Modifying an effects pedal.

TerrorTwilight · 11.29.2006, 11:26 PM

I know nothing about circuit bending or modifying electronics, but I really want to take a cheap boss or dod guitar pedal and modify it so it just creates some kind of odd or interesting effect.
Does anyone have any experience in modding pedals? What kind of tools do I need and is it even worth the effort to undertake such a project?
Thanks guys.

CHOUT · 11.30.2006, 12:05 AM

I have seen books about it, but have only done one small mod...SpectralJulianIsNotDead surely has some knowledge.

SpectralJulianIsNotDead · 11.30.2006, 01:09 AM

there are whole websites on this, like www.experimentalistsanonymous.com

To do simple bending, all you need is a 9 volt battery, a 30 watt soldering iron with a good fine tip, and some solder, and some rubber shielded relatively thin gauge electrical wire. It is also best to try to bend pedals that don't have those tiny tiny surface mount circuit boards with a lot of stuff on them, because it is harder to solder onto small components.

Basically, what you do is you put a 9v into it, connect a sound source to the input, and then connect the pedal to the amplifier. DON'T USE A POWER SUPPLY, you could fry the pedal, or maybe even yourself.

Now, you want to open the pedal up so you can see all those solder points on the bottom side of the board. Then you want to take a wire and systematically look for places that make cool noises by connecting two solder points. Stay away from the solder joints where the power supply connects, and where the switch connects, because it will likely do nothing. Look for caps, diodes, resistors, and transistors mainly.

Once you find a connection you really like, either remember it, or mark it with a marker. Then solder those two points together, then plug it in again and make sure you soldered good.

If you don't want the bend always on, you can on/off flipswitches at radioshack, on/off buttons, and momentary on buttons. By correctly wiring them inbetween two points on a bend, you can use the switch to turn it on or off.

There is a bunch of other stuff you can do of course, but that is just to get you started.

Here is another good place to learn about circuit bending:
http://www.anti-theory.com/soundart/circuitbend/

next step · 11.30.2006, 05:29 AM

I made many mod on pedals (wha, delays, overdrive, chorus, fuzz) you should start follow the mod cited in some websites and then try new things but it's not easy to find good sounds. I currently use a couple of mod pedals just with some mod made by good technicians. for ex I built a tube screamer JRC and then I added a diode for an asymmetrical distortion cause it sounds more groovy and I like more.

good luck and have fun!

fishmonkey · 11.30.2006, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerrorTwilight

I know nothing about circuit bending or modifying electronics, but I really want to take a cheap boss or dod guitar pedal and modify it so it just creates some kind of odd or interesting effect.
Does anyone have any experience in modding pedals? What kind of tools do I need and is it even worth the effort to undertake such a project?
Thanks guys.

#

i have fuck all of an idea but i love yr user name Mr TerrorTwilight

rock on the Pave..

ZEROpumpkins · 12.10.2006, 05:16 AM

http://experimentalistsanonymous.com/stuff/index.html
Scroll down until you find the nintendo muff. It's fuckin insane!

11.29.2006, 11:26 PM	#1
TerrorTwilight empty page Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 6	I know nothing about circuit bending or modifying electronics, but I really want to take a cheap boss or dod guitar pedal and modify it so it just creates some kind of odd or interesting effect. Does anyone have any experience in modding pedals? What kind of tools do I need and is it even worth the effort to undertake such a project? Thanks guys.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.30.2006, 12:05 AM	#2
CHOUT invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 3,128	I have seen books about it, but have only done one small mod...SpectralJulianIsNotDead surely has some knowledge. __________________ Chout's rare Sonic Youth vids: http://youtube.com/SONICchout
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.30.2006, 01:09 AM	#3
SpectralJulianIsNotDead invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 7,409	there are whole websites on this, like www.experimentalistsanonymous.com To do simple bending, all you need is a 9 volt battery, a 30 watt soldering iron with a good fine tip, and some solder, and some rubber shielded relatively thin gauge electrical wire. It is also best to try to bend pedals that don't have those tiny tiny surface mount circuit boards with a lot of stuff on them, because it is harder to solder onto small components. Basically, what you do is you put a 9v into it, connect a sound source to the input, and then connect the pedal to the amplifier. DON'T USE A POWER SUPPLY, you could fry the pedal, or maybe even yourself. Now, you want to open the pedal up so you can see all those solder points on the bottom side of the board. Then you want to take a wire and systematically look for places that make cool noises by connecting two solder points. Stay away from the solder joints where the power supply connects, and where the switch connects, because it will likely do nothing. Look for caps, diodes, resistors, and transistors mainly. Once you find a connection you really like, either remember it, or mark it with a marker. Then solder those two points together, then plug it in again and make sure you soldered good. If you don't want the bend always on, you can on/off flipswitches at radioshack, on/off buttons, and momentary on buttons. By correctly wiring them inbetween two points on a bend, you can use the switch to turn it on or off. There is a bunch of other stuff you can do of course, but that is just to get you started. Here is another good place to learn about circuit bending: http://www.anti-theory.com/soundart/circuitbend/
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.30.2006, 05:29 AM	#4
next step the destroyed room Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 583	I made many mod on pedals (wha, delays, overdrive, chorus, fuzz) you should start follow the mod cited in some websites and then try new things but it's not easy to find good sounds. I currently use a couple of mod pedals just with some mod made by good technicians. for ex I built a tube screamer JRC and then I added a diode for an asymmetrical distortion cause it sounds more groovy and I like more. good luck and have fun! __________________ http://www.sonicurbs.com
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

12.10.2006, 05:16 AM	#6
ZEROpumpkins invito al cielo Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 6,157	http://experimentalistsanonymous.com/stuff/index.html Scroll down until you find the nintendo muff. It's fuckin insane! __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|