Dan Armstrong Original "Orange Squeezer" build info?

[tonemonster]

I'd like to build a "plug-in-the guitar-jack" clone of the original. Anyone know of a good source for parts list/ build info?

[Cliff Schecht]

The schematic itself is readily available from quite a few websites, so I guess the challenge would be the enclosure. Mounting the input jack is where the real challenge lies, but I wouldn't really want that anyways. Maybe you could use a female jack and a short (a foot at the most) cable going from your guitar to the box (maybe mount it on your guitar strap) and have that box be where you plug the output cable that feeds the amp. Why not just use a stompbox?

[petemoore]

Maybe you could use a female jack and a short (a foot at the most) cable going from your guitar to the box (maybe mount it on your guitar strap) and have that box be where you plug the output cable that feeds the amp. Why not just use a stompbox?
  I did that for a buffer test, I ran a flex-shielded cable for the buffer input out of the box to a plug, plugged that in the guitar jack, the buffer output was via 1/4'' jack...
  Saves one cable, plugging directly into the guitar, until it breaks the guitar jack.
  I had a Frizzy Fuzz like that, nothing but troubles.

[Cliff Schecht]

Yeah, I could easily see something like that getting broken very fast, someone setting the guitar down at a weird angle could cause all sorts of headaches  .

[MartyMart]

I built one in an original 70's OS case, jacks were missing so I use sockets for
both in and out, it's a pain though, it's always falling over onto the jack cable and
getting tugged around !
I would just use a 1590B and be done with it.

MM

[Meanderthal]

 Heh- Sekova Frizzy Fuzz- yeah, I had one. Not a good idea. Eventually you WILL be replacing the jack on your guitar.The Dan Armstrong effects were a different shape though, would be a bit less strain on the jack, but not enough to make a big difference. Better off building a compressor into the guitar...

[Mark Hammer]

One of the perennial bugaboos with compressors is that when you stop playing, the level of whatever is "left over" gets boosted during the parts that are supposed to be quiet.  People mistakenly attribute that noise to the compressor itself, but it is simply following orders and working with a poor quality input signal.  Some (though certainly not all) of the noise that gets inadvertently boosted comes from the cable.  So, in principle, slapping a compressor on as close to the output jack as possible isn't such a bad idea if one is trying to extract the best behaviour out of it.

Of course the plug-in box mounted to the surface brings with it a number of inconveniences and risks.  First, that's more weight on the instrument that you may not want or need.  Second, it may be physically incompatible with where the jack is situated or how its angled (e.g., if the jack points down from the side of the guitar the plug-in box will need to be secured somehow to prevent it from falling out).  Third, the plug-in box itself may prevent easy access to the guitar controls you normally need to use.

Personally, I have some misgivings about installing onboard effects.  One of them is the issue of not being able to change the order of effects - whatever is in the guitar comes first...always.  In the case of compressors, though, that is much less of an issue, since they tend to behave best when first in the lineup (for reasons outlined above).  So, installing an OS on-board ain't such a dumb idea (and not nearly as dumb as building it into a plug-in box). 

The chief obstacle is, well, Strat pickguards.  If you are intending to build it into a Strat-like guitar, you undoubtedly will not want to have to loosen the strings (buggering up your tremolo and intonation), and remove the entire pickguard, just to change a battery.  Two minimally invasive solutions present themselves.  One is to cut the pickguard into two sections, such as what you see on a Fender bass, or Mustang, Jaguar, et al, for separate removal of the portion with the pots, switches and jack.  The other solution is to figure out a way to have your battery somewhere in the rear cavity so that you only need to remove the springs cover plate.

[petemoore]

  Yupp...this was Olson...the old electronics house/place, was alot like RS wayy wayy back in the 70's, an Olson Frizzy Fuzz...5 buk Fuz [on sale, regular 12.99].
 The design was also 'prohibitive to limiting' to use with Strat, or any guitar with recessed output jack.

[DiscoFreq]

Use 2 female connectors and one of these:

[tonemonster]

Thanks for the input. All of the responses have a lot of merit. However... I feel that the original OS has a serious "Cool Factor" despite it's drawbacks. For what it's worth:

-I instend to use it sparingly. on my main guitar which is a Tele. (Easy access to the input jack. )

- With the guitar cable passed through my strap at the back of my guitar there shouldn't be strain on the device OR the jack.

- NO ONE else handles the guitar at a gig.

- I'm thinking of building it in a circular "Altoids" box. (Lite, flat, relatively sturdy)  I saw this on one of the DIY sites...It looked pretty cool!

- I have a group that play 60's Pop, Surf, and a bit of Motown. The Retro vibe combined with it's merit as a compressor
  make this project toooooo tempting to not try. ( I do my own guitar repairs, and can use the parts in a stompbox later if it doesn't work
   out.)

So... Who's "in"? I realy want to try this. While I've seen the schematic online, an accurate pcb drawing/ diagram would be a big help. Any suggestions regarding parts, and build ideas would be welcome

[Meanderthal]

 Ok, well, we can't talk ya outta building it into a plugin box... so I guess we can help you.

The biggest problem I can see is mounting the 1/4 in plug to the box... maybe if you got #1 in this you could take it apart and use it-

http://www.switchcraft.com/products/jack-137.html

As far as the circuit goes, GGG has a project for it-

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=79

[Mark Hammer]

Depending on what you end up using for a chassis (and again I raise my concerns about what will suit the layout of jack and kobs on the guitar itself), either the layout at GGG, the one at Tonepad, or the one at Ustomp will be best suited to your purposes.  These each vary in terms of the width-to-length ratio.  I imagine there are also stripboard, perfboard and other PCB layouts in the gallery section here as well.

[markm]

Of course, a layout can be found here as well
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album15......some shameless self-promotion! 

[tonemonster]

 

Thanks everyone! As far as the jack goes... I'm going to experiment with using the end of a guitar cable with metal jack shield. I'm thinking that I may be able to cut down/shorten the leads on the jack, and attach it by using a nut and washer in lieu of the metal shield. Next... I'll use a dpdt mini toggle for the switch, and skip the led. I don't need a power supply input jack. PCB to the chassis w/ velcro? Epoxy post and screw? Wrap it and stuff it? I'll figure it out. If it shapes up, I'll post some pics. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share them

[Cliff Schecht]

I could think of a really reliable way to mount that jack. If your enclosure is thin and strong enough, using something like one of these boxes:
http://www.budind.com/view.php?part=n4

and this jack:
http://www.switchcraft.com/products/jack-133b.html

You can leave the sleeve off of the Switchcraft jack and drill a hole large enough to allow the threads to pass through, but not the actual end stopper (that hits the sleeve when you screw it on the jack) and just use a strong nut to hold that on. I could see this as a very usable solution, your only challenge is then to find a light but strong box (I really would not recommend an altoids box) and a nut to fit over those threads.

Also, I use a compressor after my phaser (first in my chain) and my wah (second) to even out the peaks and valleys that typically occur when using such filter effects.

[tonemonster]

Stop the presses!!!! I put 2 jacks and a battery into the proposed "enclosure" and realized that it's own weight would probably cause it to keep falling out of the input jack. (At least on a Tele.) Back to the drawing board...

[Mark Hammer]

Um, I guess now you know why these weren' HUGE sellers!   Sometimes "coolness" comes with a cost.

[Meanderthal]

 Now imagine what happens(eventually) if ya use one on a guitar/bass with the output jack mounted to the pickguard...

[$uperpuma]

or you could just buy a re-issue 

[markm]

I'm not sure but, I have heard the RI of the O/S is garbage.
Just hearsay though as I have no first hand experience with the RI at all.