Show me your 1590A enclosures/pedals...

[stallik]

Love the design

[rankot]

My first (and probably the last, cause it is really hard to put more than one pot inside) 1590A pedal - Electra Distortion with slight modifications.

[Marcos - Munky]

It's hard to fit stuff inside a 1590A, but the next ones will be easier, if you want to give another try. The trick is to get low profile parts if you can, and plan on how you'll use the space incide the 1590A. You can fit 2 "regular" 16mm pots side by side, and 3 9mm pots side by side, but maybe the knobs won't fit (my delay have 3 pots side by side, and I didn't got any knob to fit them). Use mono jacks, and sometimes you need to cut out part of them to make the board to fit. Also, put the jacks "as lower as you can", looking from the bootom of the box, so you have more space between them and the bottom lid of the enclosure.

[adielricci]

You can fit 4 9mm pots inside a 1590A, plus a toggle switch, actually.

[lars-musik]

... 3 pots side by side, and I didn't got any knob to fit them ...

That's true, sadly. The smallest diameter I found are on the Davies (Clones) and you can't fit three of them side by side in a 1590a. I did some experiments with a 3D printer but had no luck. So I'll stick to two alongside. But depending on the momentary level of craziness, the number of pots can be quite high.

[Marcos - Munky]

6 pots and a toggle switch and another switch at the side That's insane!

Also, that dc jack with external nut helps to get more internal space.

[ElectricDruid]

6 pots and a toggle switch and another switch at the side That's insane!

Also, that dc jack with external nut helps to get more internal space.

It is insane. Whilst impressive, I'd have to ask.. but WHY?!?

Surely such a pedal would be easier to use and more convenient to construct in a slightly larger enclosure? Aside from pure style-points, is there any reason at all to try and squeeze it down to the point at which you can't really get your fingers around the knobs and it becomes fiddly to use at best at more likely downright awkward?!

I love a nice 1590A pedal, but I think we need to think about the human interface on these things too. "Too small" is not a great thing on any pedal. I deal a lot with Eurorack synth gear, and that often has the same problem - people try to squeeze far too many features into far too little room, just because they can. Turns out, in general, aside from the grins, that's not a good enough reason

Ok, 2 euro cents done. I'll shut up now. As you were.

Tom

[adielricci]

One of the reasons why could be: because it is possible, just to prove a concept. 

When a pedal has more than 4 potentiometers, I also prefer to use a larger enclosure, because my feet aren't small (EU 48).  Even so, I really like my set, with those small enclosures...

[lars-musik]

Hi Tom,

you asked the question:

I'd have to ask.. but WHY?!?

And you gave the answer:

It is insane. Whilst impressive...

But honestly, I don't really know. I like to have the option of putting it in a 1590a. Because putting a small PCB in a large enclosure is always possible, but not the other way round.

I have befriended an experimental jazz guitarist who wanted a small travelling boards (because he often rides his bike to gigs) and he asked me whether I could possibly built is favourite pedals in a 1590a. These were: A BB Preamp, a Wampler Plexi, a KLON and a Triple Wreck. So I did it. Wasn't easy but he was totally happy. Since then, he even git more dwarfs from me. A Timmy, an Ultra Flanger, a FOxxx Tone MACHINE and even your TAP TREMOLO (albeit just with a 3.5mm jack for the tap input) Here's his board now:

[ElectricDruid]

That's an amazing board, and I quite understand why you'd build such a thing.

Sorry, was being a bit negative last night. I shouldn't post when I feel like that.

Tom

[lars-musik]

Sorry, was being a bit negative last night.

That's perfectly fine. You don't want to know what we poor 1590A-obsessed builders think or say whilst boxing these things up!

By the way: The developer of the TAPFLO, the Flangelicous etc never needs to apologise for anything!

That being said - I already made a 1590A layout for the Flangelicous. Even populated it but then you published the revised version and I did'nt want to box up my old one. That's another problem with being pedal-obsessed. Always something new and overflowing drawers of populated boards.

[Marcos - Munky]

To me, there's 3 main reasons:

1- to save pedal board space. You can have a lot of pedals in a small pedalboard using 1590As.
2- to challenge yourself. Big builds (lots of parts and/or lots of pots) aren't easy to do. And sometimes you do it just to prove yourself you can do it. Me, for example, my hardest build ever was a 1590A wah, and I don't plan on adding it to my pedalboard, it's more like a trophy to me.
3- it's as fun as to build something inside a big enclosure

[bluebunny]

My first (and probably the last, cause it is really hard to put more than one pot inside) 1590A pedal - Electra Distortion with slight modifications.

Tom's quite right.  It is insane.  But good on you rankot for having a go!      Every time I've done it, I've sworn never again.  One or two pots is bad enough, then I went and did these (and I continue with the madness  ).

[Marcos - Munky]

My next ones will have 3 pots (a big muff) and 4 pots (a modded rat). And everytime I do a 1590A, I swear never again too

[bluebunny]

And everytime I do a 1590A, I swear never again too

I think we need to set up a support group to help each other through these crisis periods when we get tempted...   

[Cozybuilder]

And everytime I do a 1590A, I swear never again too

I think we need to set up a support group to help each other through these crisis periods when we get tempted...   

Yes, maybe the "1590LB support group" , together we should be able to convince people of the lunacy of small box builds   

[adielricci]

Yes, maybe the "1590LB support group" , together we should be able to convince people of the lunacy of small box builds   

I'm in!!

[thomasha]

Newest proco Rat in the bloc





Cheers,
Thomas

[amptramp]

And everytime I do a 1590A, I swear never again too

I think we need to set up a support group to help each other through these crisis periods when we get tempted...   

This would not be a 12-step program for 1590A builders (because you can get addicted to 12-step programs), it would cover items like trimpots with knobs, pots that have the guts on the outside of the enclosure, subminiature RF links between stompboxes to eliminate jacks, Polaroid-style flat batteries, flexprint circuits that you can roll up and stuff in the box, optical on-off toggle switches mounted outside the box etc.  We haven't even begun to plumb the depths of (depraved) design practices that would enable you to stick a design with eight pots into a 1590A.  But I am sure some enterprising designer will put all of this together soon.  Tick, tock.

[adielricci]

AmtTramp, the joy is to build these beauties without using SMDs...