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So I have a 12 position rotary switch I'm going to use to add stock 808 and Landgraff clipping stages, that's 4 stages (including lift) leaving me 8 to mess around with. Open to suggestions on diode types and configurations for those.

Thanks

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Repeat the same configs but with different diodes. There are germanium diodes like the 1N34A. There are power diodes like th 1N4001 or 1N4002. LED's are diodes too....some even say that different colors will give you different tones. You can stack about 5 diodes in series on one side and it will start to give you a faint octave effect if you're playing around the 12th fret. endless possibilities.

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Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Cool - thanks, have been stocking up on diodes in preparation for this mod so I think I have all the ones you name above.

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That's a really cool idea. Could draw up a diagram for us Lame-o's?

Thanks
Geek

It's the same idea as the tone stack on the Beavis Audio page (which I will also be adding):

Tone Stack Diagram

Instead of using the DPDT on/on/on switch shown in the Landgraff mod, I'm using a rotary switch with the pole going to one side of one of the diode positions on the board, then the sum of all the added diode stages going to the other side.

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Thanks! Don't ya love Dan-o? He's the shite!

Yessir - so glad I found that site! Plan on incorporating some of his other mods and housing in a larger enclosure this weekend.

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Don't forget to try FETs as diodes. Gate+source connected in one direction, drain in the other.

+ A small cap in parallel with any clipping stage will make the distortion a little softer.

K

What value range is good for the cap?

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In the p's. Try 100pF and upwards. Larger values will cut more high end.

K

Ahh - okay, I see this concept in the Shaka Brada overdrive. Looks like that one uses the IRF250 and BS170, thanks again for the tip!

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What about putting a 100pF cap on a switch so that I can turn it on or off on each clipping stage?

So I guess on my rotary switch - I could solder a jumper from the throw lugs to a SPDT switch with the cap on one throw of that switch, running back to the summed clipping stages. If that makes sense. I'm not sure it does to me.

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Sounds just right. Or, if you audition each clipping stage before you commit, you'll know which ones need a small cap in parallel to soften them a little, and you can just add them two that lug. Or, use a SPDT on-off-on, and use two different cap values for variation.

If you look at the tube screamer, there's already 51p cap in parallel with the clipping diodes in the feedback loop. You may lift this, and add the switch here.

K

Well - I finished wiring this up last night. On the first run, some of the clipping stages didn't work - due to various poor wiring jobs on my part. I gave the first switch such a workout that some of the lugs finally gave up and had to use the spare I ordered. Order backup parts is the moral to that story I guess.

Anyway - the lift (no clipping) JFet and MosFet stages didn't work out - next time I think I will perfboard them and have better luck along with a cleaner build.

The first time around - I also tried the 100pf cap in parallel with two of the stages. I didn't like the loss of high end (I play country mostly so....need TWANG!) and opted not to do the mini toggle to switch between 51pf and 100pf.

In the end - I ended up with a BYOC Screamer in a BB enclosure with the following mods:

1) Clipping rotary switch - 8 stages:
NOS Toshiba Diodes 1:1 - symmetrical
NOS Toshiba Diodes 1:2 - asymmetrical
1N914 diodes 2:2 - symmetrical
1N914 diodes 3:2 - asymmetrical
Germanium diodes 1:1 - symetrical
Germanium diodes 2:1 - asymmetrical
LED's 1:1 - symmetrical
LED's 2:1 - asymmetrical

2) Capacitor rotary switch for low frequency cut-off, 4 position
Stock .047uf
.1uf
.22uf
.47uf

3) 2k linear tone pot, as per some postings here

4) 1meg drive pot - as per the Landgraff

Initial impressions -

Well, it's a versatile beast to be sure, great little box for hearing/demonstrating the differences between diode types and symmetrical/asymmetrical clipping. I think I am pretty much an asymmetrical guy and may lose symmetrical clipping stages in future builds. The 1meg drive pot allows a lot more distortion to be had even on the asymmetrical stages, although it's a bit harder to fine tune the 'transparent', very mild overdrives I usually prefer. The Germanium stages get downright fuzzy, but still clean-up well and therefore seem to be the most versatile.

The capacitor rotary switch really lets you hear how much low-end you lose in the stock TS-808 circuit. Not that it's a bad thing, and probably very useful for people who need to clean up the low-end. I can see it being handy with certain guitars and amps, but for my stock rig - I will probably use the .47 and .22 settings the most.

The 2k tone pot is great and really helps solve the problem of the stock pot not having much effect until 3 o'clock or so.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the build, a couple 'learning experiences' (I drilled the guide-post holes for the pots on the wrong side, so my pots are all upside-down and work in reverse :-) but nothing that couldn't be overcome.

For the next build my goals are to:

1) Eliminate clipping stages I probalby won't use, adding JFET and MosFET stages
2) Adding a boost stage, either through an actual boost circuit, or a second, foot-switchable Level pot.

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OMG that is the best site EVER, y didn't I see it before....

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