Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Hi all! So, I got my Divided Octave together (my 15th BYOC pedal - I have an addiction) and it is not working. There is an octave drop but it is not as loud as I'd expect and it warbles - like it is fading in and out. It is not a smooth ring when I pluck the string.

Here's what I got:

Bypass works
LEDs illuminate when on
It appears the Stabilize and Ringer work as there are definite changes to the sound
Tone appears to work
Aux output works but sounds bypassed when the pedal is engaged. There is no description of what this is so this may be function properly, I do not know.
Bass Only switch works but warbles as described above
On/Bypass switch works but with the issue stated above

Here's what I've done:

Reflow solder. My joints looked solid, i thought, but just in case...
Pulled and reseated all IC's
Verified that all diodes correct and oriented properly
Verified all electrolytic capacitors are correct and oriented properly
Verified all transistors are correct and oriented properly
All resisters should be correct as I am colorblind and use a MM before I seat and solder each one.

Anything I missed? All suggestions are welcome! Pictures to follow below...

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-Jamie

Pics - when I posted, the first two were rotated. They are "upright" on my phone.

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-Jamie

It might be working as intended. The effect is not a smooth octave effect, and 'tracking' is sort of all over the place. Try to hit it with some humbuckers or put a boost in front of the pedal to see if there is a change.

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The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

OK. My test was '73 Telecaster Custom > Divided Octave > amp. I usually test my pedals solo first. I'll add it into my effects chain tonight and hit it with my Strat with humbuckers and a boost pedal.

It did not sound like this video which sounds awesome:
https://youtu.be/K2EZ9vuKNyU

_________________
-Jamie

OK. So, tested it with the Strat with humbuckers (no boost) and yeah, it sounded about what I expected from the video I shared above. I think I am good. 21st Century Schizoid Man sounded awesome as I just play the notes and not power chords (just the way I learned it back in the day). With a little bit of distortion you can't really hear the modulation as I described above.

I will say that there is a lot of modulation when it's bass only if you let the note ring but I like it. It's what we used to refer to as "singing robots." I wouldn't use the bass only much so using it in this capacity is kinda cool. I don't know if that is how it is supposed to work as I never owned an Octave Divider.

Oh, and for my clarification, the Aux output is just a clean output, correct? That's how it sounds to me though I only plugged in briefly and didn't play much.

_________________
-Jamie

It takes some getting used to, but it's a pretty sweet octave effect once you figure out its strengths and weaknesses. I like to run the FET PreAmp into it and use it to make a sort of faux bass using a guitar. The AUX is just a buffered output, yeah.

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

OK. So, my wife has been sick and I haven't really been able to blow it out until today. Here's my findings. I'm using my Strat which has humbuckers (and coil tapping, but for this I'm using humbuckers). I have it after my Electro-Harmonix Soul Food JHS mod which I use as my pre boost (drive at 9 o'clock and vol, treble, and bass at 1). With The Chancellor and the Silver Pony it sounds pretty dang good (gain at about 3 o'clock, guitar vol at 8 ). Still some modulation but with the fuzz it's ok. The Chancellor I think sounds the best. With both the ESV Ge and the ESV BC108, it is so modulated it's unusable for anything other than cool noise. I can't get the Bass Only to play anything resembling bass because of the crazy modulation. I like it but no practical use. Just fun noise.

_________________
-Jamie

When you say modulation, do you mean the lower octave cuts in and out?

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

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

No, it’s like the pitch changes - multiple pitches. Sounds very electronic. Singing robots...

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-Jamie

I've recorded a couple of short clips on my iPhone as mp3s. Doesn't look like I can upload them. If I can figure out a way to post so you can hear what I am describing, I will do so.

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-Jamie

Are they in the Voice Memos app? If so, and you have Dropbox or Google Drive installed, you can upload them directly.

1. Tap the ellipsis (…)
2. Tap "Share…"
3. Choose the appropriate service
4. Set the folder or location to upload.

_________________
Scott

My band, Austin Hollow

Here are the samples I recorded on my iPhone. The bass_only mp3 is the bass only button. I'm playing a Strat with Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (not coil tapping) turned all the way up. The effect_esv_ge mp3 is just the effect (ringer and stabilize off) through the ESV Ge Fuzz.

Hoping you can open these to play. It was a little weird but I finally got the links to play. Let me know if you have issues.

bass_only.mp3...
https://drive.google.com/open?id=138WPb ... ua4w48e19m

effect_esv_ge.mp3...
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nOMQ9 ... 1THBDwvXZO

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-Jamie

Your germanium diodes are in backwards. The diodes with the white dot are misleading. The dot is actually the anode, not the cathode.

Sorry for the confusion. The instructions were updated to mention this, but it appears the link reverted back to the previous version. We're fixing that now.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

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

Ah, ok. Is there any issue with me just flipping them or will I need to replace them? Did putting them in wrong damage them?

And I am assuming you have that backwards (dot is the cathode side not anode) as I have the dot in the positive (square) solder pad.

_________________
-Jamie

Be careful with the removal, and you can reuse them just fine. If you end up breaking one or anything, send an email to sales@buildyourownclone.com and we'll take care of you.

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The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

Well, I got the diodes unsoldered but I lost the solder pads to one of them: both + and - and on both sides. I'm guessing I'm screwed. I tried just soldering the posts but it doesn't stick.

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-Jamie

No, not at all. You just need to examine the points where the PCB traces for that diode are connected, then push the diode ends through the eyelets and run jumper wires between them and the next connection points. You may want to take Nick up on his offer for a new diode, though, because this will be easier with full leads on the diode.

Which diode did you lose the pads for?

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

The guy in the yellow box...

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-Jamie

OK. So, I managed to solder the anode post to the board. In the pic I've included (it's the orginal, not a new pic with the missing pads), I get continuity from the yellow square to the 3 red circles which tells me I have a solid connection to the board.

I don't see any leads on either side of the PCB going to the cathode (the blue circle). Does it not conntect to a lead or am I missing something?

_________________
-Jamie

Yes, those 4 eyelets are connected, so you appear to be set on that bottom diode eyelet connection. The top eyelet just connects to ground, so you can solder the upper leg of the diode to the ground point of your choice.

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

If I'm reading the schematic right (and I may not be), can I just jumper the diode lug to the 180k resister beside it as marked in the pic?

_________________
-Jamie

Yep, that looks right. I would still just confirm continuity to ground from that resistor solder joint to be sure.

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Gotcha. Will do. Thanks for all the help. I'm at work now but report back this evening with the results. Plus, of course, I popped a wire trying to do all this so I gotta replace that, too.

_________________
-Jamie

Just confirmed on my own Divided Octave that the top of that 180K resistor is grounded.

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Excellent! Thanks again for all of your help - and everyone on the board! I should be up and running tonight.

_________________
-Jamie