Can someone talk me through a Rangemaster circuit and suggest mods?

[chuckmoose]

I am building this Rangemaster:


I think it works fine on my breadboard, though I have never played a real Rangemaster to compare with.  It thins the low end considerably while giving plenty of boost and a nice grungy overdrive at higher gain settings.

I would like to make some mods, just to see what I can get it to do.  I am very new to electronics and frankly I don't really understand what each component's job is in the circuit.  The only thing I have nailed down is that the input cap C3 has a big effect on the tone.  Smaller cap values thin the low end even more while larger ones bring back the bass but quickly start to roll off the top end in unpleasant ways.  A 10nf cap has been the most even tone so far to my ear.  I would like to add a switch that allows me to choose between the standard cap and the one I prefer for a more fullbodied sound.

I would appreciate any thoughts as to what the other compent's function are in the circuit, and what is safe to change values and experiment with, and maybe what some expected results would be.  I would love to be able to add more gain options, I've looked at some hints about adding diodes to boosts for a clipping section, perhaps this is a way to go? 

I would also like to find an EQ circuit to add to this that will give me some control over the midrange.  It has a strong mid hump that I would like to be able to dial back.  I'm not afraid of a relatively complex circuit but I really don't read schematics very well so I need a layout (preferably Vero) to help me interpret. 

Any suggestions are welcome.

[Hanglow]

This should help you

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Rangemaster/atboost.pdf

[Gus]

google helps.  Look at the links above ampage, geofex, amz links...

Search for rangemaster here lots of stuff on the web.  The geofex article started the RM clone building as best I can tell.  The RM was being posted about at ampage years ago.  IIRC before the Geofex article the Toneman rangemaster was being sold.

You should be able to find all you need with searches.

[chuckmoose]

I appreciate the link to the Rangmaster .pdf, there was some very useful information in there, but certainly not everything I am looking for, not even a breakdown of each component.  I have been combing the internet for at least 8 hours of the last 24 on this project, the problem is that I fully admit to being an electronics noob, and most of the information I find is over my head.  I don't read schematics well, and usually require a layout of some kind to act as a sort of Rosetta Stone.  I have searched every resource that has been suggested here and on every thread I have read in every forum for a useful EQ with some kind of vero or perfboard layout and I haven't found one.

I have an appointment to spend some time with an electronics tech in about 10 days and learn more of the basic skills, but I'm hoping to move forward in the meantime.  Any help is much appreciated.

[Transmogrifox]

Geo is a good resource.
http://www.geofex.com/

More sites to browse
http://www.ikalogic.com/beg_1_res_v_c.php
http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/basics/capacitance.htm
http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/amplifiers/small-signal-amplifiers.htm

Those are some more sites covering basics.  Admittedly, the second two aren't presented in an easy step-by-step.

I understand how it is trying to learn something new.  There's loads of information out there, and the newbie has no idea of what will be useful and what is not useful.

Perhaps if I have some time later I can give you a step-by-step rundown of the rangemaster.  Please understand, though, that explaining this takes a material amount of time.  That's why nobody seems to be jumping on it, and instead throws links at you. 

I would leave you to the wolves, but the Rangemaster is such a perfect circuit for learning. I don't think you could have picked better for a first project.  This circuit makes a really nice springboard for explaining basic electronics.