SolaSound - Tone Bender MK1.5  [schematic]

Discussion regarding early stompbox technology: 1960-1975 Please keep discussion focused and contribute what info you have...
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Taller76
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Post by Taller76 »

This is my first go at this so please take it easy on me...I am thinking about building a MK1.5 Tone Bender, this is the layout I came up with....I could use another set or two of experienced eyes to help verify that this is at least a correct layout...also, I'm interested in possible transistor values from anyone who has built one.

Thanks!
IMG_0002.jpg
MK1_5.gif
66ToneBendercircuit.jpg
mk15_inside2.jpg
Tonebenderguts.jpg
MK1_5.diy

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Post by Greg »

It's a Fuzz Fcae, so all conventional wisdom regarding Transistor gain applies here.
For me.. if you want something that'll sound great and clean up nicely,
I usually shoot for 80 to 95'ish for Q1, and around 100 to 120 for Q2.

Don't get too obsessive. There are no magic gains, and how it sounds will be dependent on what you put before it (pickup type, etc) and after it.
The one thing I'd suggest as a mod is to replace the 5uf cap on the input with something like a .47uf, unless you like it very bassy and woolly.
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Post by Taller76 »

Greg_G wrote:It's a Fuzz Fcae, so all conventional wisdom regarding Transistor gain applies here.
For me.. if you want something that'll sound great and clean up nicely,
I usually shoot for 80 to 95'ish for Q1, and around 100 to 120 for Q2.

Don't get too obsessive. There are no magic gains, and how it sounds will be dependent on what you put before it (pickup type, etc) and after it.
The one thing I'd suggest as a mod is to replace the 5uf cap on the input with something like a .47uf, unless you like it very bassy and woolly.
Thanks for the info, I figured it would be similar to a FF but wasn't sure because of the different component values...

Anyone care to comment on if the layout looks correct? Not sure if I was able to translate everything correctly from the schematic (the pics help, but dont tell the whole story).

Thanks!

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Post by phibes »

Missing a few cuts. Cut at B4 and C9. The output wire should be Volume Lug 3. Not sure if that's what you meant or not.
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Post by Electric Warrior »

I've also got a layout for this one :)

Image

Here's some sound clips:



Some say it supposed to sound more like a low gain MKII than a Fuzz Face.

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Post by Taller76 »

Hrmmmm looks like removing 2 attachments throws them all off...
Here they are updated...sorry about that folks.....
MK1_5v2.gif
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MK1_5.diy
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IMG_0002.jpg
66ToneBendercircuit.jpg

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Post by Taller76 »

phibes wrote:Missing a few cuts. Cut at B4 and C9. The output wire should be Volume Lug 3. Not sure if that's what you meant or not.
Yep OUT should be LEVEL 3.....havent mastered the attachments yet... :scratch: I'll fix everything as soon as I have built one...which may be a few weeks...
Thanks as usual :thumbsup

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Post by Taller76 »

Taller76 wrote:
phibes wrote:Missing a few cuts. Cut at B4 and C9. The output wire should be Volume Lug 3. Not sure if that's what you meant or not.
Yep OUT should be LEVEL 3.....havent mastered the attachments yet... :scratch: I'll fix everything as soon as I have built one...which may be a few weeks...
Thanks as usual :thumbsup
I hate that you cant edit posts...oh well...I just need to cite my sources on the schematics, those were done by Mr. D*A*M..gotta give credit where credit is due, I thought they were at least signed by him but they are not....props go to him for sharing though.

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Post by beedotman »

Cool mods implemented to MKI.5 circuit implemented by D.Main in latest "Copper Top" version of Sola Sound MK1.5 (or I.75 :o):
- pull-down cap on input of circuit as in MKII (propably standard 10nF value or something lower - 4700pF maybe?, but I bet on 10nF)
- 4K7 (I'm not sure value, but looks like 4K7 to me) resistor on Q1base to ground - again, similar trick as in MKII

Rest looks like stock MKI.5.

Changes done for better circuit stabilization when using OC75.
Worth trying in other fuzz face type circuits, too!
Amazing box finish and again beautiful inside work by D*A*M.

http://stompboxes.co.uk/forum/viewtopic ... &start=460
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MKI_75_07.JPG

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Post by phibes »

The pull down resistor looks like 47K.
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Post by beedotman »

phibes wrote:The pull down resistor looks like 47K.
Yes... now this red stripe looks more like orange stripe to me :blackeye
Thanks! :thumbsup

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Post by brwifrbo »

Built one of these on perfboard with some oc75's. tested it with my tele but for some reason it doesn't sound as fuzzy as it should, however if I put a clean boost before it I get a nice amount of fuzz. Wondering is there any way within the circuit to boost the input going in without building a seperate booster board? I've tried different input caps and the fuzz face trick of putting a 1k pot in series with the 470r resistor but to no avail. Any suggestions would awesome as I really don't wanna give up on it yet

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Post by DonDougie »

brwifrbo wrote:Built one of these on perfboard with some oc75's. tested it with my tele but for some reason it doesn't sound as fuzzy as it should, however if I put a clean boost before it I get a nice amount of fuzz. Wondering is there any way within the circuit to boost the input going in without building a seperate booster board? I've tried different input caps and the fuzz face trick of putting a 1k pot in series with the 470r resistor but to no avail. Any suggestions would awesome as I really don't wanna give up on it yet
I just built one like this too with the pull-down cap/resistor and OC75's (Q1=78hfe, 226mA Q2=107hfe, 105mA). With a 10K trimmer on the Q2 collector resistor, it only got as low as 6,2V and there wasn't much gain either. Biased at 4,5-5V though it has a nice amount of fuzz and sounds great! I had to go up to 11,5K for that.

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Post by LucifersTrip »

speaking of voltages, beedotman, did you take note of the voltages in the D*A*M "Copper Top" you just posted about?

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Post by beedotman »

LucifersTrip wrote:speaking of voltages, beedotman, did you take note of the voltages in the D*A*M "Copper Top" you just posted about?
i don't own it :(

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Post by beedotman »

DonDougie wrote: I just built one like this too with the pull-down cap/resistor and OC75's (Q1=78hfe, 226mA Q2=107hfe, 105mA). With a 10K trimmer on the Q2 collector resistor, it only got as low as 6,2V and there wasn't much gain either. Biased at 4,5-5V though it has a nice amount of fuzz and sounds great! I had to go up to 11,5K for that.
maybe to much gain and leakage, especially for Q2. Try lower hfe for both.

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Post by DonDougie »

beedotman wrote:maybe to much gain and leakage, especially for Q2. Try lower hfe for both.
Thanks! I have 60 for q1 and 82 hfe for q2 in there now, it biases up fine and behaves much better than before. The cleanup is smoother and the attack pot got significantly more of a usable range.

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Post by jalmonsalmon »

beedotman wrote:Cool mods implemented to MKI.5 circuit implemented by D.Main in latest "Copper Top" version of Sola Sound MK1.5 (or I.75 :o):
- pull-down cap on input of circuit as in MKII (propably standard 10nF value or something lower - 4700pF maybe?, but I bet on 10nF)
- 4K7 (I'm not sure value, but looks like 4K7 to me) resistor on Q1base to ground - again, similar trick as in MKII

Rest looks like stock MKI.5.

Changes done for better circuit stabilization when using OC75.
Worth trying in other fuzz face type circuits, too!
Amazing box finish and again beautiful inside work by D*A*M.

http://stompboxes.co.uk/forum/viewtopic ... &start=460
So basically for a normal tonebender 1.5 schematic, I would just have like so:

IN --->>> 10n --->>> 5μf --->>> 47k going to base and take out the 100k resistor going to Q1 base that goes over to the Q2 emittor?
I want to try this one if that is how you do it LOL

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Post by jalmonsalmon »

Hey all, I put together something real quick that may work. Needs to be verified and I do not have all the parts to mess with this yet.
It is loosely based on that copper top Mk 1.5 with a bias pot and will work with your neg ground power - borrowed from a layout that IVIark did for a fuzz face but I changed the passive values
so it works for the tonebender mk1.5, or should LOL
If anyone that is in the know can sort of check this over for errors, for this is the 1st time I ever tossed a vero together.
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Post by sinner »

Change the grid in DIYLC to 0,05"

You'll hit the potentiometer holes with wiring better. :-)

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