freestompboxes.org

Thanks very much for your job MWichni, could you tell me the pcb dimension?

Amstel wrote:Thanks very much for your job MWichni, could you tell me the pcb dimension?

Ofcourse it is: 7x5cm. Cheers.

My contribution to this thread; I put together a vero based on MWichni's schematic at the end of page 3.

So tell me again why this thing sounds any better than my MXR Distortion+ ?

Better/worse is up to you! The main thing is just "different."

I do quite like my vintage-spec Distortion+ build, with all the ceramic and tantalum caps. It's so hairy! But it's pretty low-fi.

The Cornish circuit to me sounds a little darker and fuller, plus you get the advantage of a tone control. If you like the G-2, you'll probably like the SS-2 since the tonal signature is in the same zone. Cornish has got this signature sound going across his line, kind of fat and compressed and sort of dark on top. I personally like it. I haven't tried it live yet, but, recording with the G-2 circuit was very, very good for me.

MWichni wrote:

JOHNO wrote:I decided to revisit this circuit today and what do I find? A new schematic? So I change a few bits and pieces in my old build an low and behold it works like a charm. No more squealing just lovely overdrive distortion.
So now im gonna be playing FREE's Cant get enough and drinking beer all afternoon. Thanks so much for all your great work MWichni your a champion.
My layout posted here earlier is now verified.
Johno

Hi, great to hear some kind words from you. I'm also playing this overdrive a lot. It sound just great.
Regards,
Mariusz.

Yes MW, great work, you and the rest of the people who kept this going! I am going to build this up as close as I can to the original using the G2 layout. I love my G2, can't wait to build an SS-2.

I only have one gut shot of an old SS-2, anybody got any more? I don't need it degooped, I just need to be able to see the main pcb clearly, I feel that I can reverse engineer the main pcb if I could see where the parts are located. The pic I have has wires over most of it.

Well I think this is it. So build one and give us some samples, so we could compare to the online samples. Cheeers.

I don't really need the pictures so I'll keep looking while I'm getting ready and if I don't find any I'll just do it my own way. Sound clips for sure.

Finally got around to boxing this little beastie. Pretty happy with the result.

Nice one JOHNO! I really like the graphics on the box.

Krinkle, could you post pictures of the SS-2 that you have?

silverface wrote:So tell me again why this thing sounds any better than my MXR Distortion+ ?

I think it is better because you don't get the pesky treble boost as you crank up the gain knob as you do with the Dist +(yeah yeah i know, the tone knob on the guitar right). It's true it doesn't sound much different than the Dist +. After all thats what it is based on, it's just a bit more versatile. The Dist + is one of my favorite dirt boxes but not anymore, now its playing second fiddle to the SS-2.

MWichni wrote:Nice one JOHNO! I really like the graphics on the box.

Thanks mate, It took me a few hours to work up the graphics but it was worth it i think. It's not identical but that is probably a good thing (no law suites). If you want a copy of the art work just give me a nudge. I'll even put your name on it for you. LOL

So what do you think about the volume control on the top tone compared to the skrydstrup? I tried it out the skrydstrup way but didn't notice any difference so i put it back on the end and just boxed it up. By the way my build is much quieter now its boxed up but i might try those little ferrite beads on the in and output and see if that quietens it down a bit more. Gearmandudes is ultra quiet in his demo. I didn't put a buffer in my build because i have been using the cornish buffer on the front of my home made pedal board for ages now.

How do we know these circuits are based on the cornish? I can find no evidence of it anywhere.

Regards Johno

Well the only evidence that top tone is based on the SS-2 is picture of the pcb. It is a little modified copy of the cornish layout pcb (they just cut the size by put the pcb fom two halfes). If you saw the G-2 pcb you'll immidiately notice similarities (it have the same topology of the traces). And second evidence is the tone. Hope that I explained everything quite good.

Yes the PCB traces are similar looking but i don't think that is evidence enough. It is odd how ever that two identical circuits that have not been seen before ( mainly the output section of the tone tone and the ODR-2) show up all of a sudden. Time will tell i guess. i'm always a sceptic lol

Maybe. About the volume I think that it is better to isolate tone control of volume control. In skrydstrup volume is before recovery stage probably to maintain fixed output impedance.

JOHNO wrote:Finally got around to boxing this little beastie. Pretty happy with the result.

Photo 1.jpg

Looks great, JOHNO; gut shot, maybe?

Are the 1n270 diodes present in Light Drive or just taken from MXR D+ schematic?

Any germanium diode will be ok. In skrydstrup odr-2 AA117 was used, in toptone unfortunately diodes were gooped so I couldn't read them from the pictures. So on the schematic I used 1n270 as in distortion+, tested my build with them and they sound good. But as I said it could be any germaniums- clipping voltage is important here.

Exactly, I've checked AA117 datasheet and it has extremely low Vf, even for germanium diode - max. 180mV for I=1mA. Maybe they should be used in Cornish G2 clone also?

fakcior wrote:Exactly, I've checked AA117 datasheet and it has extremely low Vf, even for germanium diode - max. 180mV for I=1mA. Maybe they should be used in Cornish G2 clone also?

Maybe, unfortunately I don't have them. And don't know where to buy them.

I've seen them in polish store http://www.gembara.pl along with GD507 - russian OA47 equivalent which also may be good.
Don't take whole batch - leave some for me ;p