BLACK FOREST High Gain Preamp - Based on the Bogner Uberschall

[haveyouseenhim]

I don't have a way of doing quality sound samples here at my house. I'll try to set something up later. One man's garbage is another man's tonal treasure.     And yes, I painted the pcb silver and green to match the actual x2 head.

Cool... Reason I asked about the paint is because some paints are conductive...  What jfets did you use on the X2?

Oh wow, That didn't even cross my mind    I used some j201's from tayda.    I'm getting full response out of all of my controls

I really need to make an order to tayda. I had to use two massive 220n chicklets and some 47pf instead of 51pf, and that was my last B50k pots.

[J0K3RX]

47pF is fine... and I like those big green mylar caps, use them all the time!

Here is a quick sound demo of the black forest again... Pretty solid I think! Let me know what you all think? I have hearing damage so I am easily deceived...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11178619/Noise%20Gate/Dragon%20Attack.mp3

[haveyouseenhim]

God thats so meaty and heavy. I think part of my problem is that I'm running it into a PIECE OF CRAP Marshall MG cab. It lacks balls. I bought it because it was $100 and I didn't know much about cabs.

I'm pretty ignorant about a lot of musical gear. I've only been playing for about 2 years.

[deadastronaut]

sounds @#$%ing nice!... ...its got a nice tight punch to it...

when i finally get my other projects together i must get round to breading these emulators .....nice work jim, ..rock on guys!!!.  \\ //

[Cap]

@ jim: It sounds killer! 

ok, as promised:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3511352/Black%20Forest_1590B%20layout_gate%20version.pdf-------> UNVERIFIED

should be ok  please report errors or tell me if you need explanations. Enjoy 

Ciao

[pakrat]

Thank you Cap, nice n' tidy 

[J0K3RX]

Thanks Rob! It does have a tight low end punch...

Cap - I have a spare box, I think I am gonna make a small one just to use it up and I love on-board pots so it's a win win for me!!

Meanwhile back at the Dragon's Lair I have been brewing up this beast! It has a separate board for all of the pots and switches so I can pretty much use it for any of my layouts and future layouts... It attaches to the main preamp board with 3 stand offs for the tonestack and 3 stand offs for the gain pot. Then a few wires here and there to connect some switches and the input/output jacks etc... Plus I made the layout with little holes centered in the middle of the pot diameter so before I populate the board I can use it for a drill template for the enclosure. There is a lot of switches because there is more than just the preamp board going in there... Mwah ha ha ha....

[pakrat]

I think I have an idea what's going in there....    That looks great Jim, really good work!

[deadastronaut]

looking cool man, love the black pcb too!..very.

[haveyouseenhim]

Semi-off topic but I built the X2 and I just finished my first toner transfer box etch.

[pakrat]

Looks great Mike. You're pushing out boxes like a little factory over there!

[haveyouseenhim]

Because I have no life      I finished it and made a demo today.

[pakrat]

Mike, did you ever fix your volume drop problem?

[J0K3RX]

Mike, did you ever fix your volume drop problem?

+1... Sounds like you may have a short somewhere with the gain problem? Need to see some close up pics of the board and wires back and front...

Working on the ENGL now.... I think I have the uberslut BF pretty much where I like it.. mine works nearly perfect and almost no noise even on high settings! My build list is now the ENGL, Avenger, Diezel Herbert and some sort of Marshall/BSIAB beast.. in that order. Oh and a "good" cab simulator.

I already built the AMT E1 clone which I had to guess on half of but it sounds fabulous so I am kinda doing a hybrid of that and going from the schematics of the Engl Invader... I will start a new post on that when I get it spot on..

[J0K3RX]

@ jim: It sounds killer!  

ok, as promised:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3511352/Black%20Forest_1590B%20layout_gate%20version.pdf-------> UNVERIFIED

should be ok   please report errors or tell me if you need explanations. Enjoy  

Ciao

Riccardo, what are the chances of getting you to design a layout with on-board pots, power jack and input/ouput jacks that will fit into a 1590BB?

Would have this configuration and 2 on-board switches as well. Switches would be right above the Low and Prez knobs... If you can will do it I can PM you with details and of course I wouldn't expect you to do it for free!   If not that is totally ok, just thought I would ask cause I suck at making layouts! 

[haveyouseenhim]

Mike, did you ever fix your volume drop problem?

+1... Sounds like you may have a short somewhere with the gain problem? Need to see some close up pics of the board and wires back and front...

Working on the ENGL now.... I think I have the uberslut BF pretty much where I like it.. mine works nearly perfect and almost no noise even on high settings! My build list is now the ENGL, Avenger, Diezel Herbert and some sort of Marshall/BSIAB beast.. in that order. Oh and a "good" cab simulator.

I already built the AMT E1 clone which I had to guess on half of but it sounds fabulous so I am kinda doing a hybrid of that and going from the schematics of the Engl Invader... I will start a new post on that when I get it spot on..

It may have to do with the fets I'm using. I'll do some experimenting. I know I built them right, but the only variable is the fets.

[pakrat]

ENGL... drool..... Diezel.... drool.......

[J0K3RX]

Here is the schematic for the AMT E1 that I traced from some pics that somebody posted in another forum.. Had to guess at some of the values but sounds as good if not better than the BF! Has a ton of gain too and really sounds like an ENGL to me! I would say it's about 75% correct and the rest is guess work... Wasn't so bad since I have a real AMT P1 pedal and they use the same board for the E1 so what I couldn't see on the pics I just translated from my P1. So, maybe it's a hybrid of the E1 and P1... If you can make a board from a schematic then you will be in business! I have verified this as 100% working with no bugs so here ya go!

BTW - it has been adapted to use J201's since the 2SK208-R's are real hard to find and the 2SK30A-R's are even harder to find and the diodes are 1N4148's instead of BAT54 or BAT85...

[pakrat]

Thanks JOK3RX!! I would attempt a layout, but our friend Cap would just probably make a nicer one 

[pakrat]

I'm sad to report that my build is "beyond repair". I've found that the source of my problem is me being an idiot and painting the board with high heat paint. A word to the wise... BBQ paint contains conductive fibers. My entire board is conductive at this point, measures .4v, and if you touch it anywhere it squeals. Sigh.... back to the drawing board.