Ibanez - AF2 Airplane Flanger  [schematic]

All about modern commercial stompbox circuits from Electro Harmonix over MXR, Boss and Ibanez into the nineties.
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RacerX
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Post by RacerX »

Hi,
anyone interested in gut shots of the AF2? Its mainly SMD.

cheers,
Martin

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rocklander
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Post by rocklander »

always... be great to see the guts of this thing
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RacerX
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Post by RacerX »

Ok, here you go.
I can post higher resolution images of certain areas, if needed.
I like it alot. Very versatile and reasonably priced. Only complaint is the volume of the Takeoff mode. It is too loud at the levels I play this thing.
cheers,
Martin
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minnow
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Post by minnow »

You've got steady hands!!! Fantastic crisp pictures there!!!

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Post by RacerX »

Used a SLR with a macro lens on a tripod. Around two seconds of exposure with mirror lock-up, so it is usually impossible to take such shots freehanded.

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

Let's make this thread a little more complete:
http://www.dirk-hendrik.com/temp/Ibanez_AF2_Flanger.pdf

There's loads of stuff in the design that makes one frown, especially in the FET signal switching but yes, verified again and again, it's really there. I suspect the thing was proto'ed on breadboard till it got m'r gilbert's approval and a lot of leftovers from tweaking were left. After approval the circuit was directly copied to a production model with all these leftovers incorporated.

The volume complaint of the takeoff is a very common complaint. Lowering the level does make is less interesting though (I've tried)
What I still need to make up (time, time, o general lack of time) is a simple mod that uses the gating circuit controlled by IC2A so the takeoff stays muted till one stops playing so the takeoff only takes off when there's no signal. Much more usable.
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

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Post by RacerX »

You can see one of the prototypes in this video:
This one has a separate volume poti for the takeoff. They should have left it this way. But its maybe not a as much of a problem at higher overall volume levels. Saw Gilbert playing a production? model live and it didnt have volume issues. But it was loud as hell anyway :wink:

@dirk: do you like the way the flanger sounds?

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

RacerX wrote:You can see one of the prototypes in this video:
This one has a separate volume poti for the takeoff. They should have left it this way. But its maybe not a as much of a problem at higher overall volume levels. Saw Gilbert playing a production? model live and it didnt have volume issues. But it was loud as hell anyway :wink:

@dirk: do you like the way the flanger sounds?

Know that vid ;-)
As for the flanger I think it's one of the winners in effects released over the last few years if it comes to versitality vs bang for the buck. Fantastic product. If guitarist would not be so narrow minded and resort to something boohtweak and expensive prior to trying the cheap stuff ot would have made all boohteek flanger builders taking a run for their money already.
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Post by rs »

100% agree with you Dirk :wink: !!!

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Post by pedalgrinder »

Why God why stupid surface mount Why?????? [smilie=a_cry.gif]
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Post by juanro »

pedalgrinder wrote:Why God why stupid surface mount Why?????? [smilie=a_cry.gif]

Cheap and small?
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Post by marshmellow »

pedalgrinder wrote:Why God why stupid surface mount Why?????? [smilie=a_cry.gif]
Because it's more convenient to build that way in an automated environment (actually also for manual assembly). Which results in a better price for the customer.


Why not? It's not that we haven't discussed that again and again here, but it never fails to entertain me :lol:.

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

pedalgrinder wrote:Why God why stupid surface mount Why?????? [smilie=a_cry.gif]
Because that translates the thing from a 300 dollar to a 130 dollar box.

Stop considering SMD stupid and start considering it a challenge. Multiple here on this board alone have walked that road before you and found out the light at the end of the short tunnel was way better ;-)
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Post by culturejam »

I'd like it if they would make it without the "Takeoff" feature. I think that might shave off a few inches from the width of the enclosure.

I'm a big fan of SMD in most cases. But it seems they could have made a smaller box. :hmmm:

SMD is fun to work with....just don't sneeze. :lol:

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Post by pedalgrinder »

smd is just a ballbreaker in guitar pedals and there is no need for it with good pcb design. A tech has a far better chance of repairing it if not smd. Definately not necessary in pedals.
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Post by marshmellow »

Need is a wide term. I made a layout for the Univibe that fits a 125B enclosure, that is a good enough reason for me. Bulky EHX-sized boxes aren't so much my thing.

And if by "tech" you mean someone, who actually makes a living from repairing stuff and is still not accustomed to and able to work with a crucial technology that's been widely used for more than 20 years... well then you're right.

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

pedalgrinder wrote:smd is just a ballbreaker in guitar pedals and there is no need for it with good pcb design.
Depends on the circuit. The need or not need is your opinion. Tell me how I would have done this without SMD usage other than by increasied board size:
pedalgrinder wrote: A tech has afar better chance of repairing it if not smd.
Not true. A tech that knows his skills doesn't care wether it's smd or not.
pedalgrinder wrote: Definately not necessary in pedals.
Again, your opinion.

And you seem to neglect the cost consideration brought up earlier in this thread. Please do not present your personal dislike of SMD (inexperiece with? ;) ) as if it presents facts on when to and when not to use SMD.
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Post by rocklander »

what Dirk (et al) said... smd is awesome.

it is totally not for me.. I'm such an untidy bugger, and my bench is such a tight space that I'm always dropping stuff off it onto the carpet (imaging how much harder searching for an smd component is than a nice big chunky through hole), have cats and dogs always walking into my bench (and me).. I've just such a messy area that stuff needs to be big to find it..

my etching is pretty poor, so getting the etching sufficiently clean to allow smd is really beyond my homebake abilities.


I'm not a tech... I'm a hobbyist.

if I was a tech, I'd have a decent workspace and the right kit to deal with smd.

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Post by roseblood11 »

I'm etching the boards using the toner transfer method, and I use a very cheap 15W soldering iron with a small tip.
Never had problems with smd parts...

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

roseblood11 wrote:I'm etching the boards using the toner transfer method, and I use a very cheap 15W soldering iron with a small tip.
Never had problems with smd parts...
So what you did was challenge yourself to that level. Rocklander will too and once he tasted the SMD fruit... he'll never go back :mrgreen:
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