Danelectro - CTO2 Transparent Overdrive [schematic]
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
After reading good reports everywhere about the Danelectro CoolCat Transparent Overdrive, I decided to buy one... expecting to be disappointed. Well, it's sounds really good. I mean REALLY good.
Naturally it came apart straight away..
It's a diode clipper with a TL072 opamp, possibly a Baxandall Tone Control.
I'd trace it, but I'm not really familiar with smd... if I post some good pics or send them to someone, would someone with smd experience like to trace this one out ?
It'd be a lot quicker than me trying to identify what the parts are, but I can work with them on markings, etc.
This will be great project for the DIY community IMO.
I'm sure it's nothing Earth Shattering, but it's simple and sounds great..
+ it's already True Bypass.
Naturally it came apart straight away..
It's a diode clipper with a TL072 opamp, possibly a Baxandall Tone Control.
I'd trace it, but I'm not really familiar with smd... if I post some good pics or send them to someone, would someone with smd experience like to trace this one out ?
It'd be a lot quicker than me trying to identify what the parts are, but I can work with them on markings, etc.
This will be great project for the DIY community IMO.
I'm sure it's nothing Earth Shattering, but it's simple and sounds great..
+ it's already True Bypass.
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.
- TubeDude22
- Breadboard Brother
Thanks for the mini review. I'm considering picking one of those up for myself. What guitar and amp did you test it with?
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
I mainly use a PRS Custom 22 Soapbar - the model with 3 P-90s.
For quiet use I have a modded Fender Champion 600 and for louder.. a Tophat Supreme 16.
I suspect this OD will sound good with pretty much anything though because it actually lives up to it's name and is pretty transparent as far as eq goes, so you don't have say a mid push that suits certain guitar/amp combos, etc.
I hope someone will trace it.
I can give it a go, but I know I'll spend most of the time trying to identify components.
Who's the smd expert here ?
I think AnalogGuru might be up for it, but I haven't seen him for a while - vacation ?
For quiet use I have a modded Fender Champion 600 and for louder.. a Tophat Supreme 16.
I suspect this OD will sound good with pretty much anything though because it actually lives up to it's name and is pretty transparent as far as eq goes, so you don't have say a mid push that suits certain guitar/amp combos, etc.
I hope someone will trace it.
I can give it a go, but I know I'll spend most of the time trying to identify components.
Who's the smd expert here ?
I think AnalogGuru might be up for it, but I haven't seen him for a while - vacation ?
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.
- ShortScaleMike
- Resistor Ronker
Information
I've heard great things about these aswell. A lot of people have claimed it's like a Klon but it doesn't have that thick midrange character the Klon does (which may or may not be a good thing) but it does seem to sound good. I'm going to pick one up at some point.
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
I've now realised the difficulties of reversing this thing:
-You can't see where many traces go without removing components.
-Not all components are marked.
-The silk screening makes it hard to see where some tracks go.
I think I'm going to just take everything off the board and measure it individually, clean the silkscreening away, and then trace...
I doubt I'll put it back together... the through hole components, pots, etc are very hard to remove, and I'd say the pcb will get overheated in places, so I'll probably trash it for the team.
Luckily they're pretty cheap and hopefully I can build a clone after the effort and tweak away..
That's what we do
BTW Shortscalemike.. I have a Klon, I don't think this sounds anything like it.
The Klon really takes over your tone, this doesn't at all.
-You can't see where many traces go without removing components.
-Not all components are marked.
-The silk screening makes it hard to see where some tracks go.
I think I'm going to just take everything off the board and measure it individually, clean the silkscreening away, and then trace...
I doubt I'll put it back together... the through hole components, pots, etc are very hard to remove, and I'd say the pcb will get overheated in places, so I'll probably trash it for the team.
Luckily they're pretty cheap and hopefully I can build a clone after the effort and tweak away..
That's what we do
BTW Shortscalemike.. I have a Klon, I don't think this sounds anything like it.
The Klon really takes over your tone, this doesn't at all.
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.
- briggs
- Tube Twister
Information
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
OK.. I'll try to get a decent pic up.briggs wrote:I'm looking forward to seeing this Greg! I'm into the Danelectro range of pedals. Mybe post a few photos and we might be able to identify the circuit structure a little better and work out if it is a clone or a new one!
It'll probably be tomorrow.. busy day today.
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
I probably need a better camera or better skills to get a really clear pic, but these will give you an idea of what's going on... TL072 opamp, 2 silicon diodes each way in the feedback loop plus an unmarked cap. Dual concentric pot for the Treble and Bass:
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
- WhiteKeyHole
- Cap Cooler
Oh shi-...
- modman
- a d m i n
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I mean -- when did Danelectro start producing the Transparent OD? Harmony central review don't go back further than last year....
Danelectro boys reading this forum?
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- soulsonic
- Old Solderhand
Information
Oh man... TGP is going to have a collective freakout... almost as bad as if you had opened it and found a Klon Centaur inside.
Crazy that they'd pick the Timmy out of all the simple stripped Screamers out there.
Crazy that they'd pick the Timmy out of all the simple stripped Screamers out there.
"Analog electronics in music is dead. Analog effects pedal design is a dead art." - Fran
- RnFR
- Old Solderhand
Information
it's pretty new. just came out as part of their Cool Cat line- metal case, true bypass, etc.. in a vid i saw with a dano rep at NAMM, the guy specifically mentioned that they were as good as "boutique" boxes.
now we know why! so far the the two that have been traced so far are the peach fuzz and the timmy. can't wait to see who else they ripped off.
at least they're good designs!
now we know why! so far the the two that have been traced so far are the peach fuzz and the timmy. can't wait to see who else they ripped off.
at least they're good designs!
"You've converted me to Cubic thinking. Where do I sign up for the newsletter? I need to learn more about how I can break free from ONEism Death Math." - Soulsonic
Blog-APOCALYPSE AUDIO
Blog-APOCALYPSE AUDIO
- Greg
- Old Solderhand
Yeah, I was surprised they didn't even tweak the thing... all the values are the same.soulsonic wrote:Oh man... TGP is going to have a collective freakout... almost as bad as if you had opened it and found a Klon Centaur inside.
Crazy that they'd pick the Timmy out of all the simple stripped Screamers out there.
Sorry - other changes are the opamp and there's no switching on the diodes.
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.
- briggs
- Tube Twister
Information
- Uma Floresta
- Breadboard Brother
Woah! I didn't see that coming!
- moltenmetalburn
- Resistor Ronker
WOW! after all the recent talk in the Timmy thread it seems crazy that danelectro of all people are the ones to rip off Paul C and sell for profit, Not one of us! Makes me feel bad for paul as danelectro may steal a huge portion of his sales once this get out...
"The Humans Will Never Destroy Us"
- The Rotagilla
- Diode Debunker
If true...that's f**ked up.
The television will not be revolutionized.
- sevinisthenumber
- Cap Cooler
nice....
"The man who says he knows everything will never know the truth"
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis