Clark - Gainster (big box) / Barber

General documentation, gut shot, schematic links, ongoing circuit tracing, deep thoughts ... all about boutique stompboxes.
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radred
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Post by radred »

All points marked "N" are connected together to the bias - only special technique required is soldering!

I breadboarded this over the weekend with some old Vitamin Q caps, mil-spec 1% metal film resistors and various opamps.

It makes my little amp very happy.

Would like to have a tone circuit - JHS, can you explain this a little more clearly?
Swap the 22k on IC1b for a 25k pot + 3,3n - 10n cap like in the 4-knob Snapper, this will not alter the basic sound of the Gainster at all.
Is this cap in series with pot or parallel?

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AfterDarkMusic
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Post by AfterDarkMusic »

When you say 'connected together to the bias', do you mean that the array coming from the power jack - the two 10k resistors (one being grounded and the other being connected to pin 8 ) and the 50uf cap - is the bias section, or that there is separate biasing that needs to be done? Once again, completely new to all this. Thanks so much for the help.

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AfterDarkMusic
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Post by AfterDarkMusic »

JHS wrote:80% of the unique sound comes from those old hard to get PIO caps and w/o them you only gain the sound-quality of the Barber made Gainster or Red Snapper.
How close do you think one could get using jensen PIO caps?

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Bernardduur
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Post by Bernardduur »

AfterDarkMusic wrote:
JHS wrote:80% of the unique sound comes from those old hard to get PIO caps and w/o them you only gain the sound-quality of the Barber made Gainster or Red Snapper.
How close do you think one could get using jensen PIO caps?
Ebay; I just got 12 for 2,50. They sound awesome in my version!!!!!
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AfterDarkMusic
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Post by AfterDarkMusic »

Do you mean that you got jensens, or the original K42Y-2s? If jensens, what version of the jensens did you get?

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Bernardduur
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Post by Bernardduur »

AfterDarkMusic wrote:Do you mean that you got jensens, or the original K42Y-2s? If jensens, what version of the jensens did you get?
Yep, the same as described in this thread. I just searched and found em quite cheap; they were in my house in 2 weeks and do sound awesome!
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AfterDarkMusic
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Post by AfterDarkMusic »

The only ones I've found were in a lot of 100 for $135 + $38 shipping from Russia.

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Bernardduur
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Post by Bernardduur »

Yeah, they came from Russia; shipping was 4 euro :)

I also ordered the 160V versions and use em in my pedals; sound so sweet!
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AfterDarkMusic
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Post by AfterDarkMusic »

Will using a lower voltage rating alter the sonic characteristics? Say I used the K42Y-2s, but rated at 160V instead of 630V, will it sound different?

(yes, I'm way new to this... thanks for helping out)

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The Rotagilla
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Post by The Rotagilla »

Shots of another big box version, being sold as a possible early version or prototype.
Outside
Gut Shot

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georgeb4
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Post by georgeb4 »

Is the (2) 10k, 50uF section unique to the LF353N chip or would it be required for other chips like 072BD, 4558D, etc.? I'm seeing 22uF on the Snapper which uses 4558...

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Wagster
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Post by Wagster »

The Rotagilla wrote:Shots of another big box version, being sold as a possible early version or prototype.
Outside
Gut Shot
That pedal needs a output and power tranformer.Hell while we're at it add some coupling caps :D

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JHS
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Post by JHS »

It's a late 3rd version Gainster with 250k vol-pot .The big rectangular cap on IC1b looks a bit strange but I wouldn't bother about that.

JHS

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plexilover
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Post by plexilover »

How is it managed with the IC? 8 Pins and this one is only on 4 eyelets, any special tricks there?
Found some K42Y-2 on ebay;)

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soulsonic
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Post by soulsonic »

It has 8 eyelets; they are spread out - four of them are under the socket and the other four are further out. You can use a socket that's intended for wire wrapping and it will have extended pins that will be able to reach to all the eyelets - I'm fairly certain that's what has been done here. Look for wire wrap sockets.
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Wagster
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Post by Wagster »

soulsonic wrote:What's the big deal with SOZO caps anyway? They look like any other polyester cap to me. I've use old mustard caps before and I didn't hear anything magic...
Probably a waste in a pedal.In a amp with higher voltage is another story.

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sevinisthenumber
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Post by sevinisthenumber »

Is there a layout to this? Am i missing it somewhere!?
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IvIark
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Post by IvIark »

I've got a layout that was designed to use the same sort of Russian capacitors in the original, so obviously isn't for the compact conscious builder. You can always alter it if you want to, so I can post that if you're interested.
"If anyone is a 'genius' for putting jacks in such a pedal in the only spot where they could physically fit, then I assume I too am a genius for correctly inserting my legs into my pants this morning." - candletears7 - TGP

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sevinisthenumber
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Post by sevinisthenumber »

That would be great!
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Post by IvIark »

Here it is. A few extra links were required to accommodate the large caps but they're mostly hidden by the caps. I also put in a couple of links to allow me to put the 2N2 and 22K above the opamp and use that space, but if you rearrange it for smaller caps then you may be able to get rid of 3 or 4 of those links.

Image
"If anyone is a 'genius' for putting jacks in such a pedal in the only spot where they could physically fit, then I assume I too am a genius for correctly inserting my legs into my pants this morning." - candletears7 - TGP

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