2 Maestro Boomerang questions

[tcobretti]

I bought a B2 on ebay, and I really like it, but it is very noisy, even when disengaged.  I've never had a volume/wah before, are they always noisy?  It is unusable in front of a fuzz, even when disengeged! 

Also, when I rock the pedal all the way back, the guitar isn't totally quiet.  I've been attrbuting it to the 25k pot, but I figured I'd ask since I was posting.

However, I really like the pedal.  It looks cool (very important), and has a very fat sound.  I wouldn't say I like it more than my Vox, but I certainly like it as much.

[Paul Marossy]

I bought a B2 on ebay, and I really like it, but it is very noisy, even when disengaged.  I've never had a volume/wah before, are they always noisy?  It is unusable in front of a fuzz, even when disengeged!

Yeah, unfortunately, some of them are noisy and some aren't as bad.

EDIT: You could try tweaking the value of the 620K resistor between the base and collector of the second transistor a little bit. That has a noticeable affect on the noise level. The first one I built had an 820K resistor there because the one schematic on the web appears to have a mistake and shows it as a 820K resistor. The one BG-1 that I have acutally has a 620K resistor there. The first Boomerang that I built is quite a lot noisier than the second and third one that I built. I attribute that to this feedback resistor value. I have tried several different transistors and there wasn't much change until I built a carbon copy of my BG-1, using a 620K resistor.

Also, when I rock the pedal all the way back, the guitar isn't totally quiet.  I've been attrbuting it to the 25k pot, but I figured I'd ask since I was posting.

Same with mine. I think it has to do with how you adjust the pot. I don't think it can be totally silent with the heel all the way down, but I haven't tested for that, either.

However, I really like the pedal.  It looks cool (very important), and has a very fat sound.  I wouldn't say I like it more than my Vox, but I certainly like it as much.

I don't think they look that good myself, but I will say that it's the fattest sounding wah pedal I have used. The GCB-95 CryBaby modded to "Fat Wah" specs also sounds really good to my ears. 

[tcobretti]

A-HA!  My pedal has an 820k instead of a 620k!  So that must have been a change between the B1 and B2.  I hadn't wanted to mod it, but I guess one resistor isn't too big of a deal.

I tried adjusting the pot all the way back, and you could still hear the guitar thru the amp, though it was much quieter.  I guess it's just an idiosyncrasy of the design.

Thanks very much for the help. 

[Paul Marossy]

A-HA!  My pedal has an 820k instead of a 620k!  So that must have been a change between the B1 and B2.  I hadn't wanted to mod it, but I guess one resistor isn't too big of a deal.

Hmm... interesting. I need to see a few more Boomerangs before I can draw conclusions, though. It appears that the PCB was redesigned somewhere around 1974-75 and they started using different style components - the earlier ones used carbon comp resistors, axial electrolytic caps, etc. The later ones use radial caps and I think metal film resistors. Do you know which version you have?

I tried adjusting the pot all the way back, and you could still hear the guitar thru the amp, though it was much quieter.  I guess it's just an idiosyncrasy of the design.

Yeah, I think it's something to do with the design. I can't seem to find a happy medium on my BG-1. If I have the volume part the way I want it, then the wah isn't how I want it to be. I don't really use the volume pedal, though, so I guess it's no big deal.

[tcobretti]

A-HA!  My pedal has an 820k instead of a 620k!  So that must have been a change between the B1 and B2.  I hadn't wanted to mod it, but I guess one resistor isn't too big of a deal.

Hmm... interesting. I need to see a few more Boomerangs before I can draw conclusions, though. It appears that the PCB was redesigned somewhere around 1974-75 and they started using different style components - the earlier ones used carbon comp resistors, axial electrolytic caps, etc. The later ones use radial caps and I think metal film resistors. Do you know which version you have?

Mine has carbon comps and axial caps, so I guess it's the earlier one.  I'll take you a gut shot later if you want.

I tried adjusting the pot all the way back, and you could still hear the guitar thru the amp, though it was much quieter.  I guess it's just an idiosyncrasy of the design.

Yeah, I think it's something to do with the design. I can't seem to find a happy medium on my BG-1. If I have the volume part the way I want it, then the wah isn't how I want it to be. I don't really use the volume pedal, though, so I guess it's no big deal.[/quote]

Yeah, I'm not a big volume pedal guy myself, so I can cope if it's only a really cool wah.

[Paul Marossy]

Sounds like you have the earlier version then. On your El-Rad inductor, you should have some numbers on it that go something like "7216". This is a date code and can help determine approx. when it was made, just FYI. 

[tcobretti]

Mine says 904.  I ordered the carbon comp 620k resistor (I wanted to keep the old school look), I'll let you know if it fixes the noise.  Thanks again for the help.  The funny thing is that I had read your previous posts about the 820k vs 620k, but thought it was an error in the available schem, so I hadn't even considered that it might be the problem. 

[Paul Marossy]

Mine says 904.

Huh, that's unusual.

I ordered the carbon comp 620k resistor (I wanted to keep the old school look), I'll let you know if it fixes the noise. 

OK, cool. I think that there is a connection with the noise level and the value of this resistor.

[Shepherd]

Update?

[tcobretti]

I haven't messed with it since except to re-wire it so it isn't a volume pedal.

[sineSurfer]

Hi, could anyone take a clear picture/s of the pbc wiring and post it, I have one I took of he case several years ago(can't remember if it was working then) and would like to revive it.
Thanks!