Thomas Vox E-tuner, G-tuner replacements

[R.G.]

I'm always a little stoked when these things work. I just got a PIC up and running that puts out a mixture of 164Hz and 329Hz for an E-tuner output and integrates in the old amplifier circuits - I think. The simulation says it does, anyway.

Pulling a pin low on the PIC at power up makes it be a G tuner.

This turns the old tapped-inductor tuner oscillator into a single IC and some discretes on a bit of board, and ought to plug into the same connector. It's crystal controlled, so it won't ever drift.

Now all I gotta do is rebuild the patchboard onto some perfboard and try it in an amp.

Sorry - I had to tell someone.

[R.G.]

ACK. Spoke too soon. It works **IF** I can get the crystal oscillator to start up. The test lashup quit starting, so I have to go relearn crystal oscillators.

[R.G.]

ACK. Starts, but is intermittent. This is the first problem I've had with crystal starting in years.

[52 Bill]

I'd be happy to send you a bunch of NOS oscillator coils that I use to build or rebuild the original ones.

The last time I fixed a Starstream, I tried to show the owner how all of the FX worked. I showed him the E-Tuner function and how you had to turn down the volume control in order to hear it. He asked why bother, his chromatic tuner was a lot easier to use. I was all excited that it was working and he was suitably unimpressed.

Kids!

[R.G.]

That is very generous, and I'd love to take you up on it. I'll contact you by PM.

I *think* I got the signal injection right, but I don't have a working e-tuner to compare to, just theory.

[R.G.]

OK it works again. Got some time back with the PIC programmer setup, and - you really do have to set up crystals right to get them to work. DOH!

[g1]

From my experience with crystals, anything using them that needs to be roadworthy should be drop tested.

[R.G.]

Drops of what?
Would Scotch do?

[Tom Phillips]

Drops of what?
Would Scotch do?

You should only use 190 proof Everclear.