Green Ringer Build Report

[petesguitar1]

Well, it's done. I finished my Green Ringer from Tonepad last night and it sounds great. I had a little trouble with the switching, but replaced the 3PDT with a DPDT and it works great, so now I'll just substitute back to add an LED. Used all the aprts as they are described. I'm wondering whether I can add a pot somewhere (purely because I'm using an enclosure that I had designed for a Blue Clipper in which I mount a volume pot, so there is a hole drilled already.) The volume is good, so I'm wondering whether there are any resistors that can be replaced? ?

Sweet

[oldrocker]

Sorry I don't know about where to add the pot.  I just built the GR myself just the other day and as usual with most of my projects it doesn't work.  It's good to hear someone did have success though so that gives me some hope.  At this point I'm a little confused why it's giving me such a hard time for such a simple circuit.  But I didn't test it in the bread board first so I guess I asked for it.
I'll keep checking back to see if anyone response to your message and maybe I can add the pot to my GR if I ever get it ringing.

[petemoore]

  I use mine potless.
  IIRC there's a 47k [?] from output to ground...seems like that could be replaced by a 100k volume pot and you might get adjustable volume to a bit above unity...

[Processaurus]

Hi, I spent some time with the green ringer a while back, if you want a pot to do something, I'd check out the GGG green ringer page, theres a easy mod that JC Maillet did that changes the evenness of the full-wave rectification, it sounds like dialing in the octave, or fading it out to have more fundamental.  If you're into a switch too, theres a mod I did on the same page that uses a 3 pole low pass filter to recreate/improve upon what happens with octave effects when you roll your tone knob down on the guitar (but just in the effect, so theres no need to fiddle with knobs on the guitar when switching the effect on).  It works great at making the octave sound cleaner and more present, because there are less harmonics going into the circuit.

[petesguitar1]

Hey, that's cool, I'll check it out! Hey oldrocker, if you post the info, i ma7y be able to help. Well, maybe not, but then again, I'd be willing to try!

[oldrocker]

I went back to trying to get my Green Ringer working.  I found one cold solder joint and then I had strong sound coming out.  Problem was it was there was no effect on the sound.  So I did more testing and tried something I don't normally do....I reversed all the transistors in thier sockets 180 deg.  And now I'm getting ring modulation.  The problem with that is according to the Tonepad schem I had them in right before I reversed them.  Now I've made many DIY's using trannys to know which is the emitter, base and collector and from what I see the Tonepad schem shows them wrong.  Unless the G R isn't supposed effect the sound at all, the trannys have to be 180'd in thier sockets.  It sounds like what I expected now.  Has anyone else experienced this?

[petemoore]

If you're into a switch too, theres a mod I did on the same page that uses a 3 pole low pass filter to recreate/improve upon what happens with octave effects
  That sounds like a good one, I'd like to see the 3 Pole LPF you used.
  This thread prompted me to try the JC mallait mod with the pot, just like that, seems to tune in harmonics, some of which sound more octavey.
 

[Processaurus]

Mr Old Rocker, you might check you have the right transistor in each spot (a pnp in the second transistor slot), analog stuff is kind of funny how it'll sort of work if there's an error, and its hard to judge from the sound.  I had the second transistor in mine in backwards for a year before I checked it out, I had thought the effect was just weak...

If you're into a switch too, theres a mod I did on the same page that uses a 3 pole low pass filter to recreate/improve upon what happens with octave effects
  That sounds like a good one, I'd like to see the 3 Pole LPF you used.
  This thread prompted me to try the JC mallait mod with the pot, just like that, seems to tune in harmonics, some of which sound more octavey.
 

Thanks, its more parts (9 total) than the average "mod", but you won't be disappointed the first ime you kick it on:
http://generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/green_ringer_filter_mod_sc.gif
You may even be able to hang a little daughter board with the filter on it from the switch...

[oldrocker]

Thanks Petemore I'll have to try that switchable mod.  Especially since there's no pots for adjustment on this effect that would make it more interesting to mess around with.
Never mind.  I was wrong (again).  I did have the dang trannys in wrong.  I can't believe I jumped the gun and wrote that the schem was wrong.  I must've been tired or had my head up my a%#* again.  I went and checked again this morning and realized I had the pins backwards myself.
Sorry about that guys.  I'm usually more careful about things like that.   So disregard my last post.            

[petemoore]

  yea, that middle one is like 'upside down'...check the arrows in the Q's 'circles', that's how they show emitter/base diode junction on the schematic, I overlooked those notes until I got to buggin' a Ringer.
  The Mod I refer to uses a 10k pot to 'balance' the diodes.
 

[TheBishop]

Ok, mine was working perfect for a day. Later, I noticed that the output jack had become loose. So I tightened it, without plugging it in. When I went back a few days later, the volume had dropped below a useable level. Fiddling with it, I discovered that if I touch the big prong on the output jack that touches the plug, everything goes back to normal. If I simply touch either output prong on the footswitch, the volume almost goes back to normal. I resoldered my jack and switch a few times and even ended up changing it completely. I even tried connecting everything with alligator clips, but that doesn't work either. Um... anyone know how I can fix this? thanks

[Noplasticrobots]

I just finished building mine last night (stock from GGG). I made the novice mistake of connecting the output to the collector and accidentally grounding both sides of my input cap through resistors. However I worked throught it with my DMM and didn't post any questions here asking what the problem could be so that's a plus.

This is a great simple pedal and I love the way it sounds with power chords. It's very textural and I can see myself using it a lot. It lends lots of intricacies to the guitar. Sounds great placed after an UglyFace, almost seems to slightly mellow out the UF (slightly I said!), and sorta gives it some more "roundness" (there we go with adjectives again).

Anyhoo, this would be a great second build for someone.

[oldrocker]

I think I have it working but I'm not sure if it's working right.  I noticed with mine that if I play a double bar power or major chord it sounds cool but if I play a minor chord it sounds out of tune and horrible.  Is that the way it should work or is something still wrong with mine?

[Noplasticrobots]

No, that's the way it's supposed to sound. I noticed any chord over 3 notes adds a lot of odd frequencies and makes dissonant chords out of whatevr you're playing. It's a great little pedal to mess with dynamics also.

[oldrocker]

Whew!!  That's a relief.  I was hoping I didn't need to work on it some more.  I think it's a very interesting effect.  I added part of the filter switching mod but only used the 6k2 res. and the 10uF cap from Q1 emitter to gnd for a little more gain.  I left out the bulk of the mod with the switch the 3 caps and 3 resistors.
I've got a song I'm writing that this effect will be perfect for.  This effect still needs to be boxed and I'm thinking of using a two plug 120v switch box for the enclosure similar to what the DIY Guitarist did on his website.  It looked pretty cool.  Thanks

[Processaurus]

I added part of the filter switching mod but only used the 6k2 res. and the 10uF cap from Q1 emitter to gnd for a little more gain.  I left out the bulk of the mod with the switch the 3 caps and 3 resistors.

You can make the 6.2K less, if you decide you want more volume.

[Noplasticrobots]

I forgot to mention that my GR doesn't sound exactly like the sample file at GGG. The bassier notes in the sound sample sound really funky and synthy, but mine are much more mild. I'm wondering if it's my 2N3906. I just have a variety pack of PNP trannys from Rat Shack and used what sounded best from that assortment. I know you're supposed to use a low gain PNP...what did you guys use?

[oldrocker]

I used a 3906 for the PNP and 5088 for the NPN's.  I haven't listened to the clip but from your description I can tell mine sounds like yours.

[petemoore]

Processaurus, thanks for the 3 pole-Ringer Mod.
  Because I use the Green Ringer with Distortion live, or by itself where I can adjust externally as necessary, I decided to make it easy on myself and put the 3 pole LP board right between the bypass switch and GR input.
  On a small board, an 8pin IC Socket let me choose the first two cap values, the third, at .0022uf is hardwired.
  For C1 [of the 3 pole mod] I'm using .0056, C2 is .01uf.
  I have the Null mod as a pot on box w/ a supershortshafted pot, which can be turned by hand/should stay set.
  I'm finding it's alot easier to use the G/R with these mods, the 3 pole removes alot of hash, I have it adjusted [cap values] to leave a touch of hash in, so as to retain some of the higher toned intermodulatory fun  .

[Processaurus]

Processaurus, thanks for the 3 pole-Ringer Mod.
  Because I use the Green Ringer with Distortion live, or by itself where I can adjust externally as necessary, I decided to make it easy on myself and put the 3 pole LP board right between the bypass switch and GR input.
  On a small board, an 8pin IC Socket let me choose the first two cap values, the third, at .0022uf is hardwired.
  For C1 [of the 3 pole mod] I'm using .0056, C2 is .01uf.
  I have the Null mod as a pot on box w/ a supershortshafted pot, which can be turned by hand/should stay set.
  I'm finding it's alot easier to use the G/R with these mods, the 3 pole removes alot of hash, I have it adjusted [cap values] to leave a touch of hash in, so as to retain some of the higher toned intermodulatory fun  .

Cool.  Nice idea using the IC socket as a multi cap socket.