ZYS Mk II sitting in my office...

[Robert]

It just arrived! Will test it tonight. Not sure if I can do a full demo just yet though - we'll see.

Vood, I'm noticing the Boost switch on the side of the pedal. Why did you put it there and not on the top, like the other 2 switches?

I'm wondering if that could cause some trouble on a crowded pedal board? I'd be worried that switch could break easily when it's sticking out like that. Thoughts?

[duhvoodooman]

It just arrived! Will test it tonight. Not sure if I can do a full demo just yet though - we'll see.
Great! That got there pretty quickly! 8 days from NY to Alberta isn't bad.


Vood, I'm noticing the Boost switch on the side of the pedal. Why did you put it there and not on the top, like the other 2 switches?

I'm wondering if that could cause some trouble on a crowded pedal board? I'd be worried that switch could break easily when it's sticking out like that. Thoughts?
The problem is available real estate inside a crowded pedal interior. The effect order toggle switch you're referring to is my add-on to the kit, and there's just no room to install it through the top of the effect, due to the height of the switch. Has to lay over on its most narrow side and mount through the side of the enclosure (see a couple of photos I marked up below). Believe me, I always come up through the top if it's physically possible. The other two toggles are part of the BYOC kit design and mount directly into eyelets on the effect PCB.

That said, I've had to do this on several other pedals (Rabid Rodent, Mega-Muff, the SD-9 clone I did for Tone2theBone) for exactly the same reason. Have yet to run into a problem with it myself or hear of one from any of my customers. Requires a bit of care--but then again, so does a toggle switch coming through the top, which can be broken if stepped on with an over-eager switch-stomping foot!

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/744a5e1eecd0a13.jpg http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/744a5e1eece081c.jpg

[sunvalleylaw]

My Ruetz (sp?) mod switch on my Rabid Rodent has been perfectly safe on the side. It sits in the space created my pedal connectors just fine. I don't try to operate that particular switch with my foot, but I bet one could if the pedal was in the right place on the board.

Oh, PS, I am totally jealous you are unpacking that new ZYS! Congrats!

[Robert]

I played it briefly at lunch today. Oh my, I love it! Sweet overdrive through my Heatseeker. I grabbed the SX cheapo strat, because it was closest. Very good sounds, my friends, very good indeed....

[duhvoodooman]

My Ruetz (sp?) mod switch on my Rabid Rodent has been perfectly safe on the side. It sits in the space created my pedal connectors just fine. I don't try to operate that particular switch with my foot, but I bet one could if the pedal was in the right place on the board.

Oh, PS, I am totally jealous you are unpacking that new ZYS! Congrats!I don't recommend trying to operate ANY of the toggle switches by foot, however they're mounted! They're just not constructed for that--it's just begging for trouble. That's for any pedal with a toggle switch, not just mine!!


I played it briefly at lunch today. Oh my, I love it! Sweet overdrive through my Heatseeker. I grabbed the SX cheapo strat, because it was closest. Very good sounds, my friends, very good indeed....
Cool! Glad your first impressions are positive. Have you had a chance to check out the MOSFET clipping yet? That together with the bass EQ toggle at the "Full" setting and the Tone knob around 2 o'clock is my favorite with Strats & other single coil guitars. Warm & juicy! :dude: :rockon:

[Robert]

I tried all settings, but I need more time. Where's that page where the detailed description of this thingamajjig?

[duhvoodooman]

Where's that page where the detailed description of this thingamajjig?
http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=11873

[sunvalleylaw]

I don't recommend trying to operate ANY of the toggle switches by foot, however they're mounted! They're just not constructed for that--it's just begging for trouble. That's for any pedal with a toggle switch, not just mine!!


Warm & juicy! :dude: :rockon:

Yeah, ok, but I meant mostly when I am playing barefoot, or can kick my flip flop or croc off, and work it with my big toe. T2TB loves it when I do that! ;) :rotflmao: :D This sounds like a lovely new pedal!

[aeolian]

DVM, is the ZYS Mk II that Robert is trying out built to the same specs as Reverend Marnold's?

[duhvoodooman]

DVM, is the ZYS Mk II that Robert is trying out built to the same specs as Reverend Marnold's?
Nope, the ZYS Mk II is my "top of the line" version of the BYOC Overdrive 2 kit build and has several features that Marnold's does not. His is an almost stock OD2 build, with the only real modification being the MOSFET clipping I installed for him. That's a "no charge" mod I will do for anyone who buys a basic OD2 build (usually known as the "Overachiever" when sold to persons who aren't ordained Lutheran clergy!), because (1) I think the MOSFET clipping is a really nice tonal addition, and (2) BS170 MOSFET's are only about a buck a pair, so what the heck! :D

There's also an in-between model called the "MOS y Mas" that incorporates a more extensive MOSFET conversion than just the clipping stage that Marnold's has.

The ZYS Mk II's added features are spelled out in detail on the link two posts above. Pricing is shown HERE (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=12324), for anyone interested....