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Guidance Requested:

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:48 pm
by Torturor
Hey fellas,
I've always wanted to have a portable version of an old school amp distortion I like.
How difficult is it to turn a solid state amp's distortion channel into a pedal?
The schematics and parts list are available online (for a price). Can the diagrams be easily interpreted by the not so experienced?
I can solder and read resistor/capacitor values but haven't tried isolating/interpreting a circuit before.
Would one of you knowledgeable veterans outline a step by step before I commit (embarrass) myself?

Re: Guidance Requested:

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:53 pm
by rocklander
count me out sorry.. I'm just a solder jockey... possibly worth asking the question over at FSB though? 'tis a gathering of minds that do this kind of stuff a lot.

Re: Guidance Requested:

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:58 am
by pete_currie
What amp is it?

Re: Guidance Requested:

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 4:34 pm
by Torturor
It's a Crate G1600XL, what is FSB?

Re: Guidance Requested:

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 5:05 pm
by Lyle
Torturor wrote:It's a Crate G1600XL, what is FSB?
http://www.freestompboxes.org/

Re: Guidance Requested:

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 10:22 pm
by Snarblinge
there are a few pedals out there in DIY land that replicate amp channels, can't for the life of me remember what they are right now, but check in with FSB as above, and diystompboxes.com, and track them down and compare them to the amp schematics they come from, that should give you an idea of what is involved.

as I understand it it will never sound the exact same as the real thing. (there are power transformer speaker differences for a start) but could get you close.

if you want to get started building overdrives/distortions/fuzzs there are plenty of easier options to whet the appetite, then step it up to your final goal.

there are a ton of sites offering kits also that may have one of these amp simulators on them, try, general guitar gadgets, pedal parts plus, madbeanpedals.com and everyones friend google.

good luck.

**EDIT**
it's a mesa boogie replica that i see around all the time here are the links for more details

http://gaussmarkov.net/wordpress/circuits/dr-boogey/
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/C ... k_ver1.pdf

Re: Guidance Requested:

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 10:28 pm
by rocklander
following on.. runoffgroove.com do a number of amp emulation pedals too..
marshall 18 watt (eighteen); fender somethingerather (professor tweed); marshall suberbass 100 (thor); supro (supreaux and supreaux deux).. and more... :D

Re: Guidance Requested:

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:21 pm
by Torturor
Thanks for all the links guys, gonna do a bit of reading aye.