Sola Sound - Tonebender Mark II Professional  [schematic]

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

Gotta hate the lack of edit function in this part of the forum

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Post by boblob »

Electric Warrior wrote:
boblob wrote: The Sola Sound OC84 reissue that I have has 15nF caps in place of the 10s to compensate for drift. That's pretty important - sounds much more like a vintage unit if you do that (more mids, a little smoother up top, and just generally better). Up to 22nF on the output cap still sounds good with the Tungsrams.
I don't think that Dave uses the 15nFs to compensate for anything. Many vintage units had 15nFs, his own Vox included. He likes that sound a lot!

[ Image ]



Read the whole story here: http://www.stompboxes.co.uk/Wifey.html
Ah yeah. Cool. Gotta love Wifey.

Mine had 10nF and all the schematics I'd seen had 10s, so I assumed wrong. A-B-ing with a set on Tungsram AC125s on the breadboard, 15nF got me much closer to the sound of the original. I had assumed drift/wide tolerance to be the reason (although differences in the way the transistors clip will come into it too).

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Post by Electric Warrior »

Right, different transistors do sound slightly different. My Valvo AC125s sound quite a bit brighter than my Philips OC75s.
Your Philips AC125s should work great for a MKII, btw. Make sure you use the OC75 variant of the schematic with 10k on Q1's base and 47k on Q2's collector.

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Post by rosetta »

I built mine a few months ago, the trannies I used were from a smallbear kit oc75, I use some carbon comp resistor and a mustard cap, it sound great, but I got some of issues.

first; the 470ohm resistor used to control volume I had to rise it value, but I had to rise alot y mean on my built is 33K and it gives me a good range of volume to play with.

second: the attack pot doesn't make much difference at max or min.

third: whan I set a Micro POG before it the sound turns weak, duno maybe a impedance problem.

forth: the pedal is a little trebly, is there something i could mod to get more bass or les treble??.


so can any of you guys tell me how to fix the last three issues?Image

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Post by Electric Warrior »

Did you use the schematic that came with the transistors? That tends to cause most of your issues. Small Bear biases Q3 at 4.5V, which makes it sound trebly and brings down the level. They use a 100k at Q1's base which takes a lot of range from the attack pot when used with OC75s.

Impedance problems with pedals/buffers in front of a MKII are quite common..

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Post by rosetta »

yes I did, I followed their scheme, so what bias value you recomend? something higher or lower?.

on the base of Q1 I've got 10K, but the attack pot is connected to Q2 and it base has a 100k.

anyway I will make some probes.

THanks

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Post by Masuto »

rosetta wrote:I built mine
Where did you get that hot enclosure?

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Post by Electric Warrior »

rosetta wrote:yes I did, I followed their scheme, so what bias value you recomend? something higher or lower?.

on the base of Q1 I've got 10K, but the attack pot is connected to Q2 and it base has a 100k.

anyway I will make some probes.

THanks
With stock values and OC75s it usually ends up somewhere between 7.5 and 9V.
I can see an 8k2 resistor. If that's Q3's collector resistor things should be alright.

With that board you probably followed a later Supa Fuzz schematic. It's pretty much identical to the Sola Sound made version except for the 10µF electrolytics.

Image

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Post by rosetta »

Masuto wrote:
rosetta wrote:I built mine
Where did you get that hot enclosure?

they used to sale them on pedalenclousure.com, but the webpage doesn't work.



Electric Warrior wrote:
rosetta wrote:yes I did, I followed their scheme, so what bias value you recomend? something higher or lower?.


With stock values and OC75s it usually ends up somewhere between 7.5 and 9V.
I can see an 8k2 resistor. If that's Q3's collector resistor things should be alright.

With that board you probably followed a later Supa Fuzz schematic. It's pretty much identical to the Sola Sound made version except for the 10µF electrolytics.

[ Image ]
yeap I followed a supafuzz schematic with the smalbear changes.

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Post by Masuto »

rosetta wrote: they used to sale them on pedalenclousure.com
Cheers. So they are basically unavailable as of now! Shame, shame, shameee.
PEDALENCLOSURE.COM PEOPLEGIVE US A BUZZ

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Post by Electric Warrior »

rosetta wrote:
Masuto wrote:
rosetta wrote:I built mine
Where did you get that hot enclosure?

they used to sale them on pedalenclousure.com, but the webpage doesn't work.



Electric Warrior wrote:
rosetta wrote:yes I did, I followed their scheme, so what bias value you recomend? something higher or lower?.


With stock values and OC75s it usually ends up somewhere between 7.5 and 9V.
I can see an 8k2 resistor. If that's Q3's collector resistor things should be alright.

With that board you probably followed a later Supa Fuzz schematic. It's pretty much identical to the Sola Sound made version except for the 10µF electrolytics.

[ Image ]
yeap I followed a supafuzz schematic with the smalbear changes.
Try it without any changes then. You may have to adjust Q2's collector resistor to bias it to the sweet spot between noisyness and gating, though.

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Post by Nocentelli »

Masuto wrote:
rosetta wrote: they used to sale them on pedalenclousure.com
Cheers. So they are basically unavailable as of now! Shame, shame, shameee.
PEDALENCLOSURE.COM PEOPLEGIVE US A BUZZ
If it's a steel "Z wedge" enclosure, I have an unfinished one, undrilled (and unmarked apart from a couple of tiny tentative drill marks that would disappear under a finish). I bought without realising I didn't have the cojones (or drill bits) to drill steel, and you or anyone else is welcome to it for £10 + the cost of postage to wherever you are.
modman wrote: Let's hope it's not a hit, because soldering up the same pedal everyday, is a sad life. It's that same ole devilish double bind again...

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Post by Masuto »

bajaman wrote:Of all the tonebenders, I really do like the MkII version - It nails the Hendrix Voodoo Child sound when you put a well tuned wah pedal in front of it too.
I don't think Hendrix ever used a Fuzz Face - If he did, I don't think he liked it from what I have heard from folks supposedly in the know - forget the other benders - build a MkII - you won't be sorry you did.
bajaman
Call me sentimental, call me dumb.. But it's time to rehash the first post in this here thread.. And check this auction:

http://www.ebay.it/itm/JIMI-HENDRIX-EXP ... 697&_uhb=1

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Post by DrNomis »

Looks like I'm going to have to see if I can buy myself a trio of OC75s on eBay, since I've got a PCB kit for a Marshall Super Fuzz which I might build soon, I've already built a good sounding Mk II with some OC81Ds...... :thumbsup
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Post by jalmonsalmon »

Masuto wrote:
bajaman wrote:Of all the tonebenders, I really do like the MkII version - It nails the Hendrix Voodoo Child sound when you put a well tuned wah pedal in front of it too.
I don't think Hendrix ever used a Fuzz Face - If he did, I don't think he liked it from what I have heard from folks supposedly in the know - forget the other benders - build a MkII - you won't be sorry you did.
bajaman
Call me sentimental, call me dumb.. But it's time to rehash the first post in this here thread.. And check this auction:

http://www.ebay.it/itm/JIMI-HENDRIX-EXP ... 697&_uhb=1
There it is... Marshall Super Fuzz justification to add to my pedal collection.
I am wondering if Jimi actually used that pedal on any recordings... :hmmm:
DrNomis wrote:Looks like I'm going to have to see if I can buy myself a trio of OC75s on eBay, since I've got a PCB kit for a Marshall Super Fuzz which I might build soon, I've already built a good sounding Mk II with some OC81Ds...... :thumbsup
Where did you get that PCB kit from? I was thinking about using a layout from Sinner but I like PCBs if I can get them :D

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Post by DrNomis »

jalmonsalmon wrote:
Masuto wrote:
bajaman wrote:Of all the tonebenders, I really do like the MkII version - It nails the Hendrix Voodoo Child sound when you put a well tuned wah pedal in front of it too.
I don't think Hendrix ever used a Fuzz Face - If he did, I don't think he liked it from what I have heard from folks supposedly in the know - forget the other benders - build a MkII - you won't be sorry you did.
bajaman
Call me sentimental, call me dumb.. But it's time to rehash the first post in this here thread.. And check this auction:

http://www.ebay.it/itm/JIMI-HENDRIX-EXP ... 697&_uhb=1
There it is... Marshall Super Fuzz justification to add to my pedal collection.
I am wondering if Jimi actually used that pedal on any recordings... :hmmm:
DrNomis wrote:Looks like I'm going to have to see if I can buy myself a trio of OC75s on eBay, since I've got a PCB kit for a Marshall Super Fuzz which I might build soon, I've already built a good sounding Mk II with some OC81Ds...... :thumbsup
Where did you get that PCB kit from? I was thinking about using a layout from Sinner but I like PCBs if I can get them :D


I bought the Marshall Super Fuzz PCB kit online from Pigeon FX, the PCB is etched on Phenolic and comes with all the vintage style components you need minus the Transistors, I'd definitely recommend buying one of these kits, they're pretty good quality...... :thumbsup


http://www.pigeonfx.com/index.html
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Post by jalmonsalmon »

DrNomis wrote: I bought the Marshall Super Fuzz PCB kit online from Pigeon FX, the PCB is etched on Phenolic and comes with all the vintage style components you need minus the Transistors, I'd definitely recommend buying one of these kits, they're pretty good quality...... :thumbsup
http://www.pigeonfx.com/index.html
Nice! That will save me time finding the mojo parts... Thanks! :applause:

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Post by DrNomis »

jalmonsalmon wrote:
DrNomis wrote: I bought the Marshall Super Fuzz PCB kit online from Pigeon FX, the PCB is etched on Phenolic and comes with all the vintage style components you need minus the Transistors, I'd definitely recommend buying one of these kits, they're pretty good quality...... :thumbsup
http://www.pigeonfx.com/index.html
Nice! That will save me time finding the mojo parts... Thanks! :applause:


You're welcome, let me know how your build goes...... :thumbsup
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Post by Masuto »

jalmonsalmon wrote: There it is... Marshall Super Fuzz justification to add to my pedal collection.
Are we hooked or whaaat :twisted:
DrNomis wrote:I've already built a good sounding Mk II with some OC81Ds...... :thumbsup
Follow you, follow me: i bought those very same dsi oc81d that you have like one year ago, never got around to make the build, the other day i fired the pro mk ii thread you posted, and right now i am building a mk ii with those dsi's into a WHITE PIgeon FX MK I enclosure. Good grief.

Party party, party party, party party :popcorn:

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Post by Masuto »

The vox tone bender vid that Electric Warrior has posted..
Now thats what i call oscillating, misbiased, porky mother of a pedal! Ahahah

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