Bobtavia?

[KerryF]

Ok so I had built the Octup pedal and I am still not quite happy.  So I thought maybe the Bobtavia octave pedal may be better.  Does anyone have any experience with this pedal?  Does it have a good octave?  Anyone have some soundclips for it?  Does it give fuzz or only octave?  Its there a resistor spot on there that if I put an LDR there, there would be a cool type of change depending on the light getting to the sensor?  Any information on it would be great.
Heres the schematic and layout for it:
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/Bobtavia

[John Lyons]

The Bobtavia circuit does have a bit of overdrive. you can dial it down and get a pretty clean octave as well.
It gets a nice octave.

My favorite octave is the "Octave Up Sick box" by Gus Smalley  You should be able to search for it and find some info here, there are a bunch of threads for it. If not I can send you the diagram.

This circuit has a lot of gain and a strong octave. You can add a switch to turn off the octave as well to use only the overdrive. It's a nice full sounding OD and fun stuff with the octave switched in.

I have some samples of it here: basicaudio.mrdwab.com  Look under the Pedals page and scroll down to octave...

John

[KerryF]

That OUSB does sound pretty good, but I am looking for something very easy and something I can build with stuff I have at the moment.  I have everything for the Bobtavia but the transformer and I only have to go up the street to pick that up.  I may do that one though.  Any vero layouts for it?

[burnt fingers]

The Bobtavia is pretty decent.  I built one a while ago.  It does have some dirt on it's own but it really screams if you put it in front of an overdrive.

It's a pretty easy build too.

Scott

[tungngruv]

The Neoctavia (www.tonepad.com) sounds great. It's a slightly modded Bobtavia. If you use it right before a fuzz or OD, it sounds great. Check my clip:
http://www.tungngruv.com/sounds/Neoctavia.mp3

[Doug_H]

That OUSB does sound pretty good, but I am looking for something very easy and something I can build with stuff I have at the moment.  I have everything for the Bobtavia but the transformer and I only have to go up the street to pick that up.  I may do that one though.  Any vero layouts for it?

The ousb is pretty easy. No xformer so in some ways it's easier than the bobtavia.

[oldrocker]

I got my Ne-Octavia Xformer from Rat Shack and IMHO is one the easiest builds I've done.  And I think it sounds great and with the gain knob gets nice and loud too.

[KerryF]

Ok, so I decided on the Bobtavia.  I have the transformer.  And I have the other parts too.  Is there anywhere on the circuit that an LDR can be added to change things?  I want to put one somewhere on there just for a fun extra feature.  So where can one be added?

[petemoore]

  What specs does the LDR have.
  Find something on the schematic that you can use it for, some parameters of the LDR can be altered by using stop and/or limiting resistors with it.
  The only resistors that I can see right off to mess with are the pots..

[petemoore]

  Actually Bob's real cool, I think you'll like Him.

[KerryF]

Ok, So I started building it today, but my guitar teacher showed up for my lesson and then a big thunderstorm came so I guess I will finish it tomarrow.  I will tell everyone when I finish the board and all.

One question:
The verolayout shows that the transformer has 2 metal pegs on either side and it says to connect it to ground on one side, and the other side (which is connected) goes to a seperate strip with nothing else attached.  Does this transformer have to be attached, is it just to ground it so it doesnt pick up as much radio frequencies, or does it not need to be attached?

[tungngruv]

Here's a pic of the back of one I'm building for my 7 year old. The green line is a ground from the middle pin I haven't attached yet. You should have 5 connections from your transformer: 3 on one side and 2 on the other side (middle unused).



Check out the pdf file at www.tonepad.com under "Neoctavia". It will all be clear then.

[KerryF]

Thanks tungngruv!  I will finish the pedal today.  But can you just clear up with me if the two little pegs on both sides have to be soldered to the board?  Heres what I mean:


Let me know, thanks!

[tungngruv]

Those two little pegs are just a way to attach it to the board. On an earlier one I built, I drilled out a couple holes in the perfboard right below those tabs, then I pushed them through and bent them over so the transformer woudn't fall off the board. I have been using the Mouser Transformer from Small Bear that doesn't have wires, just long leads coming out the bottom so I don't have to attach the transformer that way. Hope that helps.

[KerryF]

Yea thanks!  That helps.  So I will just drill out holes in the board for it and not worry about having to solder it in.  Ok, thanks!  Now I will get ready and finish this up  .  I will post some pictures and soundclips later today for it. 

[RLBJR65]

Those two little pegs are just a way to attach it to the board. On an earlier one I built, I drilled out a couple holes in the perfboard right below those tabs, then I pushed them through and bent them over so the transformer wouldn't fall off the board.

Yep, they don't need to be soldered for it to work.
It would be better if you did though since 1 tab is at ground and the other is 1 strip down from the positive supply. Wouldn't want it rattling around!

[KerryF]

^- Yea good idea.  I was thinking about grounding it so that it didnt pick up radio signals and stuff.  I guess once I get to the point of placing the tranfromer (which is like right away cause its a simple circuit) I will decide.

[KerryF]

Well I just finished building it.  I checked the layout and schematic and I have everything in right (BTW, the vero layout I used had a 220uF Electrolyc capacitor in wrong compared to the schematic).  Well the pedal isnt really working right.  Its very quiet and sometimes theres some octave.  When I turn my amp up alot so I can hear the pedal, I play soft and it is a little bit hearable, but if I pick hard, it makes a loud popping sound.  I dont know whats wrong.  Is it possible for a transformer not to work?  Is there a way to test a transformer?  Any ideas?

Thanks 
Kerry

[Aharon]

Build the NEOCTAVIA (Tonepad) ,it solves all those problems.
Aharon

[KerryF]

Well any solutions for this Bobtavia...