Cool Widgets

In the course of purchasing printed circuit boards (PCBs) for our DIY rental pedal collection, some of the different circuit designers we bought PCBs from also offered some smaller PCBs that weren't effects themselves, but that could be used to do different and interesting things... Things like "blend two effects at the same time", or "add a warble", or "add a switch to toggle between different component values" in order to make the effect more interactive or more expressive. So where it seemed interesting and appropriate, we purchased not only PCBs for whole effects that would be housed in their own enclosures, but we also purchased many of these "cool widgets" (as we ended up calling them) to add function, variety, interest, and perhaps even some uniqueness to any of effects that we would already be building. In some cases, this caused us to purchase more effect PCBs as we became interested in different ideas, and in other cases, we bought them wondering what we might come up with.

We haven't yet decided how we're going to be using all of these cool widgets. We don't plan on using them for the sake of using them because we've bought them. We plan on using them when and where we'll be able to find interesting functions for them. We want to build and rent out compelling custom pedals, not pedals you can just get anywhere else. Let's take that back, we are also making pedals that can be found elsewhere available, but that's because they're good but you may not happen to own them right now.

Here's what we have. Here are our thoughts on how we are intending to employ these widgets:

1776 Effects

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Mod Board	3	PCB	X-X" x X-X" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Warble Control

These Mod Boards provide an additional "warble" feature for other effects, but was created specifically by Josh (owner of 1776 Effects) for the Multiplex Echo Machine. From the initial description of the standalone Multiplex Echo, we got the impression that it's possible to not only warble one of the emulated tape heads in the pedal, but actually both of them. We emailed him, and Josh confirmed this to us, so we're making one echo without warble, another unit with a single warble switchable between the two echoes, and a final unit with the two echoes each getting their own warble and controls.

Breakfast Audio

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Burger Feedback Looper	2	PCB	1-1/16" x 7/8" 26 mm x 22 mm	N/A	Loops signal back into itself

The Burger Feedback Looper is a small PCB which is used to loop a signal and throttle it (using a potentiometer) back into itself, tweaking the ability to create more noise. This little looper PCB is obviously intended to put into an enclosure and make another control available on the pedal. We're not really clear right now where this control would be applied, but we're willing to experiment a little and see if this is a worthwhile endeavor.

Celestial Engineering

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
LDR-Opto Tester	1	PCB	3-5/16" x 2" 84 mm x 51 mm	1590BB	Tests Light Sensitive Resistors

DeadEndFX

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Loop-D-Loop	2	PCB	3-15/16" x 3-1/16" 100 mm x 78 mm	1590BB / 1590BB2	Effects Loop Line Level Adjuster

The Loop-D-Loop isn't so much a pedal as it is more of a useful tool to enable the use of instrument-level (-10 dB) pedals in an unbuffered or line-level effects loop in an amp (+4 dB). They have to be built in a manner that's just the same as a pedal in terms of parts and assembly, and despite the fact that they won't function as sound effect, they will be operated as pedals and so we'll count them as such.

Effects Layouts

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Footswitch DI	5	PCB	1-1/4" x 1" 45 mm x 26 mm	N/A	Supplemental XLR output PCB
Incandenza	45	PCB	1-5/8" x 1-3/8" 40 mm x 31 mm	N/A	True Bypass Soft Switch
Latching Incandenza	19	PCB	1-7/8" x 1-1/4" 47 mm x 31 mm	N/A	Low-Power True Bypass Soft Switch

If these relayed switches are cool enough, like the Fuzzdog HumStop, these could be put into many pedals. Uses 100,000-cycle Momentary Switch for True Bypass instead of conventional 3PDT which is only rated for 25,000 cycles. The internal electronic relay can go 200,000 to 500,000 cycles before needing replacement. This could make pedal switch maintenance much better and pedal switching much more pleasant. The pure relay takes about 50 millivolts, the

Electric Roots

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Blender	3	PCB	1-3/4" x 1-7/16" 45 mm x 36 mm	1590??	Blend 2 Signals
Impedance Adjuster	2	PCB	1" x 7/8" 27 mm x 22 mm	1590??	Fixes Pickups and Fuzz
Signal Splitter	2	PCB	X-x/x" x X-x/x" 30 mm x 23 mm	1590??	Split Channels (missing from Electric Roots)
Theremin	1	PCB	2" x 1-13/16" 50 mm x 46 mm	1590??	Sound Generator

Fuzzdog Pedals

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Big Muff Tonestack Mini	2	Tone Control	9/16" x 9/16" 15 mm x 15 mm	N/A	Zero-gain Big Muff Tone Control
Blender II	4	Mixer	7/8" x 1-1/8" 22 mm x 28 mm	N/A	Mixes one signal (effect) into another
Buffered Pickup Sim	2	Line-Loader	1-15/16" x 1-1/16" 50 mm x 28 mm	1090B	Pickup Impedance Emulator
Capacitor Switcher	2	Capacitor Selector	1-3/16" x 1-11/16" 30 mm x 43 mm	N/A	6-way Capacitor Selector.
Clipper	4	Diode Selector	1-1/8" x 1-13/16" 29 mm x 46 mm	N/A	6-way "Diode" Selector.
Dude Boost	3	Boost	X" x X" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Small footprint FET boost / Possible Buffer
Electrica+	3	Boost	X" x X" 25 mm x 22 mm	N/A	Multi-circuit Distortion / Possible Buffer
Ghost Notes	2	Tracking Octave	1-3/16" x 1-1/16" 30 mm x 26 mm	N/A	Additional Up & Sub Octave Notes
Hum Stop	150	Power Filter	X" x X" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	In-pedal Power Hum Filter
Just the Meat	3	Boost	7/8" x 1" 22 mm x 25 mm	N/A	(Exact same board as Electrica+)
Muff Tone	4	Tone Control	7/8" x 1" 22 mm x 25 mm	N/A	Gain-available Big Muff Tone Control
Pot Swap	2	Switch	15/16" x 15/16" 23 mm x 24 mm	N/A	Switches Between Two Pots
Ruby Cricket	3	Switch	1-11/16" x 2" 42 mm x 50 mm	1590B	2 Watt Power Amp
Switcheroo	4	Switch	X" x X" XX mm x XX mm	1090NS	3-Line Signal Switcher (Effect Order)
Tails	3	Buffer	3/4" x 15/16" 19 mm x 23 mm	N/A	Plays Echo Repeats with pedal disengaged

Buffers

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Cream Buffer	6	Buffer	1" x 1" 25 mm x 25 mm	1090NS	Pete Cornish Transistor Buffer
Inverting Buffer	7	Buffer	1-1/8" x 1" 28 mm x 25 mm	1090NS	Buffer w/ Phase Inversion
Klon Buffer	8	Buffer	1" x 7/8" 25 mm x 22 mm	1090NS	IC buffer from Klon pedal
Tigger Boost	2	Boost	X" x X" XX mm x XX mm	1090NS	Garcia "Tiger Guitar" Boost

General Guitar Gadgets

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Headphone Amp	1	PCB	2" x 1-3/16" 50 mm x 30 mm	1090NS	Headphone Mini-Amp
Rotary	2(?)	PCB	X" x X" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	6-way selector

GuitarPCB

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Paramix v4*	1	PCB	2-1/8" x 1-3/4" 53 mm x 44 mm	1590N1	2-Insert Mixer
Toggle	10(?)	PCB	X" x X" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Component Toggle

Jed's Peds

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
The Test Bed	1	PCB	X-X/X" x X-X/x" XX mm x XX mm	1590??	Circuit Hookup w/ Circuit-In Tone
Maybe Baby!	1	PCB	X-X/X" x X-X/x" XX mm x XX mm	1590??	Powered ABY Switch

JMK PCBs

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Panner	3	PCB	1-1/8" x 1-3/8" 28 mm x 35 mm	N/A	2-source Panner/Blender gadget
Paralyzer	6	PCB	1-9/16" x 1-3/8" 40 mm x 34 mm	N/A	2-source Parallel-izer/Mixer
Testing Rig	3	PCB	3-1/16" x 1-7/8" 77 mm x 47 mm	1590BBFL	Circuit Tester w/ Listen Probe
Tiny Tester	3	PCB	15/16" x 1-1/16" 20 mm x 23 mm	1590GFL	Test Tone Oscillator

NOTE: "Ultra Tester" / Oscillator projects are to assist in building other pedals: Combination of JMKPCBs Testing Rig / Tiny Testers and Madbean Road Rages

Madbean Pedals

Madbean power board (Road Rage) was first was purchased to be combined with JMKPCBs Testing Rig. Recognized need for 12v power and bought more for a total of 15 in case additional power needs arose. Will keep extra on hand to make 12v and 15v power supplies as necessary.

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
9mm BBoard Pot Adapter	75	Pot Adapter	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	9mm Pot easy-use for Breadboard
14mm Illuminated Pot Adapter	4	Pot Adapter	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm?	N/A	For Glowy Dials on Pedals
1/8" Audio Jack	6	PCB Mount	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Audio jack mounts for 1/8" headphone plugs
ProtoRig	1	Power	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Prototyping Board
Road Rage	15	Power	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	-+9v / 12 or 15 / 18v Power Supply
RRBB	1	Power	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Breadboard Power
sProbe	1	Power	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Audio Probe
Strober	1	Power	XX" x XX" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Tester

Mask Audio Electronics

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Order Switcher	5	PCB	X-X" x X-X" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Control Switch
Blend	2	PCB	X-X" x X-X" XX mm x XX mm	N/A	Blend on Effect into another

OLCircuits

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Tube Cricket*	1	Kit	X" x X" XX mm x XX mm	1590N1	Miniature 1W Tube Amp

NOTE: Tube Cricket Pedal in a 1590N1 is much "cooler" than the 1590BB it came with. Going to get and drill a 1590N1. The Tube Cricket is technically a mini-amp, not a pedal and so cannot be counted as such.

Parasit Studio

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Mod Board	2	PCB	1-1/4" x 1-5/16" 31 mm x 34 mm	N/A	Warble different effects
RC Box	2	PCB	4-7/8" x 4-1/16" 125 mm x 104 mm	1590XX(?)	Part Substitution and Circuit Test Box

We thought the mod boards would be perfect for the Theremin Fuzzes as the "spooky 1950s" sound of B-grade horror movies typically involved a warbling theremin and we thought it would be cool to recreate this effect even though we plan on building our own theremin too! The RC Boxes are like vintage Resistor/Capacitor decade boxes, but even more functional than those decade boxes as with Parasit Studio RC Boxes you can also chain the resistors and capacitors into both RC or CR filters.

PCB Mania

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Clean Blend Master	1	PCB	2-1/4" x 2-1/4" 56 mm x 56 mm	1590N1	Clean Insert
Green Octaver	2	PCB	1-3/8" x 1-1/4" 36 mm x 31 mm	N/A	Green Ringer Octave Up

Clean Blend is listed as a test tool to help insert clean tone so distortion tones don't get lost. Green Octaver is a PC board for the Armstrong Green Ringer. We may include/combine it into a pedal if it strikes us as a good idea. If, after testing, the inclusion actually ends up making a pedal better, we'll keep it in there.

EQ Development Pack

PCB Mania offers all their tone stack PCBs in a single discounted package. At the time we purchased this, we questioned ourselves as to whether or not we were being stupid for buying this pack, but obviously, we bought it anyway.

It seemed to us (at the time, and still now) that the best way to use these tone stacks would be to package them together in a single enclosure for circuit development / investigation efforts. So we're building out these PCBs and combining them into a single enclosure. This is so we can make all of the different tone stacks available in a selectable manner. The idea is to make new tone shaping options accessible, for use in, or for interaction with, any effects. Specifically we're interested combining with different pedal or effect preamps where we may wish investigate using different tone stacks to find a better sounding result. Note the Asterisk with the Camber EQ. The Camber EQ PCB was not offered as part of the original EQ Development Pack, so we ordered it later.

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Active EQ	1	PCB	2-5/16" x 1-1/4" 59 mm x 32 mm	TBD	Tone Stack
Amp Tone Stack & Gain Recovery	1	PCB	2-5/16" x 1-1/8" 59 mm x 29 mm	TBD	Tone Stack
Benzin EQ	1	PCB	2-5/16" x 1-7/16" 59 mm x 36 mm	TBD	Tone Stack
Camber EQ*	2	PCB	X-X/X" x X-X/X" XX mm x XX mm	TBD	Tone Stack
Falcon EQ	1	PCB	2-3/8" x 1-1/4" 60 mm x 32 mm	TBD	Tone Stack
Hybrid EQ	1	PCB	2-5/8" x 1-5/16" 59 mm x 33 mm	TBD	Tone Stack

We always try to match the smallest enclosure possible taking into consideration the PCB and any controls that need to be fitted. Given preliminary attempts to match out the PCBs to the optimal enclosures, right now the 1550G appears to be a reasonable size (Though . In this case, obtaining a 5-pole 5-throw rotary switch (to switch power in/out, signal in/out, and an "active" indicator to select between the various tone stack PCBs) seems to be forcing us into the larger enclosures that Hammond makes. Vertical alignment of the PCBs in the enclosure appears to make a smaller enclosure possible. The 6P5T rotary we were able to find at a reasonable price is deeper (about 2 inches total) than any other rotaries we've spec'ed out for a build.

Need:

• 1 x 1550G

To do:

• 1 x 1550G: acquiring, drilling, painting

Pedal PCB

Widget	Count	Type	PCB Dimensions	Enclosure	Description
Basic Relay Bypass (Latching)	30	PCB	1-15/16" x 13/16" 50 mm x 21 mm	NA	On/Off Soft Foot Switch
DC Jack Breakout Board	5	PCB	X-X" x X-X" XX mm x XX mm	NA	Power Rail for Pedals
Intelligent Relay Bypass Module	20	PCB	X-X" x X-X" XX mm x XX mm	NA	"Intelligent Function" Soft Foot Switch
Muffin Crumb Amplifier Stage	2	PCB	1" x 1" 26 mm x 26 mm	NA	Amplifier/Clipping/Tone Recovery
Muffin Crumb Tone Control Stage	6	PCB	X-X" x X-X" XX mm x XX mm	NA	Spare Tone Controls

TH Custom

Widget	Type	PCB Dimensions	Effect
1-Band Parametriq EQ	PCB	3-5/16" x 1-7/8" 84 mm x 48 mm	Widget
10 Watt Amp x2	PCB	3-5/16" x 1-7/8" 84 mm x 48 mm	Widget
Headphone Amp & Stereo Sim x2	PCB	1-15/16" x 1-1/2" 48 mm x 38 mm	Widget
MadBox	PCB	1-15/16" x 1-5/8" 49 mm x 42 mm	Widget
Mini Headphone Extension x3	PCB	1-15/16" x 1-1/2" 48 mm x 38 mm	Widget
Parallel Mixer-Splitter	PCB	1-15/16" x 1-5/8" 49 mm x 42 mm	Widget
Pro-cessor	PCB	1-15/16" x 1-5/8" 48 mm x 41 mm	Widget