duhvoodooman
January 20th, 2009, 03:13 PM
The total redesign of the very popular BYOC Overdrive kit (Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-808 clone) has been completed and the new kit, called the Overdrive 2 (http://www.buildyourownclone.com/overdrive2.html), is now officially released. The only bad news is that the initial production run of 200 kits sold out in 48 hours!! New kits will be available for order on Feb. 9.
The original Overdrive kit was not only one of BYOC’s most popular, but it was also a favorite of pedal modders, including yours truly. Recognizing this, Keith Vonderhulls took the opportunity to incorporate several of the most popular mods into the design of the new kit. These include switchable clipping options, switchable bass rolloff frequencies (more/less bottom end), and trimpots for setting min and max gain to personal taste, as well as the overall output volume. While not quite as flexible as my Zonkin’ Yellow Screamer modification of the original Overdrive, it’s close!
Keith didn’t stop there, however. He also offers a “MOSFET conversion kit” (included free for the initial production run, but for an additional $8 hereafter). This conversion kit allows you to build the OD2 as a MOSFET overdrive in the same vein as such heralded boutique pedals as the Fulltone Fulldrive2 MOSFET, Hermida MOSferatu, and Blackstone MOSFET Overdrive. These pedals are noted for their smooth tube-like overdrive character and responsiveness. The MOSFET conversion is an “either/or” proposition, though--choose either the stock TS-808 based build or the MOSFET conversion.
Another very cool new feature is the addition of a separate, independent onboard boost circuit with its own stompswitch. The stock build uses a silicon NPN transistor to drive this boost stage, but you can also build it as an ultra-clean MOSFET boost, if you purchase the MOSFET conversion kit.
The new kit sells for $90, the same price that the original Overdrive went for before it was phased out late last year. Considering all the added features & flexibility, that's quite a value! Having looked through the build instructions, I would characterize this kit as intermediate in difficulty. Wouldn’t recommend it for your first build or two, but if you’ve already done a couple or have other applicable electronics experience, you should have no problem. Just take your time & follow the instructions carefully. The variety of build options makes it a bit more complicated to follow.
For those who might be interested in this new design but don’t want to bite off the build themselves, feel free to PM me for pre-built pricing (assembly only or fully painted & decaled).
The original Overdrive kit was not only one of BYOC’s most popular, but it was also a favorite of pedal modders, including yours truly. Recognizing this, Keith Vonderhulls took the opportunity to incorporate several of the most popular mods into the design of the new kit. These include switchable clipping options, switchable bass rolloff frequencies (more/less bottom end), and trimpots for setting min and max gain to personal taste, as well as the overall output volume. While not quite as flexible as my Zonkin’ Yellow Screamer modification of the original Overdrive, it’s close!
Keith didn’t stop there, however. He also offers a “MOSFET conversion kit” (included free for the initial production run, but for an additional $8 hereafter). This conversion kit allows you to build the OD2 as a MOSFET overdrive in the same vein as such heralded boutique pedals as the Fulltone Fulldrive2 MOSFET, Hermida MOSferatu, and Blackstone MOSFET Overdrive. These pedals are noted for their smooth tube-like overdrive character and responsiveness. The MOSFET conversion is an “either/or” proposition, though--choose either the stock TS-808 based build or the MOSFET conversion.
Another very cool new feature is the addition of a separate, independent onboard boost circuit with its own stompswitch. The stock build uses a silicon NPN transistor to drive this boost stage, but you can also build it as an ultra-clean MOSFET boost, if you purchase the MOSFET conversion kit.
The new kit sells for $90, the same price that the original Overdrive went for before it was phased out late last year. Considering all the added features & flexibility, that's quite a value! Having looked through the build instructions, I would characterize this kit as intermediate in difficulty. Wouldn’t recommend it for your first build or two, but if you’ve already done a couple or have other applicable electronics experience, you should have no problem. Just take your time & follow the instructions carefully. The variety of build options makes it a bit more complicated to follow.
For those who might be interested in this new design but don’t want to bite off the build themselves, feel free to PM me for pre-built pricing (assembly only or fully painted & decaled).