DIY Pedal in the Clean Territory

[andresphere]

Hi, all
This is my first post in this forum.
I work as a freelance Amplifier Repair Tech in Greece.
I've been introduced to amplifiers 4-5 years ago only.
So I don't have enough experience.

I play guitar as a hobby.
I want to build a pedal for myself.I have built 3 pedals from tonepad -- a resource for d.i.y. music projects which were
1.MXR Blue Box
2.Ibanez Tubescreamer TS-808
3.BOSS DS-1

I need a pedal which can give me a nice clean tone.
My guitar is an Ibanez GRG170DX. So its Powersound Pickups give a very harsh tone.

I need a pedal with a nice and soft clean.

I have the fetzer valve from runoffgroove.com in mind.
Can i use that small circuit as a pedal??

IF NO, Then what can be done?

Regards

Andre

[Chuck H]

Nice clean tones are usually about guitar and amplifier combination. The details of attack, decay and the specific EQ and envalope (how much attack compared to how much compression, etc.) would be a hard thing to build into a pedal. Clipped and distorted tones are actually easier because so many nuances are flattened out in the process.

You might do well to build a small class A tube amplifier and instead of running into a speaker, run it into a dummy load and then pad from the output for a line level output into another amplifier. You would still need a guitar capable of a good clean tone to make it work.

What you've requested is the basis of tone. The attack, compression and EQ of the overall system must work in harmony for a good clean tone. A small, basic tube amp and a good sounding guitar are the best building blocks I know of for this application.

[andresphere]

Hey thanks for the reply!
I've tried to build an AX84 P1 twice! Failed twice!
The 12AX7s failed due to internal arcing. I tried both on different turret boards.
Still both were a big fail..

My confidence to build tube amps is almost gone...
It'll take time for me to regain confidence...

Till then, can you suggest some good build?
Will the fetzer valve work well as a pedal?
I am also ready to build a compressor if necessary ....

Thanks and Regards.

[Steve Conner]

The Fetzer Valve is a building block designed to simulate one triode. It's not a complete pedal. But you can find many pedal designs based on it at runoffgroove.com.

If the guitar already sounds harsh through a clean amp with no effects, a tube distortion effect won't soften it.

I think your problem is that your pickups are too hot. Do they have a coil split? (3 or 4 wires) Running them in single coil would help. Or replace the neck pickup for something more "vintage".

[andresphere]

Yes, the pickups as split coil humbuckers.
The models ar PS-1 Humbuckers.
Stock Ibanez pickups.

[J M Fahey]

There are shiploads of dirtying pedals, not a single "cleaning" one, since the best they can do is to cleanly amplify what they receive ... including harsh sounds, if you feed them so.
Try to connect both voice coils in parallel (in the same humbucker) or just a single one, as suggested, it will help a lot.
What happens if you plug your guitar straight onto a PA amp Line In ?
Or into a Keyboard amp?
Thatīs about the cleanest you'll get.

[pdf64]

Maybe a graphic eq, or an acoustic simulator pedal, both of which should be able to take out some of the harsh mids?
But either of those would be challanging for a DIY build.

[exclamationmark]

Back when I didn't have any proper amps I actually used to use a TS808 on very light drive settings in front of my crappy SS practice amp to give it some dirt because it was TOO clean. Are you looking for roland jazz chorus type cleans or overdrive type cleans (ie, slight breakup)?

[Chuck H]

andresphere, have you played your guitar through an amp that is known to give good clean tones? This would allow you to judge the guitars ability to perform this function, which is critical. Don't most of the Ibanez guitars have split coil selections available on the switch? Trying to get a good clean tone with hot humbuckers in a "strat" style guitar is like driving a monster truck at Indy. Perfectly cool vehicle but the wrong application.