Vox Distortion booster histories - 1st version - V816

[smnm]

Can any fuzz historians tell me about the early thin metal V816 dist booster?



I think this is the one Lou Reed used in 1967 on White Light/White Heat (my favourite album!)

was the 'deluxe' V8161 (at FuzzCentral - http://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/schematics ) essentially the same circuit in a stompbox with a volume control?

As Philip says this predated the other plug into your guitar verison which was V8163, the square plastic one with the two thumbwheels.

Anyone know what V8162 was?

North Coast Music (official? Vox dealers) sell schematics of all these for $5 each, and I'm kind of tempted...

[MartyMart]

IIRC it was almost an LPB-1 "clone" to compete with EH's
No volume knob, I can't remember if the switch is tonal or volume presets ?

MM
EDIT:
Just found a reference in my "archives" that it could be a vox treble booster with the 500pf input
cap increased to allow more bass in and "distort" more.
Used a 2N2924 NPN tranny and was negative ground !

[ambulancevoice]

google

[smnm]

EDIT:
Just found a reference in my "archives" that it could be a vox treble booster with the 500pf input
cap increased to allow more bass in and "distort" more.
Used a 2N2924 NPN tranny and was negative ground !

ok!
that would make sense as the treble booster was V806 - thanks!

thanks but not thanks ambulancevoice I've googled this to death (going back years)

S

[MartyMart]

Fuzz centrals schem indicates 2 x trannies, so I'm wrong about the LPB reference !
I would think that this version is quite close to that FWIW 
MM.

[smnm]

Fuzz centrals schem indicates 2 x trannies

"deluxe" = extra transistor? 

I think I'm going to order the schems anyway (V816, V8161 and V8162)

[MartyMart]

That would be interesting simon, for the sake of £2.50  !!
Please let us know what you find - I'll send you a quid !

marty.

[Dan N]

Ha, I plugged vox v8162 into google and got a link to a Peavey patent for an amp. Now I'm lost in the "cited" world of guitar goodie patents. 3813473 is a doozy!

Sorry smnn, I can't figure out why 4811401 mentions the "Vox Distortion Boaster V8162 (Thomas Organ Co.) 1969" under "Other References". Maybe it's built into their amp?

[smnm]

thanks - I missed that as I wasn't looking for that version (in fact I didn't know it existed)

... I can't figure out why 4811401 mentions the "Vox Distortion Boaster V8162 (Thomas Organ Co.) 1969" under "Other References". Maybe it's built into their amp?

Hmm - that seems to be the implication, right?

It dates the V8162 to '69 too, which is useful info.
Next step is to look at some Vox catalogues to see if I can date the V816 and V8161 - they might be in the famous 1966 Beatles one if I'm lucky. I've seen a similar 1968 online too.

Once I get all the info together I'll let you know.

[Sir H C]

(hides face) I have one of these.  Switch is on/off for the fuzz.  No other controls on it.  I have to open it up again to see the circuit, very "hodge-podge" electrical taped together, no PCB.  Forget the transistors in there, I got it busted, and put it back together.  I have a spare chrome case I got off the bay recently too.

[smnm]

(hides face) I have one of these. 

I kind of thought you might 

I'm still probably getting the schematics anyway [slightly put off that they might take 2 weeks and they are charging $6 for posting 3 sheets of paper, but still...]

If you could confirm it's got two x 2N2924 (more like the 'deluxe' at fuzz central, the V8161) and not one (which would probably just make it the V806 treble booster with a bigger input cap).

[Sir H C]

99% sure that there are two transistors in there.  It does distort.

[analogguru]

Here is the:

Vox  Distortion Booster (V8162) schematic (plastic box)

analogguru

[Sir H C]

Here is the:

Vox  Distortion Booster (V8162) schematic (plastic box)

analogguru

I have the Jen version of that one.  It is a cool little distorter.

[smnm]

thanks analogguru, but it was the V8161 I'm after (just to be difficult!)

I've found a pic and I think it's just the V816 with a vol control...



possibly there was no stompbox version at all.

The V816 appears in the '66 cat, the above pics are from the '67 cat (I included the Tonebender just for fun)

There might be slight differences between the 62 and the 63 (making yet another variation), but the only plastic box version that I've seen a verified pic of is the V8163 - the number appears only on the box though, not on the unit AFAIK -it's just visible on ths pic from David Main's 'Pedal Porn' blog:



(edit for clarlity)

[analogguru]

I have the Jen version of that one.

pictures ?

analogguru

[Sir H C]

Have to take some close shots, but here is a family portrait of the plug-ins.  (Vox in the front)

[Sir H C]

So this one is not coming apart.  Tried, but it is so stuffed in there, there is no safe way to get it apart.

Weird thing is the male 1/4" goes into the amp, the female to the guitar.  I think that is original, not certain never seen another.

[smnm]

I've worked out a quick vero layout of the fuzzcentral schem - I'm pretty sure the Deluxe version is the same circuit  - how could they fit any more into that thing anyway - the pot on the Deluxe must be tiny! Did you notice it's like a T shape?

"Booster plugs under the guitar" it says - what's that about ?

Busy weekend coming up and other projects on the go, but I have a friend who plays in a Velvet Underground cover band who was asking me to make him one.... maybe I'll get it done.

[smnm]

ok ---
excitement over
I built this on vero on monday, and it is sort of unimpressive.
First off, the 0.1uF input cap is too big, making the pedal v bassy. Swapped it for 0.05, sounds better now, but still a bit ho hum.
Experimented with different transistors today, didn't have 2N2924s - BC108C and PN2222A sounded the best to me - like a tamer Bazz Fuss, but with nice cleanup with gtr volume down and/gentle pick attack. I have it in a used plastic box so far, don't know if it'll make it into a proper box or not.
One thing I wasn't sure of - it required 2 x nonpolarised 10uF caps - I used electrolytics with positive side facing highest voltage, but I don't think it would make much difference (eh?).
I used the schematic at Fuzz Central (Vox Deluxe Distortion Booster).
I can post my layout if anyone is interested.