Anyone using an external guitar processor?

[donkey tugger]

Been using my little Fender Mustang amp quite a lot. The presets are to be frank, shite, and there's not a lot of editing can be done from the amp itself. Hooked up to the komputer by usb and using the FUSE software it's a whole different beast though. Some great effects, and the Fender amps (well..they should be able to have a decent go at them) in particular are great. Still also record a DI track as well and combine sounds for the best of both worlds.

[Forgotten]

Been using my little Fender Mustang amp quite a lot. The presets are to be frank, shite, and there's not a lot of editing can be done from the amp itself. Hooked up to the komputer by usb and using the FUSE software it's a whole different beast though. Some great effects, and the Fender amps (well..they should be able to have a decent go at them) in particular are great. Still also record a DI track as well and combine sounds for the best of both worlds.

I have one of those, but think the presets are pretty shitty too. If I turn off all the effects and just use the amp models, it's passable, but most of the time I just use my 10W Vox Pathfinder - no effects or frills, just plug my pedal board into it and the Fender Mustang gathers more dust...

[donkey tugger]

Been using my little Fender Mustang amp quite a lot. The presets are to be frank, shite, and there's not a lot of editing can be done from the amp itself. Hooked up to the komputer by usb and using the FUSE software it's a whole different beast though. Some great effects, and the Fender amps (well..they should be able to have a decent go at them) in particular are great. Still also record a DI track as well and combine sounds for the best of both worlds.

I have one of those, but think the presets are pretty shitty too. If I turn off all the effects and just use the amp models, it's passable, but most of the time I just use my 10W Vox Pathfinder - no effects or frills, just plug my pedal board into it and the Fender Mustang gathers more dust...

Just goes to show, one man's meat (steady now..... ) etc.. Despite loving a lot of 60s and 'retro' stuff I've never really been much of a fan of Vox amps when I've used them. That said, haven't tried any of my new geetars through one, so you never know...

[Forgotten]

I don't mind some of the Fender Mustang amp models, but they try to do a bit much when I'd like them to be more straightforward if that makes sense.

[The Noodlist]

Came across a useful UK pedal site today.
https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/

[Unaspected]

Came across a useful UK pedal site today.
https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/

Very neat.

I've been meaning to teach myself electronics by building a fuzz pedal. I have basic schooling but little practical experience so I really want to make a change there.

I found this: https://www.electrosmash.com/big-muff-pi-analysis

So it's just a matter of buying the list. Never had a PCB made for me so I don't know if those kits might help make matters cheaper. Beyond some obvious mods that I had in mind, I have wondered about maybe making a line level version to patch as a send/return from my audio interface.

All in good time though.

[The Noodlist]

I found this: https://www.electrosmash.com/big-muff-pi-analysis

That's technical.
That's way above my station, solder by numbers here.
I bet the Tube Screamer TS808 / TS9 is popular. £43.80 inc. tax
It's nice to see lots of resistors and caps.
Figaro Drive - Brian May in-a-box
BSIAB2 - Brown Sound in a Box
Dr Boogie Distortion
Dumb Lloyd
They straight forward, not too many components.


But how do they sound?

[Hink]

Came across a useful UK pedal site today.
https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/

Very neat.

I've been meaning to teach myself electronics by building a fuzz pedal. I have basic schooling but little practical experience so I really want to make a change there.

I found this: https://www.electrosmash.com/big-muff-pi-analysis

So it's just a matter of buying the list. Never had a PCB made for me so I don't know if those kits might help make matters cheaper. Beyond some obvious mods that I had in mind, I have wondered about maybe making a line level version to patch as a send/return from my audio interface.

All in good time though.

dude, general guitar gadgets, build your own clone and mammoth electronics all have kits with all the parts. Also mammoth sells enclosures painted (powder coated) cheap, usually within a few dollars of what you save by not getting the enclosure from the other companies.

[Unaspected]

Came across a useful UK pedal site today.
https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/

Very neat.

I've been meaning to teach myself electronics by building a fuzz pedal. I have basic schooling but little practical experience so I really want to make a change there.

I found this: https://www.electrosmash.com/big-muff-pi-analysis

So it's just a matter of buying the list. Never had a PCB made for me so I don't know if those kits might help make matters cheaper. Beyond some obvious mods that I had in mind, I have wondered about maybe making a line level version to patch as a send/return from my audio interface.

All in good time though.

dude, general guitar gadgets, build your own clone and mammoth electronics all have kits with all the parts. Also mammoth sells enclosures painted (powder coated) cheap, usually within a few dollars of what you save by not getting the enclosure from the other companies.

Thank you, Hink.

The masochistic part of me wants to waste money on PCB design mistakes. Though it probably makes more sense to start with a kit.

These are some great looking sites that you've mentioned:

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/
https://buildyourownclone.com/
https://www.mammothelectronics.com/

However, depending on the cost of the PCB and enclosure, I think I can make a fuzz pedal quite a bit cheaper than these kits. Of course, some of these result in quite professional looking pedals but designing the box exterior should be part of the fun. Another reason for going with my own design is if I want to mod: I already have a simple mod idea in mind and I'd be building it on a breadboard first so I can experiment before working out how the PCB needs to look.

I imagine you can get cheap 3D printed PCBs these days but I don't know much about that area - or this area in general.

[The Noodlist]

dude, general guitar gadgets, build your own clone and mammoth electronics all have kits with all the parts. Also mammoth sells enclosures painted (powder coated) cheap, usually within a few dollars of what you save by not getting the enclosure from the other companies.

Thanks for that, really good prices.
$22.33 minimum shipping to the UK makes the difference.

[Hink]

Came across a useful UK pedal site today.
https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/

Very neat.

I've been meaning to teach myself electronics by building a fuzz pedal. I have basic schooling but little practical experience so I really want to make a change there.

I found this: https://www.electrosmash.com/big-muff-pi-analysis

So it's just a matter of buying the list. Never had a PCB made for me so I don't know if those kits might help make matters cheaper. Beyond some obvious mods that I had in mind, I have wondered about maybe making a line level version to patch as a send/return from my audio interface.

All in good time though.

dude, general guitar gadgets, build your own clone and mammoth electronics all have kits with all the parts. Also mammoth sells enclosures painted (powder coated) cheap, usually within a few dollars of what you save by not getting the enclosure from the other companies.

Thank you, Hink.

The masochistic part of me wants to waste money on PCB design mistakes. Though it probably makes more sense to start with a kit.

These are some great looking sites that you've mentioned:

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/
https://buildyourownclone.com/
https://www.mammothelectronics.com/

However, depending on the cost of the PCB and enclosure, I think I can make a fuzz pedal quite a bit cheaper than these kits. Of course, some of these result in quite professional looking pedals but designing the box exterior should be part of the fun. Another reason for going with my own design is if I want to mod: I already have a simple mod idea in mind and I'd be building it on a breadboard first so I can experiment before working out how the PCB needs to look.

I imagine you can get cheap 3D printed PCBs these days but I don't know much about that area - or this area in general.

https://guitarpcb.com/...btw you might find more links in the diy forum, but certainly great tips. That forum basically got started when I built a hammered dulcimer and documented the build (photobucket to the pics hostage), a lot of good assistance here and all over the net

[vurt]

dude, general guitar gadgets, build your own clone and mammoth electronics all have kits with all the parts. Also mammoth sells enclosures painted (powder coated) cheap, usually within a few dollars of what you save by not getting the enclosure from the other companies.

Thanks for that, really good prices.
For UK residents + $22.33 minimum shipping.

theres a uk based one, cant remember the name offhand, but search uk guitar pedal kits.

as a first pedal, id suggest going with a kit. get the basics done and a successful build, then go your own way, the successful build is the important bit for a first go. no one wants to be disheartened.

[Teksonik]

I just discovered the guitar sub-forum.

I use a Johnson J-Station for the backbone of my sound and add VST plugins on top. I've never found any amp sim that can match it's Rectified sound whether in hardware or software. It blows away my Pod 2 and any software Amp Sim I've tried.

This is just an image from the net. Mine still looks like I just took it out of the box.

[Forgotten]

as a first pedal, id suggest going with a kit. get the basics done and a successful build, then go your own way, the successful build is the important bit for a first go. no one wants to be disheartened.

One other thing I’d suggest is find an old circuit board from something and practice on it. It’s good to practice removing and adding a few components before you start on a kit.

[Magic Russ]

I use a Johnson J-Station for the backbone of my sound and add VST plugins on top. I've never found any amp sim that can match it's Rectified sound whether in hardware or software. It blows away my Pod 2 and any software Amp Sim I've tried.

I have one and I only ever seem to use it for bass anymore. I never have really been into the rectified thing, but maybe I'll compare it against the Amplitube 4 MB sometime soon.