GuitarPCB | Big O | Activity https://guitarpcb.com/members/bigo/activity/ Activity feed for Big O. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:00:29 -0400 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-US 30 hourly 2 bb1d7a6dea9da9efb7de14ba5429bd27 Big O replied to the topic 3PDT V6 w/XYZ Easy As 1,2,3 in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/3pdt-v6-w-xyz-easy-as-123/#post-36649 Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:17:44 -0400 I’ve been touting the utility of this board for a long time!

]]> 0 1b9c71109b5aec9f6e08aafc6fd39782 Big O replied to the topic Pump’d Up Fuzz Face v5 Q1 and Q2 in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/pumpd-up-fuzz-face-v5-q1-and-q2/#post-36529 Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:08:47 -0400 I usually shoot for 70-90 hfe for Q1 and 100-130 hfe for Q2 with low leakage.  Higher transistor leakages are better reserved for Mk1 and Mk2 Tonebenders as the leakage is used to self bias the transistors in these circuits.  Low gain Si transistors also can work well for Si fuzz faces, although higher can do as well.  I have built NPN Ge, NPN Si…Read more

]]> 0 08acb0a99cbd87f4cde330d429277957 Big O replied to the topic I'm Confused - Which goes first the Emexar or the Emerald Ring? in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/im-confused-which-goes-first-the-emexar-or-the-emerald-ring/#post-36459 Sun, 08 Jun 2025 14:08:14 -0400 Barry is right about placement.  It can go before or after your dirt box.  It may sound better before some dirt boxes and better after other dirt boxes.  However, it can sound fine but different before or after other dirt boxes.  You just have to try the different combinations.

I also found the lack of controls for this circuit was not ent…Read more

]]> 0 5a11976a486d61154c87e9325a331722 Big O started the topic MKC Revisted - Gain Mod in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/mkc-revisted-gain-mod/ Fri, 30 May 2025 19:21:28 -0400 Finally got around to adding the Gain Mod with a switch to select between Normal Gain and “More Gain.”

Just unbelievable how this mod adds to the versatility of the MKC!  To me, the stock MKC (with an External Clean Blend control added) was just sort of meh to me.  I was disappointed in a so called Klon variant.  However, with the gain mod to in…Read more

]]> 0 b94bc25b246e7a289912411bcbfbee2a Big O replied to the topic Modding Other Pedal Builds With GPCB Boards in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/modding-other-pedal-builds-with-gpcb-boards/#post-36374 Tue, 27 May 2025 17:09:51 -0400 Finally, a Fixed Wah

After Gutshot (Forgot to take Before picture)

]]> 0 8543fc7c0be918b3e82dd4fbe1e8ed8e Big O replied to the topic Modding Other Pedal Builds With GPCB Boards in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/modding-other-pedal-builds-with-gpcb-boards/#post-36373 Tue, 27 May 2025 17:07:45 -0400 Real Tube OD

Before and After Gutshots

]]> 0 36f4d45ff1ee80f405b3896f3a82cb7f Big O started the topic Modding Other Pedal Builds With GPCB Boards in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/modding-other-pedal-builds-with-gpcb-boards/ Tue, 27 May 2025 17:04:54 -0400 I tried posting this with multiple browsers, but I don’t think it worked due to my ISP and browser settings.  So hopefully this is not a duplicate post.  I did get the post to be visible one time, went to edit it, and poof it was gone.

Sorry to screw up Barry’s day – I didn’t realize there was a limitation to the overall size of picture files p…Read more

]]> 0 cb96d52ff05900444646289df12e9e69 Big O started the topic Modding Pedals With GPCB Boards in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/modding-pedals-with-gpcb-boards/ Tue, 27 May 2025 14:15:47 -0400 I tried posting this with multiple browsers, but I don’t think it worked due to my ISP and browser settings.  So hopefully this is not a duplicate post.

Since I have pretty much stopped building new pedals, I have gone back to modify old builds using GuitarPCB boards, primarily 3PDT boards I had left over.  I had built point to point wired p…Read more

]]> 0 b1f982e53c1daf9df54dcf3b04eaa8af Big O replied to the topic GuitarPCB Celebrates 15 Years in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/guitarpcb-celebrates-15-years/#post-36039 Sat, 19 Apr 2025 22:05:14 -0400 I can’t believe it’s been that long!  Congrats on staying relevant over the years.  Others have bit the dust during that time.

]]> 0 3ae707f4e8393fd5ec3d26577f02abf5 Big O replied to the topic Done With Pedal Building in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/done-with-pedal-building/#post-35819 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 21:00:18 -0400 Brd, the tip I can give for artwork is using the free program paint.net as it really took my artwork design to an new level.  The Pougnet Pedals Youtube channel has a video on pedal graphics that started me with this program – ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXnGe68dGCY ).  Just cut and paste the link.

Paint.net allows you to do layers and r…Read more

]]> 0 7487f14e027872f2ef6ca5a2269b61cd Big O started the topic Done With Pedal Building in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/done-with-pedal-building/ Sun, 30 Mar 2025 21:29:21 -0400 After 70 pedals built from 2006 to now, I am pretty much calling it quits.  I now will be modifying and improving some of the pedals I have built in the past, including using GPCB 3PDT boards to add LED’s to a few pedals that don’t have them.  I am also going to work on playing guitar instead of pedal builder.

The last two of my builds are b…Read more

]]> 0 88289e4d50aa8c21257b676193337fba Big O replied to the topic WWII Track Buster land mine in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/wwii-track-buster-land-mine/#post-35801 Sun, 30 Mar 2025 21:17:01 -0400 Another Playsforfun Super Combo build!  You are way more industrious than I am when building the combo’s.  The ones I made had only up to 5 PCBs in them.  I count seven that I can see, but you probably have more packed in there!

]]> 0 45f571d8cd1922b9097e109771d331df Big O replied to the topic NostalgiTone 60s OD not working (solved) in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/nostalgitone-60s-od-not-working/#post-35745 Sat, 22 Mar 2025 22:23:44 -0400 That is sort of what I meant – a trace not connecting properly to a pad.  Upon inspection, the trace on the Aion board I built appeared to be totally continuous, but there was no continuity via my multimeter. So there was a break in the connection somewhere, such as a microscopic discontinuity somewhere along the trace.  Building on vero I had a p…Read more

]]> 0 895cd58bdbf352718e1f01672444e503 Big O replied to the topic NostalgiTone 60s OD not working (solved) in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/nostalgitone-60s-od-not-working/#post-35743 Sat, 22 Mar 2025 21:06:27 -0400 I think this happens sometimes in the manufacturing of PCB’s.  I had the same thing happen to me with an Aion PCB for a Mk3 Tonebender.  It just didn’t work right after building it, so I took out my diagnostic tools and spent nearly 2 freaking days trying to figure it out.  I discovered that there was no connection between the leg of one of the tr…Read more

]]> 0 b6133c06a67fbe2234f98480215fb0a2 Big O replied to the topic DIY’ing Circuits and Pedals – How I Approach It in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/diying-circuits-and-pedals-how-i-approach-it/#post-35659 Fri, 14 Mar 2025 19:12:31 -0400 Mick Ronson combo idea.  Fixed wah circuit + Si TB Mk1 + Marshall amp emulator.  Rono used the “Pig” aka a Marshall Major with his wah and Tonebender.  Reportedly he ran only two output tubes on his amp so it wasn’t so loud and clean.  I don’t now if there is any Marshall Major emulator circuit out there, though.

A couple of other combo ideas (i.…Read more

]]> 0 859285dbabd5d22c8c3887af797eabb7 Big O started the topic DIY’ing Circuits and Pedals – How I Approach It in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/diying-circuits-and-pedals-how-i-approach-it/ Sun, 09 Mar 2025 15:37:40 -0400 I know all the rage on GPCB website are the new Nostalgia Tone circuits to get certain artists’ sounds.  I used to want to do that type of pedal building and I commend Barry for developing and producing the PCB’s for these circuits.  In the past, I used to try and build similar “artist” type pedals using GPCB boards.  A few years ago I built a Ju…Read more

]]> 0 75b6cac9f4ce5fc6d95f36f200a50773 Big O replied to the topic GBOF and EMEXAR Fun in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/gbof-and-emexar-fun/#post-35555 Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:42:34 -0500 The GBOF board provides lots of fun!  I have built several pedals with it alone or in combination with other boards.  I have built several versions of the Hornby Skewes treble booster (both Si and Ge versions), Rangemasters, Fuzz Face variants and Electra/Trotsky drives. I love this simple, yet versatile board, and actually is the reason I d…Read more

]]> 0 420c9b7767bb30937d9286457c6729a9 Big O replied to the topic Complicating A Simple Build Yet Again in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/complicating-a-simple-build-yet-again/#post-35554 Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:33:18 -0500 Congratulations on a great idea for a pedal.  When I built my modded Emerald Ring, I tested it out with a One Knob Fuzz (that I also modded as a 1+1 fuzz).  The two work well together.

]]> 0 b029e90cbd5176be641475ae45ed94a1 Big O started the topic NPN Silicon Tonebender Mk2 in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/npn-silicon-tonebender-mk2/ Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:19:33 -0500 Is such a thing possible?  Why yes!

How does it sound?  Nearly identical to the PNP Ge Tonebenders I have, a BYOC Mk2 built in 2006 and a Ramble FX Twin Bender.  The main difference is that the Si Mk2 cleans up with the fuzz knob near zero unlike the other two Germanium pedals, which still have a bit of fuzziness with the fuzz knob near ze…Read more

]]> 0 97a2f92eaaa990e7f3fed899203146ec Big O replied to the topic EH Screaming Bird / Screaming Tree Breadboard design in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/eh-screaming-bird-screaming-tree-breadboard-design/#post-35459 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:35:02 -0500 Here is my wiring diagram for the HS Treble Booster with Output Pot.  Although the 22n Input Cap is the standard, I usually use a switchable Input Cap (not shown here) for more flexibility.  Usually 22n (default), 33n (slightly more mids) and 47n (even more mids).

]]> 0 ec7b17062be78f5fac1a12f489c6ecaa Big O replied to the topic EH Screaming Bird / Screaming Tree Breadboard design in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/eh-screaming-bird-screaming-tree-breadboard-design/#post-35448 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:53:35 -0500 And I forgot to add, the HS treble booster layout on the GBOF is my doing, so I am to blame.

]]> 0 609c5237204d8be78cd234b2761a1c73 Big O replied to the topic EH Screaming Bird / Screaming Tree Breadboard design in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/eh-screaming-bird-screaming-tree-breadboard-design/#post-35447 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:52:40 -0500 For the output mod, I used a 500K or 1M pot, which worked better for me.  The Pot after the output cap will work as a High Pass filter, so the larger the pot value, the lower the 3db cutoff frequency is.  For a 100K pot that frequency is about 1590Hz, a 500K pot the cutoff is at 318Hz and for a 1M pot the cutoff is at 159Hz.  So with a 100K pot yo…Read more

]]> 0 fa6a2959d01850171b1b806fa3e7b7f4 Big O replied to the topic EH Screaming Bird / Screaming Tree Breadboard design in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/eh-screaming-bird-screaming-tree-breadboard-design/#post-35432 Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 -0500 Actually there is a correct schematic for the Si transistor version in the GBOF build document.  It has both input and output caps.

]]> 0 c85bf2c3cb38e215631496a5895c525b Big O replied to the topic EH Screaming Bird / Screaming Tree Breadboard design in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/eh-screaming-bird-screaming-tree-breadboard-design/#post-35410 Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:59:06 -0500 I don’t know what graphics program you are using, so I can’t help you with the resistor appearance.

I will let you know with a couple of component changes and additions you will have a Hornby Skewes treble booster.  That was the first ever breadboard project I ever attempted and now I do quite a bit of breadboarding trying to play around with…Read more

]]> 0 b06e09d4e140d82b656a8dd2942a3454 Big O started the topic Tone Messer (aka Messenger Guitar Fuzz) in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/tone-messer-aka-messenger-guitar-fuzz/ Sun, 26 Jan 2025 16:44:43 -0500 I have been playing around with this circuit for awhile now, but finally have finished the pedal.  A veroboard special.  This fuzz is powered by a single AA battery (in the old days this was called a Penlight battery).

The graphics were inspired by the first two Grand Funk Railroad album that featured Mark Farner’s Messinger Guitar with a b…Read more

]]> 0 6d9beb17b8551eb33685905437b95f92 Big O started the topic Double Trouble in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/double-trouble/ Fri, 24 Jan 2025 21:59:52 -0500 I finally finished a couple of pedals I have been working on for the past couple of months.  Basically I wanted to build a Grand Funk/Mark Farmer fuzz that was built into his Messenger guitar and featured on the first couple of GFR albums.

 

So how did I come up with 2 pedals?  Well the Tone Messer aka Messenger Guitar Fuzz is a pretty ratty fu…Read more

]]> 0 af57237ea93da6e3dfbfc40f1289b8f9 Big O replied to the topic R.I.P. - Moderator Wilkie1 in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/r-i-p-moderator-wilkie1/#post-34523 Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:05:24 -0500 This news greatly saddens me.  Wilkie has helped me out immensely on this forum with advice, suggestions and tutelage.  The loss to this pedal building community is huge.  He had an incredible wealth of knowledge with regard to pedal building.

I believe he recently moved for retirement and I had planned on visiting him on one of my long cross co…Read more

]]> 0 8f999ed5139a4421e16fd0d72a9a449f Big O replied to the topic Beano bundle issues (solved) in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/beano-bundle-issues/#post-34172 Sat, 26 Oct 2024 13:58:08 -0400 Not surprised.  I had this issue with a 1-Spot, thinking it was my built pedals, some without power filtering.  Then I had the same issue with a commercially built pedal and the 1-Spot.  It’s a noisy power supply, although I don’t remember it being this noisy in the past.  So maybe something happened to the supply.  Fixed the problem by getting…Read more

]]> 0 fc4d48a7fee92ecc6a520a41f5b0110e Big O replied to the topic Bass Guitar Pickup Blender Buff in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/bass-guitar-pickup-blender-buff/#post-34068 Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:06:34 -0400 Did you sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night?

Sorry I can’t really help you, especially with something that sounds like an active circuit.  I know Premier Guitar has a lot of articles on pickup wiring.  Dirk Wacker has written a lot about pickup and guitar wiring mods, so maybe you could search there.  Otherwise, l’ve got nothing.  There…Read more

]]> 0 1cd15900978feef7c8d1b6ca2920a4aa Big O replied to the topic Home page updated in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/home-page-updated/#post-33800 Thu, 26 Sep 2024 21:34:59 -0400 You have been a busy guy!

]]> 0 9de4a0eeb5c627ee0e0d012258bc2a53 Big O replied to the topic For Those Interested - BYOC is Closing Up Shop in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/for-those-interested-byoc-is-closing-up-shop/#post-33461 Thu, 19 Sep 2024 19:45:11 -0400 When I started I think the only places for pedal kits I could find were GGG, BYOC and probably Madbean.  Being a neophyte builder, I chose BYOC because of the detailed step by step instructions and great support forum.  The other places really didn’t supply detailed instructions.  After building a couple of pedals, then you could get the conf…Read more

]]> 0 23f7207ee9de81943f02ca4b5c3bcf95 Big O started the topic For Those Interested - BYOC is Closing Up Shop in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/for-those-interested-byoc-is-closing-up-shop/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:07:50 -0400 BYOC is the pedal kit business that began my pedal building journey and obsession back in 2006.  I built several of their kits as well as using some of their PCB’s for pedals.  I am sure some on this board have built their pedals and maybe started with them, and IIRC Barry was one of them.  One of their board monitors, duhvoodooman, has visi…Read more

]]> 0 6fd6322ce81373605626f85941983296 Big O replied to the topic Paramix component confirmation in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/paramix-component-confirmation/#post-33444 Thu, 19 Sep 2024 06:30:48 -0400 The other 4 jacks could be 3 mono and one stereo.  That is 2 mono for the Send and Return, one mono for the Output Jack, and one stereo for the input Jack if you are planning to use a battery snap.  Be careful with the wiring of the Insert In and Insert Out jacks because the ones I used the wiring was slightly different than the diagram in the i…Read more

]]> 0 60cc8c22752c1cf7ab28354153ee6ab9 Big O replied to the topic Spaghetti Monster in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/spaghetti-monster/#post-33302 Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:37:09 -0400 Below is what I did to correct the wiring problem.  It may have been the particular jacks I used that could be or may not be the switchcraft ones called for in the instructions.  I sent Barry an email as requested regarding what I discovered.

I also hit a final glitch as the screws provided to attach the bottom plate would not work.  I di…Read more

]]> 0 f3fb3e21cec7baea88bb08a9e432ae39 Big O started the topic Spaghetti Monster in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/spaghetti-monster/ Tue, 10 Sep 2024 23:22:46 -0400 Finished a standard Paramix.  I call it the spaghetti monster because for such as fairly simple pedal it has wires all over the place.  Once I fired it out, the clean blend with a fuzz placed into the Send and Return jacks it worked perfectly.  When I plugged in a chorus into the Insert In and Insert Out jacks, there was pretty much nothing ex…Read more

]]> 0 7adac4583a4e3649b11b73deef4647f0 Big O started the topic Custom 250+ OD Distortion in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/custom-250-od-distortion/ Mon, 02 Sep 2024 16:04:01 -0400 Finally finished my Emexar based pedal – the 250 circuit version.  Unfortunately I have been busy away from my primary residence multiple times (week or two at a time) since late January so I have had to work on this project on and off for months.  It took awhile for the figuring out the layout as well as a bit of planning to lay out the d…Read more

]]> 0 8182f29388787332eee920619dd02331 Big O replied to the topic NT60s combo build in the forum Show Off Your Build https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/nt60s-combo-build/#post-33116 Sun, 25 Aug 2024 17:27:31 -0400 Actually Tayda is relatively inexpensive compared to other vendors, although their shipping costs have significantly increased in the last couple of years.

For me coming up with the artwork is a big part of the fun of building the pedal.  But I have time on my hands.  Drilling the enclosures is a pain, but it has to be done when doing custom b…Read more

]]> 0 429b3a15e5f42e510e712fb11c80f7e9 Big O replied to the topic Distortions and Tone TwEQ in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/distortions-and-tone-tweq/#post-33114 Sun, 25 Aug 2024 17:10:37 -0400 Happy building!

I must warn you.  Thia hobby can become an addiction.

 

]]> 0 231fd1c23343a7ed941d8f7b125cd927 Big O replied to the topic Distortions and Tone TwEQ in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/distortions-and-tone-tweq/#post-33109 Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:25:16 -0400 The ToneTweq instructions will help to show you where to connect.  You can connect the ToneTweq to the Lug 3 solder pad of the volume control of the Exemar, or to the “out” solder pad of the Exemar I believe.  Connecting to the Lug 3 solder pad elimates the Exemar volume control and connecting to the “out” solder pad gives you 2 volume controls,…Read more

]]> 0 97787a303a601d87423a646716cd9ed1 Big O replied to the topic Messenger Guitar Fuzz with Question in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/messenger-guitar-fuzz-with-question/#post-32959 Mon, 05 Aug 2024 15:07:34 -0400 Found I mis-typed.  That is a High Pass Filter configuration.  I’m probably going to use a 47nF output cap.  A modified Messenger Fuzz schematic I found shows the person who tinkered with the circuit added a 47nF output cap with a volume control.  I should have figured out what he did.  The 1nF cap actually makes the fuzz too fizzy, so I susp…Read more

]]> 0 71fe984d7b6a24bdef9c20b90436ced6 Big O replied to the topic Messenger Guitar Fuzz with Question in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/messenger-guitar-fuzz-with-question/#post-32950 Sun, 04 Aug 2024 15:47:14 -0400 Thanks Wilkie!

Stupid me!  I should have recognized that the output of the circuit of a capacitor paired with a variable resistor is a Low Pass Filter.  With the full 500K of the pot, and a 1n cap, the 3db cutoff frequency is 318 Hz.  This is above the lowest frequency of 82 Hz typical for a standard guitar.  Raising the cap value to 10n giv…Read more

]]> 0 7fbaf53882c485bc36a5a47b7962d7cf Big O replied to the topic Emerald Ring Mods in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/emerald-ring-mods/#post-32900 Fri, 26 Jul 2024 15:21:57 -0400 I was thinking about using the Emerald with a paramix.  I’ve got the parts for the Paramix, but I still have to put it together.

I do have a question for Barry about the Sriracha Fuzz + Emerald demo.  Was the track recorded with the Sriracha Fuzz > Emerald or Emerald >Sriracha Fuzz?

 

]]> 0 7388bf81af552ca257993bb3f287d6e3 Big O started the topic Emerald Ring Mods in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/emerald-ring-mods/ Thu, 25 Jul 2024 20:35:06 -0400 I’m looking for anyone who has experience building certain mods into the Emerald Ring circuit.  Primarily a Gain control, Null control and possibly a Volume control.  I be interested in what component values were used, etc.  I have a couple of schematics with different values.

For example: Gain controls off the emitter leg of Q1 using a B10K po…Read more

]]> 0 e2a83d0bc09abf147df974aa628fda60 Big O replied to the topic Messenger Guitar Fuzz with Question in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/messenger-guitar-fuzz-with-question/#post-32896 Thu, 25 Jul 2024 20:13:02 -0400 Follow-up.

I’m done trying all kinds of different component swaps on this circuit.  I used the neck single coil pickup of my very expensive Squier 51 guitar (cost a whopping $99 new in 2007) to simulate the neck pickup of Farner’s Messenger guitar since I don’t own a thinline hollowbody with single coil DeArmond pickups.  I get pretty close to t…Read more

]]> 0 36e05f770e0a5d4bb42b2c0c33bb354c Big O replied to the topic Messenger Guitar Fuzz with Question in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/messenger-guitar-fuzz-with-question/#post-32846 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 21:17:06 -0400 I would be up for a Grand Funk NostalgiTone.  And you posted my absolute favorite GFR live performance.

I thought I would revisit the circuit a little as some new information was provided to me by friends.

I spent last weekend at the Penn State Arts Festival (Central PA Festival of the Arts) where I have been meeting up with my college friends…Read more

]]> 0 dbaefaeb45926ebaf827cb2e246d3589 Big O replied to the topic Messenger Guitar Fuzz with Question in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/messenger-guitar-fuzz-with-question/#post-32781 Mon, 08 Jul 2024 21:54:35 -0400 I agree the early Mark Farner tone is somewhat unique.  The guitar used, a Musicraft Messenger was a fairly big part of the early GFR sound/tone.  Hollow body with single coil pickups and an aluminum neck.  The guitar itself sounds really good clean with low gain, but kick in the onboard fuzz and it’s a signature sound.

]]> 0 47c9613415d7ceea692fb64037dffde7 Big O started the topic Messenger Guitar Fuzz with Question in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/messenger-guitar-fuzz-with-question/ Sun, 07 Jul 2024 18:13:31 -0400 I am currently working on and breadboarding Messinger Guitar Fuzz, the onboard (built in) unit that is/was a part of Mark Farner’s (Grand Funk RR) guitar in the early days of GFR.  This circuit provides a pretty aggressive, raunchy fuzz/distortion when paired with the single coil pickups in the hollowbody Messinger Guitar.  Such a fuzz was ava…Read more

]]> 0 408a32b9550b59c7433d6c5923d0c7a2 Big O started the topic Breadboarding Pedals Tutorial by Josh of JHS in the forum General DIY Pedal Discussion https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/breadboarding-pedals-tutorial-by-josh-of-jhs/ Fri, 21 Jun 2024 14:53:13 -0400 If you ever wanted to learn how to breadboard and modify circuits, and wanted some insights on how to do this with simple circuits, Josh of JHS has a great series on the JHS YouTube channel.  I already know a lot about what he shows, but I have also learned some things along the way.  He initially breadboards the LPB-1 and Electra circuits which c…Read more

]]> 0 091de71c094a6bea8054e3a9213a239d Big O replied to the topic Emexar + Tone TwEQ (First big build) in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/emexar-tone-tweq-first-big-build/#post-32553 Sun, 16 Jun 2024 12:43:27 -0400 I can’t believe someone else is doing what I am currently working on, but I am so busy this summer I won’t be able to finish it in the fall.  I’m going a slightly different route and going to use an On-On DPDT switch to add the tone Tweq or bypass it to go to a stock 250 configuration.  Got the main boards built but that’s as far as I have prog…Read more

]]> 0 ad4fc1ab3c33142af6af5e052886f2ee Big O replied to the topic Germanium PNP transistors in PURP in the forum GuitarPCB Build Support https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/germanium-pnp-transistors-in-purp/#post-32421 Mon, 03 Jun 2024 18:44:57 -0400 Agree with Barry.  You may have to internet search for the data sheet, which is what I used to do.  Fortunately I invested in a DCA-55 and use that to give me the pinouts and I have found it to be an invaluable tool for that and other things such as measuring forward voltages on diodes.

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