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I just got finished with my screamer, I built it stock so I could see the difference between it and my Keeley modded TS-9. I think I like the Keeley modded pedal better except that I like having the extra midrange with the original but I think that I may put in a switch to have an option.

But I think I want to mod it to be closer to the Keeley modded pedal but I don't know what a metal film capacitor is. Is it just a metalized polyester film capacitor?

Try going to geofex.com and reading the techonology of the tubescreamer article- good info about how to mod a screamer to your tastes.

Thanks Newbie...

No problem. I'll also toss in that some my fav mods are: have a switch going between no clipping and yellow leds for clipping, the mod listed in the instructions to flatten the mids, and making the 4k7 resistor either 1k or just jumpering that connection. Good luck! :wink:

Could you outline what the tonal changes are for the mods that you mentioned?

No clipping?
Yellow LED Clipping?
4.7k vs. 1k?

Sure!
No clipping gives less compression, more headroom, and more clean boost.
Yellow LED just is a different flavor of clipping, hard to describe but very nice.
The 4.7k vs. 1K: the lower value you use the more output and gain the pedal will have.
Best of luck!

I didnt think these questions deserved a new thread, but I have been searching for answers and I'm still a little confused.
The Screamer is my 2nd build, and I want to do the diode switch mod and the basscut mod.

With the diode mod, I want 3 settings, 2*1N941, 2*1N4001 and 2*Germanium diodes. I think i'm meant to use a DPDT on-on-on toggle switch but how do i wire it? If somebody could please post a diagram it would be much appreciated.

With the basscut mod, I saw a diagram using a DPDT on-on toggle and another using a SPDT switch. Any advantages?
Thanks in advance!

the best way for your clipping would be a rotary switch, however, i think a dpdt on on on switch would work... but i'm not sure.

i put a bunch of diodes in my screamer with a switch for each. i found it quite useable.

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safe? who said anything about safe? of course He isn't safe! but He's good. He's the king i tell you!

The other option is a switch for each diode, that way you can get all sorts of combinations: 1 germ 1 1n4148, one side no clipping one side blue led, etc etc etc. That'd be the most flexible way of all to do it! I'm pretty Dano did that on his ultimate screamer thing and has a diagram for wiring somewhere.....

Hi,
So I tried to find a DPDT on-on-on switch in Aus stores, but no luck. Then I thought about buying one from a US site. Shipping was ridiculous, with that money I could buy lots of mini toggle DPDT switches.
So that's what I'm doing!

For the clipping section, I'm following what Dan-O did on his awesome and really helpful sitehttp://www.beavisaudio.com/Projects/ScreamerLab/index.htm Except with 4 switches per 'side'.
1: 1N914, 2: 1N4001, 3: Ge (codes?) 4: LED .

A question about clipping 'sides' of the waveform. How does this happen when its running on DC? It doesn't make sense to me, if anybody could explain this it would be much appreciated.

I'm doing the Mid-Hump mod via a DPDT switch.

I would like to do the op-amp stacking mod also outlined on Dan-O's site. But I would like to switch between op-amps using 1 switch. The op-amps I'll be using are the 2 included in the kit, JRC4558D and a RC4558P. I had a look at the diagram and don't think it's possible with a single DPDT switch, if it isn't possible, what kind of switch would be appropriate?
Also, the stacked op-amps in the photos are connected to a socket, I assume that is just connected to the socket on the board?

I'm fitting it into an enclosure that measures 119mm*93.5mm*34mm (or, 4.68"*3.68"*1.33") So far my layout looks like it will fit, but some room around the footswitch may have to be sacrificed. What are your opinions on layout ergonomics? How much room around the footswitch do you find comfortable?

Sorry for the long post, but I felt like documenting this whilst hopefully getting some answers
thanks,
-Miles.

You can use a just SPDT for the bass cut mod, but half of a DPDT will work too.

You might want to consider some sort of asymetrical clipping for you clipping choices as well. Everything you have proposed is symetrical.

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*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

By "4 switches per 'side'" i mean't:

'side' one:
1: 1N914, 2: 1N4001, 3: Ge (codes?) 4: LED .

'side' two:
1: 1N914, 2: 1N4001, 3: Ge (codes?) 4: LED .

I thought this would give me the option for assymetrical clipping.
If not how would I go about giving it the option of assymetrical clipping?
Thanks,
-Miles.

Technically yes. If you use two different diodes for your clipping, then it will be asymmetrical. However you won't really notice a difference unless you put 2 or more diodes in series on only one side of the clipping stage.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

it depends on the turn on voltage of the diode, i think LED's are slowest, Si are kind of in between and Ge are very fast.

LEDs reduce gain and sound less compressed but the clipping is gritier
Ge's get compressed very fast so they sounds more aggressive, but the clipping sounds smoother.

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just a po' college kid.

N.O.C.3 Effects!