Blendable Klon-type Overdrive

[jaytee]

I liked the idea of a discrete buffer just on the clipping side. It's simpler and I don't see the need for it on the clean side. Maybe the clipping diodes could be doubled or tripled to get more headroom on that side. Running the clean side from 18v there's the problem of going from a clean boost with lots of headroom to something that's limited by the diodes. Which is why I thought the buffer could be made to boost a bit.

[geertjacobs]

Just a thought:
Maybe you can take a look at the Sparkle Drive and exchange the OD section with the OD250?

[markm]

I liked the idea of a discrete buffer just on the clipping side. It's simpler and I don't see the need for it on the clean side. Maybe the clipping diodes could be doubled or tripled to get more headroom on that side. Running the clean side from 18v there's the problem of going from a clean boost with lots of headroom to something that's limited by the diodes. Which is why I thought the buffer could be made to boost a bit.

Well jaytee, I kinda thought what you said made sense so, I incorporated that discrete buffer into the current layout and I am prepared to test it as is this evening.
I like the simplicity of it as well. That was the appealing thing! 

Just a thought:
Maybe you can take a look at the Sparkle Drive and exchange the OD section with the OD250?

Been down that road before.  http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album76/SparkleDrive_LAYOUT
It could certainly be done but, complications set in and although the SparkleDrive is a great circuit, the OD250 would probably end up sounding "neutered" within that SD design.

[slacker]

What freddd has posted is basically how I'd do it, except that you shouldn't need the buffer on the clean side.
This means you could still use a 741 for the OD250 side and use half a TL072 for the clean side and the other half for the buffer, or just use a discrete buffer. 

[markm]

What freddd has posted is basically how I'd do it, except that you shouldn't need the buffer on the clean side.
This means you could still use a 741 for the OD250 side and use half a TL072 for the clean side and the other half for the buffer, or just use a discrete buffer. 

I see.
That way it could retain some of the 741 "flavor" and mojo!
Good idea!
that's the same idea as the 5089 buffer......isolate the clipping diodes.

[John Lyons]

Here's what I was thinking.



Put the micro amp in before the 10uf cap and put the OD250 in the loop. You may need to adjust some levels but it's an idea...

John

[magikker]

I think we ought to put this whole big mess into a wah pedal case. Then set it up so that it goes from clean to dirty as you rock your foot.

[markm]

I think we ought to put this whole big mess into a wah pedal case. Then set it up so that it goes from clean to dirty as you rock your foot.

[vanessa]

You're a funny bunny Mark, but I like your style 

Maybe a tone knob might be cool? 

[jaytee]

This fella's got the right idea......
http://www.beavisaudio.com/Projects/FuzzLab/
MONSTER FUZZ!!! 

[Ben N]

Just a thought:
Maybe you can take a look at the Sparkle Drive and exchange the OD section with the OD250?

That would be this, more or less:
http://happybob.com/rstrand/doodoo.gif

[markm]

Just a thought:
Maybe you can take a look at the Sparkle Drive and exchange the OD section with the OD250?

That would be this, more or less:
http://happybob.com/rstrand/doodoo.gif

Now that's the truth! 
I've built that one too...........nice circuit but, not really what I'm after.
I built my original this evening, it has potential but,      sadly,          not enough! 
I think I'm headed for a redesign using fred's schemo and take it from there.
It probably won't happen too soon though, I need a break from this thing right now. 

[magikker]

This thing reminds me a little bit of the stereomicro amp at tone pad...

There are a whole hand full of fuzzes that blend between clean and dirty... Fender Blender as well as others... Maybe we ought to broaden the base of inspiration.

[jaytee]

This thing reminds me a little bit of the stereomicro amp at tone pad...

There are a whole hand full of fuzzes that blend between clean and dirty... Fender Blender as well as others... Maybe we ought to broaden the base of inspiration.

It's nothing like stereo microamp or fender blender. There's no blend control.

[freddd]

It's nothing like stereo microamp or fender blender. There's no blend control.

Just a dual ganged gain control that at one extreme has the microamp gain at full and the OD250 at minimum and at the other extreme the OD250 gain at max and the microamp at minimum. So as you turn the gain control you get more of a clipped sound and less of a clean boosted sound.

[markm]

It's nothing like stereo microamp or fender blender. There's no blend control.

Just a dual ganged gain control that at one extreme has the microamp gain at full and the OD250 at minimum and at the other extreme the OD250 gain at max and the microamp at minimum. So as you turn the gain control you get more of a clipped sound and less of a clean boosted sound.

Thank you fred and jaytee,
I've been trying to make this clear at times over the course of this thread and, haven't been able to do so.
There is really NO "Blend" so to speak, which probably threw alot of the guys off on this.

[Processaurus]

Hi, looking at Marks schematic, to sum the two halves together without them interacting, couldn't you put two (say 100K) resistors after the clean section opamp and the clipping diodes, and send that to that transistor output buffer?

I may try hacking this dual gain notion into a Rat sometime, it has this big box with room for all kinds of extra stuff.

[markm]

Hi, looking at Marks schematic, to sum the two halves together without them interacting, couldn't you put two (say 100K) resistors after the clean section opamp and the clipping diodes, and send that to that transistor output buffer?

I may try hacking this dual gain notion into a Rat sometime, it has this big box with room for all kinds of extra stuff.

May work Ben!
The original does work but, not well which was why I am heading toward fred's design which I will build within the next day or 2.
Please post whatever you may come up with and maybe we can develop a great little OD circuit that's a bit "different"! 

[magikker]

I know there is no "blend control" but I'm thinking that something like this is going to need a blend control, well at least an internal one. Correct me if I am wrong but you don't normally get the best sound if you just combine two parrallel effects with out some sort of "blending circuit."  What I'm saying is that it might need a little bit of a simple mixer circuit at the end. You could set the "mix" internally for the best balance and forget about it afterwords.

Just an idea.
http://www.montagar.com/~patj/smixer.gif


Oh, and quick question. You said that the effect had potential but it wasn't what you'd hoped. What did it sound like... that might help people throw out ideas in the right directions.

[markm]

I think the "Blend" can be adjusted with fixed resistors however, if there's a bit of imbalance between the 2 extreme Gain settings, I can live with that. Most circuits that have any type of Gain control also have a Volume to help compensate for that.
As far as the sound, when set to the extreme Clean side, it was fairly muffled and when set to the extreme Dirty side it was overly crisp and trebeley.
In the middle there were some nice FAT OD sounds but, the selection was limited and was not very usable as anything else.
Versatility I guess you could say was an issue.