Next build... something really special!

[HH1978]

I just ordered a Ludwig Phase II PCB from Deadendfx. It will be a challenging project, but also something really exciting and fun!

If you're not familiar with the effect, it's a "guitar synthesizer" made by the Ludwig drum company in the 70's. That's were the "yoyoyoyoyoyoyo" on Sonic Youth's Diamond sea came from.

While I wait for the PCB coming from Canada, and parts from various places, who was lucky enough to play an original one?

[øøøøøøø]

Excellent.

I spent several weeks a couple of months ago getting my (original) Phase II in tip top shape. It's a really cool effect.

I can't comment on the clones, but I really like having my original Phase II around.

Dino from Dead End FX is a new member here, and hopefully will check in to this thread for you

[Shadoweclipse13]

As amazing as Brad's sounds, I'm interested in this. I wonder if it's a straight clone and will be temperamental to dial in like Brad's is, or if it will be a little easier...

[HH1978]

Not sure... Calibration seems fiddly, reading the build notes. But I guess once it's properly calibrated, it should be easier to dial in.

I'm pretty sure it's a straight clone.

Here's the build doc :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Soms ... vL7Sg/view

[øøøøøøø]

I think the Dead End unit (based on RG Keen's original clone) is mostly an operational clone.

As I recall, the Keen unit had a few little banal ancillary changes just to deal with the realities of parts vendors... some additional circuitry to allow the use of widely-available "on/neither/on" switch instead of less-available "on/both/on" switches, modifications to allow the use of LEDs instead of "grain of wheat" incandescent bulbs, etc.

I assume the Dead End clone retains these tweaks, which should not impact the function of the effect in any way whatsoever.

One thing you can't get around is that transistors are a bit different now (mostly "better") than they were in 1969-1971, and the specific Motorola and National Semi parts in the originals aren't the easiest to identify anyway (they had proprietary in-house part numbers that are hard to cross-reference).

So the clone will basically use acceptable modern substitutes, which should allow it to perform appreciably-similarly to the originals (though perhaps it won't have the exact DNA just due to this reason).

If Dino still checks in here from time to time, he might be able to give a realistic assessment of how the clone compares with the original, sonically.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Here's the build doc :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Soms ... vL7Sg/view

Oooph! That's a hell of a parts list!

Good luck & have fun with it.
Slowly slowly catchy monkey!!

[HH1978]

I think the Dead End unit (based on RG Keen's original clone) is mostly an operational clone.

Keen mentions on his notes that it was a collective work, and Dino was involved. A lot of the tweaks were made to avoid unneeded offboard wiring, which should make the clone more reliable.

One thing you can't get around is that transistors are a bit different now (mostly "better") than they were in 1969-1971, and the specific Motorola and National Semi parts in the originals aren't the easiest to identify anyway (they had proprietary in-house part numbers that are hard to cross-reference).

So the clone will basically use acceptable modern substitutes, which should allow it to perform appreciably-similarly to the originals (though perhaps it won't have the exact DNA just due to this reason).

I don't know how he does it, but Dino seems to have a magical ability to find the parts type that will work like the originals, even when the originals can't be identified. Other examples are his clones of Spaceman pedals. The originals have their parts numbers scratched and/or painted over to prevent cloning. I recently breadborded a Saturn V using Dino's schematic, and I have an original one. The clone and original were undistinguishable. I have no idea how Dino came with the not so common LND150N3-G mosfets, and wether that's actually what was used in the original, but if not, I can't imagine a better substitute.

[HH1978]

Oooph! That's a hell of a parts list!

Indeed... I'm kind of fascinated about how someone designed this somewhere in the 70's, when IC weren't so common.

[HH1978]

The circuit is wired and working! Still have to box it, and I'll be done.

In terms of weirdness, this thing puts the Miku on shame (no, I swear I don't have one).

Sounds pretty much like this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNy5FXATIPc

[fuzzjunkie]

The circuit is wired and working! Still have to box it, and I'll be done.

In terms of weirdness, this thing puts the Miku on shame (no, I swear I don't have one).

Sounds pretty much like this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNy5FXATIPc

My girlfriend said “That sounds like me playing the Kazoo in the morning.”

[Embenny]

In terms of weirdness, this thing puts the Miku on shame (no, I swear I don't have one).

In terms of musical usefulness, it also puts the Miku to shame.

Congrats on finishing the circuit, that's a real accomplishment. That's no DIY fuzz pedal you just assembled! I go cross-eyed trying to even understand that circuit.

[HH1978]

My girlfriend said “That sounds like me playing the Kazoo in the morning.”

I haven't showed it to my kids yet, but I'm sure they will have a good laugh when I'll do.

In terms of musical usefulness, it also puts the Miku to shame.

Totally agreed! There's more than the "yoyoyo" in it, and the expression pedal makesit fun and easy to dial a great variety of filtered fuzz tones. It's easy to tell that Thurston Moore used it on Diamond Sea, but I'm pretty sure the fuzz repeat mode is the key to the No Queen Blues intro. I haven't listened Washing Machine recently, but I wouldn't be surprised it the Ludwig was used on various tracks throughout the album.

If you look at the build docs for the first version of the DeadendFX PCB, there's an explanation of each stage of the circuit. It's probably on Geofex too.
The building process is long, but it's not that difficult. The PCB is top quality, they had the very good idea to include a lot of test points and the tuning guides really helps to make it work and sound right.