Who all here builds or mods pedals?

IndyGuitarist · May 23rd, 2003, 02:06 AM

Just curious.

Brian

Lance · May 23rd, 2003, 08:16 AM

Lot of fun - not too difficult or expensive to start doing. What I've built is probably just as good as most of those boutique builders are doing (they're copying the same circuits that I am)

I've built a few clones:

Fulltone '69
Ross Compressor
Dallas Rangemaster

and a true bypass switch.

Next up:

Technobrae Octavia
Orange Squeezer
tweaked up Rocket

MJ Harnish · May 23rd, 2003, 08:31 AM

I build both pedals and tube amps. I've built and modded too much stuff to keep count of but in the past 6 months I've built quite a few pedals: ProCo Rat, Ibanez SD-9, Shaka Braddah OD, Blues Magic OD, Ibanez TS-808, MosFET booster, and a couple of kind of wacky fuzz pedals. Currently I'm working on a run of Rangemaster clones for other TDPRI members.

Virtually every commercial pedal I own is modded; I just finished up modding a Boss OD-2R that I've had hanging around and am very pleased with the results. :D

SIB · May 23rd, 2003, 08:36 AM

I´m just repairing my old Jen crybaby super (red fals), but it still doesn´t work :evil:

IndyGuitarist · May 23rd, 2003, 08:38 AM

well good, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one on here. I myself build alot of different od/distortion pedals and mod alot as well.

Brian

DADGAD · May 23rd, 2003, 08:50 AM

I don't think any of my gear is stock but, yes, I build pedals, too. My son called yesterday and wants to start a business building custom distortion pedals.

Another question that deserves to be asked is; If you're a gear tweaker, is your guitar practice time limited to testing stuff

Hehe.

/Gary

tweeddeluxe · May 23rd, 2003, 06:00 PM

I've built mostly tube amps, six so far. Did the TS808 mod to a Tubescreamer a while back. Recently built my first stomp box--Ross Compressor. Turned out well.

Lots of fun, can be done in an evening. More on the way. Also plan to mod my DS-1

Tom

analogmike · May 23rd, 2003, 10:07 PM

HI,

I have built a few (thousand)

IndyGuitarist · May 23rd, 2003, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by analogmike

HI,

I have built a few (thousand)

cool! I didn't know someone of your caliber would pipe up!

Brian

Blaster · May 24th, 2003, 12:19 AM

Modded the SD-1 and DS-1.

Bluedawg · June 14th, 2003, 07:23 PM

I recently started my own business modifying Tube Screamers,its a lot of fun but is beginning to become a pain the butt.

Too much demand for them,and yes,it is cutting into my practice/playing time.

RKeeley · June 17th, 2003, 07:32 AM

For those of you wanting to have some Extreme-Soldering-Fun check out Steve Daniels site. www.smallbearelec he has a large resource for the small time or medium duty builder. His beginner projects are a lot of fun. Swell chap too!
Robert

IndyGuitarist · June 25th, 2003, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKeeley

For those of you wanting to have some Extreme-Soldering-Fun check out Steve Daniels site. www.smallbearelec he has a large resource for the small time or medium duty builder. His beginner projects are a lot of fun. Swell chap too!
Robert

*starstruck*

cool, robert keeley replied...

analog man and robert keeley in the same thread...very cool.

11 Gauge · June 26th, 2003, 02:21 PM

...but I don't build anything from scratch. There's way too much stuff out there already that will get you at least 70% of the way there.
I've modified extensively most of the popular OD/distortion/fuzz pedals out there. Just about anything I get in my hands gets at least a few caps swapped out for different values. And most of them get clipping diode mods - most commonly I will switch the diode material and go to an asymmetrical clipping setup (seems to have the biggest effect on fuzzes).
I don't mess with delays, comps, choruses, etc. That would cut into practice time too much. But I will probably build my own analog delay one day soon. Just given what I am witnessing people are willing to pay for one either new or reissued makes me want to investigate (in particular the validity behind the 'only 1 chip gets it' talk that I hear from folks that are snapping up the new Maxon analog delay)... But OD pedals are super fun and take up plenty of time as it is. And really easy to tweak too.
Like other guys have posted, I'd love to start my own pedal modding biz. It's alot easier than many people realize - man, the money that people are willing to chip out to have a few resistors, caps, and an opamp changed are almost silly! But the biggest prob. I see with modded pedals or offering your own boutique stuff is how fickle the pedal market is. What a pedal junkie is in love with today will end up in the garage sale in just 2 months, when they find a new pedal that is the grail du jour. Even Boss, Ibanez, Arbiter, Marshall, MXR, Fulldrive, etc. all feel the sting - they all have come out with 'variation #2, 3, etc.' or reissues, in an effort to keep up with the fickleness, only then to have folks start debating which is better, 1 or 2 (or 3), or vintage or reissue.
Even Klon has early and later models of the highly acclaimed Centaur. There is just no end to the slamming and pickiness that pedal makers are subject to. Then you've got all the boutique makers that have gone to the wayside already. And even the guy who makes the Jeckyll and Hyde pedal had to get bailed out by a financial backer, and he makes some of the best new stuff out there. I've heard that his H2O is a really good pedal (which is actually 2 pedals in one!).
But my hat is off mainly to the folks out there that are modding the 'off the shelf' stuff. Most of it is the better part of the way there and just needs a little help to get it to near perfection, at the fraction of the cost of most boutique stuff. Definitely money well spent, even if the pedal is foolishly thrown in the garage sale 2 months later...

-.011

Paul in Colorado · June 29th, 2003, 03:26 PM

I'm about to build my first, a Whisper Compressor kit that I got from Mid-West Anagol Products. I've had it for several years, but never got around to soldering it up. I have my Craig Anderton book for moral and practical support. Wish me luck!

sticko · June 29th, 2003, 03:57 PM

I have some folks make pedals for me, and these days I'm really into painting them myself. Most of them come in the plain aluminium case with sitckers or sharpie.

Here's a copy of a Univox SuperFuzz I painted.

You can't see on the photo but I also put a number 24 on it for Keith Lee. Blue and silver being Memphis State colors. So it's the Keith Lee fuzz.

Lance · June 29th, 2003, 08:17 PM

He has to do a seminar project for school (6th grade). It's one of those schools for the gifted so they do things a little different.

Anyway, he decided he wants his seminar project to be starting an entreprenurial business building guitar effects. The point isn't really to make money although he won't complain if it takes off...but to learn about how businesses start up.

We've been doing the business plan, balance sheet, market analysis, pricing analysis, etc...and now we're doing a couple of trial runs building effects (Rocket/Foxx Tone Machine)....before we move to the real effect that he'll sell - an Orange Squeezer compressor. Yesterday, we spent 2 hours laying out the Rocket...he learned why the controls go where they go (and that making a smilie face with the knobs and switch won't work) and how the placement of parts is critical. He also did a spreadsheet to do his part costing and ordering. He also plans on building a simple web site to display his wares.

I think he'll try to sell it on Ebay at first to see what happens. Considering his dexterity with tools, I don't doubt that he'll build some first class stuff. Anyway, so far it's been a fun project to share with him.....maybe the next Keely or Z-Vexx is in the making? ;)

L-

moosapotamus · June 30th, 2003, 10:14 AM

Hey! I never even knew a bout this forum 'till today. Cool!

Here's some stuff that I built:
http://www.moosapotamus.com/

~ Charlie

11 Gauge · June 30th, 2003, 01:00 PM

...that's quite a gaggle of one-off or modded pedals.
addicting, isn't it?
nice stuff... i like the names too. hope you enjoy digging in here at this forum - i'm sure you'd have alot to add!

-.011

moosapotamus · July 1st, 2003, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

...addicting, isn't it?

Totally!

8)

~ Charlie

Robbie W · July 1st, 2003, 05:04 PM

I recognized your name from Aron's forum. Welcome aboard fellow solderhead!!

Robbie Wallace

(RGW on Aron's page)

moosapotamus · July 2nd, 2003, 08:40 AM

Thanks, Robbie.

~ Charlie

MJ Harnish · July 2nd, 2003, 10:21 AM

Some of those are really cool looking pedals. How'd you do the Wavy Gravy thing? Is that an iron-on tee-shirt decal or something else?

On a related note, I've found a place that sells power-coated Hammond style boxes (1590B & BB) for decent prices... the only catch is they're located in Germany and the prices are in Euros so they're not so economical for non-EU people...

moosapotamus · July 2nd, 2003, 02:40 PM

Thanks. Yeah, it's the kind of iron-on stuff that's especially made for dark colored fabric. But, it works great on diecast aluminum, IMO. There's a link to one supplier on my Squelchy Squarefuzz page. I usually pick it up at Stapples office supply, tho.

~ Charlie

MJ Harnish · July 2nd, 2003, 03:10 PM

Cool; I've got some stuff hanging around I may give a try if I get in a creative mood. Most of the time I really hate "decorating" boxes; 90% of my stuff gets labelled with a Sharpie with a couple coats of clear-coat over it. Now that I've found someone that powder coats boxes I won't even have to bother with the painting.

alabubba · July 6th, 2003, 08:49 PM

Well I guess I now qualify to be in the ranks of the pedal "mod" squad. I replaced the stomp switch on the first pedal I ever bought, a script logo MXR Phase 100 that I bought in the 1975 time frame. I went to a Carling 316PP wired for true bypass. The first time I hooked it up it worked but had a nasty pop when I engaged the effect, also there was crackling when I switched it between the different phasing options, so I used the alternate wiring method that I found posted on the net (I think it was at Geo) and it works like a dream, no noise at all ever.

After reading this post, and reading some of the articles at Geo and some of the other effect builder's web sites, I'm going to try my hand at building a pedal next. Seems like a great way to pass a slow evening!

May 23rd, 2003, 02:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
IndyGuitarist TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 25	Who all here builds or mods pedals? Just curious. Brian

May 23rd, 2003, 08:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lance Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,157	Me! Lot of fun - not too difficult or expensive to start doing. What I've built is probably just as good as most of those boutique builders are doing (they're copying the same circuits that I am) I've built a few clones: Fulltone '69 Ross Compressor Dallas Rangemaster and a true bypass switch. Next up: Technobrae Octavia Orange Squeezer tweaked up Rocket __________________ Lance "not very good...but I make up for it by playing loud"

May 23rd, 2003, 08:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
MJ Harnish Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hattingen, Germany Posts: 457	I build both pedals and tube amps. I've built and modded too much stuff to keep count of but in the past 6 months I've built quite a few pedals: ProCo Rat, Ibanez SD-9, Shaka Braddah OD, Blues Magic OD, Ibanez TS-808, MosFET booster, and a couple of kind of wacky fuzz pedals. Currently I'm working on a run of Rangemaster clones for other TDPRI members. Virtually every commercial pedal I own is modded; I just finished up modding a Boss OD-2R that I've had hanging around and am very pleased with the results. :D __________________ MJ Harnish Suburbs: Where they cut down all the trees and then name the streets after them.

May 23rd, 2003, 08:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
DADGAD Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Palmdale, CA Posts: 764	Me 2.... I don't think any of my gear is stock but, yes, I build pedals, too. My son called yesterday and wants to start a business building custom distortion pedals. Another question that deserves to be asked is; If you're a gear tweaker, is your guitar practice time limited to testing stuff Hehe. /Gary __________________ "I need to learn some new scales and stop obsessing about this stuff." http://www.myspace.com/slickshoes

May 23rd, 2003, 10:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
analogmike TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 96	HI, I have built a few (thousand) __________________ Regards, mike ~^v^~ aNaLoG.MaN ~^v^~ guitar effects analogman.com

May 23rd, 2003, 08:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
SIB TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 26	I´m just repairing my old Jen crybaby super (red fals), but it still doesn´t work :evil:

May 23rd, 2003, 08:38 AM	#5 (permalink)
IndyGuitarist TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 25	well good, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one on here. I myself build alot of different od/distortion pedals and mod alot as well. Brian

May 23rd, 2003, 06:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
tweeddeluxe Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: MD Age: 51 Posts: 710	I've built mostly tube amps, six so far. Did the TS808 mod to a Tubescreamer a while back. Recently built my first stomp box--Ross Compressor. Turned out well. Lots of fun, can be done in an evening. More on the way. Also plan to mod my DS-1 Tom

May 24th, 2003, 12:19 AM	#10 (permalink)
Blaster Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Down in Western Colorado Age: 51 Posts: 423	Iv'e modded mine Modded the SD-1 and DS-1.

June 14th, 2003, 07:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
Bluedawg Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mid-Atlantic,US Posts: 196	Me too........ I recently started my own business modifying Tube Screamers,its a lot of fun but is beginning to become a pain the butt. Too much demand for them,and yes,it is cutting into my practice/playing time. __________________ Boom,Boom,Boom,Boom -J.L. Hooker

June 17th, 2003, 07:32 AM	#12 (permalink)
RKeeley TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 54	For those of you wanting to have some Extreme-Soldering-Fun check out Steve Daniels site. www.smallbearelec he has a large resource for the small time or medium duty builder. His beginner projects are a lot of fun. Swell chap too! Robert __________________ Email: fx@robertkeeley.com Honk if you own a Telecaster!~

June 26th, 2003, 02:21 PM	#14 (permalink)
11 Gauge Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The East Coast Posts: 2,828 10 Photos	I'm guilty too... ...but I don't build anything from scratch. There's way too much stuff out there already that will get you at least 70% of the way there. I've modified extensively most of the popular OD/distortion/fuzz pedals out there. Just about anything I get in my hands gets at least a few caps swapped out for different values. And most of them get clipping diode mods - most commonly I will switch the diode material and go to an asymmetrical clipping setup (seems to have the biggest effect on fuzzes). I don't mess with delays, comps, choruses, etc. That would cut into practice time too much. But I will probably build my own analog delay one day soon. Just given what I am witnessing people are willing to pay for one either new or reissued makes me want to investigate (in particular the validity behind the 'only 1 chip gets it' talk that I hear from folks that are snapping up the new Maxon analog delay)... But OD pedals are super fun and take up plenty of time as it is. And really easy to tweak too. Like other guys have posted, I'd love to start my own pedal modding biz. It's alot easier than many people realize - man, the money that people are willing to chip out to have a few resistors, caps, and an opamp changed are almost silly! But the biggest prob. I see with modded pedals or offering your own boutique stuff is how fickle the pedal market is. What a pedal junkie is in love with today will end up in the garage sale in just 2 months, when they find a new pedal that is the grail du jour. Even Boss, Ibanez, Arbiter, Marshall, MXR, Fulldrive, etc. all feel the sting - they all have come out with 'variation #2, 3, etc.' or reissues, in an effort to keep up with the fickleness, only then to have folks start debating which is better, 1 or 2 (or 3), or vintage or reissue. Even Klon has early and later models of the highly acclaimed Centaur. There is just no end to the slamming and pickiness that pedal makers are subject to. Then you've got all the boutique makers that have gone to the wayside already. And even the guy who makes the Jeckyll and Hyde pedal had to get bailed out by a financial backer, and he makes some of the best new stuff out there. I've heard that his H2O is a really good pedal (which is actually 2 pedals in one!). But my hat is off mainly to the folks out there that are modding the 'off the shelf' stuff. Most of it is the better part of the way there and just needs a little help to get it to near perfection, at the fraction of the cost of most boutique stuff. Definitely money well spent, even if the pedal is foolishly thrown in the garage sale 2 months later... -.011

June 29th, 2003, 03:26 PM	#15 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 55 Posts: 4,123 3 Photos	I'm about to build my first, a Whisper Compressor kit that I got from Mid-West Anagol Products. I've had it for several years, but never got around to soldering it up. I have my Craig Anderton book for moral and practical support. Wish me luck!

June 29th, 2003, 03:57 PM	#16 (permalink)
sticko Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: They don't call it the Bluff City for nothin' Posts: 424	paint de fence I have some folks make pedals for me, and these days I'm really into painting them myself. Most of them come in the plain aluminium case with sitckers or sharpie. Here's a copy of a Univox SuperFuzz I painted. You can't see on the photo but I also put a number 24 on it for Keith Lee. Blue and silver being Memphis State colors. So it's the Keith Lee fuzz.

June 29th, 2003, 08:17 PM	#17 (permalink)
Lance Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,157	I'll have to add my son! He has to do a seminar project for school (6th grade). It's one of those schools for the gifted so they do things a little different. Anyway, he decided he wants his seminar project to be starting an entreprenurial business building guitar effects. The point isn't really to make money although he won't complain if it takes off...but to learn about how businesses start up. We've been doing the business plan, balance sheet, market analysis, pricing analysis, etc...and now we're doing a couple of trial runs building effects (Rocket/Foxx Tone Machine)....before we move to the real effect that he'll sell - an Orange Squeezer compressor. Yesterday, we spent 2 hours laying out the Rocket...he learned why the controls go where they go (and that making a smilie face with the knobs and switch won't work) and how the placement of parts is critical. He also did a spreadsheet to do his part costing and ordering. He also plans on building a simple web site to display his wares. I think he'll try to sell it on Ebay at first to see what happens. Considering his dexterity with tools, I don't doubt that he'll build some first class stuff. Anyway, so far it's been a fun project to share with him.....maybe the next Keely or Z-Vexx is in the making? ;) L- __________________ Lance "not very good...but I make up for it by playing loud"

June 30th, 2003, 10:14 AM	#18 (permalink)
moosapotamus TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 10	Howdy, y'all! Hey! I never even knew a bout this forum 'till today. Cool! Here's some stuff that I built: http://www.moosapotamus.com/ ~ Charlie

June 30th, 2003, 01:00 PM	#19 (permalink)
11 Gauge Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The East Coast Posts: 2,828 10 Photos	boy, i thought i was hooked on this stuff... ...that's quite a gaggle of one-off or modded pedals. addicting, isn't it? nice stuff... i like the names too. hope you enjoy digging in here at this forum - i'm sure you'd have alot to add! -.011

July 1st, 2003, 05:04 PM	#21 (permalink)
Robbie W Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 248	Hey Charlie! I recognized your name from Aron's forum. Welcome aboard fellow solderhead!! Robbie Wallace (RGW on Aron's page) __________________ "Always do right- this will gratify some and astonish the rest." - Mark Twain

July 2nd, 2003, 08:40 AM	#22 (permalink)
moosapotamus TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 10	Howdy! Thanks, Robbie. ~ Charlie __________________ www.moosapotamus.com

July 2nd, 2003, 10:21 AM	#23 (permalink)
MJ Harnish Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hattingen, Germany Posts: 457	Some of those are really cool looking pedals. How'd you do the Wavy Gravy thing? Is that an iron-on tee-shirt decal or something else? On a related note, I've found a place that sells power-coated Hammond style boxes (1590B & BB) for decent prices... the only catch is they're located in Germany and the prices are in Euros so they're not so economical for non-EU people... __________________ MJ Harnish Suburbs: Where they cut down all the trees and then name the streets after them.

July 2nd, 2003, 02:40 PM	#24 (permalink)
moosapotamus TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 10	Thanks. Yeah, it's the kind of iron-on stuff that's especially made for dark colored fabric. But, it works great on diecast aluminum, IMO. There's a link to one supplier on my Squelchy Squarefuzz page. I usually pick it up at Stapples office supply, tho. ~ Charlie __________________ www.moosapotamus.com

July 2nd, 2003, 03:10 PM	#25 (permalink)
MJ Harnish Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hattingen, Germany Posts: 457	Cool; I've got some stuff hanging around I may give a try if I get in a creative mood. Most of the time I really hate "decorating" boxes; 90% of my stuff gets labelled with a Sharpie with a couple coats of clear-coat over it. Now that I've found someone that powder coats boxes I won't even have to bother with the painting. __________________ MJ Harnish Suburbs: Where they cut down all the trees and then name the streets after them.

July 6th, 2003, 08:49 PM	#26 (permalink)
alabubba Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Alabama Age: 56 Posts: 123	Well I guess I now qualify to be in the ranks of the pedal "mod" squad. I replaced the stomp switch on the first pedal I ever bought, a script logo MXR Phase 100 that I bought in the 1975 time frame. I went to a Carling 316PP wired for true bypass. The first time I hooked it up it worked but had a nasty pop when I engaged the effect, also there was crackling when I switched it between the different phasing options, so I used the alternate wiring method that I found posted on the net (I think it was at Geo) and it works like a dream, no noise at all ever. After reading this post, and reading some of the articles at Geo and some of the other effect builder's web sites, I'm going to try my hand at building a pedal next. Seems like a great way to pass a slow evening!