Boss CS-3 mods

A forum devoted to mod, tips and suggestions for upgrading and rehousing your VERY CHEAP commercial stompbox to near boutique excellence.
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xhavepatiencex
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Post by xhavepatiencex »

I have not found any definitive info on what to do, tell me what you have done, and how it has helped this pedal. Please!

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devastator
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Post by devastator »

Image
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Boss CS-2 mods
Boss CS-2 mods

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lolbou
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Post by lolbou »

Lovely, but do you have some more explanations devastator?
- Are you a mod or a rocker?
- Uh, no, I'm a mocker.

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Post by Rocket Roll »

https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/ ... ic=68796.0

Doesn't get much better than that, IMHO.

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devastator
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Post by devastator »

lolbou wrote:Lovely, but do you have some more explanations devastator?
No I don't. Sorry.

I thake this from an other forum. I've any more informations. I helped a guy to mod his pedal and He said me the pedal became more silent.

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Post by lolbou »

devastator wrote:the pedal became more silent.
That's still an information! Thanks... :)
- Are you a mod or a rocker?
- Uh, no, I'm a mocker.

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devastator
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Post by devastator »

Maybe in cheking the values with Factory schematic we can deduce what mods do.

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bighud
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Post by bighud »

I have modded several of these. It is my favorite comp.

For noise, I usually replace the electrolytic caps with metal film. I think there are 5 1uf. You may need to find physically small caps or they may not fit.

Low end is usually a complaint from this pedal stock. You can increase low end at several points. C1, C2, and C13. Increasing these values will add bass.

You can change change R5 and R36 for a different(read better in my opinion) tone. Decrease these values.

I know of two slightly different models of the CS3. Some have D10 and R32 jumpered. I noticed a slight headroom difference and I removed and jumpered those on my CS3. I think some have different chips as well, some noisier than others, but none that I have worked on have been very noisy(for a compressor). My dynacomp sounds like a vacuum cleaner compared to the CS3.

I hope this helped someone.

Peace

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Post by BAMF »

Change the back-to-back diodes (looks like a clipping pair) across pins 1 and 3 of IC1, to say back to back LED's.

Then try that again with back-to-back Mosfets.

I've done both. Interesting effects :-D. In the case of the Mosfets,It's like a Zen drive...without the overdrive.

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jalexquijano
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Post by jalexquijano »

I want to get rid of the high hiss and noise produced by the level and sustain pots on my stock Boss CS-3. Will the Monte Allums Opto mod plus solve this issue? What are the crucial parts and their locations in the circuit of this stompbox?

Anyone can provide a schematic and list of the parts involved in this Monte Allums Opto Mod plus?

I highly appreciate it. I tried to purchase the kit in the website but my credit card gets rejected. If I have the schematics and the parts list I can go to the local electronic store to get them.

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jalexquijano
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Post by jalexquijano »

Can you provide me with the list and values of the parts i will need to purchase from the electronic shop to do the corresponding modification? Please also indicate their position in the pc board.

Is the mod you did the same as Monte Allums Opto Mod Plus? Once again, i really want to reduce the hiss the pedal produces after i move the level and sustain knob past 12 oclock.

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Brink
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Post by Brink »

I don't think it's worth the effort. I suggest building a Ross Compressor kit from GGG or BYOC instead, it will sound better (as a compressor, not limiter) and take less expertise than modding a CS3.

Also, this thread is in the wrong section.

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Post by RnFR »

changed the name of the post to reflect that the OP is looking for the mod in question, and moved to requests.
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Post by sinner »

Cizas... His mod sheet is like $9... Don't be so greed :roll:

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Post by 5thumbs »

xhavepatiencex wrote:I have not found any definitive info on what to do, tell me what you have done, and how it has helped this pedal. Please!
Below are my CS-3 mods, currently being discussed at the same time in another CS-3 mod thread on this board: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=9260.
5thumbs in other CS-3 thread wrote:
jalexquijano wrote: I want to get rid of the high hiss and noise produced by the level and sustain pots on my stock Boss CS-3. Will the Monte Allums Opto mod plus solve this issue?
Probably not. Compressors used as sustainers will boost the gain of the signal as its envelop decays. Unfortunately, that means it is also boosting the gain of the 60-cycle hum, resistance noise-floor and everything else your pickups and cabling allow in along with your intended guitar signal.
When used as more of a limiter, the CS-3 is not noisy. Its fidelity can be improved nicely by going through it and replacing all the electrolytic caps 2.2μF and smaller with metal film caps of the same capacitance. If you want go clean it up even further, replace the two M5218AL op amps (IC1 & IC2) with two OPA2134PA op amps (using a SIP8-to-DIP8 adapter.) I did both of those mods to my CS-3 and I'm very satisfied with its performance, despite its inherent limitations being a pedal-based compressor (versus a rack compressor.)
Modding a DS-1? Please read 'Build Your Own DS-1 Distortion'.

"Other than a good first-in-line buffer/booster, using other FX to improve bad clean tone is like gift-wrapping garbage."

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Post by Gila_Crisis »

I think you like these files :wink:


Mod edit: removed files in the interest of respecting legitimate copyright claims.
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culturejam
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Post by culturejam »

I removed the copyrighted documents from your post, Gila.

Not trying to be dick or anything, but FSB respects actual, real claims to copyright.

Bullshit, made-up, ignorant DMCA claims are not cool, but the PDFs I removed were clearly infringing on the author's rights.

Now, of course, anyone could rewrite the information that was in those documents in their own words (and use their own images) and then they would be copyright holders of the new document(s). :thumbsup

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Post by Gila_Crisis »

ups.....
btw some suggested mods are:
R36 2.2k (fuller tone)
C2 100nF (clearer sustain)
C4/C6/C17/C14 substitute with better quality non-polarised caps (more hi-fi sound, same value as before:1uF)
C7 47nF (more clear sound and body)
C10 100nF (more presence)
C16 100nF (more hi-fi sound)
C9 47nF (more clear sound and body)
C18 47nF (more clear sound and body)
C13/C15 substitute with a better quality cap (more hi-fi sound, same value as before 47nF)
D1/D2/D3/D6 1n34 or similar germanium (smooth compression reminding old tube compressors)

I suggest also that changing opamps (IC1 and IC2) with better audio op (like OPA2134 or OPA2132) will also
Zwischen Ordnung und Chaos fangt die Musik an

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Post by Gila_Crisis »

I managerd to find an old MIJ CS3 for a good price.
now to make some order I made a pdf with all the known mods for its and the factory schem/component layout.

just enjoy ^^
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boss_cs3_mods_factory_schem.pdf
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Post by Gila_Crisis »

I wanted to share with you some mods I've done to my CS3

Resistors
R5 470ohm
R6 12k
R9 12k
R32 Jumper
R36 100ohm

Caps
C1 pots-pcb 330nF
C1 330uF
C2 100nF
C4 1uF NP
C5 5.6nF
C6 1uF NP
C7 27nF
C9 27nF
C10 100nF
C13 1uF NP
C14 1uF NP
C15 120nF
C16 100nF
C17 1uF NP

Diodes
D2 Ge
D3 Ge
D6 Ge
D10 Jumper

And also new:
R2 pots-pcb 68k ("less attack range" for a more smooth response)
R4 pots-pcb 5.6k (reduce a bit the avaiable sustain, which is already a lot, and by doing so you reduce a bit also the "maximum noise")
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