dallas rangemaster build

[loopfinding]

nowadays i mostly mess with ne5532 (completely clean) boosts with a bass cut. just gives me less noise and more of the amp/less color on the guitar. i have a paralleled ne5532 treble booster design in the works for myself (~5-10x gain, better s/n ratio) but still haven't gotten around to building it up.

BUT a spare ac128 in a kicks and giggles rangemaster build, with an SG through my 5E3 after months of messing around with TS or klons is what turned me on to this. despite amp difference, it was like instant iommi sound, if not just "the sound."

between a treble booster and FF, i can get almost anything i want dirt-wise out of my amp and guitar controls. and both so dead simple and cheap. less is more.

congrats on your discovery.

 

[drmordo]

It's worth pointing out that there are Si transistor based treble boosters as well. I built a Brian May Treble Booster many years ago and that thing is also a blast to play thru. I need to find it and try it with my Supro Black Magick.

It may also be worth pointing out that any booster can be tuned by changing the input and output capacitors. They control where the freq boost lives, so you could make a Rangemaster into a full range boost and a SHO into a treble booster by tweaking those values.

 

[6stringcowboy]

It's worth pointing out that there are Si transistor based treble boosters as well. I built a Brian May Treble Booster many years ago and that thing is also a blast to play thru. I need to find it and try it with my Supro Black Magick.

It may also be worth pointing out that any booster can be tuned by changing the input and output capacitors. They control where the freq boost lives, so you could make a Rangemaster into a full range boost and a SHO into a treble booster by tweaking those values.

The Aion clone i built has a 3 position switch to select boost frequency range.

 

[loopfinding]

It's worth pointing out that there are Si transistor based treble boosters as well. I built a Brian May Treble Booster many years ago and that thing is also a blast to play thru. I need to find it and try it with my Supro Black Magick.

It may also be worth pointing out that any booster can be tuned by changing the input and output capacitors. They control where the freq boost lives, so you could make a Rangemaster into a full range boost and a SHO into a treble booster by tweaking those values.

for sure, my TS clone had the "hot" mode (larger bass cap and softer clipping with LEDs) of the ts9dx. i changed the bass cap to rangemaster-y zone of cutoff freq and it's essentially an opamp treble booster in that mode with the treble at unity-ish and the lighter clipping.

 

[zippofan]

It's worth pointing out that there are Si transistor based treble boosters as well. I built a Brian May Treble Booster many years ago and that thing is also a blast to play thru. I need to find it and try it with my Supro Black Magick.

It may also be worth pointing out that any booster can be tuned by changing the input and output capacitors. They control where the freq boost lives, so you could make a Rangemaster into a full range boost and a SHO into a treble booster by tweaking those values.

Oh heck yeah, I've made a couple "Naga Viper" clones, Si versions of Rangemasters with variable input cap and a gain (heat) control. One has a NOS Mil 2N2222A, another a funky old RCA transistor that was in my parts bin since the early 80's, both around 100hFE, they sound awesome too.

 

[drmordo]

...another a funky old RCA transistor that was in my parts bin since the early 80's...

i can relate! ~15 years ago I bought a ziploc bag of random Ge transistors, and whenever I build a Ge based circuit I socket the transistor and swap them all in until I find the one I like the most. Few of them are marked and none of them are the 'classic' fuzz Ge transistors.

 

[fraser]

Olexifry,
oddly enough i have the same tin...

i think i was going to house something in it, but never did.
it just holds drill bits...

 

[fraser]

between a treble booster and FF, i can get almost anything i want dirt-wise out of my amp and guitar controls. and both so dead simple and cheap. less is more.

congrats on your discovery.

same here..
for years now, its either a rangemaster or fuzzface into a champ or similar amp. Fills my needs well.

ive recently built an mxr dist+, might try that for a bit, im kind of afraid to box things up these days, ive got a pile of boxed up stuff i never use already...

as most have said, a variable cap on a rangemaster is a great feature, mine have either a switch or a pot to swing between caps.
as a strat/tele into fender amp user, i prefer a more pronounced mid boost.

i read some posts somewhere where ppl claim rory gallaghers rangemaster was modded, different resistor values in places i think.
no idea where that info originates, but those that tried it say it adds a more vocal honk, ill have to try it one day.

 

[owlexifry]

what is the device on your multimeter that is measuring the transisitor?

it's an adaptor specifically for measuring transistors and diodes (it came with the multimeter and tbh i didn't really know what it was until i needed to use it)

Yes, it's sad to think most guitarists have never experienced the awesomeness of a treble booster into a old tube amp.

it's interesting to ponder, because it's not really something you can just buy off the shelf at your local, and i had never experienced 'that tone' until i built the RM.

It's worth pointing out that there are Si transistor based treble boosters as well. I built a Brian May Treble Booster many years ago and that thing is also a blast to play thru. I need to find it and try it with my Supro Black Magick.

It may also be worth pointing out that any booster can be tuned by changing the input and output capacitors. They control where the freq boost lives, so you could make a Rangemaster into a full range boost and a SHO into a treble booster by tweaking those values.

hell yes. the brian may treble booster is another one im keen to do... (and maybe a Deacy transistor amp if i get very bored and run out of projects)

nowadays i mostly mess with ne5532 (completely clean) boosts with a bass cut. just gives me less noise and more of the amp/less color on the guitar. i have a paralleled ne5532 treble booster design in the works for myself (~5-10x gain, better s/n ratio) but still haven't gotten around to building it up.

BUT a spare ac128 in a kicks and giggles rangemaster build, with an SG through my 5E3 after months of messing around with TS or klons is what turned me on to this. despite amp difference, it was like instant iommi sound, if not just "the sound."

between a treble booster and FF, i can get almost anything i want dirt-wise out of my amp and guitar controls. and both so dead simple and cheap. less is more.

congrats on your discovery.

sometimes the simpler circuits are the most fascinating....
NE5532 treble booster sounds like a great idea.. would be keen to see your design.

Olexifry,
oddly enough i have the same tin...

View attachment 940911

i think i was going to house something in it, but never did.
it just holds drill bits...

hahah that's rad! - maybe its time to install a circuit in this tin...

im kind of afraid to box things up these days, ive got a pile of boxed up stuff i never use already...

i've literally been using small cardboard boxes to put circuits in (where it's not worth using a quality metal one, or i just haven't got my sh*t together for it yet), so they can actually be useable/testable without ripping leads off boards etc.

 

[WelhavenTW]

I have a Analogman Beano Boost, but I’m not using it very much. Going to save it for the next studio session.

 

[ping-ping-clicka]

hadn’t actually ever tried an effect unit that runs germanium transistors before.
i had to do something about this.
not really into fuzz pedals, so i thought a treble booster could be cool.
so i had a go at this one.

ordered a couple NOS transistors online, this store claiming that apparently XA112 is equivalent to the OC44 in the original design.
View attachment 940337

parts arrived.
x1 tested at 93 hfe, the other, 218hfe.

View attachment 940339

following this layout:

View attachment 940338

built it today, tested it, played it, and wow, i understand so many things now….

View attachment 940340

View attachment 940341

View attachment 940342

initially tried it through a 2203/jcm800 clone thing. nope.

then i plugged it into a ‘BWM Chimp’, (basically a 5w fender champ, w/ pre, tone, and master controls)
- speaker out into a fryette powerstation, then into a 4x12 mesa cab

result:
- holy mother of god.
- i get it now.
- this is the tone.

i never really enjoyed the tone of the ‘wooly’ champ-style amp that i’ve got. even with all the overdrive pedals i’ve tried through it, it never really sang.

but the rangemaster just hits it right.

- beautiful rich harmonic overdrive on a hot bridge pickup (humbucker).
- both neck and bridge clean up really well with the volume controls like never before - allows real precise control over the breakup.
- big 60s and 70s tones. love it.

just need to put it in an enclosure now

As stated before I am out lawed from even being in a building with a soldering iron, this includes all power tools with the exception of a Cuisinart and and a ninja blended, this being the law, I purchased a 4 knob TC Electronic Spark pedal booster. I does the job soooo well.

 

[drmordo]

hell yes. the brian may treble booster is another one im keen to do... (and maybe a Deacy transistor amp if i get very bored and run out of projects)

I have the Vox VBM1 amp they released 15 years that sounds like the Deacy - it is pretty obnoxious and really only does one thing, but it's a fun thing.

 

[owlexifry]

I have the Vox VBM1 amp they released 15 years that sounds like the Deacy - it is pretty obnoxious and really only does one thing, but it's a fun thing.

possibly obnoxious..
kinda funny that vox actually did one. (i didn’t know that)

well, i just got sucked in after hearing a clip from someone that built one (following a vero layout), and started ordering parts..

check this out:

 

[drmordo]

possibly obnoxious..
kinda funny that vox actually did one. (i didn’t know that)

well, i just got sucked in after hearing a clip from someone that built one (following a vero layout), and started ordering parts..

check this out:

Something to note is that the original Deacy was built from a HiFi speaker and amp, so it's aggressively bright for a guitar amp.

This demo of the VBM1 show what I mean. For the first 10 minutes, he demos the VBM1's speaker, then he switches the running the booster thru his AC30 at 10 mins and you can hear the difference.



So you can definitely use different speakers to get different tones from the Deacy. In that demo you posted, it sounds to me like he is using a standard guitar speaker rather than a HiFi speaker. It sounds great, but not as nasty and bright as my amp.

 

[ping-ping-clicka]

I had about about the Dallas range master so here it is
It is, of course, ironic that Clapton’s Marshall amp was originally based on Leo Fender’s 5F6A Bassman and that the Rangemaster added a bit of a Strat-like sting to a Les Paul. But the sound was not pure Strat, and several players use one with a Fender. The Rangemaster could deliver a tone alive with harmonics, fat rather than thin, silky smooth rather than bristling.

The Treble Booster was at its best with an amp already slightly overdriven, ramping the sound to the verge of feedback. You could retain solid low-end, but also reliably push the high-end’s gain.

Les Paul-meets-Marshall was not the only combo where the Rangemaster excelled. Other customers used the effect with a range of guitars and amps; on the honor roll are Jimmy Page, Marc Bolan, Ritchie Blackmore, Rory Gallagher, Tony Iommi, Brian May, and their assorted setups including Strats, SGs, and May’s home-built Red Special, along with various AC30s, Oranges, and Hiwatts.

dallas rangemaster build

nowadays i mostly mess with ne5532 (completely clean) boosts with a bass cut. just gives me less noise and more of the amp/less color on the guitar. i have a paralleled ne5532 treble booster design in the works for myself (~5-10x gain, better s/n ratio) but still haven't gotten around to...

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