Re: Harmonic Percolator

by DougH » 24 Jun 2009, 22:20

Yup. I believe it ha everything to do with the curve.
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Re: Harmonic Percolator

by timhulio » 07 Aug 2009, 08:38

DougH wrote:The 1n695's sound great, better then 1n34a's even though the fwd
voltages measure the same, .223v.

Agreed. I thought the perc circuit sounded good with 1N34A's, and have
made a whole bunch of these, but thanks to Smallbear I've been using
1N695's for the last batch and they're just perfect. I also reckon that this
little lot of ex-USAF 2N404 trannies sound better than the RCA 2N404(A) I'd
been using previously.

How cool do these look?

I've also been making some perculators with NOS Russian MP16B (ge) and
ST3904 (si) and KD514A silicon diodes. The silcon clipping gives the pedal a
more '80s rock!' flavour, more volume and sustain. You can wail on the guitar
then hold a note for aaaaaaaaaages. This annoys my girlfriend no end!
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by timhulio » 07 Aug 2009, 08:53

For those who are interested, here's the layout I'm using. The switch is the
small spdt PCB mount you can get from Smallbear. It engages and disengages
the clipping diodes. The pots are the alpha pots with angled PCB mount legs.
http://www.fredric.co.uk/misc/hp_pnp.gif
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Re: Harmonic Percolator & little lot of ex-USAF 2N404

by noelgrassy » 08 Aug 2009, 14:04

timhulio wrote:
DougH wrote:The 1n695's sound great, better then 1n34a's even though the fwd
voltages measure the same, .223v.

Agreed. I thought the perc circuit sounded good with 1N34A's, and have made a
whole bunch of these, but thanks to Smallbear I've been using 1N695's for the last
batch and they're just perfect. I also reckon that this little lot of ex-USAF 2N404
trannies sound better than the RCA 2N404(A) I'd been using previously.

How cool do these look?

I've also been making some perculators with NOS Russian MP16B (ge) and ST3904
(si) and KD514A silicon diodes. The silcon clipping gives the pedal a more '80s
rock!' flavour, more volume and sustain. You can wail on the guitar then hold a
note for aaaaaaaaaages. This annoys my girlfriend no end!

 They'll never know the feeling.

Those xistors look badassed! Did these sound as good as the 2N404As?
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by Kregg » 08 Aug 2009, 15:23

I still plan on building one down the road, but, I just had to snap one up
from Chuck Collins. It's too vintage cool not to.
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by JJ Gabor » 09 Aug 2009, 11:08

Yeah I have a Collins clone and it is killer. Do us a favour and post some guts
as there seems to be minor variations in his models....   

@timhulio: thanks for sharing your layout, I have have also been
experimenting with Russian xistors in these with cool results. Managed to get
a really cool all germanium version up and running with a matched GT402
and GT404. Never tried the Russian diodes, might try and pickup a bunch for
kicks as they are so cheap.

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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by timhulio » 09 Aug 2009, 11:28

JJ Gabor wrote:Yeah I have a Collins clone and it is killer.

I'd be interested in A/B ing the Collins clone with mine. I think there's a guy
around here with one, might try to re-establish contact. 
Which diodes did you use in your Russian version?

JJ Gabor wrote:@timhulio: thanks for sharing your layout

No worries! Here's a couple assembled:

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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by JJ Gabor » 10 Aug 2009, 10:02

Ended up using 1n270 diodes in my all Russian version. It has a boxier feel
but sounds really cool with my bass and baritone guitars. 

I think I am going to start mounting pots on PCBs as I am so sick of wiring.

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Re: Harmonic Percolator

by DougH » 13 Aug 2009, 17:43

timhulio wrote:I also reckon that this little lot of ex-USAF 2N404 trannies sound
better than the RCA 2N404(A) I'd been using previously.

How cool do these look?

You'll have to add a caveat now: "No H-bombs were dismantled in the
building of this pedal, etc..."

"You have just tubescreamered or fuzzfaced yourself " -polarbearfx

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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by RnFR » 13 Aug 2009, 19:44

those would go great with the switches and knobs i got from los alamos
national labs a while back!
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by Kregg » 13 Aug 2009, 21:30

PERKY!
The black bump next to the 2N404A is marked 2N3555, both ceramics are
104, blue tantalum is painted yellow & purple, 390pF on the maroon cap & .
047uF on the green cap. The rest should be clear from the photo.

Just got this today.I like it! My only rub against it is that Mr. Collins ships it
without slider knobs. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to raid my parts drawer.
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by JJ Gabor » 14 Aug 2009, 08:59

Thanks for posrting this. Could you confirm what is written on the diodes??

cheers JJ

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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by Kregg » 14 Aug 2009, 13:42

Other than "2n-" I couldn't make out the numbers. But, I'm sure that one of
our resident experts could tell by looking at the photograph.
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by phibes » 14 Aug 2009, 14:09

They look like 1N695's.
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by DougH » 14 Aug 2009, 15:36

Interesting. So this one has .1u instead of 1u coupling caps. Every time I
think this one is nailed down, it changes. 

Well, I've tried it both ways and prefer the 1u's over the .1u's, FWIW.
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by Kregg » 14 Aug 2009, 16:46

Doug, when I build one I'll drop in 1uF's. How does it change the frequencies,
more mid-bass?

1N695 makes sense, the dash was a refracted image. With my sons Nikon I
was able to get good enough images to piece the puzzle together; 1N695
made by BKC.

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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by Kregg » 17 Aug 2009, 23:34

A problem that I had with my Collins HP was the battery holder was too
close to the output jack (which for some reason a stereo jack). The battery
made contact with the jack and shorted out the circuit. I could have taped
over the battery, but, I thought it best to move the battery holder back a
half inch. Now it works!
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by noelgrassy » 25 Aug 2009, 14:32

I recently found a supply of 2N3565 with the "button" shape and gold leads
but every one
has hFE=380~400+...These will probably suit a BM Pi type O'deal better.

I used 1N60 diodes in my last build and I like what I hear. It's probably not
long before I try
1N695 diodes as the "sum of the parts" has proved damn rewarding. IMHO 

Kregg the Nikon pics kick so much macro-ass. My feable eyes can't read most
glass diodes.
It's nice to actually see those part numbers exist.   <{sight challenged} 

NG.
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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by timhulio » 25 Aug 2009, 20:31

It might just be me, but my 1N695s keep breaking. I mean I know glass
diodes are fragile, but I'm not particularly heavy-handed.

So... um... handle with care!

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Re: Interfax - Harmonic Percolator

by Kregg » 29 Aug 2009, 21:30

timhulio wrote:It might just be me, but my 1N695s keep breaking. I mean I know glass diodes are fragile, but I'm not

particularly heavy-handed.

So... um... handle with care!

Could be leaded crystal; heat and sunlight make crystal more fragile. 

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