GOLDEN DRAGON OVERDRIVE ( A REWORK OF THE MINIBOOSTER)

[Dragonfly]

Inspired by Jack Orman, I decided to go back and revisit the National Semiconductor "Ultra High Gain Audio Amplifier" circuit, and see if I could tweak it into a nice overdrive. The result is a cool low / med gainer that is easy to build, and can even be built on one of Jacks boards, available at www.muzique.com

Like Jacks Minibooster, pretty much every part value is different from the original...and the values are also different from the Minibooster !

Sometimes its nice to go back to your roots and see if you can tweak things...

If you're in the mood to put together a quick and easy build, this one is a cool one. Depending on your amp / guitar setup, you may want to adjust the value of the .001uf cap to ground at the end of the circuit. Also, if using Jacks boards, i would assume (I havent seen his layout) that you'd need to attach the 10uf cap directly to the GAIN pot, and the .001uf cap directly to the VOLUME pot.

Have fun, build, tweak away.

[Dragonfly]

HERE'S A SOUND SAMPLE OF THE GOLDEN DRAGON OVERDRIVE...EFFECT OFF AT FIRST, THEN OVERDRIVE ON

 

[markm]

Sounds Good Andy!!
Nice to see ya around here more again! 
I've always liked the Mini-Booster as well and the thought of putting a Gain Control on it Never occurred to me!
Don't know why but, it never did.
Is the Gained "dimed" on it in the clips?
If not, I'll bet it can do a Great Mild OD huh?
Nice to have ya back around these parts!! 

[QSQCaito]

it sounds cool

Thanks a lot.


EDIT: Why do you start with an already distorted signal, insetad of a clean one.. is it just taste?

[markm]

EDIT: Why do you start with an already distorted signal, insetad of a clean one.. is it just taste?

"Clean" is such a subjective term.
Almost as much as "Grit", "Sparkle", "overdrive".
Hell, one guy's overdrive is another's distortion! Those are known as "Stompbox Grey areas!" 

[QSQCaito]

EDIT: Why do you start with an already distorted signal, insetad of a clean one.. is it just taste?

"Clean" is such a subjective term.
Almost as much as "Grit", "Sparkle", "overdrive".
Hell, one guy's overdrive is another's distortion! Those are known as "Stompbox Grey areas!" 

I know the grey area. With distorted I meant it's not coming as brouhht to life by the pickups, which would be a clean sound.

Distorted not for amount(grit spark, overdirce fuzz etc..), but for ir being modified.

[markm]

I see what you mean.
Yeah, on a second listen, it's definately gritty before the effect is engaged.

[Dragonfly]

EDIT: Why do you start with an already distorted signal, insetad of a clean one.. is it just taste?

it was just the sound that came up when i turned on Gearbox. I didnt mess with it.

the sound is "fairly" clean...but seriously, a large degree of people use overdrive to "add to" a slightly gritty signal, so its a good representation of the overdrive in use.

to each their own.

[markm]

Is the Gained "dimed" on it in the clips?
If not, I'll bet it can do a Great Mild OD huh?
Nice to have ya back around these parts!! 

[Dragonfly]

Is the Gained "dimed" on it in the clips?
If not, I'll bet it can do a Great Mild OD huh?
Nice to have ya back around these parts!! 

In the clips the gain is "near dimed"

It is REALLY good as a mild OD...something your Country-Luvin' chops will dig ! 

and thanks...it goes in waves...sometimes I have the urge to be here, sometimes I dont...right now I have the urge.... 

[tcobretti]

Another nice one, Andy.  I really like the way it is similar to the minibooster - very cool idea.

Yeah, I never run my guitar amp completely clean, even when faking jazz.  With a good amp, you can clean it up almost all the way just by playing more lightly.

[Dragonfly]

Another nice one, Andy.  I really like the way it is similar to the minibooster - very cool idea.

thanks...Jacks was a adapted version of the original, and mine is an adapted version of Jacks !

Yeah, I never run my guitar amp completely clean, even when faking jazz.  With a good amp, you can clean it up almost all the way just by playing more lightly.

Thats the way I run things on my amps as well.

[John Lyons]

That does sound good. Sounds like it responds to light picking as well as harder clipping if you dig in.
Nice one!

John

[jlullo]

yes that definitely sounds like it would clean up NICELY to a light overdrive!

good job as usual AC!

i also second the motion that it is nice to have you around here a bit more

[markm]

In the clips the gain is "near dimed"

It is REALLY good as a mild OD...something your Country-Luvin' chops will dig ! 

That's kinda what I was thinking!
It sounded as though to me if that baby was dimed, it was a circuit for Country for sure!!
Thanks AC!!

[BMF Effects]

Sounds very good. Reminds me of the Mike Ness/Social Distortion tone.