BSIAB vs. Thor

[m-theory]

What are the key differences between these two, in terms of tone and gain?  I've got a BSIAB in a 3-in-1 box that I use for jams and as a simple gig rig tool, but I'm in the process of building another one of these DD 3-in-1 boxes, and want to try different circuits.  I've built a Hwy 89, and that has potential, though I need to tinker a bit with it.  I'm curious about the Thor.

[rikkards]

I built both. The BSIAB is a lot more gain (think swarm of africanised bees) but the THOR is also high gain (swarm of bumblebees) and I find a bit more bassy.

What are the key differences between these two, in terms of tone and gain?  I've got a BSIAB in a 3-in-1 box that I use for jams and as a simple gig rig tool, but I'm in the process of building another one of these DD 3-in-1 boxes, and want to try different circuits.  I've built a Hwy 89, and that has potential, though I need to tinker a bit with it.  I'm curious about the Thor.

[plankspank]

What are the key differences between these two, in terms of tone and gain?

Although they both are JFET based distortions, each produces it differently:
      The BSIAB uses a JFET mu amp fed into another mu amp fed into a single Jfet stage for distortion. The tone control is the common passive BMP tone stack.
      The THOR is 2 single Jfet stages fed into a final Jfet Mu amp. This is meant to emulate a Marshal tube front end. The tone control is an switch activated active filter that boosts the bass. it is more or less a fixed tone shaping control.
         

[george]

I built both. The BSIAB is a lot more gain (think swarm of africanised bees) but the THOR is also high gain (swarm of bumblebees) and I find a bit more bassy.

is the "swarm of bees" sound good or bad?!?   in the past when I've across insect metaphors for distortion sound they aren't meant as compliments, two that come to mind are "wasps in a jar" or "mosquito tone" meaning thin fizzy distortion ....

[m-theory]

I've never considered the BSIAB to be buzzy myself.

If the Thor is slightly less gainy and a bit thicker, that might be a good fit for me. 

[rikkards]

Sorry I didn't mean it literally sounded like a swarm of bees. I meant the difference in gain is like a swarm of normal bees vs africanized in other words more intense. Sorry for the confusion.

I built both. The BSIAB is a lot more gain (think swarm of africanised bees) but the THOR is also high gain (swarm of bumblebees) and I find a bit more bassy.

is the "swarm of bees" sound good or bad?!?   in the past when I've across insect metaphors for distortion sound they aren't meant as compliments, two that come to mind are "wasps in a jar" or "mosquito tone" meaning thin fizzy distortion ....

[rogeryu_ph]

Try Dr Boogey

Roger

[george]

Sorry I didn't mean it literally sounded like a swarm of bees. I meant the difference in gain is like a swarm of normal bees vs africanized in other words more intense. Sorry for the confusion.

I built both. The BSIAB is a lot more gain (think swarm of africanised bees) but the THOR is also high gain (swarm of bumblebees) and I find a bit more bassy.

is the "swarm of bees" sound good or bad?!?   in the past when I've across insect metaphors for distortion sound they aren't meant as compliments, two that come to mind are "wasps in a jar" or "mosquito tone" meaning thin fizzy distortion ....

Thanks for clearing that up ... 

[rikkards]

On a side note, I just finished a JCM 800 Emulator (http://www.erikhansen.net/diy/schematics/misc/jcm800.png) and it is somewhere between the BSIAB2 and the Thor. More raspy than the Thor but not as much as the BSIAB2.  Getting 6 pots into a 1590BB is not easy. I got the Cherry (http://www.pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PPP&Product_Code=1609&Category_Code=ENC15C) enclosure from PPP and it is pretty sweet.

Sorry I didn't mean it literally sounded like a swarm of bees. I meant the difference in gain is like a swarm of normal bees vs africanized in other words more intense. Sorry for the confusion.

I built both. The BSIAB is a lot more gain (think swarm of africanised bees) but the THOR is also high gain (swarm of bumblebees) and I find a bit more bassy.

is the "swarm of bees" sound good or bad?!?   in the past when I've across insect metaphors for distortion sound they aren't meant as compliments, two that come to mind are "wasps in a jar" or "mosquito tone" meaning thin fizzy distortion ....

Thanks for clearing that up ... 

[m-theory]

Try Dr Boogey

I'll probably end up building one of these for a friend, so I'll get to try it out, but I honestly don't really care much for the recto thing...to compressed.  I gotta have "open." 

On a side note, I just finished a JCM 800 Emulator (http://www.erikhansen.net/diy/schematics/misc/jcm800.png) and it is somewhere between the BSIAB2 and the Thor. More raspy than the Thor but not as much as the BSIAB2.

That might be an interesting consideration!  Next to plexi, the jcm800 is my favorite Marshall tone.