BabyBlueSound

12 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

that’s interesting, for me the aggressive Wavefolding is what I like about that pedal - and my gain pot is pretty good for most of its range, which schematic did you use? Will it do the wah wah thing with a volume pot that Justin medal Johnson showed in the video with pedals and effects? 

in terms of blend…. The prunes and custard does have a blend already, and a switch to inject extra low end into the signal … what have you built if there’s no blend??!  

 

SMD stuff - I cheated and got jlcpcb to do the assembly for me! So much simpler and cost effective.

My laziness means ild like to try replacing the film caps with smd parts - but know it’s not quite so simple as that - and when I looked for some values the c0g part cost more than a box film cap would.

I used the Fuzzdog one, Dirt Dessert. Drive below 2pm is quiet and useless, and between 3pm and 4pm it gets incredibly loud and overdriven very very quickly. I can wah it, yeah.

As blend, I assume you're referring to MIX? For me, that's not really a type of clean blend, as it's very much driven and impacted by the DRIVE value. The touch dynamic also changes greatly between low MIX and high MIX, it does not just change the signal balance/level.

The bass switch will be removed, as it will be always on.

I would be blending the clean bass signal into the driven bubbly mixed signal, but I'll breadboard this out to see if it makes any sense.

On the long run when I might actually be selling anything more than 1 pedal per 3 months, I am also planning to have JLC solder on at least the resistors, and maybe some caps (depending on cost), to speed up things. But I also want to give it a go myself first  SMT just seems like a different kind of fun.

34 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

I've been tempted to make similar but topjacks.

I also want to work out a nice relay bypass system.

 

Also on my project list, which I will do some/all off:

• 4 more of the Aotearoa prunes and custards - I've got the boards and why not! (plus someone asked nicely and bought mine, so I need one again!) 
• A mini highpass/lowpass filter/buffer thing in a Gorva M45
• Would like to try the SS/BS F*** overdrive, I love the Mini, and they are designed to be different enough they compliment each other
• Make a big muff of some kind. It's a rite of passage right? 

Nice plans! I have some of my own as well 😁

• My prunes and custard clone, the Plüm will go through some changes. I want to build my own version, slightly changing some stuff, e.g. trying out some LEDs instead of the diodes, etc. I think it could do with softer clipping, and I am a sucker for the sound of LEDs.
  Not that satisfied with the OD part of the original, and the drive pot's usable range is also quite small in my opinion. I found anything apart from between 2pm-4pm positions basically useless. That's going to the breadboard soon.
• I also need to test if a P&C can benefit from a BLEND, or if it's useless in that context. What can I say, I am a big BLEND fan, I think almost every pedal should have it 😁
• If I get the Fázz working, I am also looking to change some pots and R and C values in there to fine-tune it a bit to what I think it should sound like  E.g. the original Mastotron has a switch to cut off the whole bass or some of it - NOT IN MY HOUSE! Already removed that switch.
• Once that's done, I want to create an SMT version of it and slowly transition away from through-holes.

Speaking of SMTs, how do you do yours? Your Aotearoa looks so nice. Do you use a hot plate / hot air gun, or are you a solder iron wizard? I got a hot plate, but haven't got the chance to use it yet.

26 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

What's the deal with trim1? It looks like space for a 16mm pot, but that would snare with the Tone and volume pots? 

Well spotted. I basically placed that early into the process, and as this was my first PCB design ever, I struggled with changing part footprints, etc. But it is an internal trim indeed, part of the BLEND circuit.

Ultimately I just measured if I can bend my existing trims' legs in a way that it fits this pot-like space - and I think it will be able to do that  

But that's certainly a future enhancement once I made sure the prototypes actually work, I want to use one of those 5-pole universal trim sockets.

Trying to go modular 😁 managed to merge a fuzz circuit, a signal blender and the whole footswitch/connectivity section to a single board. Then through careful (and amateur) re-arrangement, I split the bottom part so it should be re-usable for any future designs. Can't wait till JLC delivers it, and I can finally test it!

Of course, the LED's physical proximity to the footswitch only gave me "will it fit" 2nd thoughts only AFTER I already put in the order 😁

1 hour ago, Adee said:

Not flashed off my pair of Lionels together. The blue one I added a clear scratchplate so you can see more of that gorgeous finish and an EMG Geezer Butler, I found the stock a bit sterile and was lacking something, the GZR is spot on, so much so that I took the 2 band active out of the cream Larry and put an Ivory GRZ It just wasn’t sitting the mix and felt a bit lost but the EMG punches thru nicely. The third knob is just a dummy … I’ve got an EBMM Stingray Short Scale in Starry Night, it looks the nutz but just doesn’t beat the Lionel Bergs!!

Absolutely gorgeous. Where did you get the clear scratchplate in Lionel size? The custom plate cutter guy from eBay, or...? 😁

I think the Ibanez Talman also scratches that P itch, with the J rolled down.

22 minutes ago, Bernardo said:

I have started playing short scales recently - starting with a little Gretsch expanding since then into a U5, JMJ Mustang and an Acinonyx. Shallow I know but I Googled short scale red bass because for showbiz reasons I needed a red bass to match some stage outfits! What came top of the list was a refurbished Vox Starstream Artist 2S on the Vox website. Including gig bag it was £350. Given they were well north of a grand when they came out - and some people had paid that - I went for it. I took it to a gig and our sound engineer raved about it compared with my other basses. Ironically I don't enjoy playing it as much as the Mustang and the Acinonyx basically because they have flats on them which feel better to me - so my next quest is to find flats that sound brighter than a normal flat.

It's a weird looking thing and not everybody's cup of tea but it's nicely balanced and very light and with the right strings could be my go to bass - something I never would have predicted when I Googled red short scale. 

Welcome to the club! Don't call yourself shallow, colour is an important part of a bass! I would not touch a sunburst with a stick 🤪

Regarding bright flats, here's an infodump for you: 

14 minutes ago, wavemaker said:

I just put my first set of Cobalt Flats on my Classic Sterling because I was curious and … I really kind of can’t believe it: Not only do they have highs (including harmonics Jaco would‘ve enjoyed - we‘ll see how long those last), they also provide an absolutely beautiful rock sound (straight neck, flat action, digging in a bit). What a pleasant surprise. 

They do lose SOME highs, but I got a more-than-a-year-old cobalt on my Ibanez and it's still got that Prec tone alright, not terrible at all. When my rounds lose their highs, it's much worse.

42 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

A fine initiative indeed, at £15 + £2 p&p for a pack. The 'direct from ACS' price is £10. What's that all about..? 

"By choosing to buy earplugs from us, you’re not only protecting your ears, you’re also supporting our vital work helping people living with tinnitus."

I had it for decades. It gets worse during crazy windy weather, or before sudden heat/cold waves - and now we have wind and an incoming heat wave. Not ideal 👂 

21 minutes ago, Sr_1200 said:

It Just needs a shim under the bottom of the neck heel to tilt the neck forward and the action will be fine.

It's actually got one 😁 it used to be higher.

I will edit this into the description, good point.

Thanks I get it, but all the basses I have ever owned went WAY further down than 2mm (I got 2 other shorties right now) without relying on adjusting neck relief, which should not be used to control string height really anyway.

The nut I have never touched on this one 🙂 but yeah it's definitely cut less than the other ones on my other basses. I did not want to mess with that as I planned to sell anyway.

I've been heroically bumping mine since February 😁

Withdrawing, my guitarist buddy convinced me to give this to him 😁

@Useless amateur hey, do you still do this? I got a couple used sets

Alright alright they're not technically flats but I got to show this to everyone now!

Tapes with a nice leather pick. Smooooooooth tone!

I fixed it since by adding another layer, the first layer always retracts a bit.

I tried two types of UV resins before and they're both terribly, terribly stinky. Let me know which one you use that's hopefully smell-free  

I also managed to lose my UV flashlight since... 🙄

I found the Notadumble fairly useless with my Sandberg that's got pretty hot passive pickups, even the clean channel distorts it a bit more than what's pleasant to my ears.

On the Ibanez that's got passive EMGs, it's very different, and gives the tone some beautiful saturation that I like.

So I am guessing it's not really for anyone who plays an active bass.

Finally replaced the original Sandberg strings... decided to keep the La Bella on the self for now, and strung it with D'addario black tapes - as it just looks amazing with the black hardware!

Can't wait to actually listen to it tomorrow, what happens to the "modern P" tone with these weirdo strings  

38 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

Same here. I have very dry hands (they never seem to get sweaty), but after playing flats for a few minutes it feels like they’re sticking to my fingers. Again, Yukl The only thing worse is those latex strings you get on U-Basses. They are truly weird. 

I only ever tried the EB Cobalt flats yet, but those never ever stuck to my fingers (I got hands that are normally dry but very suddenly can get very sweaty, so I'm all over the spectrum).

Quick tone demo, unfortunately it does not sound nowhere as good as in real life, coming out of an amp:

Selling an Echö "Prototype" DIY pedal - Deep Blue Delay clone I built.

It's a FuzzDog PCB in the enclosure.

Prototype, as it's the 2nd I ever made, and it still has some build quality issues. This is one of my first attempts for covering a pedal with epoxy.

As it was the start of my learning curve for painting and decorating enclosures, it's got small cosmetic mistakes like chipped corners, very slightly un-even epoxy coverage, as shown on the photos.

Works very nicely with both bass and guitar.

DELAY controls the time, manual says it's to 450ms but I think it goes to more. Turned down = slapback, reverb-y echo! Slapback with high REPEAT count = very metallic reverb

REPEAT controls the amount of repeats. Down = only one repeat, and starts wildly running away and oscillating above 2pm.

The DIRT pot... I'd forget about it, I could not find a practical use for it myself. I added it as suggested by other builders of the kit, but I don't really see the point. It makes the repeats even darker, and they can oscillate even more.

It's a fairly dark delay, if you love the analog degrading of the repeats, it's for you! As the official manual put it, "this has got warmth and character, and if you're looking for a crisp digital delay, you rather need a Boss or similar"  

Happy to answer any questions!

Selling a Plüm "Prototype" DIY pedal - Prunes & Custard clone I built.

It's a FuzzDog PCB in the enclosure.

Prototype, as it's the 3rd I ever made, and it still has some build quality issues. 

As it was the start of my learning curve for painting and decorating enclosures, it's got small cosmetic mistakes like chipped corners and getting a bit too close to the drill base, etc, as shown on the photos.

Works very nicely with both bass and guitar. For bass, try Drive = 3pm , Mix = 9-10am. Extremely responsive pedal!

Happy to answer any questions!

2 hours ago, Terry M. said:

Have you tried DR rounds at all? 

Nope

33 minutes ago, Rich said:

I love the sound of flats on a P and I wish I could get that tone on mine, the problem is that I absolutely hate the way flats feel. For me they feel almost slimy, they make me want to wash my hands. Hard to describe, but there's no way I could play them for any length of time. Maybe I'm just weird, but eucchhh. No.

Interesting how different we all are. I played rounds all my life and just constantly hated the squeakig strings, the rubbing against my fingertips, the cheesegrater feel, the accidental sliding metallic overtones (yeah, that's mostly my crap technique's fault but still).

I do love the touch of a flat, and these days there are more hybrid-sounding strings which tends to be my choice, like the cobalt flats from EB.