Dvm Od2

[marnold***]

As DVM alluded to in the other thread, I did place an order for an OD2 with a custom paint job. Not only will it be totally cool, but it with be 946x more Lutheran than the leading overdrive pedal.* The only MOSFET bits I'm going for are in place of the LED clipping option. At that point my TO800 will go to my son. I've wanted an overdrive that was sturdier than my TO800 and a boost pedal. This is two great tastes that taste great together! And it's fostering Fret togetherness (Fretherness?) that just gives me the warm fuzzys. Naturally pics and clips will follow, which will give me the impetus to get off my kiester and record something again.







* All stats verified by Wikipedia and Billy, the gray squirrel in the big Dutch Elm

[sunvalleylaw]

As DVM alluded to in the other thread, I did place an order for an OD2 with a custom paint job. Not only will it be totally cool, but it with be 946x more Lutheran than the leading overdrive pedal.* The only MOSFET bits I'm going for are in place of the LED clipping option. At that point my TO800 will go to my son. I've wanted an overdrive that was sturdier than my TO800 and a boost pedal. This is two great tastes that taste great together! And it's fostering Fret togetherness (Fretherness?) that just gives me the warm fuzzys. Naturally pics and clips will follow, which will give me the impetus to get off my kiester and record something again.







* All stats verified by Wikipedia and Billy, the gray squirrel in the big Dutch Elm

Most Exxxccceellllennntt! I for one will look forward to seeing and hearing your version. : :

[Algonquin]

will give me the impetus to get off my kiester and record something again.

Sounds like a good enough reason to me :
Congrats, and looking forward to pics and clips.
Cheers

[Robert****]

Cool, I can feel the Fretherness in us rising!

[piebaldpython***]

Congrats Marnold and welcome to the DVM OD2 club. OD2 is just a great pedal, it does lots of nice things to your tone and having the MOSFET mod where you will have it expands your tonal arsenal.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Marnold why did you choose the Mosfet options that you did?

[marnold***]

Marnold why did you choose the Mosfet options that you did?

A couple of reasons. 1) I wanted to keep the stock TS808 thang as much as possible--just with the mods to make it more flexible, 2) I agreed with DVM after listening to the Gearmandude clip that I could not tell much difference between the lift and LED options. DVM said the MOSFET is much more noticeable, 3) I considered going MOSFET for the boost, but DVM said he tried both and liked the silicon boost better. I still hem and haw slightly on that last one. I haven't had the chance to listen to clips showing the difference between the silicon and MOSFET boost.

[duhvoodooman***]

Of the 5 places MOSFETs can go into the OD2 (BYOC's $8 MOSFET Conversion Kit allows you to do all 5, if you so choose), there is only one that I recommend without reservation to everyone, and that is the pair in the second clipping position. The reason is exactly the one Marnold stated--the LED clipping under most playing conditions sounds similar to or exactly the same as the middle toggle position, which turns the clipping off. That's because it takes a LARGE signal (2.0V or more) to exceed the LED voltage threshold and initiate signal clipping, and most of us don't get up in that voltage realm routinely in our playing.

For the other four positions:

• Input and output buffers - The main point here is to leverage the MOSFETs higher input impedance vs. bipolar silicon trannies to preserve top end response. Personally, I find the advice of effects guru Jack Orman compelling on this point--he suggests using a MOSFET input buffer if you're looking for maximum "sparkle", but sticking with the bipolar tranny output buffer for its stronger drive performance. Even then, if you're not concerned with the "sparkle" factor (and it's a subtle difference, not a big change), this one can easily be skipped.
• Opamp - The CA3260 BiMOS opamp included in conversion kit is really just another "flavor" of opamp that can be run in the OD2, along with a wide range of other dual-stage opamps. IMO, changing opamps in this and other TS-based overdrives is among the more subtle changes you can make, tonally. Yeah, it adds more "MOSFET" content, but this one has the least overall impact, to my ear.
• MOSFET Boost - Strictly a matter of personal taste on whether you go with the BS170 MOSFET in the boost stage or stick the the kit's stock MPSA18 bipolar tranny. Again, the impact is top-end chime and clarity with the MOSFET. But personally, I find the bipolar tranny boost--essentially the same as the vintage EH Linear Power Booster circuit--to be the better balanced boost. It still has good top-end clarity, and it definitely gives you more authority in the bass and lower mids, hence the "linear" designation. But if it's a "clean" boost you want, the MOSFET option is tops for that.

Damn--see what happens when you guys get me going on the technical mumbo-jumbo! Well, I hope that's helpful to some of you, anyway.

BTW, got my order book out--who's next??

[marnold***]

Here's a mock-up of what the pedal is going to look like. Bonus points if you understand the Luther references.

[piebaldpython***]

Sweet mock-up!!

[mrmudcat]

Yea I also dig that :

Mine was modded for chase and is sweet so enjoy it brother

[marnold***]

DVM just sent me a picture of the enclosure. All it needs is a couple of coats of clear.

[Kazz]

that is sweeeet Matt.

[duhvoodooman***]

...All it needs is a couple of coats of clear.

Well, I was kinda planning on installing the electronics and hardware in it, too.... :

[marnold***]

Well, I was kinda planning on installing the electronics and hardware in it, too.... :

True dat. It'd be hard to go "meedley meedley meeeeee!" without them.

[marnold***]

Now fully assembled!


Insert maniacal (yet extraordinarily Lutheran) giggling here.

[Monkus]

sweeeeeet !!!! :

[sunvalleylaw]

Looking good Matt! I would love to hear some tones from it sometime.

[SharkUSMC]

Heh, Thesis 96, as in, "But this one goes to 11!" I love it. (So sayeth he that works for the LCMS headquarters.")