NEW for you - It's the BoubombilZoo!

[kvb]

 

Foreword:

        The following is for anyone who has ever spent a bunch of time tweaking a circuit and documenting everything so that someone else can share in the sonic sweetness.  I am hoping that the people who have helped make this possible will find this, take what is useful, and add something wicked to their guitar arsenal. Even if some are not impressed by what I have said or done here, I figure that most will at least appreciate the sounds produced by this particular configuration of components.

Impetus:

        At the time I started working on this there seemed to be some "tension" in the Forum, and I had the impression/idea that - as a challenge - I should try to build something without asking anybody anything. Also, at this time, there was the collective thought that not many new circuits had been added to the Forum in a while. This gave me the motivation to try to create something new.  Some questions about the Muse bass sound and my lack of even a simple "Bazz Fuss" got me moving in the direction of a bass effect. The common Forum knowledge is that a bass distortion should have a clean blend and this meant that I was going to have to figure that part out as well.

Objective:

        I wanted to build a cool bass distortion with a clean blend that could emulate the Muse bass sound.

Method and Madness:

        First, I breadboarded some logic based circuits including an Escobedo PWM and a Fundamental Extractor that had been posted. The buzz of the PWM was the right sound but things seemed too gated. The fundamental extractor was not working for me. I decided to try something much simpler: a Christian/Hemmo via Run Off Groove "Bazz Fuss" circuit.

        Again, working on a breadboard, I went for high gain by making a Darlington pair from 2 of Aron's 2N5089 silicon transistors. Then I went for insane gain by adding a second stage. With the circuit connected to a guitar and an amp, I listened to the oscillation and started sticking capacitors everywhere until it stopped. Then I went back through and removed some to see which ones made a beneficial difference.

        As I listened to various aspects of the circuit I heard something that someone else here had reported hearing. It is a crazy kind of delay/echo that must be the result of the crazy amount of gain in the darlington pair. If I plucked a note very lightly while muting the strings, I could hear something that sounded like the signal was actually bouncing around inside the circuit. As the di-ka-di-ka-di-ka sound would fade, it seemed just as if it were getting farther away, like a ball bouncing from floor to ceiling on its way down the hall. Besides this strange and fleeting sound, I'm sure that I heard plenty of other crazy noises as I connected components fairly randomly.

        After the circuit was giving some good sounds, I played my guitar and bass through it while changing all of the circuit's parts and listening to the differences. Although happy to be playing and hearing cool sounds, I was (am) working with a minimal understanding of the components. Thus the process involved a great deal of trial, error, confusion, and frustration. What kept me going was a small discovery.

        There was something interesting happening at the input of the first stage. I had placed a large capacitor to ground to see how much signal I could dump at the input and still get something at the output. What did come out was mega fricken buzzy. I spent some time trying to figure out how to control the buzzy-ness and filter out some unwanted harshness.

        The buzzy-ness is best when there is a 1 to 2 ratio between the input cap and the one going to ground. This of course limits high frequencies. So there was a certain balance to find. Some of the harshness was dealt with by changing some of the values in the mid scoop. Another problem of notes being 'spit'out was not solved until I decided to take a chance and change the input of the final Si volume recovery stage.

        Something else that took me a while to change was my idea of trying to make the fuzz switchable from two stages to just one stage while maintaining proper phase. The thought was that I could switch between mega buzz and synthy Bazz Fuss. Then I had a better idea. I chose to switch out the whole fuzz circuit. That way a totally different circuit could be engaged while maintaining the clean blend. This idea helped me to move forward with the build.

        In the meantime, I had also been playing around with figuring out the "clean" side. With the large cap to ground on the fuzz, It did not take long to figure out why I needed an input buffer. I messed with Si transistors in series while looking at Joe Davisson's overdrives. I didn't get much clean sounds out of what I was building. Trying an op amp had been worse, and so I moved on to the next option – the JFets.

        Eventually, by using an Escobedo utility boost and many ideas from the Kreuzer pre-amp, I had an adequately functioning clean blend (the StarFire had been completed while figuring most of this out).  I then realized that the clean side needed more knobs to match the bass distortion side of what was becoming a large effect.

        I figured I could add another distortion section and thought "Oh, that means I can blend different distortions too. Sweet!"  I made a mistake while reading the Kreuzer pre-amp schematic and thought that the clipping indicator was a distortion circuit. I did not build it that way though.  I used the generic Distortion + circuit but did use an LED as one of the clippers.

        Then, after getting the op amp clipping thing working, I decided to put the circuit in a cardboard enclosure mock-up. I knew some things were not quite right, but now I could use the thing, enjoy it, and stop thinking about it.


Finalization:

        After making some headway on something else, I went back through the "BoubombilZoo" to find and correct errors in the circuit. I had drawn some working schematics previously, but not the final one. It seemed to be a chore, and I had been avoiding the work by doing other things.

        Once the final schematic had been completed I could see certain arrangements and say "why did I do that?" Besides, by this time some new knowledge had sunk in and I now knew what to do to make corrections. It was then a matter of making lists of "things to do" and accomplishing these small tasks one by one.

        The enclosure is from a hunk of diamond plate that I got at a scrap yard. The surface was sanded with a 4 inch 40 grit drill wheel. One bend was already part of the plate, and the other bends were done with clamps, a 2x2x8" block of iron, a sturdy bench, and a hammer.   

What I learned:

        I was (am) learning things right up to the end of the build. I learned many things that I can't really list. I have a better understanding of some of the components, their arrangements, and capabilities. The main thing I learned is that every circuit is something that can be explored and if an individual wants to learn about even one circuit he/she should be prepared to spend a great deal of time and effort. So here is this great deal of time and effort.


I present to you the BoubombilZoo
   

• Bou – the name's Bouchard
• Bombilate – to buzz
• Zoo – a zoo of wires, knobs, switches, components, ideas, and sounds.

The BoubombilZoo is a collage of designs and an assemblage of circuits that is capable of both the usual, and the unusual, simultaneously.

• BoubombilZoo Features:

Two JFet circuit > Op Amp > diodes JFet overdrive with bypassable and blendable asymmetrical diode clipping or crossover distortion Controls: JFet vol=gain / pull - treble bleeder / post FX bass cut pull - engage clippers / op amp gain pull - diode configuration / blend post FX treble cut / pull - engage mid scoop internal treble cut - cap/off/cap internal bass cut - sm./med./lg. caps volume stomp - bypass all Mix - JFet circuit with Bombilator or selected FX

Dual inline darlington Bazz Fuss low gain grungy distortion high gain metal typical Bazz Fuss fuzz Bazz Fuss octave up Bombilation – a few different settings of buzzy buzzy buzzy         Controls: individual gain controls mid scoop, treble cut, pull - post FX bass cut presence (treble bleeder) internal bass cut - sm./med./lg. caps Pre FX and/or internal treble cut - both/off/int. gate – soft/off/hard input cap selector with 'Bombilator' mode volume off – stompswitch (when nothing, or an effect at zero volume is in the alternate effect jack) flip to alternate effect - stompswitch

The two sides can be blended for a total of three different types of distortion simultaneously.
Basically, JFet distortion blended with crossover distortion, blended with one of the Bombilator's sounds.

AND there is an effects loop (that is post Bombilator / Switched effect) makes it possible for yet another effect to be inserted in-between the buffers prior to the mix knob. It also lets a delay do "tails". Look at the schematic to see why. That's what I did.

The output of the effects loop also makes it possible for this to be a stereo effect.  Hearing the two types of distortion in different places is just as cool maybe better.







Sources/ Thanks to:

Albert Kreuzer:    
Bass preamp schematic
Christian/Hemmo:   
Bazz Fuss
Run Off Groove:    
Splitter Blend, Fetzer Valve, sharing so many great circuits in an educational format.
Jack Orman:      
Diode blending, Pickup sim, sharing so many nifty "tricks".
Aron Nelson:
Trimming in-between stages, continuing to provide a "place" where others can learn and share in the guitar "Insanity Box"es.
Mark Hammer:
Filtering advice; some of your shortest posts have taught me the most ( ;
R.G. Keen:
Helping others to learn how to make electrons march – and dance?
Gus Smalley
Bypass caps on emitters; Politely instructing us to do things correctly.
Mountainking
Soft gate, Oops, I asked a question.
Mr. Escobedo, Moosapotomus, Joe Davisson, and Anyone who has posted a schematic to the web
- I've probably taken a peek
And of course, THANKS to the contributing DiyStompboxes members and members of the DIY community. Now go play yer guitar!

All of my ideas in this circuit are attached to other people's ideas.
Finally, a universal truth!




Sound Clips

BoubombilZoo into ROG Condor into recorder

• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/02+Track+2_001.mp3.html
  Voice: Take one


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/04+Track+4.mp3.html
  Voice: Take two


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/03+Track+3_001.mp3.html
  Guitar into Fet circuit.


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/06+Track+6.mp3.html
  Guitar - Demonstration of gain on Dual Bazz Fuss side with small input caps.


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/07+Track+7.mp3.html
  Guitar into Bombilator - clean mixed in at end of clip.
  This demonstrates how the neck can seem to be split in two.


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/08+Track+8.mp3.html
  Various settings of both circuits blended.


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/01+Track+1_001.mp3.html
  Bass into Fet section > various settings, then Bombilator at settings that go from small input caps to large; clean signal is mixed in throughout. (4 string)


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/04+Track+4_001.mp3.html
  Bombilation - No clean mixed in. (5 string)


• http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/BoubombilZoo/01+Track+1.mp3.html
  Tune. Everyone should record a clip that demonstrates the tones of a circuit in the context of music.
  This is just a canned drum track and a simple ditty. I wouldn't even use these sounds together in a real song.

There are more pics in the gallery

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/kvb/?g2_highlightId=38315[/list][/list][/list][/list]

[oskar]

Thanks Kevin, that's one serious noisemaker you've got there...     

[Cliff Schecht]

Very cool! I must say that I do appreciate sound clips where an effect or sound is used in a musical context. After all, we ARE designing musical circuits .

[tcobretti]

I respect the hell out of the effort involved in putting that together.  I done simpler stuff like that and it can be a massive pain to get it all to work.

Nice!

[earthtonesaudio]

Nice, but how about a 1590A version?

Just kidding, that thing is a beast!

[newfish]

That's an impressive amount of work!

Fantastic work - and thankyou for sharing your craziness. 

[frank_p]

Quote:
----------
At the time I started working on this there seemed to be some "tension" in the Forum, and I had the impression/idea that - as a challenge - I should try to build something without asking anybody anything. Also, at this time, there was the collective thought that not many new circuits had been added to the Forum in a while. This gave me the motivation to try to create something new.
----------

Noble and generous goals. And inspiring project. Thank you for sharing your project and give an example in the DIY community sense.  Putting the project in the context helps to understand what are the values and puts an emphasis on what is important in this place we are in.  I may be looking like I am playing the violin : but it's inspiring (for me at least...).

Thanks again.

[Ripthorn]

That thing is intense.  Makes all my projects look like a pair of clipping diodes across a pot.  But seriously, that is one crazy thing.  Nothing but respect for the effort and generosity of putting it up here.

[DougH]

Wow! The distortion circuit to end all distortion circuits!

I love how you can get so many different sounds out of it. I don't think you would need to build another distortion pedal after building this. It really sounds awesome!

There is something completely insane about this that I really love. Thanks for sharing! Very cool.

[kvb]

Wow. What a great response. There's a sentiment in some of the replies that I did not expect. I appreciate that very much.

The last fortune cookie I ate/read said "You'll exceed even your own expectations."
In this instance, that is very true.

----------------
I noticed - here on my older work computer - that putting the large schematics up makes the post hard to read on a small screen. Sorry about that.  To get the stuff posted here, I had to bounce around between public and borrowed computers.

There is a new scanner at the library that will make it much easier for me to get drawings into my gallery. I will likely draw up a smaller schematic of just the Bombilator in the super-buzz configuration so people can use it alone as a buzzy fuzz or build one to add to a Paralooper or Splitter-blend for a bass.

[DougH]

There's a sentiment in some of the replies that I did not expect.

[Captainobvious99]

Kevin, this thing is just totally awesome. You can get so many sounds out of it, it really is incredible. Job well done!
I agree, you really dont need another distortion if you have one of these.

Must...have...one.... 

[aziltz]

hi, great work!

i was wondering if there's a schematic of the output section.

i'm trying to work on a parallel idea that switches via the 2nd output jack



edit: found it thanks...

[mills]

Nice!  THat sounds great on the bass, and the thread was a good read.  THanks.

[aziltz]

hi, great work!

i was wondering if there's a schematic of the output section.

i'm trying to work on a parallel idea that switches via the 2nd output jack



edit: found it thanks...

actually maybe you could help me.

when you plug into your 2nd output, does it disable the FET side from blending with the Fuzz side?  Where would I look in your schematic to find that?

[kvb]

There's a sentiment in some of the replies that I did not expect.

I meant that in a good way. I figured I'd get some "wow"s, but I did not anticipate people using the terms "inspiring, respect, and love."

[DougH]

Gotcha...

[kvb]

when you plug into your 2nd output, does it disable the FET side from blending with the Fuzz side?

OK, when you are looking at the schematics you have to see them as two separate effects that share one input and are mixed at the output. Each has its own buffer in front and then each has its own buffer at the end.

So, one input jack, one cap, and only one 1M resistor to Vref, then two buffers.

At the end of the circuits, the two output buffers both go to either side of the mix knob.
The output for the effect goes from the wiper of the mix knob to the output jack.

there is a little "A" at the input. this is connected to the buffer in the JFet schematic.
The mix pot is drawn on the Bombilator schematic. The JFet circuit goes to what is drawn as the open end of the pot.


Again, sorry the size of the schematic makes things hard to read. I tried to delete the originally uploaded files so that I could replace them with a smaller image but that did not work.

I also forgot to write that in the clips of the guitar/JFet circuit I was switching from the bridge to the neck pick up. These are coil tapped with a push pull tone pot. so the clips go - single coil bridge, single coil neck, humbucker bridge, humbucker neck

the thread was a good read.  THanks.

Nice to know people are reading this fairly large post for this big effect.  The thing really does make a normal enclosure look tiny.


The BoubombilZoo was not intended to be the distortion of all distortions.  I just kept adding on to what I already had.
Besides the the kick ass bass buzz, its best feature is the ability to switch between effects that are being blended with the JFet circuit.

I just plugged in a not yet boxed Super-Fuzz into the 'alternate FX' jacks last night. A Super Fuzz sounds awesome by itself, but blending that sound with the clarity of the JFets and some crossover distortion is really, really good.


I really think that people should build a "Splitter-blend" and maybe add footswitches to toggle between engaged effects.

[aziltz]

I really think that people should build a "Splitter-blend" and maybe add footswitches to toggle between engaged effects.

what exactly do you mean?  i'm currently designing a circuit that lets you put two effects in parallel, to separate outputs or blend them to a mono output.   All switchable on the 2nd output jack.

[kvb]

I'll try to draw up a diagram when I have the time.

A blender with side A and side B

Side A has send and return jacks that go in between input and output buffers.

Side B has two sets of send and return jacks that go to a stomp switch. The center poles of the stomp go to the buffers. The stomp switch selects between effects that are both already on to be mixed with whatever is in side A


This is drawn on the Bombilator schematic right after the input buffer. The alternate FX out has a simple pickup sim on it so that a fuzz can be put in. The return is drawn right before the FX loop at the input of the output buffer.

--------------------
I did not do a very good job of drawing the switched jacks that I am using.  But, the way things are, when no alternate effect is placed in those jacks the stomp switch selects a grounded input which mutes that side.

This is another feature that could be good in a blender box. That way your clean sound is always on and the fuzz/lead distortion/etc can be turned on and off. This is very nice with a bass.