Shredmaster is an excellent circuit [build report]

[aloupos]

For the band I'm in, I've been using Thor (great low gain!), along with an Ibanez tone-loc metal pedal for high gain stuff.  The Ibanez sounds great on it's own, but that mid-scoop sound gets lost in the mix (symbols/HH) pretty often.  I needed something that had bottom end chunk, but wasn't muddy.  This circuit nails it. 

I think this is one of Mark Hammer's secret favorites too, because he seems to chime in everytime someone mentions it.  I particularly like the contour part of the circuit, which produces an interesting and diverse set of tones. 

Overall, produces excellent distortion, from low to high gain.  Cleans up, even with my Les Paul's humbuckers when you roll off the volume, has gobs of bottom end, and maintains articulation even at the higher gain stages.  Really Unique pedal!  Maybe later I'll pair it with a Guvonor for a Jeckyll and Hyde clone!

[John Lyons]

Wasn't the J and H a Tube Screamer and a Shredmaster?
Maybe I am mistaken.

John

[aloupos]

I think you're right.  There's a million speculations in posts, but the web site says the jekyll side sounds like an 808.   (It even has a JRC4558 chip in it )

A

[wampcat1]

http://www.indyguitarist.com/schematics/visualsound/Vs_j&h_2.jpg

shredmaster and tubescreamer
bw

[John Lyons]

Ok, sorry to derail the thread...
Glad you liked the Shredmaster. I've been meaning to make one and see what it's all about.

John

[Hanglow]

I have one kicking about somewhere, bought it when all I had was a 10watt park practice amp and wanted a marshall, but couldn't afford it :d

It's a nice pedal, I went back to it after seeing the silly prices you pay for them now due to the radiohead effect. Not worth paying that imho. But maybe worth a build

[slacker]

Yeah it's a nice pedal. I've just bought one, partly because of the Greenwood/Coxon connections but mainly to trace and do a layout, had to pay silly money  but it was worth it.
Not really sure why it's called the Shredmaster though, it does do a decent scooped metal rhythm tone but compared to something like a Zoom Tri Metal it hasn't got a lot of gain. It not the sort of sound I'd associate with shredding in the big haired superstrat wielding guitar hero sense of the word.
There's some great lower gain Marshall type sounds to be had though and it even goes into Tube Sreamer territory.
Sounds good if you spank it with a treble booster as well.

[aloupos]

I don't get the shredmaster title either, but where the title lacks accuracy the circuit makes up for in the interesting tones it delivers.  Anyway, mine's going in a box today for rehearsal tomorrow

[MetalGod]

http://www.indyguitarist.com/schematics/visualsound/Vs_j&h_2.jpg

shredmaster and tubescreamer
bw

wish I'd had that schematic a couple of weeks back when I was repairing my old grey J&H - I had to trace the damn circuit out, took me ages. 

[petemoore]

  Bought one soon after release of it.
  great rounded chunk on the bottom end, smooth distortion on the top end, almost Fuzz...too smooth for convincing metal shredding rythms, otherwise more useful than a pedal that super-shreds IME.
  Everyone seemed happy when I've used/seen them used, giving the player a very nice, easy to work with edge...er tha'd be with contour @>10:00, the rest of the knobs up or down, also does nice dirt-clean boost.
  With contour above ~10 oclock, the mids come in very big in comparison to <9:30, we start talking about a different pedal.

[MartyMart]

I built one a couple of years ago and also did a "light" version which is in my gallery, "Shed Master" !!
I own all the others, Bluesbreaker and Guv'nor are firm favorites, Drivemaster not so great.

[paperhouse]

i have an original and a BYOC right now. the BYOC has a lot less noise and a little more range in the pots. the contour knob is reversed on the BYOC. they sound very similar with all knobs at 12:00. the original is on ebay right now.

i agree with what you guys said - not a shred pedal at all but a nice warm natural light dist.

[stopstopsmile]

is there a buffer in this circuit?  in and out buffers?

[Alex C]

is there a buffer in this circuit?  in and out buffers?

Here's the other page of that schematic: (click)

IC5 is a TC4053bp, according to the details in shematic page 2.

[stopstopsmile]

alex i know there is a buffer in the visual sound, the visual sound has a killer buffer. But is the marshall version buffered?

[slacker]

No there's no buffers in the Shredmaster. The switching and input setup is the same as on the original Guvnor schematic at GGG

[aloupos]

What qualities would you look for in a buffer to make it great or not?

[Johan]

you guys do know that I've had the factory schematics( not traced..factrory..) for the marshallstompers up in the layout gallery for over two years now?..
Guvnor http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/v/johan/guv_nor.jpg.html
shredmaster http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/v/johan/shredmaster.jpg.html
bluesbreaker http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/v/johan/bluesbreaker.jpg.html
drivemaster http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/v/johan/drivemaster.jpg.html

..there's also a few orig EH and DOD schematics...

j

[aloupos]

Those are excellent!  They're pictures, not scans aren't they? 

I didn't mean to imply that this was a new build, if that was your point by making reference to the schems that have been there for 2 years.  Just an interesting old one! 

[Johan]

Those are excellent!  They're pictures, not scans aren't they? 

I didn't mean to imply that this was a new build, if that was your point by making reference to the schems that have been there for 2 years.  Just an interesting old one! 

..no, no..just that if people bye them just to trace the circuit..then there are easier ways..
yes they are photo...I dont have a scanner...just back off a little and use the cameras optic zoom...trying to get too close ( typicaly less than 3-4 feet )just gives blured photos
j