Post by dgassie on Mar 21, 2005 21:40:06 GMT -5
I've wanted to try pedal modding for a while but hadn't had the chance. On one hand, it seemed that it would be VERY difficult to do and also, getting payment to the US without using a credit card ( which most mod sites aren't equiped to accept) is a hassle, so I hadn't followed through.
Anyway, there's a gentleman named Brian, who sends me Email from a site called Indyguitarist. He too sells plans and kits on his site for pedal mods and recently mailed, requesting pictures of certain pedals component board, to post on his site. In exchange for the pictures, he offered to send instructions to modify the pedal of my
choice. I asked for the instructions to the BOSS, BD2, Blues Driver and received them in my email within two days of sending the photos. No doubt, Brian is a stand up guy.
I went to Radio Shack and picked up the needed parts, mostly capacitors, resistors and LED diodes. I bought the most expensive, metal film components, since most of this stuff is very inexpensive anyway. Once I got home, I cleaned off my workbench and mentally
prepared myself to accept ruining a perfectly good pedal if I screwed up.
I had paid attention to the tips given by recent pedal mods here on the list and took my time. I checked the pedal after each change so I could hear the changes as I went along. It turns out this work isn't that difficult. I have to confess I "cheated" a little. I was afraid to screw up while soldering the printed board so instead, I worked on the component side and when I removed the stock parts, left short "leads" I could solder the new parts to. It worked very well.
The change in the pedals sound is pretty dramatic. The tone control is now "useable", the overdriven sounds have more clarity as well as better note separation and it sounds as if there was some compression going on too. The distortion to my ears is more "tube like" and the
fizz I had complained about when I bought the pedal and that sucked to the tone out of my guitar is gone. Another benefit is that the pedal is quieter now too.
While doing the work, it was fun listening how each new component changed the pedals sound. Although after the fifth or sixth component, the changes became very subtle, some apparently doing nothing at all. Still, I installed every part the modification called for. Along with the instructions, Brian sent along the instructions
to modify the BOSS CS3 compressor and I'm about to start on that now! He also sent some general information regarding the "how to" of pedal mods. Like I said, this guy is a straight shooter.
So I now have my first modified pedal. I love the way it sounds and I'm surprised how easy it was to do the work.
Dan
Anyway, there's a gentleman named Brian, who sends me Email from a site called Indyguitarist. He too sells plans and kits on his site for pedal mods and recently mailed, requesting pictures of certain pedals component board, to post on his site. In exchange for the pictures, he offered to send instructions to modify the pedal of my
choice. I asked for the instructions to the BOSS, BD2, Blues Driver and received them in my email within two days of sending the photos. No doubt, Brian is a stand up guy.
I went to Radio Shack and picked up the needed parts, mostly capacitors, resistors and LED diodes. I bought the most expensive, metal film components, since most of this stuff is very inexpensive anyway. Once I got home, I cleaned off my workbench and mentally
prepared myself to accept ruining a perfectly good pedal if I screwed up.
I had paid attention to the tips given by recent pedal mods here on the list and took my time. I checked the pedal after each change so I could hear the changes as I went along. It turns out this work isn't that difficult. I have to confess I "cheated" a little. I was afraid to screw up while soldering the printed board so instead, I worked on the component side and when I removed the stock parts, left short "leads" I could solder the new parts to. It worked very well.
The change in the pedals sound is pretty dramatic. The tone control is now "useable", the overdriven sounds have more clarity as well as better note separation and it sounds as if there was some compression going on too. The distortion to my ears is more "tube like" and the
fizz I had complained about when I bought the pedal and that sucked to the tone out of my guitar is gone. Another benefit is that the pedal is quieter now too.
While doing the work, it was fun listening how each new component changed the pedals sound. Although after the fifth or sixth component, the changes became very subtle, some apparently doing nothing at all. Still, I installed every part the modification called for. Along with the instructions, Brian sent along the instructions
to modify the BOSS CS3 compressor and I'm about to start on that now! He also sent some general information regarding the "how to" of pedal mods. Like I said, this guy is a straight shooter.
So I now have my first modified pedal. I love the way it sounds and I'm surprised how easy it was to do the work.
Dan
This one really caught my eye, Dan. I received my new BD2 from Musicians Friend last week. I like the way it gives my LP the old style Fuzztone, as opposed to the full-on distortion from my DS1. Did the mods give you the ability to get the down-n-dirty tube driven Blues sound. My stock pedal gets awfully close, but not quite there, either. Hey, maybe I need a bigger amp!! I run that by the little woman!!