ToneDude Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 I liked my first OCD a few years back, had a unique darker, warmer tone than most ODs. I discovered that was due to the FET gain which is very tube like in feel and touch and cleans up nicely rolling off the guitar vol. I had traded in my OCD and I missed the tone it had, never finding anything quite like it. I got a new one and I discovered Fuller had been creating new versions of the pedal now presently on v4. The one I liked was the v3. The v4 was not the same. I really do not like fizzy, gainy ODs and the v4 was really fizzy and gainy. Ruined the pedal for me. I was on the border of trading it off. A cool tech tuned me into the various version mods and what had been done. The v4 has a germanium diode in the output stage where all the fizzy gain comes from. You can just go in and clip it out, bridge the pin holes w solder and presto, no more gainy fizzy dist just that delicious FET gain w all the touch and feel of the OCD and it cleans up completely for clean boost as well. I call it the 3.5 mod or the DeGermed OCD. Well worth it, easy to do. You get the better low gain warmth of the v3 but w the v4 component tone cap and vol change. NO COST-NO PARTS NEEDED MOD Germanium diode located left side mid board, siliconed glued to the next components, remove carefully, clipping the goop out if the way, clip the pins up close to the diode body. Leave the long pin attached to the board, bend it over and solder the bridge. PRESTO. A much better sounding drive without the fizzy gain. "I used to have a short term memory but I forgot where I put it."
Caevan O'Shite Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 VERY cool DIY info, thanks for posting that, 'Dude! "3.5 Mod"! Don't toss the germanium, though- you or someone else might want it for something someday down the road... I mean, do they turn up in ANYTHING new these days, besides in guitar-geek gear? Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 not too much....they've been obsolete for a couple decades, other than our uses. what may be a better mod, if you don't mind adding a switch to the pedal, would be to take a sub-mini dpdt, run two wires from where the diode (only one? weird..if only one, it's most likely not being used for clipping, but anything's possible) was two the center two posts of the switch, solder the diode across the other two (making sure you maintain the polarity the diode originally had) and then bridging the other two terminals...use an on/on, and you can have stock or modded. but again, that depends on whether you want to carve a hole in it or not. i'm not familiar enough with the pedal to really comment on it. usually diodes used for clipping are in opposed pairs, or perhaps different types to clip the top and bottom of the sine wave (the audio signal). germanium sounds a little milder, generally, silicone a little harsher, led's crunchier. you can pretty much mix and match them to whatever you want. cool and easy mod tho, but i agree with caevan...keep the original part so it can be restored someday if necessary. http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
Winston Psmith Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 Found a link where Germanium diodes are being used in some digital gear now, so I guess they're making a comeback, of sorts. Here's a link, if anyone wants to check it out - Germanium. Everything old is new again, at some point - well, maybe not old guitar slingers, but at least we're still here. BTW, if you want the FET sound, the Fulltone Fat-Boost 3 is the one to get, so you don't have to hack a $150 pedal. "Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King http://www.novparolo.com https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com
ToneDude Posted March 4, 2011 Author Posted March 4, 2011 Sorry guys but clipping that puppy out of the silicon goop pretty much killed it. I clipped the pins right to the body of it and it did not survive the operation. I am not a super great DIY guy, first time I ever messed w a pedal. I learned to bias my amp, make great cables, and wire guitars and that has been about all I have ever done. Yes, if you read the specs on the OCD versions, (I have that URL around here somewhere, can't seem to find it...), it explains he added this into the output stage to increase the gain level and it us where all the gain fizz comes from, perhaps as it combines with the FETs. yes I know the germanium is typically not as fuzzy as a silicon, I do not know why it increases the gain so much but it clearly does. After removal it is one sweet pedal. Most complaints concerning the OCD is that gaining it up does not sound great and it hits its real tone gain lower and tone 12:00-9:00, removing the diode merely sweetens this tone. The ability to go all clean is not effected and makes this drive a great deal because it can get a very clean boost. I also use the ICE 9 and you can hear the germanium switch in it adds to the attack and punch without really adding more dist per se'. But the OCD is a different animal. I have never been a big fan of the single tone control ODs as it is really just a treble roll off. The Fat Boost as well treble up is simply uncut, according to Fuller. At least the ICE 9 has a bass boost control added after the drive stage. For ODs I prefer Barber if I could do it all over again. I also have the Fat Boost 3 and I pulled it from my board because it hums, and it gets a really loud hum after 12v. I was running the OCD at 16v but after this mod I have stayed w the 9v. I could not get Fuller's tech dept to give me the time of day about the Fat Boost, they are really a bunch of rude dudes. I have been so pissed at Fulltone lately I doubt if I will get anything else from them. It's always, "take it out of your board, add a new battery and a quality cable and run it into the amp alone and see if it hums still". And......For one thing I have not used batteries since I was a teenager, my cables could not be any better quality, alone does not do me any good, it hums, faintly at 9v, my complaint was when you try to give it higher voltage, the hum just gets really loud. 12v is bad, 16v to 18v is just unbearable (Regardless of power supply feed also fed from a Furman master power source.) . They would not do anything so I have the pedal in my trade off pile. Any idea on this one would be great. I do not really need it and my 3.5 OCD is really just an add on as well. I run I pretty large board. This mod and the remaining gain is much more than the Fat Boost does or can do, as the Fat Boost was not really created to be a gain box or a typical overdrive. It is made to restore your signal at chain end (according to Fuller). I got one because Trower was using one into an old Fulltone Dist Pro before the OCD was created for him. (Around 2005, he had the Fat Boost, a v2 I think, drive up, into a Dist Pro w gain all down.) (FYI: The mod is the 1N34A diode located just above C1 and to the right of Q3 on the left edge of the board.) The main gain tone of the OCD is created with FETs (according to Fuller) and they have a very tube like response and feel. There is still a ton there after taking this out but it is much more musical and tonal. I personally never gain up the OCD, usually gain from off to 11:00. The OCD mod makes for a great sounding OD after removing that diode. The FET gain is very tube sounding and the pedal retains everything everyone likes about the pedal but it just does not gain up like a dist box. It still has plenty in there, exponentially more than the Fat Boost. At 9:00, where I like to run it, it is really suburb, much better. I paid around $140 for it but it was in the box for trade off because I just did not like the v4. I was using as a clean boost but I really did not need it. I had been using the Fat Boost and the OCD into the Fat Boost as a nice thick Trower tone, except the v4 is too gainy. The mod OCD into the ICE 9 makes for a delicious stack, I get a great Trower dark voice from them. They also sound great by themselves into my channels or in front of my higher gains. I like a very versitile rig that can deliver a lot of options. The ICE 9 is a very nice true overdrive made to hit that tibe front end. It does not clean up well like the OCD and is anything but transparent but a really good drive for $130. I was ready to pass the OCD along until this mod. There is lot you can do with these if you want to round up the parts, I have a long list of fixes to it but I am not sure I have the patience. I am not really much of a DIY guy, this is the first time I ever went into a pedal myself. He gave me this mod to also stack the Op amps for an interesting unique circuit. I would never have dared tamper w if a real DIY tech had not walked me through taking out the 1N34A would not hurt the unit or cause it to have noise or kill the circuit. Bloody worked and I dig the box. When any of you adventurous ones try it you will really like it over the v4. If you have a v2 or v3 hang on to it. "I used to have a short term memory but I forgot where I put it."
Caevan O'Shite Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 live and learn i guess...i'm confuse, probably cuz i haven't had any coffee yet and there's too much blood in my cafeine delivery system, did you get it fixed? always better to de-solder than clip... you can get a desoldering tool that's spring loaded..ya pump it up, heat the joint and suck that liquid mess right up, nice and clean, highly reccomended accessory for diy stuff. best of luck mates! http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 errr,....confuseD....lol...i need coffee! http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
Nu2Keys Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 I just got an OCD v4 and I think it sounds great as is.
Caevan O'Shite Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 I just got an OCD v4 and I think it sounds great as is. Well, then, it's good to know that the "leave it alone"-mod works for some folks, too! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _
Winston Psmith Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 Thanks for the in-depth response, ToneDude - I appreciate knowing how other people are approaching their sound, and if I ever want to try that mod, you've made it sound pretty straightforward. BTW, I do use my FB-3 as a boost/contour effect, not as an OD. I'm running it off a Voodoo Labs PP2+, @ 9 volts, and I'm not getting any hum. I've got the 18v jumper cable for the PP2+, and a Dunlop 18v - I'll experiment, see if anything changes. "Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King http://www.novparolo.com https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com
ToneDude Posted March 5, 2011 Author Posted March 5, 2011 live and learn i guess...i'm confuse, probably cuz i haven't had any coffee yet and there's too much blood in my cafeine delivery system, did you get it fixed? always better to de-solder than clip... you can get a desoldering tool that's spring loaded..ya pump it up, heat the joint and suck that liquid mess right up, nice and clean, highly reccomended accessory for diy stuff. best of luck mates! Dude, you have to bridge the open hole pins, using the long pin from the device is the best way to do that. It's called "solder wick", oddly enough I have heard of that as well. Had I meant that would be the best way I would have simply stated it. Removing all the solder and the factory soldered board pins is simply not the best or easiest way to do the mod. I swear it's worse than politics..., if you like the v4 then so what, if you like fizzy fuzzy gain on an OD then so what, this is for those who would like to improve the box or get more back to the v3 version. Why does anyone imagine some offer ways to modify boxes, to make them worse?? If you want to run a solder feed over the board then be my guest, just more popensity to get a short. It's an easy, no cost, simple mod, I explained as best I could in as many ways as I could. Like the v4 OCD fine, keep it. Rather use a dist or a fuzz for high gain dist and an OD to overdrive, then it might be of interest to you. I am pretty sure there are some who would prefer a stock Boss over a Keeley or an Anlogman mod, again, so what, I look for better tones, if you do not have a notion for such then, so what. Keep what you like, never trying anything else pretty much assures that. The OCD is a better overdrive and a clean boost without that germanium diode. Never try and never know is what I say. Making constant comments like everyone's an idiot gets rather boring. Solder Wick, for God's sake that is 101 stuff. I stated to save the long pin to bridge the holes as it does not work just removing the diode, geesssshhhh. "I used to have a short term memory but I forgot where I put it."
ToneDude Posted March 5, 2011 Author Posted March 5, 2011 Thanks for the in-depth response, ToneDude - I appreciate knowing how other people are approaching their sound, and if I ever want to try that mod, you've made it sound pretty straightforward. BTW, I do use my FB-3 as a boost/contour effect, not as an OD. I'm running it off a Voodoo Labs PP2+, @ 9 volts, and I'm not getting any hum. I've got the 18v jumper cable for the PP2+, and a Dunlop 18v - I'll experiment, see if anything changes. Part of my latest piss off w Fuller is that my Fat Boost has a problem and they cannot admit it or take it back for repair. It is not supposed to hum, right, this is not 1968 and all that. Anyway, the Fat Boost is a nice box. I have used it in numerous ways, and yes, if you like the FET based distortion the OCD mod brings that with tons more tubelike gain and OD capability than the Fat Boost. According to Fuller (so all the rest can stop disagreeing with me): The Fat Boost was designed to go at the end of the chain to restore and enhance the final signal to the amp. It was never intended to be an OD, more like a clean boost that can actually overdrive the front end if the vol is up, like anything would do. I prefer my ODs before my other gains as it enhances them after changes the dist voice too much. By themselves they OD the tube channels, or together makes for a cool tone stack. I an interested in what the guy told me about stacking Op Amps on the OCD, it would make something unique and different, somehow that appeals to me. Maybe I will get to that one of these days. As I said I am I am not MR. DIY guy. If it's easy I might go for it but making my own box, not for me. You can adjust the Fat Boost in a way as not to color anything and just add fidelity to the signal like a clean boost. Look up Fuller's spec sheet on it. They say he copied it from some guys boost circuit, so what is what I say, how many ways are there to build anything following the electical rules? Marshall and HiWatt were trying to copy Fender. I orignally was using the Fat Boost like Trower was before the OCD was invented. I started using it as Fuller recommends, at the end of chain. I liked the box, it's just the hum was killing me. I liked it at 12v but the hum was like 1968 no matter what I did. I set the drive down, do not need the gain and it colors the signal. It's really not an OD, you can use more bass w the drive down and I keep the treble up because like all Fulltone's it's just a treble rolloff. Does the same as using a clean boost but it has some nice EQ ability. I have a BBE in my loop and I do not need it to improve my tone, just something I had around I was trying to use. I pulled it because I try and have a no hum min noise floor rig. Something wrong w mine. "I used to have a short term memory but I forgot where I put it."
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 solder wick is fine for things where you don't have to worry about bridging traces..a solder sucker is a better choice when working on pcb's. don't know if ya know the difference, would rather err on the possibility someone may not know (which i run into a lot). solder is not glue...you want to bridge the two point where the diode is, but not with solder. can't follow the rest of your rant, so won't bother. peace. http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 this is the thing i was talking about. beats the hell out of that wick stuff... http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062745 http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2160658w345.jpg http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 dude, i'm sorry if i rubbed ya the wrong way mate...just trying to help folks learn, i was probably over the top...just wanted to say so man. peace. http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
ToneDude Posted March 7, 2011 Author Posted March 7, 2011 solder wick is fine for things where you don't have to worry about bridging traces..a solder sucker is a better choice when working on pcb's. don't know if ya know the difference, would rather err on the possibility someone may not know (which i run into a lot). solder is not glue...you want to bridge the two point where the diode is, but not with solder. can't follow the rest of your rant, so won't bother. peace. You use the long pin from the diode to make the connection. Like I said, easy, simple mod anyone can do that requires nothing more than a clipper, a little solder and a solder pencil. You solder the long pin to the other short end to make contact w the other board pin using the factory soldered board connections. Really, seriously, rant... do forgive our lack of a solder sucking tool that is not needed. All things considered caffine is not your problem. Have you ever worked for Fulltone? "I used to have a short term memory but I forgot where I put it."
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 7, 2011 Posted March 7, 2011 byte me, dude. solder isn't glue or a magic substance. from your original post : "You can just go in and clip it out, bridge the pin holes w solder and presto, no more gainy fizzy dist just that delicious FET gain w all the touch and feel of the OCD and it cleans up completely for clean boost as well." edit: oh yeah, and this, from you as well, which instigated this nonsense in the first place: "Sorry guys but clipping that puppy out of the silicon goop pretty much killed it. I clipped the pins right to the body of it and it did not survive the operation. I am not a super great DIY guy, first time I ever messed w a pedal. I learned to bias my amp, make great cables, and wire guitars and that has been about all I have ever done. " any tech worth their salt is gonna do it right. period. and one of the peeps (you, it turns out...tho now it's clearer that it's the diode ya screwed up, not the pedal...edit two) here that tried your mod screwed their pedal up doing it. not to mention, germanium ANYTHING is becoming rare..clipping the terminals off means it can't be restored at a later time, and further means any future vintage value down the road will be effected. some people may like the "fizz"...some not...but when they buy the damaged pedal down the road, it will be worth less than a stock one because of your "improvement". is it better to do a hatchet job, or do it right? you choice is obvious i guess. not to mention, when ranting at and quoting me, there's stuff from other peeps in there you're addressing. nice. you didn't mention bridging the holes where the diode went or any of that until later. for the sake of conversation and or educating someone on how to do it we both took part in this thread....you leading peeps how to do it, me suggesting how to not screw it up. it takes about a second longer to do it right, and you end up with a roadworthy as well as restorable pedal. whatever...rant this. i won't apologize again for you being you. later. http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
Terrell Posted March 8, 2011 Posted March 8, 2011 I want to run my guitar through a toaster oven circuit, should I unplug it first?
bennyguitfiddle Posted March 8, 2011 Posted March 8, 2011 I want to run my guitar through a toaster oven circuit, should I unplug it first? that's what puts the Electric in the electric guitar! Why do you lay down? I say that it beats standing up! whats got you feeling so down? I hold up my empty cup!
ToneDude Posted March 8, 2011 Author Posted March 8, 2011 I have no idea what that guy is talking about, glue, saving cheap diodes, for what, oh yeah my toaster. Fine save the stupid diode, remove the board soldered factory pin connections, remove it w solder wick/suck and add a new wire connection back into the board. Now it has not become an "easy to do mod". Better yet take it to some guy like this and I am sure he will do it for $100. In fact, why bother, why bother actually hearing how it sounds, just keep playing fizzy fuzz "overdrives" and saving useless diodes. By the way you will have to do a 3 hr surgery to "properly" remove the silicon goop holding the diode in place as when you try and clip it loose it breaks the diode. Maybe a special silicon removing tool, scaples and clips, and a chemical bath to remove the agent from the residual component. Might I suggest, baking in an oven at 350, season to taste, and top with a cheese sauce. The mod works, it is simple to do and is better than doing all the "right way" crap. Cut the pins, leave them attached to the board holes, bend them together and solder to make the connection bridge. Works, quiet, and the most tonefull, usefull OCD ever! Who cares, I had a $130 unused box, now I have a great toned overdrive, ohhhhh, I lost a diode. So what......... Solder as Glue???? Guy above: "What puts the Electric in the Electric guitar?" Obviously all the diodes you save just wire them in there. Just plug it straight into the wall, that's how my mom thought "electric" guitars worked. "I used to have a short term memory but I forgot where I put it."
bennyguitfiddle Posted March 8, 2011 Posted March 8, 2011 Guy above: "What puts the Electric in the Electric guitar?" Obviously all the diodes you save just wire them in there. Just plug it straight into the wall, that's how my mom thought "electric" guitars worked. does it have that extra grind with a little bite? That funny man! You guys are cracking me up! Why do you lay down? I say that it beats standing up! whats got you feeling so down? I hold up my empty cup!
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 8, 2011 Posted March 8, 2011 I want to run my guitar through a toaster oven circuit, should I unplug it first? c'mon...obviously it won't work unless it's plugged in...sheesh.. http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
Terrell Posted March 10, 2011 Posted March 10, 2011 Thanks for all the advice and PMs on this... To recap: 1. Plugged in to 240v to get the warm crunch. (make sure I remove the ground pin) 2. Split top oatmeal honey wheat for extra crunchyness 3. Underwear fashioned out of aluminum foil for ballsyness you guys are awesome...
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 10, 2011 Posted March 10, 2011 http://unrealitymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/movie_haircuts_7.jpg http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
ToneDude Posted March 11, 2011 Author Posted March 11, 2011 Does anyone remember back when we had no easy tuners, all there was at the time was the real expensive shop class strobe tuners? It was a dreadful time of unsure tuning centers. I could never for the life me listen to a pitch pipe and relate it to guitar. What an unbelievable tech some of these boxes are these days. I was listening to some of my old Jimi stuff, and man the live hum, the noise, the bad feedback, and tubes failing live, wow, what an age we live in today. I am running a chain of effects and an amp that Jimi could never have imagined. Jimi would never leave the studio. Shame like so many others, a needless death. Watch the drugs kids, they can be a means to an end, a final end. I am still pondering a 240v toaster, how in the hell is everyone in Europe not fried from the crap wiring and extreme voltage? Do they just not push much amperage? I've heard the 240v transformered Marshalls sound better. "I used to have a short term memory but I forgot where I put it."
Terrell Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 Does anyone remember back when we had no easy tuners, all there was at the time was the real expensive shop class strobe tuners? It was a dreadful time of unsure tuning centers. I could never for the life me listen to a pitch pipe and relate it to guitar. What an unbelievable tech some of these boxes are these days. I was listening to some of my old Jimi stuff, and man the live hum, the noise, the bad feedback, and tubes failing live, wow, what an age we live in today. I am running a chain of effects and an amp that Jimi could never have imagined. Jimi would never leave the studio. Shame like so many others, a needless death. Watch the drugs kids, they can be a means to an end, a final end. I am still pondering a 240v toaster, how in the hell is everyone in Europe not fried from the crap wiring and extreme voltage? Do they just not push much amperage? I've heard the 240v transformered Marshalls sound better. I believe WATTS is a better measure of lethality. Differential power is "better" for classic sound equipment in general. I remember when 60/60 was all the rage in studios. You had a differential 60/60 120 PDU and a standard 110 PDU. It was also cool (til xploded) for tube amps when you just fed them 60.
pinkjimiphoton Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 brown to the point of flames, eh? http://www.sweetrelief.org/ https://www.wepay.com/donations/memorial-stone-for-juliane-pocius
Scott Fraser Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 I am still pondering a 240v toaster, how in the hell is everyone in Europe not fried from the crap wiring and extreme voltage? It's not the volts what kills you. It's volts in combination with amps. You can withstand tens of thousands of volts (as with some static discharges,) as long as there isn't much amperage behind it. And wiring in Europe isn't crap. If anything the electrical codes are stricter in some Euro countries than in the US. Do they just not push much amperage? That's exactly what it is. If you double the voltage, you halve the amperage, for the same load. So household power in Europe is the same as in North America, just twice the voltage, pushing half the amps. Along with a better grounding scheme. Scott Fraser
Scott Fraser Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 Differential power is "better" for classic sound equipment in general. I remember when 60/60 was all the rage in studios. You had a differential 60/60 120 PDU and a standard 110 PDU. My studio has had a balanced power distro (plus & minus 60 volts around ground,) for about a decade now to deal with various line noise issues. Since then the power has been dead quiet. Expensive, but it really works. In my studio it was not subtle, a very dramatic reduction in AC line noise resulted. Scott Fraser
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