MXR Micro Flanger - Any Mods Out There?

A forum devoted to mod, tips and suggestions for upgrading and rehousing your VERY CHEAP commercial stompbox to near boutique excellence.
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digitalzombie
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Post by digitalzombie »

Seems like a decent sounding little flanger for $70 new. Has anyone tweaked this one yet? I'd love to get the rate super-slow, and maybe a wet/dry blend knob to push the effect back juuuuuust a little.

Or is there already an inexpensive tweakable flanger on the market that does this?

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Govmnt_Lacky
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Post by Govmnt_Lacky »

A wet/dry blend knob may be an option. Most "flanger" circuits have either an onboard trimmer or a set resistor to mix the wet and dry signals.

Any chance you could post some pics of the component side and trace sides of the circuit? From there, we might be able to determine where the mixing is occurring.

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digitalzombie
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Post by digitalzombie »

I don't currently own one unfortunately.

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grateful_dead_head
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Post by grateful_dead_head »

hi there seen this post on google when i searched micro flanger mods if i take the pictures can you tell me wether its tweakable

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digitalzombie
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Post by digitalzombie »

grateful_dead_head wrote:hi there seen this post on google when i searched micro flanger mods if i take the pictures can you tell me wether its tweakable
You may not get an answer right away, but by all means please do. Gut shots are always appreciated.

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Post by Fender3D »

grateful_dead_head wrote:...can you tell me wether its tweakable
It's not a matter of tweaking (everything is moddable or tweakable), rather a matter of "knowing what you need/want" from the pedal.
Once you set your goals, then it's just a matter of knowing how electronic parts work...

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EmanuelBassist
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Post by EmanuelBassist »

Hey everybody! I am a bassist an love the MXR Micro Flanger but need to mod it for my purposes. Basically I wish to use it to thicken my sound, not really as an "effect" I also would like to use it before overdrive again just for a little movement. I need to have the ability to make it very subtle or crank it up when I do want the “effect”. It is a gorgeous sounding pedal and my only time based effect. All I use as a bassist is a Micro Pog and a couple of overdrives so as you can see it's all about providing a foundation for the music.
1) volume boost: sent it to Dunlop but it still boosts and I get dirty looks from soundmen. I'd like to install a control for overall volume.
2) I would like to install a wet/dry blend control.
It would be great to have these controls accessible from the outside because one may affect the other.
I'm not opposed to having the Res. dimed and using that space for the blend. The Res. Knob just makes it sound brighter and believe me, I have PLENTY of low end content.

Here is a couple of pictures and a schematic (from the web).

Thank you in advance for your help.

PS.... I messed with the 2 tiny trim pots and I shouldn't have. It's not broken at all just a little distortion somewhere in the sweep (the upper left one). The lower left one brings the effect in and out it seems but I've read that the wet/dry mix uses set resistors.
PSS..... I'm going to get an Analogman dedicated buffer for the end of my short effects chain. I have the Micro Pog first in line after wireless/tuner. Is there any reason to do the TB mod on the Pog? I just don't want an always on buffer before my overdrives. Here's the chain: Shure Wireless with Tuner-Micro Pog-Darkglass “BK3” overdrive-Micro Flanger-Darkglass “Vintage” overdrive-Buffer.
Micro20Flanger-1.jpg
MXRMicroFlangerback.jpg
[attachment=2]
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MXRMicroFlangerfront.jpg

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Fender3D
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Post by Fender3D »

:secret:
that's not the schematic for that board...
EmanuelBassist wrote:... I just don't want an always on buffer before my overdrives. Here's the chain: Shure Wireless with Tuner-Micro Pog-Darkglass “BK3” overdrive-Micro Flanger-Darkglass “Vintage” overdrive-Buffer.
:secret: :secret:
the wireless system IS a buffer...

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

:applause: :blackeye
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

http://www.dirk-hendrik.com

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EmanuelBassist
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Post by EmanuelBassist »

Sorry about the (old i presume schem). Good to know about the wireless being a buffer. thanx. Any thoughs on the Micro Flanger mods?

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Post by Fender3D »

EmanuelBassist wrote:1) volume boost: sent it to Dunlop but it still boosts and I get dirty looks from soundmen. I'd like to install a control for overall volume.
Volume boost usually depends on what you connect after (sometimes before) your pedal.
I mean, other pedal(s) or amp.
I don't think Dunlop, or whoever, builds defective pedals and put 'em out for sale...

Anyway, a trimmer instead of the last op-amp (mixer) will let you set your overall level...
EmanuelBassist wrote:2) I would like to install a wet/dry blend control.
It would be great to have these controls accessible from the outside because one may affect the other.
I'm not opposed to having the Res. dimed and using that space for the blend. The Res. Knob just makes it sound brighter and believe me, I have PLENTY of low end content.
The above last op-amp has 2 resistors mixing wet and dry signals.
Connect the wiper to op-amp and external lugs one to dry the other to wet...
Maybe you'd need 2 more resistors to reduce the blend effect or maybe not...
For what about the parts values... well there the schematic is mandatory...

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Post by Fender3D »

Fender3D wrote:Anyway, a trimmer instead of the last op-amp (mixer) will let you set your overall level...
I meant:
"a trimmer instead of the last op-amp's FEEDBACK RESISTOR"...

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EmanuelBassist
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Post by EmanuelBassist »

Thank you so much for the response!
I'd thought about getting an MXR 74 handwired RI from Analogman that has the blend mod but I far and away prefer the sound of flanging to phasing.
The volume control is a pretty well documented mod and I'll be doing that.
Any chance you could spell the blend mod suggestions out in lay terms ...i.e. “remove R36 and run a wire to middle lug of a 10K pot...etc” using these pictures? Sorry to be a pain.
I'm not worried about ruining it. It won't get enough use on my board as an “effect”. Without some control over the wet signal I'll have little use for it. I've been a fool for lesser things anyway!
Attachments
MXR MFgr (1).jpg
MXR MFgr (2).jpg
MXR MFgr (3).jpg
MXR MFgr (4).jpg
MXR MFgr (5).jpg
MXR MFgr (6).jpg

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Fender3D
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Post by Fender3D »

EmanuelBassist wrote:Any chance you could spell the blend mod suggestions out in lay terms ...i.e. “remove R36 and run a wire to middle lug of a 10K pot...etc” using these pictures?
Fender3D wrote:For what about the parts values... well there the schematic is mandatory...

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EmanuelBassist
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Post by EmanuelBassist »

OK got it.

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