Just testing the waters....

[duhvoodooman***]

Now, I'm not saying I'm actually gonna do this, I just want to see what the interest level might be....

I've been thinking about making some of my "Zonkin' Yellow Screamer" adaptations of the BYOC TS-808 clone pedal design and offering them for sale here to discriminating Fretters. Here's a rundown on how the pedal would be configured and what the added features/capabilities would be vs. a stock TS-808 type pedal:

• The pedal would be based upon the BYOC TS-808 Overdrive kit, which is a clone of the legendary Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-808 model. It's a great pedal if you build it stock, as I documented in THIS THREAD. But that's not to say it can't be enhanced....
  
• Maintaining all of the pedal's stock capabilities, the following additional modifications would be made:
  
  
  
  1. Upgraded resistors and capacitors to reduce noise and give tighter performance tolerances.
     
  2. In addition to the two IC chips included in the BYOC kit, I'd include two additional compatible chips--newer designs with improved performance and lower noise characteristics. Try 'em all in the IC socket and see which one you like best! Both have been reported to work well/sound good in the TS design.
     
  3. In contrast to the TS-808's single gain range and fixed bass rolloff frequency, this pedal would offer normal (i.e. stock) and high gain modes, each with three selectable rolloff frequencies, so that you can dial in more or less bass distortion to suit your needs.
     
  4. Improved sweep-range tone pot, eliminating the "9 to 3" dead-band in the stock pedal's tone control.
     
  5. Three-position toggle for selecting different clipping modes, which determines the character of the overdrive sound the pedal produces. In addition to the stock tone, this modification would add one clipping mode that's smoother and one that's a bit more raw.
     
  6. Because of these additions to the original design, the pedal would come in a slightly wider enclosure than the kit provides. Approx. dimensions are 4.7" x 3.7" x 1.2". The mods add an additional knob and toggle switch to the stock design's three knobs. The casing would be bright yellow and all lettered up, though I haven't decided exactly how I would do that yet. Probably water-slide decals with a clearcoat over it. I'd want the finished product to looks as professional as possible.
     
  7. Written instructions on how to use the additional features would be included.
  
  
  
• Of course, the finished pedal would be checked out and verified as fully functional prior to shipping. I can't provide a "warranty" per se, but I'd fix it for free for the first 90 days, if it stopped working correctly for reasons other than abuse or your dog peeing on it.
  
• Not 100% sure what the price would be, but something in the $130 - $150 range (plus shipping) is highly likely. Compare this with $170 for an Ibanez TS-808 Reissue with far fewer features or those "boutique" TS derivatives for $200 and up (w-a-a-a-y up, in some cases).

One other item to note--the BYOC design is honest-to-goodness, no-B.S. TRUE BYPASS, so it wont load up your pickups and suck tone at all when it's turned off.

So, anybody out there interested?

[Tone2TheBone]

Voo - I think if you also mentioned that you'd custom paint every box you sent out with some really kickin' voodoo graphics they'd sell like hotcakes. Not the Warren kind.

Here's something else. If you really did a few of these pedals you could sell them to Fret.net members at the "buddy price" of $100 plus shipping. Since everyone in the world views this fine forum the word would spread and THEN you could start selling them to everyone else for as much as you wanted. Ebay comes to mind.

[warren0728]

you could sell them to Fret.net members at the "buddy price" of $100 plus shipping

i'm in..."buddy"

ww

[Tone2TheBone]

Hey Voo I hope we didn't discourage you! It was just something I thought of. What are your costs incurred plus your time? Could you really paint some cool stuff on them huh huh could ya huh? If you posted sound clips and could get rid of that awful midrange from the original models then I might like to buy one just cause it was yours.

[warren0728]

there is definitely a market for boutique pedals....there are guys who are willing to wait months to get a tim or timmy pedal (among others).

i say go for it....i would keep the graphics simple since tone is what you are selling.

ww

[Robert****]

That would awesome, VDM! I'd buy one from you for $150, in a heart beat!

This could be a start of a new business endeavor for you.

[Spudman***]

I'd probably get one too just to have it and support you. Cause I know I can count on you buying a gallon of my ice cream this summer.

Seriously, I'd get one. How's my credit?

[duhvoodooman***]

Hey Voo I hope we didn't discourage you! It was just something I thought of.

Nah, I don't discourage easily!

What are your costs incurred plus your time?

To keep materials costs down, I'm looking at sourcing all the electronics components directly and just buying the circuit board from BYOC. I figure I'm probably looking at about $70 - $80 just for all of the hardware. The time is the real killer, and the reason that I'm just kicking this around as a possibility, at this point. Each one of these things will probably take me several hours to build. Though I can solder pretty well, I'm no electronics tech, for sure, so I really take my time to be sure I'm doing things correctly. Probably a reflection of a career in quality assurance along with a naturally anal retentive personality! Now, add in the fact that I'll have to do all the hole-drilling on the custom enclosure, plus applying graphics (labeling and any images), and you're talking a lot of time....

Could you really paint some cool stuff on them huh huh could ya huh?

I'd have to see what's achievable without adding a lot more time and cost. From what I've read, water-slide decal paper that you can print to through a PC color printer is probably the way to go.

If you posted sound clips and could get rid of that awful midrange from the original models then I might like to buy one just cause it was yours.

That's exactly what that adjustable bass rolloff frequency feature is about. Flattens the midrange hump some and extends it down below the stock TS-808 720Hz rolloff knee. When I get my "prototype" done, I'll definitely be posting clips.

[duhvoodooman***]

Seriously, I'd get one. How's my credit?

With your good credit + $150, no problem!

[Tone2TheBone]

Voo - Thanks for the details. I wish I could reply like you. heh

I listened to the clips you posted on your other post. I don't know how I missed those. The overdrive sounded really good on both clips. Was this the unit you are talking about on THIS thread or was that the clone of the original TS808? At any rate you have a marketable commodity here buddy. And we could all say...."yeah I own one of his first pedals actually" after you hit it big on the boutique scene. GO FOR IT THE TIME IS NOW.

[warren0728]

if you've got 80 bucks worth of parts plus your labor i can't see selling them for less than $150. I hope you go for it....if you've got the time for it!

ww

[sunvalleylaw]

I would be interested for sure. I am not sure it is realistic for me to really put time into building my own. Plus, once I have the one you built for me, a bunch of us could do group mods for future Voodoo mad scientist ideas, under your tutelage!

[duhvoodooman***]

Plus, once I have the one you built for me, a bunch of us could do group mods for future Voodoo mad scientist ideas, under your tutelage!

Too involved for the Cub Scouts, ya think?

[duhvoodooman***]

I listened to the clips you posted on your other post. I don't know how I missed those. The overdrive sounded really good on both clips. Was this the unit you are talking about on THIS thread or was that the clone of the original TS808?

That was the straight BYOC TS-808 clone kit, built exactly per their instructions. I have all of the parts to modify it per the above specs on order, and hope to be able to get the functional part of it done this weekend (assuming all the parts arrive). I'm sure I won't get to the enclosure & painting/decaling part, though. Just hoping to prove out my mod concepts and see if I really get the "ultra-screamer" I hope to end up with.

[Spudman***]

Will you take installment payments?

[duhvoodooman***]

Will you take installment payments?

Sure. One installment of $150 would be perfect. See how flexible I can be?

Geez, Spuds, just sell one of those 50 or so guitars you have and send me a money order. No personal checks accepted....

[tot_Ou_tard]

I'd really like one Vood.

But, I'll probably have to wait a coupl'a months.

I can't think of anything cooler than a gen-u-wine Voodo pedal.

[duhvoodooman***]

All the electronics part showed up yesterday, so Voodoo Labs will have a plume from the smokestack this weekend. We'll see if all this here fancy wirin' actually does what it's supposed to.....

[ZoSo65]

I would get one too, but this dang divorce is suckin' the life from my wallet.