Best diy box for AC/DC plexi tones?

[tungngruv]

Here's a clip with the Fuzz part of the SkyRipper added to the Rangemaster. Should give you an idea how this affects the gain. Same clean amp and guitar I used with the Rangemaster clip. Lot's more gain but not harsh (to me) at all.

http://www.tungngruv.com/sounds/SkyRipperRange+Fuzz.mp3

[RollingElbow]

You'll be happy to know that i played the first clip for my bro who is a huge AC DC fan and he sent me an email back saying.. "now that's fat!" So you've nailed it there. I like the second clip as well but of course i am partial to the Dokken  I did find a bit of fuzziness in there but is that due to the fuzz in the circuit? I am not a huge fuzz box fan so that is my predjudice.  What is the name of the pedal that got you that first tone? Is it the rangemaster or skyripper? And is skyripper a project with a schematic and layout somewhere? I'll check GGG.

[KerryF]

Well the Skyripper is actually his designed pedal.  Check his site in his signature for his schematics.  Its a very versitile looking pedal!

[tungngruv]

Well the Skyripper is actually his designed pedal

No....... Joe Gagan designed it.......... not mine at all. I just read up on Aron's article about transfering schematics to perf. I've never given fuzz pedals their due for over 25 years. After seeing all of Joe Gagan's (the inventer of the SkyRipper) circuits, hearing his playing and the insane possibilities of his SkyRipper and seeing all the respect he seemed to get from everyone here and at Ampage, I took a few weeks and drew up real "rough" layouts of most of his designs as an exercise. Then I built them to make sure the layouts were correct.  His pedals kill.......
And yes, the AC/DC style stuff I recorded was just the Rangemaster part of the SkyRipper, so a Rangemaster clone and a tube amp may get you in the ball park. Check these out

R.G. Keen has a great project on his site on the Rangemaster:
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Rangemaster/atboost.pdf

Also check out JD's site:
http://generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/geb_rm_lo_pp.gif

Here's a great layout:
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album18/DALLAS_RANGEMASTER

And do a search here for "Java Boost" in the forum and in Torchy's layout's gallery.

[brett]

Hi

so a Rangemaster clone and a tube amp may get you in the ball park

In my experience, you need to start with a very dark guitar and amp for a rangemaster to give good value.  For example, if you start with a Marshall 18W or a JTM45 with modern speakers, a rangemaster will add a very brassy tone.

Perhaps the most important question hasn't been asked:  What sort of amp are you using?  It'll be a lot easier to get the early akkadakka sound out of a low wattage all-tube amp than a high-gain solid-state amp or a monster valve amp.

With a solid state amp, one of the best options is obviously the Real McTube.

cheers

[Doug_H]

Check out the first Firefly clip here:

http://dhammond_1.tripod.com/sounds.htm

Minibooster + Firefly.

You can also do the "Angus" lead stuff with the cascode boost on the latest FF version.

[RollingElbow]

Not sure if the question was directed my way but I'll post anyway.. I built an AX84 High Octane amp (which to me flubs out on the bass..too muddy) or I have a Marshall Valvestate which apart from the one tube in the preamp stage that doesn't seem to do a hell of a lot, is a solid state amp. For fun, I am starting with the Thunderchief and mini booster and then will go from there.. the RAngemaster did however spark my interest as it was edgy. The firefly clip though good, isn't as biting or edgy as the rangemaster clip I found.

[tungngruv]

Hey RollingElbow, listen to all the clips on Doug's page. His amps sound great!!!!! After hearing a couple of the clips, I started looking around for things to sell so I could get one (except I'm afraid I might die building one, pedals are forgiving, tube amps are not). Serious tone in Doug's amps!!  Especially this one:

http://Hammond_1.tripod.com/FireFlyBoost.mp3

Plenty of Marshall "squawk" in that. Great playing BTW

[Doug_H]

The firefly clip though good, isn't as biting or edgy as the rangemaster clip I found.

True, but IMO the rangemaster clip (or the rangemaster sound in general) doesn't sound like AC/DC to me. The AC/DC sound is not particularly high gain. It's just real loud and meaty.

[RollingElbow]

I had actually considered building the firefly before taking on the HighOctane. In retrospect, maybe I should have as although the sound is not as edgy, it does address the tone that I like for leads..smooth. So its trying to find the best of both worlds which is hard. I think i might be building an 18 watter next though the pricepoint for a firefly definitely interested me. Note that I didn't say the firefly was bad.. just not as edgy. Both sounds have their place for sure. I am very interetested to hear what the thunderchief set at about 70% gain plus a booster will sound like. What I am going for is the classic JMP/Superlead pushed with a boost sound. (mainly cause i can't afford to build another amp right now and wanna tinker with pedals)

[Doug_H]

What I am going for is the classic JMP/Superlead pushed with a boost sound.

Well I guess we're on a different subject then. I thought someone was looking for "Angus/Malcolm" tone.

[RollingElbow]

Toucher my friend! .. However, if we are speaking of the Angus tone then yes I do still feel that the edgy sound hits it. The firefly has a sweet lead tone of its own but i feel it too smooth for the AC DC sound. But that is what makes us unique as musicians and fans, we all have diff ears which is what allow soo many great pedals and amps to be built. Both these sound good... now my high octane on the other hand is a diff story 

[The Tone God]

There is only one way I can think of to get that AC/DC sound:



Andrew

[Meanderthal]

 ROTFL ROTFL ROTFL!!! I think I broke a rib over that one!!! Oh my...

[wampcat1]

I was going for a Plexi sound via an Eric Johnson 'Ah Via' kind of sound - adding a Tube Driver in front of it.

I followed wampcat1's (indyguitarist) notes on this thread:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=44976.0;prev_next=prev

Which is to basically follow the same approach as used on the Thunder Chief, use J201 JFETs, and add in the tone stack following a Marshall 1959 schematic.

I also added 150pF ceramic caps between Gate and Source on all of the Fets to model the Miller capacitance - this actually makes a huge difference. It sounds very close to the sound I was shooting for, the tone controls make a big difference. I'm not quite done with it yet as I'm playing with feedback/presence parts of the 1959 circuit. Not that the world needs another distortion circuit, but I will post the schematic/PCB when I get done. 

I get a very good 'Angus' sound out of this too.

Cool, glad you got some use out of my post.

bw

[brett]

Hi
What do you get from the Boost mode on the Valvestate?  Looking at Valvestate schematics, I suspect it is a bit weak.

Unfortunately, some (maybe all) valvestates use lots of negative feedback in the tube stage, which stops it from distorting like those early Marshalls.    You could easily convert your valvestate to an 18 watter or plexi tube stage by adding just one capacitor to eliminate negative feedback in the tube.  Note: *I haven't tried this, so I can't guarantee that it would sound good.*

For example, an 8080 uses one half (ie one triode) of a 12AX7 to give some boost.  That triode has a 100k plate resistor and a 1k cathode resistor.  If you solder a 47uF cap parallel to the 1k cathode resistor, you'll have a similar input section to amps including the Marshall 18W and 20W (as used by Angus and George in early the early days of ACDC e.g. Jailbreak).  The pre-amp distortion is only part of that sound, but it would be a big start.

Somebody in the forum or in the www must have tried such a conversion.

cheers

[RollingElbow]

Well from the boost mode I get pretty good crunch.... the thing is though, for what it is, it is solid distortion.., I plan to just build an 18 watter from Trinity Amps in January rather than destroy this one. The reason is, sure it is solid state, but it is pretty good for what it is and its a marshall after all. No point in messing it up with a few conversions when it is much more rewarding to build from scratch. I am interested however in the differeing views on the use of JFETs.. the Plexi Drive at Indyguitarist is interesting to say the least. Also, VOX has a few pedals and there is one "big ben" which actually sounds pretty good. These apparently use 12ua7's in the preamp stage. I might actually splurge on the new bok from indyguitarist that deals with custom pedals. Could be a good read.

[Doug_H]

if we are speaking of the Angus tone then yes I do still feel that the edgy sound hits it. The firefly has a sweet lead tone of its own but i feel it too smooth for the AC DC sound.

If you turn off the boost, the firefly gets the big ringing open-chord sound I hear in the AC/DC stuff.

[AL]

Are we talking about Malcom or Angus? You're not getting both out of one pedal (unless you want to bend over mid song and adjust it).

AL

[RollingElbow]

I think we are talking about Angus.. Doug is your Octal fatness essentially a High Octane? I thought that one was sweet sounding as well. Nice and thick.