Everything Else
DIY Stompbox Gallery

Neunaber's New Neighbour

What it does: Turns one stompbox into two, twice!

I'm a bit of a fan of Neunaber's magnificent pedals and their Pedal Customiser software that allows you to load other effects onto them to try. They took this to another level with the V2 pedals and with the EXP pedal it allows you to have 4 patches loaded simultaneously and switch between them. Which spawned the idea to unlock a little known feature of the V1 pedals that I have.

The V1 pedals have both a stereo and mono patch on them. I'm only using it in mono, and you can force write a second mono patch over the stereo one that you can access by plugging in the 2nd out jack. So a track cut and a swtiched output jack onto each pedal (as I've got two) gives me a standard pedal with a socket that will switch between stereo and mono patches. Are you keeping up with me...? Good!

Now I add a switch box on the end of each jack (I've incorporated power also for neatness) with a dual colour LED to indicate which patch is selected. Et voila, two pedals become four. I have it currently configured with the delay as a straight digital delay with the alternate as a delay with reverb, and the reverb as a stock WET and the alternate being a Seraphim Shimmer. There's nothing stopping me making any of them a Chorus or any other patch that Neunaber have in their software. Cool huh!?

Ben's Box

What it does: switches guitar electronics

Another unusual request for a very specific job. Two sets of guitar electronics in a complete passive switch box. Built as requested, Taa daa!

Unicorn Breath

What it does: Buffer
What it's based on: Klon Buffer

Have a unicorn breathe rainbows on your signal and restore it's sparkle with Josh at 1776 Effects' Unicorn Breath buffer. Made from the same unicorn tears as the buffer in the mythical klon!

Solid Snake

What it does: Boost
What it's based on: Zvex Super Hard On

I originally had a LTD Viper with a SHO in there as an on-board effect. Ole (Kiichi) grabbed that when I sold the guitar. He liked it so much he asked me to make a couple more. Here they are.

This works REALLY well in guitars that already have a battery in them, or simply if you have the space to get one in there. There's one in the Feline I sold to Cleggy and I'm toying with putting one in my StratSG.

Switch

What it does: Amp Switcher
What it's based on: BYOC Amp Switcher

Around 5 years or so ago I started this hobby with a BYOC kit and it seems I've come full circle. An amp switcher with all the options. We wanted one to test out some things and this seemed to be about the most comprehensive one out there.

The only changes we've made are some part subs to suit our current sensibilities. So it's got our preferred stomps, a TC1044 charge pump, Panasonic electrolytics (we don't really trust any others) and the ability to run at 9-12v (there's a 12v zener on the back for protection).

BadCat Switcher

What it does: Switches channel
What it's based on: a switch

TheyCallMeVolume asked me if I could make him one as BadCat don't make one specifically for the Unleash. I got in touch with BadCat and they were massively helpful. Amazing customer service! So I've knocked together what they recommended. The only change to which is that it's got a couple of batteries in there running a LED as I have no idea if they run any voltage down the lines to run one.

Otherwise it's a switch. It works on Cleggy's Laney, so hopefully it'll work on the Unleash!

Switcher

What it does: switches between 2 guitars
What it's based on: a switch

Never let it be said I don't get some unusual requests for stompboxes. Sam, a friend from work, wanted a box to switch between his LP and Tele. With a picture of Bender on it and the Fender/Gibson logo's specifying which is which.

So yep, there really is nothing at all in this box. Just a switch that switches. No reason for it not to look cool though.

1 UP!

What it does: Octave up/down
What it is: Pearl Octaver

Brilliant octave pedal with superb tracking. It's another Madbean, the Low Rider. Really impressed with this one!

The Wobble Box

What it does: Used for testing stomp circuits
What it is: bits of old hifi!

This is something I've been meaning to make for ages, simply to make my life easier when plugging in circuits to test them. It's essentially a stomp with a set of spring clip terminals on it for power, ground, effect in and effect out. It saves a MASSIVE amount of time when testing.

Another nice thing about it is that it's made out of old bits again. The enclosure has been at least 2 other pedals (Dirt Box and SHO off the top of my head), the clips and wire came out of an old hifi and, indeed all the other bits are re-used in there too. Gotta love it when you can assemble something really useful for nowt.

The Weirding Module

What it does: Honestly, I have no idea
What it's based on: Mid-Fi Clari(not)

So what is it? It can be a fuzz, a fuzz with delay, or a wobbly bizarro thing that sounds kind of like a knackered tape, or something. I'm really unsure if it's of any use at all, but it's a lot of fun.





Shhh! / Geiger Gate

What it does: Noise Gate
What it's based on: ISP Decimator

Reverse engineered by Galego on DIYSB and board fabbed by Haberdasher. A very transparent and easy to use noise gate. Does what it says on the tin most excellently.

Second is from the same reverse engineer thread, but this is Slade's true-bypass and seriously shrunk down version. Once again fabbed by Haberdasher.

Built for Colin. We were originally wanting something along the original Alien poster with "in space no one can hear you scream" or with the Nostromo on it. Both would have been really dark which causes us all sorts of problems, so we try and avoid that. Instead Geiger's Alien Lifecycle 'doodle' really fit well and I knew would work nicely. Yep, it's intentional that the stomp is the chest burster ;)

The last little one is for me.





Loopage

What it does: Lo-Fi Looper
What it's based on: Madbean Loophole

Clever little circuit. Shame I made such a pigs ear of boxing it up. Doing it again it wouldn't have the downtune stomp, as I can't see me ever using it. That way the board would fit in between the play and rec stomps no problem. As it is it's wedged in there at an angle. It annoys me but it just fits.

Octgrave

What it does: Octave Down
What it's based on: Ben Milner's Analogue Octave Down

Made on one of Taylor's musicpcb.com boards. I need to do a bit of re-wiring with it as it's a little buzzy and it wasn't before I dropped it into the enclosure. Otherwise, it's top fun and works well.

SG-1

What it does: Volume swell effect
What it's based on: Boss SG-1 Slow Gear

Built on a BYOC board. The 25k attack pot was swapped with a 100k which increases the amount of swell on tap. It's a bit set and forget as it only seems to have a very narrow range of where it works best (this is normal apparently). It's an effect you have to play rather than one that just works. Not really my bag, but different and quite cool when you get your head around it.

The Gameboy Effect

What it does: Errm, makes your guitar sound like a Sinclair Spectrum
What it is: Awesome
What it's based on: InSonicBloom's take on the Tim Escobedo PWM + LFO

Quite possibly the coolest and at the same time, the most useless, guitar effect of all time. If you're a child of the 70's and grew up with Atari 2600s and Sinclair Spectrums, you'll know the delight of very primitive soundchip music. This magnificent pedal will take you right back there. It uses the input signal from your guitar to trigger the effect, and the effect is epic.

Sadly it's incredibly fragile, as it essentially doesn't work... I blew at least one chip building it and a couple experimenting with a second board. The one that's in the enclosure works and I daren't open it up!

OXO TowerAmp

What it does: 1/2 watt guitar amp
What it's based on: Beavis Audio Noisy Cricket

For shits and giggles, a Noisy Cricket guitar amplifier in an OXO tin.

Hmmmmm, beefy!

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