Yet Another Dr. Boogey Build Report(w/sample)

[RDV]

I put the Dr. Boogey together tonight in a marathon 5 hour session. It was a bit tedious wiring 6 pots but boy was it worth it. This is the best sounding high-gain DIY distortion yet. I'm not sure you could make it better unless a footswitchable cleaner sound could be made available. With that, you'd never need anything else. It really sounds good through my chipamps and I suspect a clean amp is where this will shine brightest. I always have trouble with super high gain circuits through my Marshall. The timbre of the distortion reminds me of my Fab-Metal but with less fizz and more meat!

A heartfelt DIY thanks to Electrotabs!

RDV

[JimRayden]

Better than BSIAB or just "different"?

-----------
Jimbo

[RDV]

Better than BSIAB or just "different"?

Different. They're not even similar IMO. I can(and have) used the BSIAB2 with my live rig because I can turn down the heat and the tone is still there.

I'm not critisizing the DB at all, it's just like a preamp to me more than a pedal. I think you could plug this thing straight into a mixer and out-POD a POD.

RDV

[MartyMart]

Nice Ricky, it is a very,very good sounding circuit
I just built Nelson's "Citrus Graphic MKII" ( Orange amp ) and I'm blown away in
a very similar way, tons of sounds/tones from that one .... and only 4 knobs !!

MM

[Bucksears]

The Dr. Boogey is nice. I need to check the wiring on mine as I've lost a bit of midrange control; it turns up the treble at the same time, so there's something up in there.
Yes, it's a hot little box. I need to check the bias on my amp because I'm not getting the bass that I used to out of the DB. I've often thought of building a single-rack unit the Dr. Boogey (ala the rackmount 'Tube Driver') or maybe a double-rack and have the JCM800 in the same box. The Dr. Boogey has a warmth (even though it is super-high-gain) that the Metal Zone doesn't.
(on a side note, I started working on the Citrus PCB and have it about 1/3 of the way done.)

- Buck

[MartyMart]

(on a side note, I started working on the Citrus PCB and have it about 1/3 of the way done.)

- Buck

You're going to like that .... A LOT !

MM.

[RaceDriver205]

is the best sounding high-gain DIY distortion yet.

Gee, thats what I keep telling people! Then they go off and make a blackfire or procorat or something else inferior.   

BSIAB2 with my live rig because I can turn down the heat and the tone is still there.

Thats exactly what I though. Ive never though of the BII as a high-gain, Ive only noticed its 'different' and very nice sound.

[RDV]

The DB would make an excellent high-gain channel for a DIY SS amp. You'd have a lot of knobs between the 2 channels(My clean preamp I built has 5 knobs and a switch) so it'd be an 11 knob job + a switch. I'd need a huge chassis. I'm wondering(out loud) if a higher voltage would give a bigger output? I suppose it would have to. I run my Thomas/Vox pre at about 15v.

RDV

[RDV]

I forgot to say I used MPF102 fets in mine to hopefully bypass some of the problems that others have had with noise and oscillation. I think it worked great! I really couldn't use any more gain than this thing's already got happening!

RDV

[mydementia]

Welcome to the Dr. Boogey fold Ricky!
I use the DB so much that I'm getting rid of almost all my other distortion stompboxes (except my Rat and BMP - love those!). 

Recommendation:
I just put a Tonemender (http://www.runoffgroove.com/tonemender.html) after my DB set around the 'Marshall' settings - talk about crisping up the tone.  This is the closest I've been able to get to a Mesa Dual Rec out of my Peavey XXX!  Give the tonemender a try - you won't regret it!

Yes, I'm addicted to JFET emu's too...the Orange thing is next on my list...

On the BSIABII - I still don't like mine...built it twice and it still doesn't produce useable tones in my opinion.  So - no comparison to the DB, really!
My JCM800 is quite shrill compared to the rest of my builds...but it sits well with the rest of the band (kick in a little boost (tonemender set around the 'Vox' settings) and I cut right through).

Thanks again to everyone involved in these JFET emus - way too much fun!
Mike

[Paul Marossy]

is the best sounding high-gain DIY distortion yet.

Gee, thats what I keep telling people! Then they go off and make a blackfire or procorat or something else inferior.   

BSIAB2 with my live rig because I can turn down the heat and the tone is still there.

Thats exactly what I though. Ive never though of the BII as a high-gain, Ive only noticed its 'different' and very nice sound.

"thats what I keep telling people! Then they go off and make a blackfire or procorat or something else inferior."

I wouldn't say inferior, just different. People like to jump on wagons when they come by, it's that human nature thing, ya know.

[Grocha]

have an soundclip???

[theman]

Nice Ricky, it is a very,very good sounding circuit
I just built Nelson's "Citrus Graphic MKII" ( Orange amp ) and I'm blown away in
a very similar way, tons of sounds/tones from that one .... and only 4 knobs !!

MM

Can you post a link on where to get the schematic for the "Citrus Graphic Mk II" ?

Thanks.

[GreenEye]

thanks for the report!  I'd love a sound clip too, but I've heard some already that sound pretty killer.

I might actually try to do a mini-rack version or something.  I really have trouble with small spaces, and wiring.  I think with so many knobs I would go crazy in a stompbox.  I could put the knobs side by side and have a cool half rack thing going on.  I guess I could wire up an external foot switch on a cord, that'd be kinda cool. 

[RDV]

It's been a while since I did any samples but I'll probably do some for this one.

I'm testing it right now through my computer system plugging it into my Mackie mixer along with the PT-80 and it sounds like an amp, no kidding, recording with this thing would be a breeze.

RDV

[Marcos - Munky]

Gee, thats what I keep telling people! Then they go off and make a blackfire or procorat or something else inferior.   

I can't talk about the Rat, but everything Joe Davisson made/make is incredible. I would never say something he made is inferior.

I saw great build reports for the Dr. Boogey. I will start to build one too . Hope it have a lot of mid scoop  .

[powerplayj]

On the BSIABII - I still don't like mine...built it twice and it still doesn't produce useable tones in my opinion.  So - no comparison to the DB, really!
My JCM800 is quite shrill compared to the rest of my builds...but it sits well with the rest of the band (kick in a little boost (tonemender set around the 'Vox' settings) and I cut right through).

Have you tried the Thunderchief yet?  Something tells me that one would sit perfectly in the middle of those two above.  It's slowly becoming my pedal of choice for all-around distortion.

[RDV]

Hope it have a lot of mid scoop  .

It does. I like the mid control a lot, you can either scoop it or boost.

RDV

[mydementia]

Yep, the Thunderchief is what I use for my Blues/SRVesque stuff - nice OD - very mellow.  Like it better than my TS808 clone.  The TC will also stay on my pedalboard!
Mike

[mydementia]

Second attempt at a soundclip...just banging around on the guitar but I wanted to share the impact of the Tonemender on the Dr. Boogey.  For S&G I also played with the SSS on and off.  Check out the Dr. Boogey page - I describe the setup and what you're hearing for each segment. 
http://www.freewebs.com/mydementia/