A curious compressor

[ahungryghost]

I'm very new to this website (this is my first post) and a novice at building/modding pedals. I've been reading through the forums and haven't seen anything yet to answer my question about a strange behavior my compressor has.

So I have a DOD Milkbox FX84 series, I think it's the later release (without the knobs labeled pasteurization, ect.). I got it for 20$ at sam ash used a while back and swapped out some of the components (resistors, caps) to clean it up a bit. It sounded good minus some minor noise, which is expected. But recently I've noticed that it is creating this strange sounding octave-like effect.

Is this an effect of a low battery or is it something I may have screwed up?
I've been looking to build an octave pedal (maybe a green ringer?) so could I just capitalize on that and convert the milkbox into an octave-box?

[Joe Hart]

Welcome!

Have you tried a fresh battery (or using an adapter)? I don't know what the Milkbox circuit is, but I know that a low/dying battery does strange things and I have a pedal that makes an octave-like sound when the battery is dying. Sorry I don't have a definitive answer. Hope this helps!
-Joe Hart

[Brossman]

I've used many fuzz/OD pedals that when the battery starts to really die, the whole thing becomes misbiased, so you get a 'gating' effect. (sounds like ring modulation a bit to me) I liken this very much to the splatty, bitey octaving like an Octavia.

+1 to the new battery, in other words.  Capitalizing on that without reworking the circuit completely? not likely, and not necessarily worth your time and effort, IMHO. 

For Octavers; I suggest the Green Ringer for something more subtle, or an Octavia (or something that uses Op amps to rectify for the octave-up effect) for a more ballsy octave effect.

Good luck!

[ahungryghost]

Thanks for the replies! I figured it might be the battery, I've been needing to invest in some good adapters for some time haha. Maybe I'll build one...hmmm.

[zombiwoof]

The DOD Milkbox is a great under-rated comp pedal.  I have the first version with the weird names for the controls, and it really is one of the best comps out there, with more controls than other comps that gives you a variety of sounds.  People are starting to get hip to these things now.  I like mine stock, I don't feel any need to mod it personally.

Al

[Mark Hammer]

The controls look to be similar to many 4-knob compressors out there.  Not to take anything away from DOD, though, since the Milkbox has been around for a bit from what I gather.