10/11/2010

Crescendrive update

Crescendrive overdrive update
What started out as a relatively basic overdrive/booster has become a monster..
Seems I am totally unable to adhere to the 'less is more' -approach.

Basic features, subject to change;
Three independent 'channels', selectable with footswitches. 
Selecting one of the channels will automatically disable the other two.

Two of the channels are identical, each with gain- and volume- controls.

The third, 'lead' channel has more gain on tap and a parametric equalizer with a range of about 70Hz > 7kHz, +/-18dB boost/cut and variable Q.

The EQ can be switched between 'pre'- and 'post'- clipping. 
When the EQ is set to 'pre', boosting a specific frequency with a narrow Q will accentuate the frequency and shape the response of the clipping-circuit radically.
When set to 'post', the EQ operates similar to your average overdrive-effect, i.e. subtle(r?).

This approach is similar to the Maestro MPF-1 (which has got to be one of my favourite effects!)
Although the parametric equalizer in the Crescendrive is less complex, the possibilites for shaping trippy tones are huge.

Did I mention TRUE BYPASS? well, it is.
Electronic bypass-switching sure would have made things easier..

I'm really pleased with how this turned out and hopefully Emil will like it as well.
Next up is designing the PCB-layout followed by doing the actual building. Will update.

10/03/2010

Crescendrive (and flame war-catalyst?)

Emil, guitarist of rock'n'roll-trio "Crescendolls" asked me to build him a overdrive similar to the 'Greedtone overdrive'. 
I looked it up and it surprises me that people pay so much for so little. 
The build quality is.. Well, see for yourself.

I added a picture of something I built at age 10 to the left for comparison..
build quality, 10-year-old kid vs. greedtone $299.95 overdrive


















As I see it, this pedal is clearly not worthy to be cloned.. 

So, I started out with the same basic circuit as the 'Greedtone';
the popular Craig Anderton CMOS-inverter distortion, and went from there.
The prototype sounds really good for what it is (I don't like drive/dist.-pedals at all..)
It adds just a tiny bit of gain/saturation and has plenty of available volume-boost on tap.

Emil wanted two 'channels' with separate gain- and volume-controls. 
I'm currently designing the buffering, switching and signal routing for the two channels.
Stay tuned for more!

Check out Crescendolls at;
http://www.myspace.com/crescendollsrocks