"Build Your Own Clone" Analog Chorus (Boss CE-2 clone)

[JPKmusicman]

After only building amps I'm curious to how much I like doing effects. We'll see. It's basically a Boss CE-2 clone. I'll post results. Just got the kit in the mail. I measured the bare cast aluminum enclosure and then ordered some green 3M automotive wrap from Amazon. $4.71 for qty (3) 3x5" samples shipped. Not the original CE-2 color but I like the green. Not sure how I'll do lettering. Maybe just some vinyl white or black letters you can buy online (for Rate and Depth). If I like this project I might do a Stew Mac Ghost overdrive (a Klon Centaur clone).


Pedal:
https://buildyourownclone.com/collections/modulation/products/analog-chorus


Green 3M wrap:
Amazon

 

[Gaylord Amsterdam]

This would be an awesome thing to build, I have a love hate relationship with chorus and to be able to customize would be great, I really like a slow, slow rate so it does not warble kind of like a detune. Sounds fun!

 

[WalthamMoosical]

I have that one, and it's one of my favorites of the dozen or so BYOC kits I have built.

I really like a slow, slow rate

Mine goes down to about 0.3 Hz stock--slow enough?

Be sure to stop by their forum and show them how it turned out!

 

[JPKmusicman]

Parts counted and sorted. I checked all resistors with my Fluke, then marked the values on the tape ends. They didn't miss anything. Now I just gotta pick a day to start it.

 

[JPKmusicman]

My first observation is how tight the space is for soldering. I just hope I don't have any solder bridges when I get done. Also I'm being really careful with how much time I'm applying heat (tip temp control is set to 625F). I looked at the BYOC soldering video and he applied heat for 5 seconds, applied solder, 3 more seconds and he removed heat. So I'm making sure I use that same time period. So far so good. It's really easy to burn a trace on these boards. Very fragile. I just finished two amplifiers so my soldering is pretty good right now. Just not with little circuit boards.

 

[JPKmusicman]

The board is almost done. Just have to solder in the electrolytic caps but continuing tomorrow. I found that a bench vise works really well to hold the board while soldering. You can angle it any way you want. I did get the hang of the tight soldering and made no screw ups. As I mentioned, I found that video they made to be very useful. I actually timed his application of heat and then counted the same seconds while I did each one. Totally perfect solder joints. I have very little circuit board soldering experience but guitar amps, a lot (turret board and point to point). This was good experience for my board level soldering.

 

[JuneauMike]

Here's an essential piece of kit for pedal building. You can find them at most hardware stores and various sundry shops (Walmart, maybe?)

 

[JPKmusicman]

Yeah I saw that in another thread. Looks very very handy. I just used this magnifying glass and a light when I needed a magnified view. If I did more of this I'd probably get the jewelers one.

 

[JPKmusicman]

So I got the board completely done but I want to wait for my green wrap to arrive so I can do that before I finish the final assembly. As it sits all I have to do is loosen the two nuts and remove the board from the enclosure to wrap it.

 

[Greg70]

Nice build and thread. I built an amp last year and loved it but don't have the funds for another one. I might try a pedal next.

 

[jman72]

Very nice! I built one of these last year and it really was a tight fit to get everything on the board!

 

[JPKmusicman]

Nice build and thread. I built an amp last year and loved it but don't have the funds for another one. I might try a pedal next.

Same here. I built two amps between September and December and they aren't cheap. Decided a few pedal projects would be fun.

 

[JPKmusicman]

Very nice! I built one of these last year and it really was a tight fit to get everything on the board!

View attachment 1079234
View attachment 1079235

That looks great. How did you do the graphics for it?

 

[jman72]

That looks great. How did you do the graphics for it?

Thanks! I used the free program paint.net to layout the text/graphic and printed it out on a sheet of transparent adhesive label material. I painted the enclosure first, applied the graphic, and then applied several coats of clear enamel over the entire thing. It's held up pretty well and still looks good.

 

[JPKmusicman]

Well I got it done yesterday. The wrap was a total success. Felt like I was in my grade school arts & crafts class. It's very easy with a sharp exacto blade. Took maybe 15 minutes to cover and I'm slow. If I were knitpicky (I totally am), the corners show some imperfections and you can see overlap, but from the distance I will be looking at it, you can't see any of that. The problem is I don't have enough effect. Adjusted the bias pot to where it gets the effect but it's not enough with my intensity turned all the way up. My bias pot is at the same position that the guy posted in this thread. Sent BYOC an email, hope they have some way to raise the effect intensity.

Edit: Never mind, I went on the BYOC forum and saw another person's build and noticed I left out a 56k resistor (instructions are confusing about this resistor, watch out if you're building one). Now it has a lush full chorus sound. Really impressed by the sound quality of this pedal. I also noticed jman72's pedal picture does not have this resistor on the top of the board because his shows REV 3.0 printed on it. The 56k goes in a different spot on the bottom of his version of board. Mine is REV 3.1 so it goes on top. Man am I glad I figured it out. I'm amazed it worked at all without this resistor.

I'll post a sound clip later.

 

[JPKmusicman]

I recorded some sound clips but my "new" phone was altering the mic sound level due to the chorus pulsing effect and it totally ruined the sound quality. So I can't post any clips until I figure out how to shut off whatever the app is doing to my mic recording level. Tried Pro Video settings and adjusting dB but that didn't help. Wish I never sold my Shure SM-57, preamp, and shorty mic stand.

 

[JPKmusicman]

These are the vinyl graphics proofs. There is intentional mis-spelling fun to match the "Klon Klone" that I'm making next. They will likely be sitting next to another when I'm using them. Should be fun.

 

[JPKmusicman]

This project is officially done. Final pics. I had to make a decision whether to put the input and output on top but I went with the less busy design. I like it simple.