitch shifter on the carrier split (IPS33b)....perhaps in whammy mode....
Should sound somewhat like the intelligent ring modulator in my dust-collecting Boss GT-5 but with more character.

Best!
Pelle G

[markusw]

I'm really excited just to thest drive the heart of this thing! Can't wait to hear what a passive modulator really sounds like.....modulate the guitar with itself through a pitch shifter on the carrier split (IPS33b)....perhaps in whammy mode.... 
Should sound somewhat like the intelligent ring modulator in my dust-collecting Boss GT-5 but with more character.

Should work to use just the heart (provided the both signals are buffered, I suppose). How many octaves can you go up on on the IPS33b? Actually, your idea is very similar to my plans. I'd lilke to have 3 maybe four octaves up as a carrier (square wave but other wave shapes would be nice too). Can you also choose square wave on the Digitech? And , sorry whats whammy mode???



Markus

[HrD]

hi,
there is someone who can tell me how to match 1n34 diodes... i need to know everything about matching...
thx

[markusw]

there is someone who can tell me how to match 1n34 diodes..

Don't know if this is the best way: I just measured 15-20 diodes I bought from Aron with the diode check function of my DMM. Among those I found 4 that had exactly the same voltage drop (they differed less than 1 mV).

Markus

[Gripp]

Hi all!

Re matching: I did the same as Markus yesterday, measured 15 diodes and found four that had voltage drops of 288 -290 mV (the best that could be done with that set). It turned out fine I think.

So, today I finished the xfrmr board and ran it both through the IPS-33b (it has separate buffered processed and unshifted outputs ) as described earlier, ie self-modulated,  and with computer generated waves as carrier just for testing.  There were level control and impedance matching on both input and carrier via boosters and soundcard.  What can I say, this has been a really fun day! Now I need to continue and make the main PCB

The IPS-33b, often refered to as the poor mans eventide, does +/- 2 octaves of "clean" pitch shifting, it has some character but that is one thing I like about it. It has no waveshaping functions at all but you just gave me an idea. There would be no problem running some fuzz (probably Tim Escobedos simple square wave shaper made simpler) on the pitch shifted carrier only, we'll see what that sounds like when that enclosure gets back from powder coating.
Self modulation with carrier shifted to octaves, fourths and fifths sound really good (mathematically no surprise), very synthish. Will also try and run my rocktave divider this way when that enclosure gets back from powder-coating (yup, sending more than one at the time), that would give a squarish possibility as well but only down shift.

Whammy mode with the IPS-33b is perhaps the best thing yet with self modulation. It means that pitch shift on the carrier signal is controlled with a expression pedal so you can go from a consonant octave sound (both carrier and input at the same pitch), to whatever you like at the other end. Say to two octaves up on the carrier (still consonant but different harmonics) and in between you get all sorts of "normal" ring modulation sounds. For me, this can very well be used in a musical context, sort of like an instant nice/ugly-but-always-different pedal.

When running a computer generated carrier I got just a little bleedthrough at two frequencies, one was easy to dial out with the trimmer but the other not. The frequency that still was bleeding through was the same as the carrier frequency. I'll do some more experimenting but it is probably due to the rats nest of cables that connects everything right now (crosstalk). The classic ringmod sounds produced this way were very good however. I now know that I really like the distortion and limited bandwidth of this true ring modulator. Well, the bandwidth migth expand with the right recovery stage in place. Today the output was plugged in to my TC Electronic Fireworx.

End of blabbering from a happy man.
Best!
Pelle G