Catalinbread - Katzenkönig [traced]
hi there!
here is a layout i drew.
read the whole discussion before start building
http://guitar-fx-layouts.42897.x6.nabbl ... 24613.html
here is a layout i drew.
read the whole discussion before start building
http://guitar-fx-layouts.42897.x6.nabbl ... 24613.html
I built storyboardist's layout and only had any "noise/hiss" from the pedal when the input was turned all the way up on single coils. There was also some noise with humbuckers but it was more like a BMP with the sustain all the way up kind of noise when the input was turned up all the way. I am really happy with this pedal and plan on boxing it up soon.MoonWatcher wrote:Word has it that this pedal has an unusually high level of hiss. The schematic looks kind of crude, and like it would indicate as much. I don't expect quiet operation, but are there any changes to be made that might reduce any noise?
I'm talking about hiss - there seem to be a lot of reports of really noticeable hiss.
I used 2N3904's with a Hfe around 380 on all 4 transistors.
Cody
Also built storyboardist's layout and it sounds good. There is a little hiss if turned all the way up, but it's to be expected as others have said.
As a side note, I opened up a friend's production Katzenkonig. The actual trannies are BC550B, but I built mine with PN2222A's and it actually sounds a bit better to me - a touch less gating at higher gain settings.
As a side note, I opened up a friend's production Katzenkonig. The actual trannies are BC550B, but I built mine with PN2222A's and it actually sounds a bit better to me - a touch less gating at higher gain settings.
- MoonWatcher
- Diode Debunker
That sounds cool, then. I guess I misunderstood what I heard from some others - they made it sound like there was a very noticeable hiss even with the gain set pretty low. I think one guy said that the input control didn't have much of an effect on the level of hiss - since it's a pre-gain type of control, I guess that makes sense.michaelballard wrote:Also built storyboardist's layout and it sounds good. There is a little hiss if turned all the way up, but it's to be expected as others have said.
As a side note, I opened up a friend's production Katzenkonig. The actual trannies are BC550B, but I built mine with PN2222A's and it actually sounds a bit better to me - a touch less gating at higher gain settings.
I think some of these guys are A/B'ing the Katzenkonig against either a Rat pedal or others that are op amp-based (that's just a guess on my part), so it's bound to have more hiss in comparison.
I guess I'm always curious about hiss with transistor-based designs, because you can't dial that out with power supply filtering. It's a reality of Johnson-Nyquist noise combined with the gain levels that we are shooting for.
Thanks for letting us know about the BC550B's used in the real deal. I don't think I've ever owned any of those, or had a need for them. I think I've got at least 70 PN2222A's though.
My build:
Details in the attachment. Didn't box it yet.
Details in the attachment. Didn't box it yet.
- Attachments
-
- Catalinbread Katzenkonig.pdf
- (55.2 KiB) Downloaded 508 times
- Dingleberry
- Breadboard Brother
Hi.
I also got my vero version done and boxed up some time ago. Been busy with day job and gigs so I haven't got much spare time to hang out here in the forum. I tied different transistors and best results sound wise were with BC107B, 2n222A and 2n3904. Low gain silicons didn't sound nice at all and high gain ones were way too noisy. I'm pretty sure I have a bag of BC550B's somewhere in my transistor stash. I hope I have time tomorrow to try those BC550B's listen how they sound. There is quite a bit of hiss when both "gains" maxxed, so it's definitely not gonna win the "most noise free fuzz pedal"-award. I also used 100KC for the filter pot so it's acting now like a conventional tone pot, gets brighter when turned clockwise. I'll post some pics of my build tomorrow.
I also got my vero version done and boxed up some time ago. Been busy with day job and gigs so I haven't got much spare time to hang out here in the forum. I tied different transistors and best results sound wise were with BC107B, 2n222A and 2n3904. Low gain silicons didn't sound nice at all and high gain ones were way too noisy. I'm pretty sure I have a bag of BC550B's somewhere in my transistor stash. I hope I have time tomorrow to try those BC550B's listen how they sound. There is quite a bit of hiss when both "gains" maxxed, so it's definitely not gonna win the "most noise free fuzz pedal"-award. I also used 100KC for the filter pot so it's acting now like a conventional tone pot, gets brighter when turned clockwise. I'll post some pics of my build tomorrow.
Simplify before you amplify.
- Dingleberry
- Breadboard Brother
Found my BC550B's and indeed it sounds really nice. A lot less hiss than other transistors I tried, though BC550's should be low noice. Gains were from 290 to 320 in ascending order from Q1 to Q4.
Gotta spend some more time with it and run trough current gigging set up and test with different guitars. So far I've only tested it with strat. Can't wait to inject it with my Jazzmaster and LPjr.
Here are some pics I took (labels still missing from box).
Gotta spend some more time with it and run trough current gigging set up and test with different guitars. So far I've only tested it with strat. Can't wait to inject it with my Jazzmaster and LPjr.
Here are some pics I took (labels still missing from box).
Simplify before you amplify.
I made the PCB but I don't know if I will box this one, nice pedal but not exactly my style. Some cool mod's can be made here, like replacing the Filter pot with a Baxandall tonestack (with the modification of R15 to compensate, maybe with 10K trimpot with a 2u2 capacitor from the center lug to the ground). Also, playing with the clipping stage would be nice, some Germanium diodes, LED's or MOS-FET's, or all of them with a switch. Got no time or interest with this pedal, but experiments on a breadboard would result in a steroid king kat.