Walco Automatic Level Control Schematic

Today I repaired and traced this thing: 

If you see one for sale, keep moving. This things is garbage, and not in a fun way.

I'll make a demo so you can hear it soon. But it really doesn't do much, so you're not missing out.

Maestro Fuzz Phazzer Schematic and PCB layout

 I was recently asked to repair one of these. 

The traces on the board break easily, so I had to repair some of those, and after a while I got a nice filter sweep and some distortion. But it would always let through some clean signal even when the balance control was fully towards the fuzz side. Turns out an old battery leak had made one of the sides of that pot always have an extra 20k of resistance, while the other side worked like normal.

I traced the pedal and redrew the schematic that was on the inside. 

I hope this can help someone else who wants to build or repair one of these.

Differences between the Musitronics and WD Orange Squeezers.

Ever since I became interested in the Dan Armstrong effects I've heard that the WD versions were different and not as good as the originals. 

A friend recently gave me a WD Orange Squeezer and I just couldn't get it to sound like the Musitronics version I have.

So today I finally traced the WD to see where they differ. 

The most obvious differences are that the WD uses an LF351 chip, SK30A JFETs and a silicon diode,

whereas the Dan Armstrong used a 4558, 2N5457's and a germanium diode. 

Here's the schematic and PCB layout for the Musitronics version: 

 

And here's the WD:

If you see any errors, please let me know and I'll do my best to correct them. 

 

Yellow Humper

PCB layout:

Schematic:

I drew all of these based on pictures I found online. Most (if not all) the schematics I could find for these online did not match up with the detailed pictures of the circuit boards I had found. The only original one I own myself is the purple peaker and when I compare that to the copy I made based on the drawings, they sound identical. These really are wonderful effects, some more subtle than others.

My hope is that this will make people build copies instead of ruining/rehousing the vintage units.

Please give me a little credit and Dan Armstrong a hell of a lot more credit if this helps you in any way.

Enjoy!

/Åke Strömer

Blue Clipper

 

Schematic: 

PCB:

Red Ranger

PCB layout:

Schematic:

 

Purple Peaker

PCB layout:

Schematic:

 

Green Ringer

 

Schematic:

PCB layout:

Orange Squeezer

PCB layout:

Schematic:

Triangle Big Muff Perfboard Layout

 

Here's a layout for the Perfboard triangle Big Muff.

For a schematic go to Kit Rae's incredible Big Muff page. 

http://www.kitrae.net/music/big_muff_history.html#TriangleBigMuff

Harmony H1201 Pickguard Template

I bought a 1966 Harmony Tenor guitar this week that I've started to fix up. It's missing the pickguard so I made a template based on the footprint of the old one and some pictures I found online. Now I'm just waiting for the pickguard material to show up.

Eprom Drum Voice

 

Kay Tremolo Schematic

 

And remember don't be like Leo,

 

Tremolo is modulation in amplitude, 

Vibrato is modulation in pitch.

The Stromer Mutroniks Superfuzz

 

Yashica Electro 35 Pleather Pattern

I made a pattern and replaced the fake leather on my Yashica Electro 35 GT.

 

 

Basic Arduino MIDI Drum Sequencer

Here's a simple-ish 808/606 style MIDI sequencer. I'd been looking for something like this for years. But most projects were either too complicated or used the arduino to also make the sounds. 

So yeah, the one I'm making for myself is more complicated, but here's something to hopefully get you started. 

 

I'm no programmer, but it seems to work.

 

//Simple MIDI Drum Sequencer 1.0 by Åke Strömer
//July 27 2021

#include <MIDI.h>
MIDI_CREATE_DEFAULT_INSTANCE();

//----------- IN & OUTPUTS ----------

//-------------MatrixMux-------------
#define clockPin 3 //Pin connected to RCLK/SH_CP/SHIFT REGISTER CLOCK     pin 11 of 74HC595
#define latchPin 4 //Pin connected to SRCLK/ST_CP/OUTPUT REGISTER CLOCK   pin 12 of 74HC595
#define dataPin 5 //Pin connected to SER/DS/INPUT                        pin 14 of 74HC595

//---------Knobs and Switches--------
#define clk 2

uint8_t SwRow[4] = {6, 7, 8, 9};

#define shiftSw 10
#define resetSw 11

uint8_t seqLength = 17;
uint8_t trackNr = 0;

//------------ MIDI -----------------
// 808              BD  SD  LT  MT  HT  MA  RS  CB  HH  OH
//                  0    1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10  11  12  13  14  15
uint8_t note[16] = {36, 38, 40, 41, 43, 39, 37, 56, 42, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58};
uint8_t midiCh = 1;

bool clkProgress = LOW;

uint8_t editMode = 0;
uint8_t stepNr = 0;
uint8_t seqNr;
uint8_t scanStep = 0;
bool dispStep[17] =  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
//          [TRACK][STEP]
bool currentSeq[16][17] =
{
  // 0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 SEQUENCE NR 0
  {0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

bool resetState = 0;
bool shiftState = 0;
bool lastShiftState = 0;


long time = 0;
long debounce = 300;

void setup()
{
  MIDI.begin(midiCh);
  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 4; i++)
  {
    pinMode(SwRow[i], INPUT);
  }

  pinMode(latchPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(clockPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dataPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(shiftSw, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(resetSw, INPUT_PULLUP);

  seqNr = 0;
  attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(clk), isr, RISING);
}

void loop()
{
  mux();
  readButtons();
  if (clkProgress == HIGH)
  {
    stepNr++;
    clkProgress = LOW;
    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 10; i++)
    {
      if (currentSeq[i][stepNr] == 1)
      {
        MIDINoteOn(i);
      }
    }
  }

  if (stepNr >= 16)
  {
    stepNr = 0;
  }

  for (int i = 0; i < 17; i++)
  {
    dispStep[i] = 0;
  }
  if (editMode == 1)
  {
    dispStep[trackNr+1] = 1;
  }
  if (editMode == 2)
  {
    dispStep[midiCh] = 1;
  }
}

void readButtons()
{
  shiftState = digitalRead(shiftSw);
  resetState = digitalRead(resetSw);

  if (resetState  == LOW && shiftState == HIGH)
  {
    stepNr = 0;
  }
  else if (resetState  == HIGH && shiftState == LOW)
  {
    editMode = 1;
  }
  else if (resetState  == LOW && shiftState == LOW)
  {
    editMode = 2;
  }
  else
  {
    editMode = 0;
  }
}

void MIDINoteOn(uint8_t noteNr)
{
  switch (noteNr)
  {
    case 0:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[0], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[0], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 1:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[1], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[1], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 2:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[2], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[2], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 3:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[3], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[3], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 4:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[4], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[4], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 5:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[5], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[5], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 6:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[6], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[6], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 7:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[7], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[7], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 8:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[8], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[8], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 9:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[9], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[9], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 10:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[10], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[10], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 11:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[11], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[11], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 12:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[12], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[12], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 13:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[13], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[13], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 14:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[14], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[14], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    case 15:
      MIDI.sendNoteOn(note[15], 127, midiCh);
      MIDI.sendNoteOff(note[15], 127, midiCh);
      break;
    default:
      break;
  }
}

void mux()
{
  uint8_t dataToSend;
  bool swRead[4] = {0, 0, 0, 0};

  for (uint8_t x = 0; x < 4; x++) //Column Scanning
  {
    dataToSend = (16 << x);
    digitalWrite(latchPin, LOW);
    shiftOut(dataPin, clockPin, LSBFIRST, dataToSend);
    digitalWrite(latchPin, HIGH);

    //------------ READ SWITCHES -----------------

    for (uint8_t ySw = 0; ySw < 4; ySw++)
    {
      swRead[ySw] = digitalRead(SwRow[ySw]);
      if (swRead[ySw] == HIGH && millis() - time > debounce)
      {
        uint8_t swStep = 1 + x + 4 * ySw;
        if (editMode == 0) //WRITE MODE
        {
          if (currentSeq[trackNr][swStep] == 0)
          {
            currentSeq[trackNr][swStep] = 1;
          }
          else
          {
            currentSeq[trackNr][swStep] = 0;
          }
        }
        if (editMode == 1) //TRACK NR MODE
        {
          trackNr = swStep - 1;
        }
        if (editMode == 2) //MIDI Ch Mode
        {
          midiCh = swStep;
        }
        time = millis();
      }
    }

    //------------ LED'S -----------------

    for (uint8_t y = 0; y < 4; y++) //Row Scanning
    {
      bool thisLED;
      int scanStep = y + 1 + x * 4; //Fast matrix scan

      if (editMode == 1) //TRACK NR MODE
      {
        thisLED = dispStep[scanStep];
      }
      else if (editMode == 2) //MIDI Ch Mode
      {
        thisLED = dispStep[scanStep];
      }
      else
      {
        thisLED = currentSeq[trackNr][scanStep];
      }
      if (stepNr + 1 == scanStep)
      {
        (thisLED) ?  thisLED = 0 :  thisLED = 1;
      }
      (thisLED == 0) ? dataToSend = B00000000 : dataToSend = (16 << y) | (1 << x);

      digitalWrite(latchPin, LOW);
      shiftOut(dataPin, clockPin, LSBFIRST, dataToSend);
      digitalWrite(latchPin, HIGH);
    }
  }
}

void isr()
{
  clkProgress = HIGH;
}

Carlin Compressor

I made some drawings of Nils Olof Carlin's compressor based on pictures I found at Nils Olof's own webpage, the Effects database & Moodysounds. I tried emailing him to make sure he was ok with me posting this, but the email address on his webpage was not working anymore.

 

I have since heard the sad news that he passed away on August 14 2017. Read more here.

If anyone from his family sees this and wants me to take it down please email me and I'll do so immediately. I hope this will be looked upon as a small tribute to a great genius.

 

 

 

 

2021 Update:

 

Carlin Phase Pedal

I also made some drawings of Nils Olof Carlin's phaser based on pictures I found at moodysounds & the effects database.

 

 

I made the traces connected to power red and ground green to make it easier to read.