DIY guitar preamp for PC recording

[drazenmob]

Im interested if there's a good diy preamp which will allow me to record my guitar on PC.
I have onboard soundcard and sound of guitar is weak so i want to build non-complicated
preamp to get better guitar sound.
If you've built one and/or have some schematics and PCB layouts reply here!
Thanx! 

[jrc4558]

search www.runoffgroove.com for Condor cab sim.

[alextheian-alex]

Are you looking to record a clean, uncolored sound to add distortion and speaker simulation in your computer?  If so, then something like a $5 THAT1510 or SSM2019 chip will give you a very high input impedance and a very low output impedance, and has adjustable gain with only a  few external parts. 

If you are looking for distortion and/or a speaker simulator, then that gets trickier.   

[jonathan perez]

Im interested if there's a good diy preamp which will allow me to record my guitar on PC.
I have onboard soundcard and sound of guitar is weak so i want to build non-complicated
preamp to get better guitar sound.
If you've built one and/or have some schematics and PCB layouts reply here!
Thanx! 

ease up on the signatures, bro. we like to keep it simple, and user friendly here. 

welcome!

do search around tonepad and general guitar gadgets as well...as yes, dont forget to use the search button!

[PenPen]

I wonder if something could be whipped up using an LM386? Like a modified Ruby with a low output impedance?

[d95err]

I wonder if something could be whipped up using an LM386? Like a modified Ruby with a low output impedance?

What would be the point of using a poweramp as a preamp?

[PenPen]

The LM386 isn't just a poweramp. It can be used that way, but it has also been used as a normal stompbox circuit as well. I suggested the Ruby, modified for a lower output impedance, because it sounds good, and it is cheap. All that really needs to be done is lower the output cap, really.

[Seljer]

couldn't you just get away with using something like an MXR Microamp type circuit as a preamp for recording directly to PC? (you can add cabinet/mic simulation in whatever recording program, espescially if you're using one that supports VST plugins)

or theres a FET version in the gallery http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album18/SOUNDCARD_4_CHANNEL_PREAMP_VERO_CORRECT

[sfr]

I've actually gotten a decent sound for scratch recordings simply running my guitar into an LPB and then into the mic inputs on my recording gear.  A little EQ afterwards and it usually sounds pretty decent.  I don't usually bother with distortion on these tracks, just a slightly "rough" sound, so it may not be your cup of tea, but it works.

What about the Sansamp project at tonepad?  A bit much if you aren't an experienced builder, but isn't this basically the stuff it's designed for?

[drazenmob]

Are you looking to record a clean, uncolored sound to add distortion and speaker simulation in your computer?  If so, then something like a $5 THAT1510 or SSM2019 chip will give you a very high input impedance and a very low output impedance, and has adjustable gain with only a  few external parts. 

If you are looking for distortion and/or a speaker simulator, then that gets trickier.   

In general I want to get better sound of guitar when i record it on computer. 
Anyway I'm gonna  color the sound with Guitar Rig 2 and other VST plugs.
alextheian, this is first time i hear for those chips. Where can i order or buy one of those?
and how to use them?

I've found some schematics and layouts for speaker simulators like Marshall, Mesa Boogie Triaxis, AMZ speak. sim.

So has anyone has advice, what to do?
Chip or speaker simulator?

[drazenmob]

couldn't you just get away with using something like an MXR Microamp type circuit as a preamp for recording directly to PC? (you can add cabinet/mic simulation in whatever recording program, espescially if you're using one that supports VST plugins)

or theres a FET version in the gallery http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album18/SOUNDCARD_4_CHANNEL_PREAMP_VERO_CORRECT

hmm, this is preamp looks good!
But i will wait more advices and comments on it and other question i've asked in earlier post.
So post your opinions! it will help me and it will help others who want to record guitar on PC for sure!
Thanx!

[rockgardenlove]

I've got a pretty nice interface with preamps (Presonus Firebox), but I'm never happy with the tone if I record clean and then effect it up digitally.  I'm building the ROG Condor cab sim and a light compressor.  Using a distortion pedal straight in always sounds too fuzzy to me.  I'm hoping the compressor and cab sim will help tone down the fuzziness and leave me with something nice.

So yeah, if you're happy with the digital emulators then you probably just want a clean input, but if not you might wanna do some of that processing in an analog fashion and then send it in.

[fikri]

I think the preamp with OPA2134PA is worth to try. I've seen here somewhere...
For the Cab sim, usually i use a Behringer Ultra G. It is not a DIY, but sure it is cheap enough

[Gilles C]

I used the Marshall Simulator for quite some time with great success a few years ago. I just built 2 of them on the same pcp for a stereo output, and added an input volume to control the signal sometimes.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/schems/msim.jpg

http://home.worldonline.dk/jradmer/billeder/layout.gif

http://pages.infinit.net/cbriere/userfiles/schecabsim_TB.jpg

http://pages.infinit.net/cbriere/userfiles/cabsim_compare.mp3

It was the standard back them, before the ROG years 

These days, I am using some Behringer boxes, but that's another story.

Gilles

[bancika]

marshal speaker sim is nice, I built one. As for preamp, I'm for high voltage tube circuit...

[PenPen]

couldn't you just get away with using something like an MXR Microamp type circuit as a preamp for recording directly to PC? (you can add cabinet/mic simulation in whatever recording program, espescially if you're using one that supports VST plugins)

or theres a FET version in the gallery http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album18/SOUNDCARD_4_CHANNEL_PREAMP_VERO_CORRECT

hmm, this is preamp looks good!
But i will wait more advices and comments on it and other question i've asked in earlier post.
So post your opinions! it will help me and it will help others who want to record guitar on PC for sure!
Thanx!

This looks like it would be your best bet, you can just build one of those input stages instead of all four.

The other thing I was talking about, the Ruby, can be found at http://www.runoffgroove.com/ruby.html .  All you really need to do IIRC is change the last 220uF cap to something far smaller like a 1uF or 0.1uF, and change the speaker to an output jack. I breadboarded one of these, and was pleased with the way it colored the sound going into my amp. Plus the LM386 chip is only like $0.80 at Smallbear, and with a few minor tweaks found on that page you can get a range of "simulated amp" sounds.

[phil]

How about  Donald Tillman's FET preamp? Here's a link to the schematic and lots of information on it. I think several people on this forum have built this and it looks like a pretty simple build - 5 resistors, 2 capacitors and a J201 ...

http://www.till.com/articles/GuitarPreamp/

[alextheian-alex]

Are you looking to record a clean, uncolored sound to add distortion and speaker simulation in your computer?  If so, then something like a $5 THAT1510 or SSM2019 chip will give you a very high input impedance and a very low output impedance, and has adjustable gain with only a  few external parts. 

If you are looking for distortion and/or a speaker simulator, then that gets trickier.   

In general I want to get better sound of guitar when i record it on computer. 
Anyway I'm gonna  color the sound with Guitar Rig 2 and other VST plugs.
alextheian, this is first time i hear for those chips. Where can i order or buy one of those?
and how to use them?

I've found some schematics and layouts for speaker simulators like Marshall, Mesa Boogie Triaxis, AMZ speak. sim.

So has anyone has advice, what to do?
Chip or speaker simulator?

Yeah, then just record clean and use the FX for distortion and speaker sim.

You can get the THAT chip here: http://www.ka-electronics.com/that1510/that1510.htm

Any buffer or DI box with high Zin and low Zout and decent headroom (the more the better, but it depends on your pickups, string guage and playing style) would work fine.  Most soundcards start to clip at 3v p-p, so you MAY even have to attenuate the signal if you run EMG's or hot passives, but if you run single coils or standard PAF level pickups, then you may need a little gain.

i use EMG 81's and they will clip any soundcard, so I have a buffer DI that i built up around a 6GK5 triode tube with a LM317 CCS in the cathode that has a gain of -1dB and enough headroom to never clip, as well as a potentiometer at the input to lose a little more signal if I need to, but a nice clean solid state buffer would work just as well.

[aron]

Yeah, I've used this one as well:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/schems/msim.jpg

Most sequencers have amp/speaker sims built in.  Maybe all you need is a high-impedance pedal for guitar? The FET Preamp would probably work (as suggested).

[drazenmob]

This looks like it would be your best bet, you can just build one of those input stages instead of all four.

The other thing I was talking about, the Ruby, can be found at http://www.runoffgroove.com/ruby.html .  All you really need to do IIRC is change the last 220uF cap to something far smaller like a 1uF or 0.1uF, and change the speaker to an output jack. I breadboarded one of these, and was pleased with the way it colored the sound going into my amp. Plus the LM386 chip is only like $0.80 at Smallbear, and with a few minor tweaks found on that page you can get a range of "simulated amp" sounds.

Hehe I just wanted to ask if that 4 Channel FET soundcard preamp could be build just for one input
So it can be done, but where is the end of first input stage?
Im stil on the quest for preamp which will suit me best, so keep posting!

How about  Donald Tillman's FET preamp? Here's a link to the schematic and lots of information on it. I think several people on this forum have built this and it looks like a pretty simple build - 5 resistors, 2 capacitors and a J201 ...
http://www.till.com/articles/GuitarPreamp/

This is very good also but one problem is that here I can't find any J201. I have BF245c as substitution.
Will it work good? I think it will , only thing is to check those legs and place them in right order.

This is to all members who posted here: "YOU GUYS ROCK!"