Introducing the "Cream Pie" !

[Dragonfly]

Andrew, could you give a read to "Avatar specifications:" in the "READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST" sticky?

sorry...it was a "halloween" thing....

[mac]

looks cool...hows it sound ?

IMO, the creamp pie/fet sounds a little better than the two cream pies. I am going to try the Fet > Cream pie.
Sorry I can not make a good recording... (where is my mic?)

i hope you dont mind...i "appropriated" your drawing and "butchered" it up so i could post an idea that just came to me...this was the quickest way to draw it out...if you'd like me to take the picture down, just let me know !

No hay problema!

---

Andrew, maybe reducing the tone pot to 50K-A or 100K-A and changing the cap to ground may increase the gain a little. The 250K-A pot was the minimun value that prevented a Fet from being over saturated. In the case of two Ge it was around  50K, I used 68K in my proto. Going to try this afternoon.


mac

[Barcode80]

dragonfly, i printed your PCB layout to transfer, which i will do later today, but i was curious about the printing. the printout seems a bit too spaced out for the components. what can i do to make sure it is printed at the proper size?

[mac]

This is the Cream Pie version I'm building soon:

http://geocities.com/guitarfxs/images/cream_pie1.gif

The texture pot adds some amount o fnice dirt but reduces the final volume at min.

mac

[Dragonfly]

dragonfly, i printed your PCB layout to transfer, which i will do later today, but i was curious about the printing. the printout seems a bit too spaced out for the components. what can i do to make sure it is printed at the proper size?

just a guess, but if you copy the image and paste it into "ms paint", you should be able to reduce it...my guess is that 50-60% of the size shown should be ok...but the good thing about printing it in paint first, is that you can print it out and compare the "layout size" to the "component size"....

[Dragonfly]

This is the Cream Pie version I'm building soon:

http://geocities.com/guitarfxs/images/cream_pie1.gif

The texture pot adds some amount o fnice dirt but reduces the final volume at min.

mac

very cool Mac...

have you thought about making the 10Uf cap (gain) switchable ? i havent tried the differences with and without the feedback cap...

[mac]

have you thought about making the 10Uf cap (gain) switchable ? i havent tried the differences with and without the feedback cap...

There is no need for that in my version, but can not control temperature changes. But the trim can be replaced by an external pot.
In yours you use a 5K pot to slghtly alter the collector and emitter voltage. A switch is needed but no control over distortion.
How to do both things without adding more parts?

The bypass cap adds a nice soft distortion, and the diodes, Ge or Si, can be used to shape the sound.



mac

[markm]

The Creampie seems to have almost endless possibilities!
I just ordered 2 of the NPN Germs that Aron has for some Creampie experiments.
Great Job fellas 

[MartyMart]

OK, time to "chip in" with my Cream Pie results/mod

Used the V2 vero as a startpoint but added 3 more strips/holes for flexibility.
No sockets left, so checked a few OC140's for hfe/leakage ( only found 2 bad ones from 50 so far )
and settled on a nice 141 hfe suspect.
I used a croc  clip and soldered the OC140 very carefully !!

R1/R2 both 2M2 - all I had.
10k B gain pot - all I had
Lug 2 of gain pot to + side of 10uf cap, - side of cap and lug 1 to ground.
From C2, I wired a pair of vintage Ge diodes to ground (CV7130/1N90)
Voltage at collector is 6.2v.

Without the diodes the circuit is great, with some nice breakup near 3/4 gain pot
but I have a few Ge "clean" boosters etc, so added the diodes.

With diodes there is some volume loss but nothing too bad, it's still clean with a HB gtr
to around 1/2 gain pot, then the diodes start to come in after that - V NICE
Using a strat, the breakup comes a bit later at 3/4 gain.

Great/simple little circuit and using a Ge tranny AND diodes has some "mojo: about it,
it's a very pleasing warm sound, which suits a valve amp VERY well indeed

Cheers Andy,
Marty.

[OG]

Thanks Andrew for this very nice boost.
This is a really good one!
Great with a strat in a cranked amp, adds the mids that are sometimes missing.
I tried it with an ac 127 (hfe 110), with a 1k pot on the emitter. Found interesting to keep the 22 uf cap on the center lug , and to switch it in and out for tonal and distortion variation. And, after a try with an active emg hb, adding a smooth control (like the si axis fuzz from fuzz central) give you even more versatility. I have used a 100 k lin pot for it.
Thanks again and thumbs up, this is a must.
Olivier.

[Dragonfly]

Thanks Andrew for this very nice boost.
This is a really good one!
Great with a strat in a cranked amp, adds the mids that are sometimes missing.
I tried it with an ac 127 (hfe 110), with a 1k pot on the emitter. Found interesting to keep the 22 uf cap on the center lug , and to switch it in and out for tonal and distortion variation.

thats what i was mentioning earlier...would be cool to put on a footswitch...kinda like an "extra gear" 

And, after a try with an active emg hb, adding a smooth control (like the si axis fuzz from fuzz central) give you even more versatility. I have used a 100 k lin pot for it.

i hadnt tried it with actives...i would this the smooth pot would definitely help with high output pups...either that, or a resistor on the input....maybe 47k-68k or so....

Thanks again and thumbs up, this is a must.
Olivier.

glad you like it....its a dreadfully easy circuit that sounds really good ....

AC

[dosmun]

I added an input cap blend pot last night but then had to go trick or treating with my son so I never got a chance to give it a real good listen.  I used a .1 cap and a 1uF for the caps on the blend pot.  I will know more tonight.

[MartyMart]

I just added a kind of "dual path" to mine, had space for a volume recovery/boost
using an MPSA18, taps of the OC140 emitter before the cap/diodes.
This comes back at the output - after cap/diodes and adds back some clean along
with the slightly crunchy diode path, sounds great !
MPSA18 has a 10k from 9v to C
390k/100k to B from 9v/ground
2k2 from E to ground
47n in to base and 22n out from emitter back to circuit output.
Bit of a squeeze and slightly messy, but it works !

MM.

[mac]

A brighter high input Z Cream Pie:

http://geocities.com/guitarfxs/images/fet_cream_pie.gif

Enjoy.

mac

[markm]

Guys.....
All I can say about the V2 version of the Creampie is HOLY SHITE! 
This build is FANTASTIC!
I played with it a bit with my Tele and man, it adds a little bit of "Breakin' up Tele Twang" that would make Brent Mason cry
like a freight train!!
My layout is now Verified and this unit is gonna get an enclosure as it is destined to go down in DIY history.
If you haven't built this one yet, don't hesitate as it is a Superb sounding build that is as simple as it is toneful!!
I can't say enough good about this one Andy, what a great piece of work!!
Thank you from the bottom of my Tele-Twangin' - Country-Pickin' heart! 
(BTW, I built mine using one of the NPN Germ trannies from Aron's store located here on this very site!)

[Dragonfly]

Guys.....
All I can say about the V2 version of the Creampie is HOLY SHITE! 
This build is FANTASTIC!
I played with it a bit with my Tele and man, it adds a little bit of "Breakin' up Tele Twang" that would make Brent Mason cry
like a freight train!!
My layout is now Verified and this unit is gonna get an enclosure as it is destined to go down in DIY history.
If you haven't built this one yet, don't hesitate as it is a Superb sounding build that is as simple as it is toneful!!
I can't say enough good about this one Andy, what a great piece of work!!
Thank you from the bottom of my Tele-Twangin' - Country-Pickin' heart! 
(BTW, I built mine using one of the NPN Germ trannies from Aron's store located here on this very site!)

i'm right there with ya on the "twang factor", my friend !

AC

[Dragonfly]

I played with it a bit with my Tele and man, it adds a little bit of "Breakin' up Tele Twang" that would make Brent Mason cry
like a freight train!!

i really "should" go back and do some decent sound clips...i just threw the others together quickly, and they don't really do the CP justice....

if you get a chance, i'd love to hear soundclips with your setup Mark....

AC


BTW...where did you set your bias voltage at, if you dont mind my asking.... ?

[markm]

i really "should" go back and do some decent sound clips...i just threw the others together quickly, and they don't really do the CP justice....

if you get a chance, i'd love to hear soundclips with your setup Mark....

AC

I am not setup for clips at the moment and I really should get my arse in gear and do something about it but, I'm to busy building effect, and doing layouts......PLUS reading your schematics and layouts!
I will get to it though.

BTW...where did you set your bias voltage at, if you dont mind my asking.... ?

I don't mind at all.
Bias was done the old-fashioned "country" way......by ear 
I'll break out the DMM and see if I can tell ya.

[markm]

Holy Smokes,
I put the DMM on it and the Bias is at 6.9!!
Sounds perty darn good though!

[Dragonfly]

Holy Smokes,
I put the DMM on it and the Bias is at 6.9!!
Sounds perty darn good though!

interesting....

so basically, we have people that like it biased as low as 3 volts, and as high as 6.9 volts ! 

shocking, really....   

i guess you could really "build a case" for making the "bias" trim pot an "external pot"..... 

AC