Ph'King Wha?!
Possibly the most bespoke pedal ever. It's doing some odd stuff, but it's for a very specific installation for regular 4000 mile Phil.
So in the middle of this thing is a DGM3 muff and a Klone, one of them is always on and they're switched externally by a switch box of some description (hence the relay switching from Jason). There's also a momentary switch on the back to test that should you not have that plugged in. Next there's a cocked-wah, with two settings selectable on the centre stomp. They can be pre-set with the trimmers internally. Finally there's Jason's rather marvellous and borderline silent boost. The switch again internal to select flat/treble boost/mid boost. That works somewhat traditionally.
It's a mess of wires inside, but there's a lot going on...
The Gilmourizer III
It's been a long time coming! Parts of this have been built for well over 12 months, maybe longer... We've been slack. In here is a 280kg Gorilla Compressor (DOD280 clone from Jason), into a DGM3 muff, into a noise gate, into EP Boost from Fuzzdog into a Deux Profundis delay. The switches are to turn the effects on and off for setup, but they're all designed to be set up as a single effect, hence the single stomp.
Karma Gear
A multi containing a Yorkshire Echo (Deux Profundis), a Fuzzdog Phase 90 clone and a Grind Tenebrion reverb.
Double Tom
Tom's mini-multi. Tighter than expected, it's got an Enchanter (Timmy-ish) and a Guvnor clone (Fuzzdog PCB).
Dirty Boomerang
Another multi for Phil (a man of many multi's). A Boomerang cocked wah into a 71' Triangle muff into a K200B distortion.
Very interesting effect this, plus one of my favourite decals to date.
EchoVibe
A multi for Phil. A Yorkshire Echo (Deux Profundis) into a bit of an experiment, a switchable 2/4 stage ROG Tri-Vibe built on a pair of Fuzzdog PCBs
Guvnor Tim
A multi for Dan. A Grind Catch-22 into a Fuzzdog Guvnor clone.
Holographic Principle
Another multi for Phil. A Demo Tape Fuzz into a Philosopher's Tone (built on a TH Customs PCB).
Obsessive Tone Master
A couple of Matt's pedals re-housed. Which is something I don't normally do, especially a commercial one in there, hence I have no problem sticking an OCD logo on the front.
Anyhow, another green wire special! Signal goes into a Fender tone pot, then a Range Master clone (Mullard-tastic!) into the OCD. He does the BFG thing of running the tone really low, then pulling it back with the treble booster then into the OCD for the distortion. But all in one box and on one stomp.
NIB
A Bass multi for 4000mile Phil. Unusual for us as we haven't made many bass pedals.
The signal first hits a Grind Fluff Girl (mildly modded EHX Bass Balls), then into a LectricFX Zirconia (Diamond comp fettled for bass), coming up the rear is Big Omar (our booster).
Works really well, great for getting your Sabbath on.
Jumbomar
I really liked the decal so shuffled some effects to build this one. It's got my old Jumbo Tonebender from the Kitteh Canon in there (the kitten has the ICBM back in there again), and a Big Omar.
Vault Boy 2
A second Multi-Fuzz for Jack (MBB of TFB). Only two effects this time, a 76 Jumbo Tonebender and an UglyFace+LFO (Machete).
Gary Moore in a Box
Gary Moore in a Box was the idea. Marshall Guvnor clone on a Fuzzdog PCB, into a 1776 Rub-a-Dub Reverb into our own Big Omar. Sounds huge and sustains forever. 2nd pedal this week for 4000mile Phil.
MkJack Multi
A multi for MkJackery of The Fretboard forum. The decal he designed himself and it looks rather awesome.
Inside there's Cleggy's original Tusk proto, a Madbean FatPants boost and a TSM680 mk2. Marvellous.
Blue Girl
Martin of MJW Amplification's second multi. It only dawned on me when I'd nearly finished building this that this is actually a Hashishian Mk2. Different phaser and fuzz, but the same collection of effects with the same goals. If anything they work better than the original did.
Under the skin there's a '76 Jumbo Tonebender fuzz on a 1776 Effects PCB, into a Madbean Zero Point Double Delay (this and the reverb were Martins old single pedals), then to a MXR Script Phase 90 clone built on a Fuzzdog PCB, finally throuh a 1776 Rub-a-Dub Reverb.
Echorus
Stomptown's Small Clone clone and Madbean's Deathclaw delay combined in this multi. I really should clean up the boards a little. I really hate black PCBs for that.
Vault Boy
Multi-Fuzz for Jack (MBB of TFB). 76 Jumbo Tonebender and Ultrastoner MkII this time with an UglyFace+LFO (Machete) on the front for bringing the madness.
JTB built on a 1776 Sucker Punch, Utrastonerage and Machete brought to you by Grind Customs
C&H Fuzzball
Multi-Fuzz for Paul (TPD of TFB). 76 Jumbo Tonebender and Ultrastoner MkII with a SHO on the back for Boosting to face melting levels.
JTB built on a 1776 Sucker Punch, Utrastonerage and SuperFET brought to you by Grind Customs
Dream Team
Jubal's Nailgun and Fuzzdog's Warpig. Bringing Brian and Tony's toanz with probably the least appropriate decal ever.
Tight Metal
Chuckbuick's SMD layout made through hole by Kunfuz. Obviously Iron Man brings the rock and War Machine brings the metal.
BriTon Bender
4000mile Phil's new multi. A Fuzzdog Figaro and Warpig with a 1776 Sucker Punch built to 76 TB specs. Smashing!
Tremorus
Wordy's Trem'n'Chorus. A modded Shoot The Moon II into a CE-2 clone. Waaaaay tighter than I expected... But it's in there, looks good and sounds cool.
Red Lady
Martin's dirty red lady. I really do like this one. It's a couple of re-houses of some old stand-alone effects along with one new.
Effects are a Guv'nor and BB Pre on Fuzzdog PCBs and a Timmy on vero. All connected together with TH Custom Uber Switches providing radio button selection.
The Full Monty
A commision for Matt's mate Richard. Decal and labelling was at his request ;) Just saying...
It's another Klonpressor + Boost, just this time the boost is a SHO as he wasn't keen on a EP/Fatpants.
Double Dragon
Sods Law in full effect on this build. It was built before boxing so required some degree of estimation as to where the pots would be and then where to drill the hole in the box when it was decided it was indeed worth boxing.
The first thing I did was wire every single pot backwards, which was annoying, so I reversed all those. It all looked good when fitting after drilling, but I'd managed to break one of the switches off, which had of course, torn the pads from the board. So with all that intact underneath, I ninja'd in some repairs and got the switch back in. Next Cleggy screwed up the Envirotex mix. First time in about 3 years or more. So that had to be stripped off, the decal off, it all cleaned up, re-decaled and re-Envirotex'd. Smashing. Fit the board, drops straight in, then I look and see that the jack holes are along side the bottom of the PCB. That didn't even occur to me when drilling that I'd need to fit them low. So two grommets, two holes in the back, some shielded cable and we're finally rocking.
So a difficult birth for this one then and a strong case of TFFT now it's done. The board is Brejna's Dual Tight Dragon, itself a take on JOK3RX's Dragon Armour which is a clone of the Amptweaker Tight Metal. Or in this case a hybrid Tight Metal / Tight Rock combo with knobs on, and it's great! Thankfully...
5150
A mini-multi! I was thinking this might be tight when I decided to put it into a Camden Boss small box (they're shorter and more shallow than a 1590B, fractionally wider though), well tight is an understatement. The gutshot is genuinely as far as you can open the box and when it's together there is no wiggle room at all in anything. Not a sausage.
In there is a Grind Customs Octane (formally Inline8), a very 80's sounding distortion, with a Script Phase 90 clone. The I8 is actually my old 1590A rehoused and the P90 is one of Pickdroppers 1590A boards also.
The Kitteh Cannon
I decided to make a multimuff (I was so tempted to put LeeLoo Dallas on it as all I can hear in my head is Moooltimuff). Anyhow, it's not got that, it's The Kitteh Cannon. A weapon loaded with some of the angriest muffs out there.
In here is an Ultrastoner MkII, the ultimate muff of stoner goodness, a TSM680 MkII, the ultimate muff of undiscovered awesomeness and an ICBM, because quite frankly, anything less would have sounded a little weak next to those two. They're all hooked together using Thomas' Ultimate Switch.
Update: The ICBM has come out of this (it'll end up in something else), in it's place is the Jumbo Tonebender/B&M Fuzz Unit clone. I'd made a couple of these for me and they ended up getting snagged, so I decided to make one I couldn't sell ;) Hence it's ended up with my other two favourite muffs. Really works well in there too!
The Gilmourizer II
I loved the Gilmourizer I made for Phil so immediately started making plans for a Mk2 version for me. This is in a much bigger box this time and to save repeating myself, I'll just concentrate on the differences.
The DGM3 muff is built on a Grind Customs Ultrastoner board. It's our stab at a Gilmour flavoured muff. It sustains forever and is built for solos. The boost is slightly different in that it's Madbean Fatpants mk1 (many thanks to Cooder for that) as he's discontinued the 2013 board. Then there's the effect that was missing from the Mk1 Gilmourizer due to a cronic lack of space; a CE-2 clone (Madbean Pork Barrel). Gotta have it.
Finally we have used Madbean's magnificent ZeroPoint Double Delay. There's been a bit of tweakery here though. We've taken out the passive filtering and grafted in the active 'analogue' filter from the ZeroPoint Super Deluxe. To do this, knock the this together on vero.
To add it: Jumper R22. Omit C21. Connect filter in place of C20 (in goes on the pad connected to the ghost switch, out goes to the pad that goes to R22 and pin3 of mix). This also disables Path so all repeats are filtered rather than having an unfiltered first repeat. If you want path on, connect the filter in place of R22. Power and ground to the filter board come from the spare pads at the top of the ZPDD.
The Gilmourizer
Another multi for Phil, the idea this time being Gilmour in a box.
In there is a Grind Customs Rotten Komp, into a Iron Bell clone on a Spin Cycle FX PCB, the output of that goes through a noise gate fabbed by Haberdasher, then we're on to a Madbean Fatpants booster and finally a Madean ZeroPoint Mini Delay.
As per the brief this really does do Gilmour in a box. There are a couple of pre-sets on the Iron Bell that give approximations of certain eras to make it easy to dial in too.
Despite the ballache putting this together was, I'm really impressed with this one. To the point I'll be making one of these for me. However I'll be doing it in a much bigger box as the one above is ludicrously tight. The Gate is stuck to the base and hangs in the gap between all the other boards. Not pretty, but secure.
Alice - Madness Returns!
I decided to re-visit the pedal of much madness that is Alice and bring her right up to date. Alice is part noise machine / part synth. Indeed you don't even need to plug in a guitar if you don't want to as you can just open up the threshold, turn the LFO on and you're in a world of knob twiddling fun.
In here we have a Grind Customs Machette PCB, which is an Tim Escabedo UglyFace + Mick Bailey mods and LFO. Next up is a Grind Electric Boogaloo tremolo with a couple of mods recommended by Rej. Moving on to the Grind DeProfundis delay. Again with our dual gang delay/filter mix mod. Following that is Pickdropper's Phase 90 phaser clone. Topping it all off is a Grind Tenebrion reverb. Stock with a medium brick.
The second Alice is v2.5. I gave Cleggy the first and decided to make myself another with some different bits. The P90 is now a Maestro Phaser and I've added a switchable Maestro Sample and Hold.
Lament Configuration
First of all I must throw out huge props to Jason Lilly (Jubal) for not only the inspiration for this build, but the supply of the most excellent switch board that made it possible. *bows* You sir are a warrior and a gent.
The Lament Configuration, for those that don't know, is a puzzle box that opens a gateway into hell where all manner of pleasure and pain await. Well this box is a gateway to all manner of fuzz and nastiness!
I've stuck with all silicon derivatives because they're less of a pain, and I've gone with pedals that are all quite a bit different from one another to offer the most variety. In here we have: An Ibanez Standard Fuzz clone from JMK, a Roger Mayer Spitfire Clone from Grind Customs, a Roland BeeBaa clone from 1776 Effects, a silicon Mosrite Fuzzrite clone from SJ Effects, and Doug Hammond's Silicon Tonebender from Guitar PCB. On top of that is a Zvex SHO clone from Grind performing boost/thickening duties as a separate stompable effect on the end.
Royal Trouser Press
This is entirely Matt's fault. His Sonic Death Monkey was back with us for repair (dodgy trimmer of all things) and I realised that something was missing from my Klonpressor. So Cleggy's grabbed that and I've built myself a new one.
The recipe is a little different this time and I think I've nailed it. On the front is the old favourite Rotten Komp from Grind Customs. The OD is my Madbean Kingslayer re-boxed and simplified a bit (I've moved the clipping switches onto jumpers as I found them a bit set and forget). I've gone with the Kingslayer because quite frankly I think it kicks the arse out of a Klon. Finally it's got Madbean's FatPants. A booster based around the input stage of an Echoplex.
Trem-o-phase
This is my old Madbean Quadrovibe re-housed alongside a Tonepad Ross Phaser (similar to a EHX Small Stone phaser) clone with additional 4 stage daughter board. Mainly because I love the Quadrovibe and Rej demoed a trem into a phaser recently and it sounded really cool.
Liking the Ross, it's a little different and the extra stages create a really cool effect. You can create some weird and wonderful sounds with the pair on together too.
Jetalizer
A commision for 4000mile Phil (as opposed to 400yd Phil...), this is the Warm Jetalizer, a multi that's essentially a board in a box.
Everything about it was awkward due to the size of the 1550G enclosure. Not to mention there are things I know now that I didn't before. For example, the jacks should have gone on the back so I could get the stomps further apart. As it is, they're a little tight. But you don't really figure this stuff out until you actually do it.
Still it's all in there solidly and it sounds good! In there is the Bean Zero Point DD and Stagefright, a Rusty Sheriff, a Apis based true bypass Klone, and a Grind Rotten Compressor.
Space Ritual / Space Warrior / Space Patrol / The Hashishian / Jason The Dragon
I suppose I should start with what's in there. The first effect is an UltraStoner fuzz (see the muffs page) on Pickdropper's MiniMuffin PCB, that goes into a Madbean Zero Point Dual Delay, followed by a Madbean StageFright (Maestro phaser) and finally into a 1776 Effects Rub-a-Dub reverb.
All of these effects stand alone or will work with any or all of the others in order to create some great psychedelic soundscapes. It's almost like they were made for each other.
Warrior on the Edge of Time artwork is on Andrew's pedal. A little bit of tweaking has taken place also here and there.
Last Patrol artwork is Cleggy's pedal. Below are some in progress shots of this one to see how it's done.
The last one is called either The Weedian or The Hashishian depending on what mood. The Dopesmoker artwork just fits on this so well. As with the others, it's a bit of a shit to photograph unfortunately.
Well, I never expected to build another one of these! Continuing the stoner theme, Jason The Dragon adorns this commissioned build. Many thanks to Ian (LaceSensor) the Stage Fright.
Hmmm, after being burned on JtD by the original comissioner, it was finally picked up by Tjaerand and made it's way to Norway. Hope you enjoy it dude.
Klonpressor
Something a little different. A Grind Customs Rotten Komp (Rothwell Lovesqueeze clone) into Pickdropper's MiniTaur buffered mini-Klone PCB. Love the art on this one. It's more Malleus of course.
2nd is for Andy (Fusionista of TFB).
Sonic Death Monkey
SPANK IT!
Second of a pair of multi-effects pedals for Matt. Madbean's Afterlife compressor and Fat Pants Boost, and Jimmy's 1590A Klone, the Apis.
The Apis has been wired as buffered bypass rather than TBP. Another thing to note was that I was able to use the Josh's Optotrons in this one making the wiring much easier and neater than the other.
Matt is known for asking for interesting things on his pedals. These monkeys were carefully selected by the man himself.
Black Lagoon
First of a pair of multi-effects pedals for Matt. This one is the delay and modulation pedal containing Madbean's Aquaboy delay and Pork Barrel Chorus (Aquapuss & CE-2 clones) and Josh's Rub-a-dub reverb.
Needless to say this was a bit of an epic build, and not one I'm in a hurry to repeat as we had all sorts of bother getting them all to play nicely together. Yep, this badboy is one of a kind!
Sound clip by Matt.
Twins
What it's based on: Modified Electra Distortion & modified input stage of an Echoplex
More of bean's PCB's. This time a LaVache and Fat Pants. They're in the same enclosure to save on parts, but I also had a sneaking suspicion they might work well together, and indeed they do.
WTF happened to the guts?! Well, long story short, I had to pilfer the FatPants for another build and Madbean was out of stock. When he was back in stock the new board was a redesign and it no longer fit like it used to. In the words of Han Solo, it's not my fault...
Alice / Apeshit
Alice has gone a little mad. This was an idea, spawned from sticking lots of things behind the UglyFace to see what worked and made it even more bonkers. Stick a choppy trem there and it's mad. An echo that can sound like it's in a metal bucket, even madder. It's only a shame that I couldn't fit a flanger in there too really as that can go REALLY synthy. Still, this is Spartan levels of madness and it's wonderful.
The UglyFace+LFO is a well known monster. We went with the EA Tremolo as it's a 3 knobber, easy to use and gets nice and choppy. The Rebote was chosen also for it's lack of knobs and the fact it can do some fun oddness too. We've tweaked it so it's right on the edge of going on forever.
The box it's all in is, errm, quite big and dispite the huge number of knobs, it's really quite easy to deal with. Other things of note; the LFO and Trem LEDs pulse so you can sync them up or indeed get them intentionally out of sync. Wiring is a bit messy just given the sheer amount of stuff going on in there.
Built for Huw (Shobet) who like me, is a lover of sonic chaos. Run for the hills!
Alice 2 built for WezV who's making me a guitar and recorded a demo here. By the end he's getting the hang of some of the things it can do. Though I'm not sure his wife or cat approved...
This one looks even more sinister as we went for a shiny raw box. Looks brilliant, but is bloody impossible to photograph as it's really reflective. Nothing new here other than I've started to use ribbon cable for the pots. It might not look quite as tidy but it makes assembly a lot, lot easier, and with something as complicated as this to box up, that's a good thing!
I still love this effect to bits for it's sheer range of madness. So I've built one for me. Alice 3 differs from the other two as it's my Elunium and TrembleOh! (Madbean Double Flush) rehoused with a Rebote. Another difference is that I've put it in a half height box... More compact, but way tighter inside.
Apeshit is Shaun's. The only man I know who now has three Uglyfaces and has somehow managed to use one in a song! Decal was an ape he wanted on there. This one again differs from the others in that it uses Merlin's Small Time Delay, rather than a Rebote. Mainly because it's bloody brilliant. It's a much more natural delay in the way it decays.
Shaun's also has the Madbean Double flush, shame as mine. This time with a roll your own vactrol as an sensible alternative to the now fiendishly expensive ones we used to use.
