Tube Screamer Clone Mod

[ted s]

Looking good DVM, but, uhm.. where is the Mojo dial ?

 

[duhvoodooman]

...where is the Mojo dial ?

Well, since there's a chance I might actually try to sell a few of these, I figured that the prototype should probably stick with the usual Level-Drive-Tone designations that people are familiar with on overdrive pedals. But fear not--the mojo is INSIDE!! R

 

[oldguy]

So...if you actually sell some of these things...
Can I get one with a low serial #, just in case?

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Well, since there's a chance I might actually try to sell a few of these, I figured that the prototype should probably stick with the usual Level-Drive-Tone designations that people are familiar with on overdrive pedals. But fear not--the mojo is INSIDE!! R

I think you'd sell more with a mojo dial, but what do I know?

 

[F_BSurfer]

Awesome looking pedal DVM and can't leave out great sounding If I didn't already have a modded boss Sd-1 I would be on board for one of these You do have me remodding though already changed tone pot out The boss had a 20k and flattin out between 10 and 1 excellent now with the 2K Now will do my homework and change the two position switch for the three and incorperate the Led Like you said op amp chip changes are kind of minor I have had RC4558P, RC4559P, JRC4558D and Burr Brown OPA2134PA the brown to me makes the pedal more transparent and adds clarity which to me benifits single coil pickup and the splitting of humbucker

 

[duhvoodooman]

Ta-da!!

All done after 3 coats of clear lacquer:

 

[Spudman]

That is too pretty to play. The first one should go in the display case. Awesome job. (toast to Voodoo)R

 

[oldguy]

Really nice, DVM! You definately have a talent for this, and your attention to detail shows. Kudos to DuhVoodooMan ! R

Hey, DVM, did you get my PMs ?

 

[Tone2TheBone]

That's awesome Voo!!!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

...............Very, very cool!!! R

 

[SuperSwede]

Very nice DVM, you obviously have talent for this! You will be the next George Fullerton, and anyone who buy your first pedal will become rich.
Btw, it would be SOOO cool if the led were blue for cool, green for normal & red for hot!

 

[warren0728]

very cool dvm! looks like you got a winner there!

ww

 

[Mark]

At desk writing check.......and who do I make this out to? Where shall I send this.........

 

[Robert]

Yes, you are a freak. A very smart and nice freak!

 

[Tone2TheBone]

View attachment 1008

So this is what you were talking about.

 

[duhvoodooman]

View attachment 1008

So this is what you were talking about.

Yup, that's the stuff! That tastes better, mine sounds better.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

OK, here are some clips I recorded using my "Zonkin' Yellow Screamer" modified TS-808 clone pedal. To summarize the mods I made, the main changes were threefold:

• Three switchable clipping diode arrays to change the character of the overdrive. In addition to the stock diode type (silicon), I also added germanium diodes (an early, soft-clipping type that gives a more subtle, smooth tone reminiscent of when a tube amplifier just starts "breaking up") and yellow LED's (a late, hard-clipping type that gives a more aggressive, chunkier distortion, often referred to as "Marshall-like" in its quality).
• Normal and high gain modes. Using two switchable resistors, the stock gain range or a "TS-on-steroids" range can be chosen. The latter has a maximum gain of almost five times the stock maximum. But it's also noticeably noisier, as you might expect.
• Three switchable bass rolloff values. The stock TS-808 was built such that the distortion rolled off sharply below 720Hz, and was a key reason why the Tube Screamer had a characteristic mid-range "hump" in its output. By using different capacitors, I've added the ability to extend the bass distortion range down to either ~340Hz or ~160Hz. These lower ranges, particularly the 160Hz, can get rather muddy sounding, especially with humbuckers, so you have to be careful with their use.

Below are posted three audio clips. All are recorded through the clean channel of my Peavey Delta Blues 30W tube amp, mic'ed into my PC's sound card and captured/edited with the Audacity program. Here's a brief description of each:

1. The first clip is a demonstration of the gain and bass rolloff selectable settings. The stock silicon clipping diode type is used throughout, so these clips should all have the characteristic Tube Screamer distortion character. Recorded using my Strat on the bridge/middle series pickup combo. Two riffs are played consecutively a total of seven times. Here are the ZYS settings for each:
   
   
   
   
   
   For the final two pairs of riffs, recorded at the higher gain range setting, I intentionally strummed and held a chord at the end to demonstrate the pedal's sustain.
2. The second clip shows the difference between the three clipping modes. Recorded using the same Strat setup as the first clip. Here, a single riff is played a total of seven times, with the following ZYS settings:
   
   
   
   
   
   The last set of three riffs at the higher gain range don't convey the gain impact as much as I would have liked, since I had to dial down the volume some to maintain domestic tranquility. With more volume, these really scream--trust me!
3. The last clip is another comparison of the three different clipping modes, but this time with a humbucker guitar, my Epi Elitist LP Standard, using the SD "Pearly Gates" bridge p'up. A familiar Who chord riff is played four times, with the following ZYS settings:
   
   
   
   
   
   The last of the four riffs, using the yellow LED diode array, captures Townshend's Marshall crunch pretty well, I think!

Here are the links to the three clips:

Clip #1

Clip #2

Clip #3
​

3 chips? This guy made clips of 11 chips!

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=239977

Time to make the Mega Zonker with a rotary chip selector that goes up to 11!

 

[duhvoodooman]

3 chips? This guy made clips of 11 chips!

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=239977

Time to make the Mega Zonker with a rotary chip selector that goes up to 11!

DOOD!! None of those clips I posted demo'ed different chips, i.e. IC's or "opamps" as they're often called. The point was to show the ZYS's switchable features--two gain ranges, three clipping modes, and three different bass cuts.

BUT FEAR NOT!! For lo, the ol' Voodoo Man has that one covered, too. R I made a couple of clips to demonstrate the differences (subtle though they are!) between 6 popular opamps, including 5 that the GearPage guy did plus one he didn't include. I posted it HERE at the BYOC forum back in early Feb.

Since that time, I've tried another chip I'd read good things about and currently have in my personal ZYS--the TI TLC2272. It's my favorite TS chip thusfar. More articulate than the JRC4558D but not sterile sounding, as the GearPage guy correctly describes the Burr Brown OPA2134PA. It's definitely possible to be too high fidelity is this application!

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

DOOD!! None of those clips I posted demo'ed different chips, i.e. IC's or "opamps" as they're often called. The point was to show the ZYS's switchable features--two gain ranges, three clipping modes, and three different bass cuts.

BUT FEAR NOT!! For lo, the ol' Voodoo Man has that one covered, too. R I made a couple of clips to demonstrate the differences (subtle though they are!) between 6 popular opamps, including 5 that the GearPage guy did plus one he didn't include. I posted it HERE at the BYOC forum back in early Feb.

VOOD! It just goes to show that when I say that I know nothing, I mean it!

Cool! I knew you'd have it covered. R

 

[Tone2TheBone]

After changing out a couple of the supplied op amps that came with my Zonkin' I found that I liked the stock JRC4558D and the Texas Instruments RC4558P the best. I should try the one you're talking about Voo.

 

[Iago]

ok ok.. how much are you asking for one of those??