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my Overdrive Pedal is done. Have a look!
Telesonic
Posts: 222
Hey guys. After months of design and planning, not to mention a burning a hole in my wallet, I’ve got my final prototype of my Overdrive pedal done. I’m really happy with how it turned out. It’s basically a TS808 clone which I’ve modified and upgraded. Some of this is technical I guess, but that’s what you get from an electrical engineer. Paco, exhausted, mig, you guys know most of this I guess.
Pictures:
http://www.geocities.com/thirdstonefree/
Here’s what it includes:
RC4558P Opamp, but it has an 8-pin DIP socket so you can swap out opamps JRC4558D
High gain, low noise transistors
All metal film resistors – better quality, low noise
Metallized polyester film capacitors – optimal for audio and tone, low noise
Ground plane on the top side of the circuit board and single point chassis ground - low noise
3PDT true bypass switch
Bright blue LED
Board mounted jacks, switches, and pots for minimal signal path to minimize noise (point-to-point or long wires just add noise, turst me...the electrons don't care)
Orange powdercoat finish
Silk screen text/label on the face – Shannon is my last name by the way, hence the logo
Runs on a 9V battery or any regulated DC wall transformer from 9V to 18V
Has almost twice as much gain as the TS808, slightly less at lowest setting
Extended bass range in the mid hump
Internal switch for selecting between symmetrical or asymmetrical clipping. Symmetrical gives you original 808, while asymmetrical adds a diode to one side which increases the overall volume and gives you less compression and more even order harmonics.
And not to mention it’s built like a tank.
I love the sound of it. A TS808 at its full potential. Nice rich tone and can really push the front end of your tube amp.
I’d like to know what you guys think. I want to sell some of them, and at a reasonable price. Would this be something you’d be interested in? The TS808 reissues are going to be a rip off, and I think I’ve made a superior product compared to it. My overall design and quality is just as good, if not better than keeley or analogman. However, I’d want to keep my price reasonable though.
I’d appreciate any comments/feedback. Thanks guys.
Eric
Pictures:
http://www.geocities.com/thirdstonefree/
Here’s what it includes:
RC4558P Opamp, but it has an 8-pin DIP socket so you can swap out opamps JRC4558D
High gain, low noise transistors
All metal film resistors – better quality, low noise
Metallized polyester film capacitors – optimal for audio and tone, low noise
Ground plane on the top side of the circuit board and single point chassis ground - low noise
3PDT true bypass switch
Bright blue LED
Board mounted jacks, switches, and pots for minimal signal path to minimize noise (point-to-point or long wires just add noise, turst me...the electrons don't care)
Orange powdercoat finish
Silk screen text/label on the face – Shannon is my last name by the way, hence the logo
Runs on a 9V battery or any regulated DC wall transformer from 9V to 18V
Has almost twice as much gain as the TS808, slightly less at lowest setting
Extended bass range in the mid hump
Internal switch for selecting between symmetrical or asymmetrical clipping. Symmetrical gives you original 808, while asymmetrical adds a diode to one side which increases the overall volume and gives you less compression and more even order harmonics.
And not to mention it’s built like a tank.
I love the sound of it. A TS808 at its full potential. Nice rich tone and can really push the front end of your tube amp.
I’d like to know what you guys think. I want to sell some of them, and at a reasonable price. Would this be something you’d be interested in? The TS808 reissues are going to be a rip off, and I think I’ve made a superior product compared to it. My overall design and quality is just as good, if not better than keeley or analogman. However, I’d want to keep my price reasonable though.
I’d appreciate any comments/feedback. Thanks guys.
Eric
my life...you electrify my life. let's conspire to reignite...all the souls that would die just feel alive.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
I am a bit skeptical on board-mounted jacks, but with that case, I think they'll last a long time. Besides, if you just put it on a pedalboard and hard-wire it, it'll be fine.
The cosmetics are really nice, too... it looks very smooth. Powdercoating was the way to go, for sure.
What's the estimated price?
in terms of price, i'm not sure yet. i see the prices that keeley and analogman charge for new stuff and I think its way too much. I want to say around $135 or $140.
its just been a hobby of mine for the past few years. i studied engineering at Purdue University and I've learned alot about effects building just through online research.
A new Keeley TS9-808 mod is $155, last time I checked, so that's about right...
Trouble is, until people know who you are, they'll be skeptical.
Sound clips would be nice... be sure to post the entire signal path (including mic, preamp, and recorder) and let us know when you have something.
Hell, I'd almost be interested in one...
pretty much the only way to do it. alchemy. and a good background in analog circuits.
there are so few books about stompbox building. one of the best is called "the stompbox cookbook" but it's out of print. i had it out from the library for a while.
True, that you have to establish a reputation,,,, but hell, this is a good place to start. Right here.
Can't wait to hear some clips.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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Fender Tele -> Shannon Overdrive -> Fender Twin Reverb -> Shure SM57 -> any good preamp -> computer
OR
Gibson Les Paul -> Shannon Overdrive -> Marshall 2203 -> Shure SM57...
I'd love to hear it.
The thing is though, I don't really have that the best of recording gear or playing ability to really show it off. I hope someone will take a chance with me at first and can supply some good sound clips like you said. i know keeley did this.
hell, I'd offer you guys a discounted price if you wanted to try it out. and if you could get me some solid sound clips, that would be great. if you really didn't like the pedal, i'd more than gladly give you a refund.
If I wasn't flat-assed broke, I would totally do that for you.
You could always send me one, and I could record some stuff... but I'm not exactly a hot-shit player, either.
I'm all over it. I'll buy one sight unseen. I like to support this kind of stuff.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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go ahead and PM me if you're truly interested.
thanks.
You're a good man, Bob.
sure could, i actually have a couple of the right size boxes to do it.
That's what I want...
I actually want the two Keeley TS9 mods... the 808, and the Baked... if you could do something like that, I'd be interested.
That's how Paul Reed Smith started. Paul gave Carlos Santana, a few other guitar players one of his guitars backstage. Carlos liked that one and gave birth to PRS
Carlos did the same with Mesa Boogie. Played Radall Smith's souped up Fender Princeton at Woodstock.
Hell, maybe you ought to give Carlos one!:D
And I am serious, by the way.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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Well, the easiest thing for me to do right now would be build up two of my units to the specs that you want. I could put them both in one unit, but I'd have to custom drill out the enclosure which would be in the bare aluminum finish. The reason I say custom drill it is because I have a company drill out my enclosures for me.
Do you already have two TS9s? Although I'd like to stay away from doing mods, I could do these mods for you.
No... my plan was to just buy them from Keeley new. He sells that pair for $295.
Basically, his 808 mod is just like your pedal now... and then the Baked has 3x the output.
I've developed a prototype for the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer compressor from the 70s, but added a couple other features. That'll probably be my next product.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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i'd like to do a delay, but damn...they are really complex, especially analog. i've made i simple digital one before, but if i got into that it would have to be surface mount. Some modulation effects aren't too bad. I've been working on a Phase 90 clone.
i guess i should ask this then...what distortions that you like would make for a good clone?
you name the distortion and it's already been cloned so the key is to try to find some twist on the original to make it stand out somewhat.
exactly. i guess its more of a question of what features would you like to see added to those pedals?
like a fuzz face with a toggle that chose between two very different transistor types or something since the type of transistor defines the personality.
of course, the above would be a PITA b/c the transistors are matched and use different resistor values for optimum sound. you're almost looking at switching between two circuit boards which isn't feasible.?
i'd really like a good fuzz though. the fulltone 69 is the most attractive to me right now.
I am REALLY interested...
But I'm broke...
Maybe in a few months?