Build report: ampeg scrambler

[tiges_ tendres]

Just finished building this one, the first thing the struck me about this pedal is how quiet it is when I'm not playing!  No background noise, no hiss, it's almost like having a noise gate on it! 

I built it with the extra diodes according to the tone pad layout. 

The only thing I wasn't happy about was the amount of fuzz I got (not enough), but, I'm going to gain test a few different transistors and see if that helps.  For the build I used the reccomended mpsa14 and the 2n3904.  The fuzz is great with the texture knob up, but with the texture knob down, it sounds passibly beefy.

Does anyone know if the layout was corrected concerning the direction of the 1uf capacitor?

I am thoroughly impressed with this pedals lack of buttery smoothness, and total absence of transparancy! 

[Coriolis]

Yep, it is nice, isn't it? 
It seems to me that the reason it sounds like there is a noisegate on it, is because...there is!
Or rather that it gates so much on its own (IOW killing the decay/sustain of the note pretty fast), that there is never much noise between notes. Actually, It's not really extreme enough for me, but what it does, it does very well and in a unique way. It actually sounds sorta...loose
- you know, not super tight like a modern highgain sound, just really dirty and not very controlled/tight.
The octaveup/ringmod thing is of course essential to this sound, and I leave texture turned up all the time! 
Now I just gotta finish my Blue Box and Uglyface for some more and different nastiness...

C

[Mark Hammer]

Stepping on this pedal is a bit like opening a door and finding a knock-down, drag-out, to-the-death, "Battle Royale" pillow fight on the other side.  At first, it just makes you want to shut the door fast and catch your breath.  Then, bit by bit, you're willing to leave the door open a little longer, until finally you want in on the fight.

[Pushtone]

That's a great description Mark.
Tonepads description is accurate as well - "Sounds like doom"

I like my Scrambler after the BSIAB or other high-gain pedal.
Try it, it may solve your low fuzz issue and the Scrambler sounds more refined with it. I think of the distortion in front of the Scrambler as a rocket booster that pushes the Scrambler's sound into the stratosphere.

Don't forget to use your neck pickup, its recommended to accent the octave effect.

Pushtone

[tiges_ tendres]

That's a great description Mark.
Tonepads description is accurate as well - "Sounds like doom"

I like my Scrambler after the BSIAB or other high-gain pedal.
Try it, it may solve your low fuzz issue and the Scrambler sounds more refined with it. I think of the distortion in front of the Scrambler as a rocket booster that pushes the Scrambler's sound into the stratosphere.

Don't forget to use your neck pickup, its recommended to accent the octave effect.

Pushtone

yes! neck pickup, tone rolled all the way back on the rhythm circuit of my jazzmaster makes me sound like a synth on the higher register notes.

Yep, it is nice, isn't it? 
It seems to me that the reason it sounds like there is a noisegate on it, is because...there is!
Or rather that it gates so much on its own (IOW killing the decay/sustain of the note pretty fast), that there is never much noise between notes. Actually, It's not really extreme enough for me, but what it does, it does very well and in a unique way. It actually sounds sorta...loose
- you know, not super tight like a modern highgain sound, just really dirty and not very controlled/tight.
The octaveup/ringmod thing is of course essential to this sound, and I leave texture turned up all the time! 
Now I just gotta finish my Blue Box and Uglyface for some more and different nastiness...

C

I actually played around with it a little more last night and found that i get some awesome drive with the blend rolled down a little bit, and just a little bit of texture.

Infact, I couldn't find any non useable positions! with the controls Dimed I get an awesome iggy and the stooges kind of solo tone, and with both rolled back a little, I get an awesome solo tone. 

This unit can do so much! all out fuzz, more layed back solo stuff, crazy octave synth weirdness.  I may have to rig up an extra foot switch and second texture control knob like the dragonfly mods for the ea tremolo.

Stepping on this pedal is a bit like opening a door and finding a knock-down, drag-out, to-the-death, "Battle Royale" pillow fight on the other side.  At first, it just makes you want to shut the door fast and catch your breath.  Then, bit by bit, you're willing to leave the door open a little longer, until finally you want in on the fight.

I agree there, I'd only add that with the texture all the way up, one guy in the pillow fight gets carried away and pulls out some brass knuckles!

[alteredsounds]

Just how 'mad' is it supposed to sound? mine has some drive but its certainly not Fender Blender?  Octove is there but it just seems quite tame.  All the ref's match everyone elses.

Cheers,
Nick,

[tiges_ tendres]

Just how 'mad' is it supposed to sound? mine has some drive but its certainly not Fender Blender?  Octove is there but it just seems quite tame.  All the ref's match everyone elses.

Cheers,
Nick,

Some have likened it to the sound of a tin pan.  I dont think it's as octave crazy as the fender blender, but what is?!

there are some good sound samples on http://www.tonefrenzy.com  That should give you a good point of reference.  I checked how well the octave was working by selecting the neck pickup on my guitar, and then rolling the tone down.  should be synthy sounding