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The new BYOC Gray Overdrive was released a couple of days ago, based upon the classic 1976 gray box DOD250 Overdrive/Pre-Amp. This kit is perfect for the novice pedal builder, with a low parts count and a ton of room to work with. And it's a great sounding overdrive at a very attractive price point (under $70 with the snazzy pre-painted enclosure)!

With all that room to spare in the enclosure, I couldn't resist adding one of my favorite modifications, namely a 3-position clipping toggle switch (see last photo below). I substituted a pair of 3mm red LED's for the stock 1N4148 silicon diodes on the PCB, then wired each side of the LED's to the poles of an on-off-on DPDT toggle switch mounted through the side of the enclosure. Soldered across the two throw lugs on each end of the switch are a pair of diodes in opposite orientations--the stock 1N4148's on one side and a pair of 1N34A germaniums on the other side. With the switch in the middle "off" position, the signal clipping is handled by the red LED's on the PCB; switching the toggle bat to either of the two "on" positions activates the pair of diodes connected to that side, which then take over the clipping due to their lower forward voltage threshold relative to the LED's. Works like a charm! Because of those differences in forward voltage--and hence the amount of signal clipped to ground--the three switch positions give very noticeably different output volumes. LED loudest, germanium quietest. So you're not going to want to try switching clipping modes during a song with this combo, unless you're supernaturally fast with the Level knob! Of course, you can substitute your favorite diode clipping array for what I chose--just remember to put the diode array with the highest forward voltage on the PCB.

Photos:

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

If the volume parity issues really bothered you and you wanted to go whole hog, you could use a dpdt toggle. Somehow add another resistor in series to R5 and move D1, D2, and C4 in between the two "R5" resistors on the PCB. You want to keep that original 10k so that the roll off frequency created with C4 stays the same and the amount of clipping stays the same too. I don't know what it would be, but the other resistor would be whatever value would bring the LED volume down to the same as Ge clipping. Then use the switch to put another resistor in parallel with the afore mentioned resistor for the ideal Si volume. And then just a jumper in parallel for the Ge toggle position.

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*patience is a virtue*

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

Nice build, Bob! Very tidy even by your high standards.

And I have to say I love the look of these enclosures. Nice work Keith!

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Scott

My band, Austin Hollow

Yep, I thought exactly the same thing. The enclosure finishing is first-rate! Very stylish!


Ah, that's interesting. The volume difference isn't really a concern for me, but it's interesting to hear of a way to balance the different clipper outputs. Sounds like it might make sense to move those components onto a piece of perf or vero and use sockets to "audition" various resistor values.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Very nice! You could put two in a box with 6 different options to really shake things up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Pedal building is like the opposite of sex. All the fun stuff happens before you get in the box.

King of the Grays??

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

A few more years and that will be my name.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

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

Better than a knave like most of us!

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Bwahahahaha More of a Gray Channel Pedal.

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Pedal building is like the opposite of sex. All the fun stuff happens before you get in the box.

UPDATE: The volume drop through the pair of 1N34A germanium diodes (these only had a forward voltage threshold of about 0.21V) was so pronounced that I decided to change the diode array on that side of the switch. So I went with the asymmetric array of a 1N34A plus a 1N914 silicon (~0.5V FVT)) in series with a 1N34A:



With ~0.2V on one side and ~0.7V on the other, the output from this clipping array is only slightly lower in volume than the 1N914 pair, but still gives the smoother and slightly more compressed tone of the germaniums. Best of both worlds!

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2