Help needed for an Folkurban Octup! from Tonepad

[arma61]

Hi all, just finished to build it from http://www.tonepad.com/getFile.asp?id=109

but I didn't get any "octup!", I get some tone/sound change only when (not after), I turn the pot (the one ont the right in the schematic). So when turn the pot sound change when I let the pot still I get only some boost/distotion.
Anybody knows what could be wrong in a so easy project.
thx 4 help

[MikeH]

Hey man.  Haven't built this one so, sorry couldn't tell you what the problem might be.  But there's a sticky thread in the forum titled "DEBUGGING: What to do when it doesn't work".  If you follow the directions in there, you'll be able to post all of the information needed for someone to help you get it up and running.  Good luck!

[arma61]

You're right MikeH, here you are

schematic link see first post
Resistors : use 4x1.5M instead of 4x1M
Caps, 4 marked 104 , I was told they're 0.1uF as per schematic

Voltage
Q1 (2N3904)
B 2.79
1.31
7.14

Q2 (2N3904)
2.22
2.79
7.15

Q3 (2N5457)
G 5.55
S 1.16
D 0

Q4(2N5457)
G 5.55
S 1.16
D 0

Thx for help

[arma61]

any help ? pls

[oldschoolanalog]

Read the build reports at tonepad.

[arma61]

Thx,  I red them

quote1
Build Report:I could not find the original FETs in the local market so I replaced them with BF245B. I dont know if it only works with the original ones or this effect is really subtle. Anyway I'll try build another octaves and compare the result quote2
Build Report: this is my first completed build boxed and everything, and i have to say its a much more subtle effect than the green ringer. I've found that it works best on notes right around the 12th fret. On chords, it kinda sounds like a fake weird ring mod distortion. I kinda wanted a less subtle effect although this definately has its uses. i might try using a higher gain npn transistor because ive found that driving it hard with a boost in front it tends to be less subtle. any way, if you want a 'ghost' octave pedal then this one is what your looking for.

but cannot find any help about the strange job the pot is doing, it does its job only while turnig it, like a wah pedal!

thx again

[nordine]

i think that octup effect is intended as an experiment, not as a whole, finished effect

i breadboarded it yesterday and, indeed, when you fine tune the bias pot, you get a pretty mild octave... very

for more octave, and still simple design, try a green ringer

good luck

[Mugshot]

just finished building one yesterday, actually my first build. not boxed yet, worked on the first try. well, sort off. there is no perceivable tone coloration (could be my ears are already tired). the level knob works, like what you'd expect from a volume control, but the other knob doesnt. what i got last night was some sort of early fuzz like simulating a pierced speaker cone. and some (idk) subtle octave (could barely hear it.

i found out later that the orientation of one 10uF cap was wrong. i immediately desoldered and corrected the cap orientation. havent tested it yet (with the corrected cap).

[Mugshot]

update: i have just boxed it up, corrected the cap orientation.

what happens:

1) idk, but when engaged there is some sort of hum from the circuit and ticking. it doesnt seem to bother while you are playing some notes or when placed after dirt boxes, but before dirt it's bad.

2) instead of trim pots, i used two 100k pots to adjust the resistance. one pot controls the over-all volume of the dry signal (i think) while the other sets the octave effect. well, with mine i cannot clearly distinguish it. idk, but i must be missing something. when used on the neck pick up and tone rolled all the way down, it's like a treble booster    with the second pot on full, i get some pretty smashed-speaker fuzzy tones, but nothing special. maybe it will suit some application (like a freaky noisemaker; hmm, nice pedal name  )

idk, again it's just my first build, but if someone has encountered the same please let me know.

[arma61]

update: i have just boxed it up, corrected the cap orientation.

what happens:

1) idk, but when engaged there is some sort of hum from the circuit and ticking. it doesnt seem to bother while you are playing some notes or when placed after dirt boxes, but before dirt it's bad.

2) instead of trim pots, i used two 100k pots to adjust the resistance. one pot controls the over-all volume of the dry signal (i think) while the other sets the octave effect. well, with mine i cannot clearly distinguish it. idk, but i must be missing something. when used on the neck pick up and tone rolled all the way down, it's like a treble booster    with the second pot on full, i get some pretty smashed-speaker fuzzy tones, but nothing special. maybe it will suit some application (like a freaky noisemaker; hmm, nice pedal name  )

idk, again it's just my first build, but if someone has encountered the same please let me know.

Hi

I set mine aside since then, after reading nodine post and Tonepad advice about it being just an experiment, didn't tried the green ringer, it's still on my "to do" list. That was also one of my first build so may be not the right FX to start with 

Have a look at Octave Up Sick Box, not too complex and, as far as I can remember, there's an option for a switch to turn on and off the octave effect.

Cheers
Armando

[Mugshot]

update: i have just boxed it up, corrected the cap orientation.

what happens:

1) idk, but when engaged there is some sort of hum from the circuit and ticking. it doesnt seem to bother while you are playing some notes or when placed after dirt boxes, but before dirt it's bad.

2) instead of trim pots, i used two 100k pots to adjust the resistance. one pot controls the over-all volume of the dry signal (i think) while the other sets the octave effect. well, with mine i cannot clearly distinguish it. idk, but i must be missing something. when used on the neck pick up and tone rolled all the way down, it's like a treble booster    with the second pot on full, i get some pretty smashed-speaker fuzzy tones, but nothing special. maybe it will suit some application (like a freaky noisemaker; hmm, nice pedal name  )

idk, again it's just my first build, but if someone has encountered the same please let me know.

Hi

I set mine aside since then, after reading nodine post and Tonepad advice about it being just an experiment, didn't tried the green ringer, it's still on my "to do" list. That was also one of my first build so may be not the right FX to start with 

Have a look at Octave Up Sick Box, not too complex and, as far as I can remember, there's an option for a switch to turn on and off the octave effect.

Cheers
Armando

im thinking of taking the whole circuit apart this weekend, i realized im not into ring mod stuff. but i am sure i had it working (well except for some very faint motorboating). i found out that it works best when you pluck a string while another string is still ringing (think let E ring then play some random strings on the higher registers), then the effect gets more pronounced. i also discovered it works best after a delay, but im not into ring mod stuff, so...

where can i find that octave up sick box?

[arma61]

here you go m8

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/octave_up_sick_box.jpg

Ciao

[Mugshot]

aw thanks!


i gotta read and learn more!

[Pushtone]

I haven't built the OctUp but other ocatve pedals sound best with the neck pickup and the tone (on the guitar) turn all the way down.

Try that and see if you get a synth-like octave effect.

Worth a try.

[Mugshot]

i built mine fitted with 100K pots instead of the suggested trimmers for me to get an approximation of the resistance. yes it seems that the pot for adjusting the bias behaves weirdly. while turning that pot, you notice that there is some sort of change in the effect in contrast to just setting it and getting a fixed resistance by maxing the pot. i found also that you have to slam it hard for it to ring the octaves.


by the way, can i increase both the 10uF cap connected to power in the schematic to eliminate motorboating? to what value, like 100uF? it's pretty cool for a noisemaker (sans the ticking).

[anchovie]

I haven't built the OctUp but other ocatve pedals sound best with the neck pickup and the tone (on the guitar) turn all the way down.

Try that and see if you get a synth-like octave effect.

Worth a try.

That's the advice given to improve the tracking of octave-down circuits that drive a flip-flop or counter to produce a divided-by-two square wave.

[Pushtone]

Turning the tone down works like a charm on the Fox TM and Scrambler.
Produces a synth like tone.

Should work with the OctUp too.

[arma61]

ok, m8s you convinced me, I'm going to dig out my Octup from the "non working things bin" and see what I can squeeze out of it!! 

[Mugshot]

oh crap, i found out what caused the ticking! it's none other than the blinking LED in my DIY PSU. once i cut the LED, ticking stopped.

i first wired a 100uF/0.1uF cap combo but it still ticked like hell. and there is still some faint humming. then i noticed the blinking LED, it ticked along the blinking of the LED so i guessed it was the cause. it was. i cut the LED and ticking stopped 

i removed the cap combo and installed the original 10uF. works the same. im gonna use the cap combo for future projects should i ever get a similar problem

but there is still some very faint hum in the background. doesnt bother me that much, since the OCtup sits after the delay (as it needs a ringing note for it to generate dissonant tones).



i suggest using pots instead of trimmers to get an approximation of the resistance needed to bias the circuit. 7-8 on one pot (controls the ring i think) and around 4-6 on the volume pot. works for me.

[Mugshot]

another update: (i'm so fickle-minded  )

i got too lazy to tear the whole circuit apart and salvage the components for another project so the board is still intact. when using 2 100K pots, i set the first pot (bias) to about 8 and the other (volume) to around 3-4 to arrive at an equal level. and yeah the bias pot does behave quite strangely. im gonna get me some trimmers instead and have mine pot-less since i already have an approximation of the resistance needed to arrive at a similar setting using pots.

ok, m8s you convinced me, I'm going to dig out my Octup from the "non working things bin" and see what I can squeeze out of it!! 

hey brother, i forgot to ask this: is there noise on your Octup circuit?

is it in itself a noisy unit? i have tried the 100uF/0.1uF cap combo but there is still some noise when it's engaged. i use a regulated PSU and dont have noise issues with other pedals so im thinking.


this whole DIY pedal building stuff makes me pee my pants in excitement