-- LOVETONE effects clones thread. Schematics, layouts, building info...

[c101aviojet]

Hello guys,

I've just registered here, as it seems to be the biggest DIY stompbox forum on the net, and there seems to be plenty of creativity here. 
So I'm going to say "Hi" to all and invite you to a round of those:  
Recently, I discovered Lovetone effects and, all of a sudden, I was a victim of a G.A.S. attack - I had to lay my hands on such funky effects! Full of knobs, full of charachter, full of possibilities. A vast array of sounds available from each, from the most classical sounds to the weirdest noises. It's a shame that they're not made anymore.

Aim of the thread
I've decided to make a sort of "official" thread to collect all the info available about them, so the DIYer has all the info in one place and is able to make his/her own replica without spending hours searching the web.
To save a bit of time, I'm mostly copy & pasting the text from the thread I posted in the BYOC here, where hopefully more people will be able to read it. 

Help needed!
I will update this thread with links and info as I find it. I'll be updating the first and second posts with the new info, so you don't have to go through pages to find the valuable info you're looking for; just read the first lines.
But this would be great if you guys help the cause. I have some info already but there's nothing like building threads, debugging, wrong schematics, mods ( ), input about certain clones, additional files... all are welcome and of great help. Also, I'm very picky about effects being real clones or just work-a-likes, so if you are aware that a certain effect it's not an exact copy, let us know. And now, let's go for the good stuff!


COMPLETE PROJECTS:
Those are ready to transfer, verified and working clones. If they're exact clones, that is (I guess they should be).

- Big Cheese (fuzz): schematic here, project here.
- Ring stinger (ring mod/octaver): schematic, layout and project here.
- Meatball (envelope filter): schematic and layout here, project here and here. The project is complete, but a layout with improved wiring would be desirable.
- Brown source (overdrive): schematic here and here. A small project, with layout, is here. The project and layout is now available, and according to the guy who posted it, the effect has been reverse engineered and verified. At first sight, it seems very close in the design to the Big Cheese. Perhaps you can even build both with the same board - please don't throw to many stones at me for saying this, I just have taken a quick look at the schems!

PARTIALLY DONE PROJECTS:
All those effects lack something to be "complete projects", and it's written in red. But for the brave diy-guy, they can be built anyway, as they all have, at least, an unverified schematic.

- Wobulator (stereo trem/panner): schematic here. Theorically, an official "project, schematic and layout pdf" should be released in a not-so-far future by the guy who's now building and debugging the proto effect.


MISSING EFFECTS:
I have no info at all about the following effects (apart from some threads which lead to, err, nothing). Apparently, there's a source for pics/info to "reverse engineer" the effect and someone willing to take the challenge of making a schem. Don't expect any of this, obviously, to be available (if ever) anywhere soon. The no name flanger project, according to the links below, is currently in process.

- Doppelganger (phaser/vibrato): -
- ?/no name flanger (stereo flanger): -

LATEST INFO
- Wobulator and Doppelganger clones are discussed here.

Obviously, none of this would be possible without some highly creative people: the designers at Lovetone and the people who have taken the efforts and time to reverse engineer and debug the first clones. A thousand thanks to all of them!

Regards!

Juan

[c101aviojet]

(space reserved)

[Bernardduur]

You missed the Cheese Source

I traced one a while ago; just a Brown Source and a Big Cheese in one box

[c101aviojet]

You missed the Cheese Source

I traced one a while ago; just a Brown Source and a Big Cheese in one box

Great! Could please you paste the link and project (all the project-related info) here, so I can update the first message with it?

PD. I'd prefer to name it Brown Cheese. 

[Shed_FX]

Welcome to the forum!

The Flange with no name has a layout completed and has a parts list but this has not been traced. I simply don't have the time/expertise to do it.

The Doppelganger also has a layout and a schematic but this said schematic is missing the main component values! I do even have a board which has been etched and drilled waiting for the values to come in.

If you are keen and have done some previous builds you could attempt to build another wobulator ( I have build a successful but ticky one!) This has a half finished project file which I really will try to complete in the near future. A new layout or the "official" layout could be useful in making this great effect without any ticking.

Well the key is to have fun so get stuck in and if you need any information you cant find on the forum PM me as I may have what you are looking for (however I still haven't found out what the lovetone font actually is!  )

[GREEN FUZ]

(however I still haven't found out what the lovetone font actually is!  )

This font is, if not identical, pretty close.

http://www.domania.us/BRATTROUBLE/FONTZ/DAYTONA.TTF

[c101aviojet]

Damn, I can't edit the first post!
Does anyone know how can I contact the admin to allow me unlimited time to edit this message?
It's a shame that all the info has to be dispersed throught the thread instead of immediately accesable in the first post.

Thanks again for the input, but PLEASE, include some kind of links!! Sometimes the search engine isn't enough to find some things; if you take the time to find the link I'll take the time to post it and classify it with the rest of them.
Keep the info coming! 

[Dave_B]

You'd probably have better luck asking for a wiki id.  Then you could update the wiki as often as you like.

Thanks for the effort, by the way.   

[Dave_B]

This font is, if not identical, pretty close. http://www.domania.us/BRATTROUBLE/FONTZ/DAYTONA.TTF

I think you nailed it, GF.

[GREEN FUZ]

With a bit of monkeying about in Photoshop you can get it pretty close to the real thing. My take on the Meatball.



Which I will of course remove if there are any objections.

[ech0es]

the ? flange with no name:

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8408/scan10004eg3.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/5444/scan01am5.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/9530/scan10003qy6.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8408/scan10004eg3.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/4583/scan10005cq1.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8906/scan10006oi8.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/4263/wiresgq9.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/6999/scanhe0.jpg


R1-68k MF
R2-100k MF
R3-100k
R4-39k
R5-100 Ohm
R6-10k 5band
R7-120k
R8-100k
R9-100k
R10-39k
R11-1ok
R12-39k
R13-10k
R14-100k
R15-4.7k
R16-3.9k
R17-47 Ohm 1/2watt
R18-47 Ohm
R19-10k
R20-39k
R21-330 Ohm
R22-10k
R23-100k
R24-2.2k
R25-2.2k
R26-100k
R27-1.2M
R28-39k
R29-100k
R30-47 Ohm
R31-Jump
R32-4.7k
R33-4.7k
R34-2.2k
R35-470k
R36-36k
R37-1k
R38-1k
R39-39k
R40-330 ohms
R41-1k
R42-1.2k
R43-330 ohms
R44-2.2M
R45-470k
R46-470k
R47-2.2M
R482.2M
R49-10k With Ferrite
R50-10k
R51-39k
R52-4.7k
R53-4.7k
R54-470k
R55-39k
R56-100k
R57-1k
R58-2.2k
R59-1k
R60-2.2k
R61-jump
R62-39k attached to cap 12 lead!
R63-1.2M
R64-330 ohm
R65-39k
R66-100k
R67-330 Ohm
R68-2.2k
R69-470k
R70-2.2k
R71-100k
R72-4.7k attached to 22k trim pot leg, then diode ring which is attached to - side of cap29, which is attched to Q16 left hand lead.
R73-4.7k
R74-33 ohm
R75-22k
R76-2.2M
R77-1.2M
R78-470k
R79-1k
R80-1k
81-39k
R82-100 Ohm
R83-4.7k
R84-10k
R85-10k
R85-Jump
R86-Jump
trim pots 22k

Pots
1 100k b20
2 100k d20
3 100k d20
4 100k b20
5 100k b20
6 100k b20

Trafo n49 1200d +44(0) 1993 883214 tele sticker handwritten 19


c1 10uf   35v
c2 220uf
c3 220uf
c4 10uf
c5 10uf
c6 10uf
c7 10uf

c1 u47   k63
c2 0,01
c3 0,01
c4 u1
c5 u1
c6 u1
c7 u1
c8 u1
c9 47n
c10 u1
c11 u1
c12 0,1
c13 u1
c14 u1
c15 u1
c16 3n3
c17 1n
c18 u1
c19 u1
c20 47n

q1 j 1136 p836cp
q2 bc30  7  b  m926 (motorola)
q3 bc 549
q4 bc 549
q5 bc 549
q6 p836cp
q7 bc 549
q8 bc 549
q9 bc 549
q10 bc549
q11 p836cp
q12 bc 549
q13 p836cp
q14 p836p
q15 bc549
q16 bc549
q17 bc549


Daughterboard:
R1 10k
R2 10k
R3 100k
R4 100k
R5 10k
R6 100k
R7 330r
R8 4.7K
R9 jumper
R10 120k

c1 2n2
c2 u1
c3 u1
c4 u1
c5 2n2
ec1 10u
ec2 10u

Polycap labeled "100"

ICs
ic1 mn3?Huh
ic2 mn3?Huh

trim pot 22k

d1
d2 see pic

[GREEN FUZ]

Got one in mind?

[c101aviojet]

I've just tried that Daytona font... Wow, if it's not the same, then it's so close it's hard to tell any difference! Really nice letters! 

Gus, I don't see so many problems.
I can't talk for sure about the Brown Source (although it has been cloned several times, so I'd trust it), but the Big Cheese project comes from the GEO site, and that's a warranty for me (also, GGG is selling the PCB). People have made working clones out of those projects, so I don't see why they should be wrong.

Second, I don't have any relationship with Lovetone or any other brand. I'm just a DIY guy who wants to have his own copy of a line of pedals which haven't been produced for quite some time now, for his own personal use and enjoyment. Pretty much like most of us here.

And in my opinion, I don't understand why people should waste (without need) his/her time searching for hours instead of building and debugging. All the info is widely spread but publicly available, so why not put it all toghether? I spent quite some time to find what I've posted; what's your reason to say it's better to kip bits of info all around the web instead of easily accesable in a single place? I really wished this already existed; I would have saved a precious time.

I just have to find out how to be able to keep the post updated.

[Dave_B]

It sounds like you're asking for a meta thread like they support at prodigy-pro.  The closest thing DIYS has is the Wiki.  That's why I suggested it.  The downside seems to be that people aren't adapting to it.  Maybe if it had a more seductive name.

Regarding the tone of this thread, I don't think we should be discouraging people from contributing, whether they're gathering links or designing circuits.  Not everyone processes information the same way, and not everyone has a knack for finding things via search engines. 

[aron]

Lovetone is gone so I don't see any problems with Juan is doing. He's actually helping people find info and consolidating it.

Thanks!

[aron]

Juan,

Dave is right, the wiki would be a good choice for consolidating info like this.

Aron

[96ecss]

Lovetone is gone so I don't see any problems with Juan is doing. He's actually helping people find info and consolidating it.

Thanks!

+1 on that. Thanks for pointing that out Aron.

Dave

[The Tone God]

If I have not already said it then Welcome to the forum Juan!

Thanks for all the effort you put into this. Unfortunately you cannot edit posts after a certain time. Your options are to either add to this thread when changes are needed or contact either Aron or myself to edit your post. The suggestion of using the Wiki warrants consideration as I believe it provides the functionality you will need to maintain this if you are serious.

To All:

If want want to contribute to this then that is cool. If you don't want to contribute that is cool too but the rules still apply. There is nothing against reversing Lovetone effects here.

Andrew

[96ecss]

Oh yeah, I forgot.

Welcome aboard Juan!

Dave

[c101aviojet]

Thanks for the support, DIY fellows!  

If there are no last-hour problems, it's quite possible that I go ahead and write that wiki. I'll add some more threads I collected from this site and, with luck, a couple more external links that I had.
Since I've seen that many people refer to pisotones, I could also translate the page, if that's of some help. There's also a thread about that meatball project in a spanish-speaking forum and there was some useful info there -mostly about wiring, which is not 100% correct in the pics at pisotones. I could also extract the useful stuff from it and add it to the meatball info section.

Well, those are a few ideas.
Again, it's very likely that, in the end, a wiki is made about the Lovetone series.
See you!