single-diode tubescreamer?

[vseriesamps]

Hey team

If I were at home I would just try this out and see, but unfortunately I am on the road with no soldering iron (!o woeful forgetfulness!) and so I have to make an appeal to those in the know.

I recently changed out my TS from asymetrical ge diodes to 1ge/2si and I don't like it. The clipping threshold is way to high, I have to really punch it to make it do anything and it seems grainier.

Since I don't have my soldering iron (!o lamentable idiocy!), I'm wondering if I can just clip the Si's out and go from there. Or does the single-diode thing not work with the feedback loop diode setup . . . ? There, that's my question, at last.

Thanks always

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k

[Peter Snowberg]

Are you saying that you have one Ge diode in one direction and two Si diodes in series going in the other direction?

Another option you have is to use a little wire to short one of the series diodes out. Even a single conductor out of a piece of lamp cord will work great for that.

A couple of nights ago I lifted one of the diodes in my DS-1 and I like the results very much. Right now my amp situation is "much less than perfect" so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I'll leave you with two magic words for the road.....

Butane Iron 

[vseriesamps]

Yup. Re: diodes you read me right.

Butane iron? Sounds dangerous. I'm more like a Zippo-and-a-pair-of-pliers guy.

So this isn't going to shunt to grd bc it's in a fb loop or anything? Someone's "broken diode, no sound" comment regarding their Dist+ in the archives had me worried.

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k