Earthquaker Devices - The Warden [traced]

[daimondamps]

Can you post Part number from my pic where the yellow path is going?

It's impossible to find out where it goes without desoldering the caps.

Thank you very much!!:)
Could you take two more ? - I think we will be at home with those pics:)

[ozzy666]

Let me know how it goes

[gigelmargel]

No news about the schematic? I tried to verify it using the new photos, but I don't have enough skills...

[daimondamps]

I''m sorry for late reply - i have other things on my head . Right now i'm using Kemper profiling Amplifier with my guitar for playing.
Bellow is a updated schematic - mostly component values has changed( marked with *). This was only fast verification based on new pictures.
I have no time right now to verify this on my breadboard.
I hope this will help:

[gigelmargel]

I''m sorry for late reply - i have other things on my head . Right now i'm using Kemper profiling Amplifier with my guitar for playing.
Bellow is a updated schematic - mostly component values has changed( marked with *). This was only fast verification based on new pictures.
I have no time right now to verify this on my breadboard.
I hope this will help:

I've just tested the new values posted by daimondamps in the schematic above and now the tone pot works fine. The only problem that I still have it's the distorsion obtained when all the pots (except the volume) are maximized. My LDR has a dark resistance of 800K (instead of 500K) and a light one of 600-800R, so this can be the source of the problem. I will ty other LDRs and I hope to solve it.

In the new schematic there are a couple of values changed which are not marked with *:
1. R7 from 2.1K to 1.2K
2. R17 from 2.3K to 100K
3. R18 from 4.7K to 470R

Maybe daimondamps will modify them, when he will have some time.

[gigelmargel]

I've just tested a lot of op-amps instead of OPA2132 that I used (I don't have OPA2134), but with no chance: the distorsion with all the pots maximized is the same.
My guitar is a standard Ibanez RG370...maybe the high output of the coils is the source of the distorstion?

[daimondamps]

I've just tested a lot of op-amps instead of OPA2132 that I used (I don't have OPA2134), but with no chance: the distorsion with all the pots maximized is the same.
My guitar is a standard Ibanez RG370...maybe the high output of the coils is the source of the distorstion?

Try to lower R14 value to 1M or less.

[gigelmargel]

I've just tested a lot of op-amps instead of OPA2132 that I used (I don't have OPA2134), but with no chance: the distorsion with all the pots maximized is the same.
My guitar is a standard Ibanez RG370...maybe the high output of the coils is the source of the distorstion?

Try to lower R14 value to 1M or less.

I lowered R14 (I put a 4.7M pot in its place) and I changed 3 LDRs, but with no luck...the distorstion is too strong...I have no ideea...maybe I will recheck the PCB again...thank you very much daimondamps!

[gigelmargel]

At the pin 1 of the opamp I have a clear and strong signal...but at the output it's distorted...I recheck all, but I didn't found any mistake

[ozzy666]

At the pin 1 of the opamp I have a clear and strong signal...but at the output it's distorted...I recheck all, but I didn't found any mistake

This distortion/tremolo effect could well be the feature of this circuits. Does it help if you back off the release control?

[gigelmargel]

At the pin 1 of the opamp I have a clear and strong signal...but at the output it's distorted...I recheck all, but I didn't found any mistake

This distortion/tremolo effect could well be the feature of this circuits. Does it help if you back off the release control?

Hello,

You're almost right, Ozzy666: the distorstion is mainly influenced by the attack pot and the release pot...with the attack pot at minimum it sounds OK...but 10-20% it starts to distors...the release pot has a smaller influence...over 50-60% starts to distort...

When I will have some time I will rebuild on other layout...

Thank you!

[gigelmargel]

At the pin 1 of the opamp I have a clear and strong signal...but at the output it's distorted...I recheck all, but I didn't found any mistake

This distortion/tremolo effect could well be the feature of this circuits. Does it help if you back off the release control?

Hello,

You're almost right, Ozzy666: the distorstion is mainly influenced by the attack pot and the release pot...with the attack pot at minimum it sounds OK...but 10-20% it starts to distors...the release pot has a smaller influence...over 50-60% starts to distort...

When I will have some time I will rebuild on other layout...

Thank you!

I've rebuild it using this layout (http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.ro/2016 ... arden.html), but no luck...same problems...another user have the same problem...I have no ideea why

[aaroneous]

Hey lads,

I noticed in one of the most recent images (the ones with the blue circuit board), it looks like R12 (the carbon-film resistor) is 10M, but it is listed in the schematics as 1M right from the start (based on the images with the green circuit board).

In the earlier pictures, the 3rd band looks green, which would indeed be 1M...but in the clearer pictures, the band is blue... = 10M.

Would this be the cause of the distortion you're experiencing? I am in no way as near an expert as you all, but in my novice eyes, could this resolve the problem?

[gigelmargel]

Hey lads,

I noticed in one of the most recent images (the ones with the blue circuit board), it looks like R12 (the carbon-film resistor) is 10M, but it is listed in the schematics as 1M right from the start (based on the images with the green circuit board).

In the earlier pictures, the 3rd band looks green, which would indeed be 1M...but in the clearer pictures, the band is blue... = 10M.

Would this be the cause of the distortion you're experiencing? I am in no way as near an expert as you all, but in my novice eyes, could this resolve the problem?

Hello aaroneous,
I've replaced the 1M resistor with a 10M one, but with no luck...the distortion is strong yet

Best regards!

[aaroneous]

Hello aaroneous,
I've replaced the 1M resistor with a 10M one, but with no luck...the distortion is strong yet

Best regards!

Thanks for trying that out.

I've been looking at these pictures and the schematic and pouring over this today and I see something that doesn't make sense to me...Hopefully someone can clarify, and maybe this might be the cause this time

I'm seeing some odd things happening around the Attack and Release pots...which sound like where the issues are coming from.

Attack Pot:
- It looks like that Q2 and Q3 are kind of mixed up, but according to the schematic, it doesn't matter since they're all in parallel with everything else...But consider the points below and it may be relevant (I'm not sure, I'm a novice!)
- It appears that Q3's Base is connected to D5's anode, but the schematic shows Q2's Base going to D5's cathode
- In addition, Q2's Base appears connected to R8 only, and not to R9 and D5's anode as per the schematic
- On the schematic, C11 is connected to D5...but I can't see that on the circuit board. The connection from C11 to C8 appears correct though.

Release Pot:
- The schematic shows the LDR LED's anode connected to Release 2 and 3, but if you follow the trace along the left-side of the board (part-side down), it connects to D3/R4/C5/etc.
- The schematic also shows the LED's cathode connected to C2 and R1. The C2 and R1 parts are connected properly, but I can't see them connecting to the LED. The LED's cathode, however, is connected to Release 2 and 3, and not the LED anode (see above point).

There might be more, especially in the Attack pot area, but it's all confusing and I haven't mapped it all out totally.

Now, I'm not intending to lead anybody down any rabbit holes here. I stress that I am new at this and I totally expect myself to be wrong on many things. I'm just hoping someone can confirm/deny/clear up my confusion.

Thanks!

[gigelmargel]

Hello aaroneous,
I've replaced the 1M resistor with a 10M one, but with no luck...the distortion is strong yet

Best regards!

Thanks for trying that out.

I've been looking at these pictures and the schematic and pouring over this today and I see something that doesn't make sense to me...Hopefully someone can clarify, and maybe this might be the cause this time

I'm seeing some odd things happening around the Attack and Release pots...which sound like where the issues are coming from.

Attack Pot:
- It looks like that Q2 and Q3 are kind of mixed up, but according to the schematic, it doesn't matter since they're all in parallel with everything else...But consider the points below and it may be relevant (I'm not sure, I'm a novice!)
- It appears that Q3's Base is connected to D5's anode, but the schematic shows Q2's Base going to D5's cathode
- In addition, Q2's Base appears connected to R8 only, and not to R9 and D5's anode as per the schematic
- On the schematic, C11 is connected to D5...but I can't see that on the circuit board. The connection from C11 to C8 appears correct though.

Release Pot:
- The schematic shows the LDR LED's anode connected to Release 2 and 3, but if you follow the trace along the left-side of the board (part-side down), it connects to D3/R4/C5/etc.
- The schematic also shows the LED's cathode connected to C2 and R1. The C2 and R1 parts are connected properly, but I can't see them connecting to the LED. The LED's cathode, however, is connected to Release 2 and 3, and not the LED anode (see above point).

There might be more, especially in the Attack pot area, but it's all confusing and I haven't mapped it all out totally.

Now, I'm not intending to lead anybody down any rabbit holes here. I stress that I am new at this and I totally expect myself to be wrong on many things. I'm just hoping someone can confirm/deny/clear up my confusion.

Thanks!

I don't have many electronics skills, too...as I saw, the Warden's schematic seems very close to Mad Professor Forest Green Compressor and BJFE Pale Green Compressor (you can find their schematics on FSB, too)...maybe could help...

[aaroneous]

I don't have many electronics skills, too...as I saw, the Warden's schematic seems very close to Mad Professor Forest Green Compressor and BJFE Pale Green Compressor (you can find their schematics on FSB, too)...maybe could help...

Thanks!

I checked those schematics out and noticed the similarities around the two transistors (near the Attack pot). I noticed in my bad drawings that I missed a trace, and it looks better. Most of what I said above is cleared up, but I still am unsure of the following:

- Is D5 backwards? It looks like in one of the pictures with the lines drawn on, that Q2's Base (or Q3's Base, based on the schematic...I found out it doesn't matter which since they're both connected the same) is connected to the Anode of D5..the schematic shows it connecting to the Cathode. I know based on the Forest and Pale Green schematics that the configuration goes Base -> Diode cathode, Resistor, Capacitor for both Transistors, but it doesn't look right based on the traces here. (D4 looks oriented properly based on the traces)
- Still something odd going on with the LDR LED. I also see from the Forest/Pale schematics that the LED's Cathode goes to the Q2/Q3 Collector pins, but I don't see it based on the circuit board images.

Hopefully this will help? Again, sorry for the run-around. I really want to see this pedal working!

[andreaps72]

Hello,
first sorry for my english

I've build the Warden with the Tagboard blog layout and I've the same problems :
in the layout the D6 orientation it's wrong, in the right way the distortion disapear but still no comp.

My LED (LDR) it's still light up full and dimes a little only with the Attack control a zero,

so my 2 cents are :
I read here a lot of speculations on the voltages section but no one mentioned the fact that in Forest Green Compressor and others the 78L05 it's used to give 5V to the LED (LDR) circuit.
No one of the above circuits give 18V to the LED section (in mine fall at 12V), and all the above circuits have resistors to bias the LED (cathode and anode).

[aaroneous]

Hey all,

I did this up quick to help visualize what I think is how the LED is connected. You'll see that I just cut out the Release Pot section (and other parts to help illustrate) on the "old" schematic, and beside it put what I see by drawing and following the traces based on the images. I wonder if it will also answer some of the points that andreaps72 made regarding the increased voltage over the LED, compared to the Forest/Pale Green Compressor schematics?

Again, please correct me if I am wrong. I just wanted to provide this quick visualization to you all to go along with my previous point regarding the Release pot.

Thanks!

[andreaps72]

Looks better now but seems missing a resistor in parallel with C2, may be R1?

If we feed this Led circuit with 5V from the 78L05 we are realy near the others schematics