Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: badgermark on April 23, 2008, 05:40:33 PM
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In my never ending quest for the ultimate distortion pedal I ordered a BYOC Mighty Mouse (http://www.buildyourownclone.com/mouse.html), mostly in the thought of it will give me a challenge and a versatile dirt box. So I placed my order with their UK distributor (http://www.vibe-o-tronic.siliq.net/products.php?brand=1&type=1).
Some background before I start, I am not an electrician or have much experience with this kinda jazz. I'm a chemistry student that can solder, so how hard could it be? We'll see...
So first thing this morning my girlfriend answers the door then throws a heavy jiffy bag at my head. Nice way to wake me up. Once opened it revealed this to my tired eyes-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008.jpg)
Yahoo! Shower then lets get cracking. After clearing a space on my dining room table and heating up my soldering iron i got to work dismantling the package.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008001.jpg)
Ok everything there, lets get going thought i! Tools needed- soldering iron, screwdriver, wire cutters (i found shortly after starting that mine are as blunt as a spoon) and scalpel. I've found a scalpel is amazing for stripping wires. just whoosh it round and it's a clean cut without damaging the metal of the wire. works for me!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008002.jpg)
Nice clean circuit board, I started chucking components in like a man posessed, resistors- BAM!, diodes- (check polarity) WHACK!, capacitors? Easy- bosh! Actually, I put some capacitors in the wrong place. c--k! Spent ages trying to salvage them, no use. Oh well, off to Maplins (then to KFC...) to replace the caps.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008003.jpg)
Almost there, after that little setback I'm back on track. Circuit board is done, just the pots and rotary switch to bang in.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008004.jpg)
BOOYA! it's in. The switch switches between 6 different Rat distortions, standard, turbo, asymettric clipping and some overdrive modes. Saucy.
This next part I wasn't looking forward to. Wiring the switches and stuff. All very tight to work, my soldering iron was failing and I'm not a neat worker at the best of times, never mind in cramped conditions. Off I went soldering up the switch first, then the jacks, before finally attaching cables to the board itself.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008005.jpg)
it's in! time for a quick test before I screw the bottom on. Plug it in aaaand...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008006.jpg)
Power? Check! Sound? No... Dammit! A quick check later and a few things seem obvious. i forgot to plug in the main chip thingy, the negative terminal for the power clip is hanging off and some solder has dripped shorting out the distortion pot. All fixed and a scribble with a cd pen later...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008008.jpg)
We have life! Do we have sound?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008009.jpg)
We have sound! it works! yahoo! everything seems to be in order, all pots work and the rotary switch is perfect. yahoo! also my shift key has broken right off, so going to avoid capitols...
so there we have it. i started at around 11, took 2 hours to fill in the board with my slip up, break for an other couple of hours for lunch and parts and finished at 5. all in all i think it took me about 3 and a half hours to build from parts to rock. not bad really. will paint it eventually, but not got a garden or garage to paint safely in. one day.
well i hope this was entertaining and enlightening, and maybe inspires someone reading to give a kit a try. i had lots of fun with this basic kit, and have a cool distortion pedal to brag about. even with a few tools (all i really used was my soldering iron, a scalpel and a screwdriver) and never done this before i managed it (almost) first time.
oh and the thread wouldn't be complete without a fully completed gut shot.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/unsubtle57/Mighty%20Mouse%20Build/23042008007.jpg)
not the neatest but it'll do.
if you got this far, thanks for reading!
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Looks great - But how does it sound?
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Sweet!
I really am interested in one of these kits, and like yourself have no electrical experience (except electronic class in tech at school a few years ago). Clips would be awesome :P
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god dammit - now i want another BYOC pedal :x
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What a great post! So good, in fact, that I followed the link and just bought the MK II Tonebender Fuzz E.S.V Kit. Should be fun, even if I was planning to get less pedals on my board!
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Thanks guys! Was a bit unsure about posting it, build threads don't seem common here so i spoke to Ben before posting and he seemed enthusiastic about it.
Yeah even if you don't know how it works inside (like me, no idea what the doohickies do to the sound) but can tell a transistor from a resistor you could build one of these. Good soldering skills are needed though, wiring up the switch was an arse even for me.
Not had much of a chance to play with it yet, sounds good from a little troubleshooting practice though. I'll get clips soon, of course with a BKP loaded guitar...
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Yeah, that was a great journal.
I bought myself a DOD250 clone last year, it was pretty damn easy. I'd get another if the wife would let me have some money.
:cry:
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Looks good. I'm thinking about getting their Tubescreamer copy to have a go at. I'm not the greatest solderer but have managed to make a simple AM radio on a PCB at uni which wasnt very hard. Its the wiring up afterwards that I'm worried about, how confusing and fiddly is it?
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Looks good. I'm thinking about getting their Tubescreamer copy to have a go at. I'm not the greatest solderer but have managed to make a simple AM radio on a PCB at uni which wasnt very hard. Its the wiring up afterwards that I'm worried about, how confusing and fiddly is it?
Surprisingly easy, it was the part I wasn't looking forward to, but went easily. Not too fiddily, only really half a dozen wires to the board itself. Wiring the jacks is a little annoying, i missed out the battery clip all together as i never use it.
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That looks really fun. After may i think im gonna get one of these
http://www.buildyourownclone.com/250.html
The basic one. Ive built a small preamp and soon to complete a noise gate but i want to make one without help from my teacher lol.
Im quite pround of my noise gate so i may make a post soon.
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That was a really nice thread! Enjoyed it thoroughly and am now GASing to try a couple on my own just for the hell of it!!
Questions --
1. Any plans on painting the pedal or are you gonna leave it that way? A local body shop can probably paint it very inexpensively ...
2. Any chance of getting a clip of your guitar into the amp, both with and without the pedal? Even a video clip will suffice.
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arn't they great...have built one of these...you added any mods yet?
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Excellent thread! I've been looking at the BYOC stuff too, and the Mouse in particular.
How versatile is it with the six-way switch?
Looking forward to clips!
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very versatile has three types or dist and 3 overdrives
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the switch is awesome, all 6 positions are very useable, the "turbo" setting is extremely gain-y though, just harder to dial in i think. the overdrives are awesome! i've finally found an overdrive i can use, every other one i've tried has been weak and thin, not this bad boy.
I'll paint it myself eventually, just don't have the right place to do it in, no garden in my flat and indoors is a no-no... eventually but not soon i don't think.
as for mods, i'll see how everything sounds (not had a proper go with it yet) both live and in the house, the options are there (some empty diode spaces on the board) so i'll see how i feel. doubt i will though, the stock sound is exactly what i like through my gear.
I'm off tomorrow, so I'll try bodging some clips together. quality wont be amazing, but a video might be a good idea.
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(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m14/ved1980/CIMG2658.jpg)
BYOC rock. Everyone should try one.
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So the Mighty Mouse is essentially the various Rat models?
Does it sound authentic?
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yup but with less unwanted noise
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I have to apologise for being pedantic here.
Basically you are getting something close to the original Rat (my favourite) this mod for the original pedal http://www.beavisaudio.com/Projects/FKR/images/MightierMouse.gif
The reason the sound of the Rat changed is because ProCo kept on (amongst other things) changing the op amp used in the Rat (and the switching also changed the sound when they added the ON/OFF led).
The original Rat sounded so good because the original opamp wasn't really supposed to be used for audio purposes (apparently) but it was just right for that pedal. Thats why they mention the chip on the info page.
The metal canned version (used in the originals) of the chip sound slightly different again but are hard to obtain ATM but to me sound better
Rob... (the pedantic)
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Oops sorry, cos I can't edit postings from work (proxy issues)
I recomend those in the UK to buy the BYOC version as the ProCo versions are a really stupid price for some reason (and have been for years)
Rob...
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have tried the recent..last 5 years pro co rats and the BYOC blows them away...also sounds like the original one I had...but stupidly sold..many moons ago
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have tried the recent..last 5 years pro co rats and the BYOC blows them away...also sounds like the original one I had...but stupidly sold..many moons ago
I remember in the early 80s seeing Rats queued up in 2nd hand shops for next to nothing, and I never even bought one of them :(
I just noticed that Keeley don't supply modded Rats any more because the build quality is so poor, and they have once again changed the IC that they use.
Happily I have a stock of the metal cased chips and 2 unpopulated PCBs in the house. If I ever get around to building a UV exposure unit I will have to knock together some updated boards.
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I received my BYOC Tone Bender kit on Saturday and finished putting it to gether this morning. I'm really pleased with it! It was pretty easy to put together (I've got no previous experience) and there's loads of info on the BYOC forum on how to paint the cases.
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh277/ct64394/DSC01080.jpg)
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That pedal rules, if only for the Bender picture.
Have you thought of calling the Fuzz control Bite (My Shiny Metal Ass)? :D
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That's a great idea! I might just have to do it! :D
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thats fantastic!!
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Damn you! I need to paint mine properly, but since i have 4 knobs on the front graphic space is limited.
Clips to come soon, I'm back at school and super swamped. Got a day off on monday so should be able to knock something up.
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I have to apologise for being pedantic here.
Basically you are getting something close to the original Rat (my favourite) this mod for the original pedal http://www.beavisaudio.com/Projects/FKR/images/MightierMouse.gif
The reason the sound of the Rat changed is because ProCo kept on (amongst other things) changing the op amp used in the Rat (and the switching also changed the sound when they added the ON/OFF led).
The original Rat sounded so good because the original opamp wasn't really supposed to be used for audio purposes (apparently) but it was just right for that pedal. Thats why they mention the chip on the info page.
The metal canned version (used in the originals) of the chip sound slightly different again but are hard to obtain ATM but to me sound better
Rob... (the pedantic)
http://cgi.ebay.com/1984-86-Pro-Co-Rat-White-Face-Box-Proco-Near-Mint_W0QQitemZ110247667928QQihZ001QQcategoryZ41416QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Is this one of the originals? What should I look for, because I'm very interested in one now.... I hate this board.
EDIT - My wallet hates this board.
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http://cgi.ebay.com/1984-86-Pro-Co-Rat-White-Face-Box-Proco-Near-Mint_W0QQitemZ110247667928QQihZ001QQcategoryZ41416QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Is this one of the originals? What should I look for, because I'm very interested in one now.... I hate this board.
EDIT - My wallet hates this board.
It's sad that I have this link but here it is http://webpages.charter.net/daosmun/ but it's the most well known (and popular) version.
It should give the classic Rat sound though I prefer the sound of slightly earlier versions (but to be honest I'm only being an arse :roll: ).
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Thats really helpful, thank you! Is it sad that I added it to my favourites? :P :lol:
So the White logo Rat I found looks like it'll fit the bill perfectly :D
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I received my BYOC Tone Bender kit on Saturday and finished putting it to gether this morning. I'm really pleased with it! It was pretty easy to put together (I've got no previous experience) and there's loads of info on the BYOC forum on how to paint the cases.
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh277/ct64394/DSC01080.jpg)
YOu posted this on the BYOC forum yet?
The dudes there will cream when they see this. very nice work...
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silly question but what type of paint did you use?
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Thanks very much! I haven't posted it on the BYOC forum but may do tonight.
I bought the paint from Halfords. I had to get three spray cans - 1 white primer, 1 colour (Ford Diamond White) and 1 clear laquer. To be honest I think I could have probably missed out the white paint and just used a few coats of the primer.
I'm thinking of getting the opto compressor kit next.
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I've just ordered a BYOC Tubescreamer. I hope its not too hard to wire up. I can do PCBs allright with instructions but wiring seems kinda fiddly. I'm trying to think up some ideas for the casing, I want to do some decal graphics but I dont know what to do yet :? This is a very quick idea but its probably not that funny and the novelty would no doubt wear off quickly :lol:
(http://i26.tinypic.com/r0wdhd.jpg)
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Tom why don't you get a picture of Mike Tyson because then you have the benefit of a knock out punch and it would bite your ears off when you used it!
The Tyson Screamer
Vol = Punch
Gain = Ear
Tone = Bite
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haha thats probably a better idea :D
edit - I just realised I can have bite for bauer as well as he killed someone with his teeth in the latest season :lol:
Here we go..
(http://i30.tinypic.com/af7slj.jpg)
Anger = vol
Bite = tone
Pain = gain
:P
I dont know if those knobs are in the right order/position but whatever.
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Well my BYOC didnt go as smoothly as Marks :( Doesnt work, sounds really thin and quiet. Its most likely down to my poor soldering skills. So I've removed all the wires from the pcb and will be desoldering and redoing each join on the pcb, then trying to do all the wire neatly. Will be practicing my soldering on unused components first as well so I can get it neater :)
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Shame it never went to plan Tom, go over the instructions again, checking everything is where it should be. I made an arse of putting in the capacitors, forgot that i had two different values and put them in the wrong places.
Good luck for your second attempt though, get those solder joints perfect!
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if it makes you feel any better i messed up on the green ringer clone i built earlier tonight, and thats a much simpler circuit... it was simply a case of not noticing one bad solder join on the power adapter jack, they can be really frustrating if hey dont go together perfectly first time
great once theyw ork properly though
the BYOC forum is pretty good for support when things go wrong
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Yep I'm definitely going to give it another go. Especially as I've desgined the badass "Bauer Boost" graphics, I cant give in now :lol: The problem is definitely my soldering from what I can tell. This is the back of the PCB - looks horrible compared to other peoples on BYOC. I'm almost ashamed to post it because it looks so nasty but oh well here we go
(http://i28.tinypic.com/14ay6vr.jpg)
So the plan is to practice soldering on blank components and stuff for a while until I can get nice joints, then get some desoldering braid and redo all of the joins one at a time.. Then I need to figure out some way of getting the wiring neat because its a bloody mess in there right now.
Anyway back on topic, any chance of some clips of that Mighty Mouse, Mark? I'd like to see how it sounds in comparison to the Keeley Rat I have :)
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I've been super busy! I'll get clips this weekend, promise...
And your joints look a bit wonky indeed. Have you tried just getting your iron hot and clean and heating the current joints? They should melt and flow a bit better. Remember to get the solder to fill the hole in a nice little bubble almost, the solder completely fills the space.
You probably already know all of that, just helped me on my way of understanding how soldering worked. Practice makes perfect, looks like a badass pedal though.
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I think the tip on my irons a bit buggered so I've ordered a new one with fresh tip ready to start again. I'll try just heating up the current joints. Been reading up on how to solder properly and watching some youtube vids, think I know what I should be doing now.
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todge, that's the worst soldering I've ever seen :P
Time for a new iron methinks...
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haha same here :( I've been practicing on some old bits and I've got a little better. Think when I ordered my iron I ordered the wrong solder tho, I got some 1mm thick stuff but it doesnt seem to work as well as this thinner solder I found in my box..
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How do you get the image of Bender on there? :o
Are they water transfer decals? I understanding the painting of the case, but the lettering, etc. The only thing I can think of is water transfer decals.
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they look like waterslides - you can just about make out the outlines
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they look like waterslides - you can just about make out the outlines
I looked further into it, and it can be done by water transfer via a laserprinter
Which means - I'm gonna get me one! :D
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According to the sticky on the BYOC forum decal paper can ruin printers as it can get really hot and stick to something inside. Thats put me off doing it especially on mums expensive laser :lol: I'm gonna do what someone else on BYOC did and just use self adhesive photo paper. Wont look as good as decals but it'll be much easier and safer.
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Video time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24OieT3jlus Booya.
Just go through the clipping modes, same volume and filter settings, can do more in depth stuff if wanted.
Oh and this was recorded on my Macbook camera/mic, sounds good! Actually sounds close to how it sounds in the room.
Excuse the sloppyness- I'm usually pretty sloppy but this was recorded first thing this morning- i'm off camera in pyjamas...
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nice demo..
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Love the Turbo
Do they all come with a Mighty Mouse?
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The new one has a rotary switch with the 6 clipping modes. Have to say the turbo is my least favourite. The asymmetrical dist. and mosfet od is my faves i think.
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Sounds pretty good Mark, I like the sound of the TT clean as well.. gas :P
Should be getting my new iron soon so hopefully can get mine finished and working in the next week or so :)
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I did indeed use water decals. I haven't got a laser printer so I used a colour inkjet. It worked well, the only difference between the laser and inkjet is that inkjet in is water soluble. All that means is that I had to spray the printed sheet with a coat of the clear laquer to secure the ink before soaking and applying.
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Video time!
Thanks for that. I think I like the symmetrical OD the best. That LED is bright!!!!
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Bit of an update on my situation with the overdrive. I just reflowed all the joints, and wired it up much neater. My soldering has improved a lot. However when I switch it on, the sound is still really thin and quiet, you have to turn the amp up loads to even be able to hear it. What typically causes that? The bypass works fine, not intermittent or anything any more.
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prob something wrong with signal path..or ya killed a resistor etc..post on BYOC forum..there very helpfull
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Yep allready have done, just trying to get as much help as possible! Its annoying because the sound is there but just really quiet :(
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you checked everything in right place and certain bits right way around
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Yep I'm sure I quadruple checked everything as I put it in. My sort of educated guess is that a transistors gone? Afterall isnt the job of a transistor to amplify the signal?
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think so
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According to the BYOC forum its probably still a cold solder joint and not extremely likely that I've broken any components :( So I'll have to go over it again. Now that I'm a bit better at soldering (I actually managed to heat all the wires and tags evenly earlier so I didnt get one cracked/loose join!), I should be able to just desolder everything with some braid and redo each connection properly :)
All I can say is I'm glad I didnt get an Amp Maker kit to try :lol:
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To be honest there easier
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Good to see you haven't given up tom! keep at it, the tubescreamer sounds great from clips. If things are still quiet and distant have a look at your pots, namely the volume and gain. That was a problem i had when modding a ds-1.
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The pots still seem to function as normal, surely they're fine. This is a pic of the inside now, I got the wiring much neater though its still far from perfect. there are some bare wires near the switch which need sorting out but I'm sure they arent shorting on each other. As you can see my soldering seems to have got a little better though still kinda messy.
(http://i29.tinypic.com/25flw82.jpg)
I'm gonna wait til I get some desoldering braid then redo each one on the pcb. Gonna be a long task but hopefully it'll work after that..
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I assume youve already done this but double check that you don't have any shorts particularly on the back of the switch. On the back of the pcb trim any excess wires that stick out after you solder them.
BTW does anyone know a good way to stop wire coating from melting and peeling back (like on the white wires in Tom's pic) I had a lot of problem with this. I just made sure I did everything neatly and qickly, tinning all the parts beforehand etc. Just wondering if there was a better way.
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Tin the wires before soldering in place helps....or can buy wire that plastic dosn't melt on *L*
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Tin the wires before soldering in place helps....or can buy wire that plastic dosn't melt on *L*
That would be teflon coated wire.
Its coming on better dude, much neater than before.
Have you read all the guides written by Stephen on BYOC. These are invaluable for beginners.
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yup thats the stuff...
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Yep I have, that and some videos on youtube about soldering helped a lot and theres been a vast improvement in my soldering though its still not amazing :)
I wish the desoldering braid I ordered wasnt out of stock on maplin, I could've had it done by now :( B&Q etc dont seem to sell any either and there isnt a maplin near me.
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I only really mentioned the pots due to my first 'build' (a ds-1 mod) sounded shoddy due to a dry joint at a pot.
While you're waiting for braid, have you tried reflowing all the current joints on the pcb? Unsoldering everything just to re-do it might be hella-tricky, trying to fit the fiddly little ends back in the holes is a nightmare...
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Yeah thats what I did but they didnt all seem to work very well. Plus theres a lot of excess solder on some of them so its still a mess. I was planning on only desoldering one leg of each component at a time, so the other joint was still holding the component in place.
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Cool cool, keep us updated. I think i was lucky with my build, i have a cr@ppy iron as well but seemed to get into the flow of things pretty easily. Actually itching to do another one, dunno what effect i want next though, maybe the wah...
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i have a cr@ppy iron as well but seemed to get into the flow of things pretty easily.
Maplins do a not bad temperature control one on offer at £9.99 at the moment - not quite up to being used all day, every day (as I have found out - had to upgrade when mine went wrong through overuse) but a good hobby iron all the same and it comes with a pointy tip that is good for pedal projects