efm - group buy on stomp box series

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So far we have interest in ..

(01) Flatline compressor
(01) Orange Squeezer
(01) Muff (switchable tone stack)
(01) Comp+
(01) Slow Gear
(01) Digital Delay
(01) Filter Bank
(01) Attack Sustainer

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It seems a little unbelievable to me but I'm finally at a point where there's not a lot going on.

Like we talked about earlier in another thread, what I've got in mind is getting ten or twelve people that want some stomp boxes and build enough of the same box to keep the prices low. Cost + 20% labor so they should be really cheap. You do not have to buy the entire series to participate.

Parts may not be available to do 100% clones for everything, in that case, I'll do the best I can. If this goes, it's going to go fast 'cause I don't have a lot of time to devote to this. I figure once we've got a list of 10-12 boxes the first should come out in 6-8 weeks and then a new box each week, ending late November 2008 so I can get my next hardware synth in production before the end of the year.

These are not going to be RoHS compliant so be sure you can actually get them through customs in your country. Due to low cost and limited production there will be no refunds once you've committed and paid your money.

I'd like to start with Big Muff and Comp+ clones and end the series with a midi controlled filter bank but that might not be what people a looking for. Some idea of who wants what would be helpful and then we'll work on prices.

Digital delay is easy and affordable but analog delay effects are not, so there may be some suggestions that are not within the scope of the project. These are not intended to be huge, complicated, expensive devices until we get to the filter bank.
Last edited by tomg on Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:32 pm, edited 5 times in total.

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If we can't get at least 5 people lined up to buy each box, it will drop from the list. If we can't get at least 5 boxes I'll bin the idea altogether.

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I would be interested in the filter bank...

tell me more.

dw

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dusted william wrote:I would be interested in the filter bank...

tell me more.

dw
A filter bank, the one I'm building at any rate, is basically an analog synth without oscillators but chain-able filters instead. I thought a MS-20 pair, Moog ladder and Crumar state variable would be nice.

You can use any midi keyboard or synth's audio output as a sound (oscillator) source and pump it through analog filters and amps. Using the midi output to trigger a couple of ADSRs to shape the sound. In practice it's like having a polyphonic analog synth with oscillators that have as many waveforms as you have patches. If you can follow that crappy explanation.

Say... plug in a plastic Casio keyboard. As long as it's got midi output to trigger the envelope generators and modulators, whatever patch you have selected goes through a pair of ADSR controlled MS-20 filters being modulated by a pair of multi-wave LFOs into a blistering fast ADSR controlled VCA. Suddenly instead of a crappy little organ sound you've got a poly MS-20 or select the ladder and have a Poly-Moog.... thing...

If you've got something like a ESQ-1 you can go mono, use glide, have velocity to filter and/or VCA, and wheel control of some of the analog circuits ect..

In short, you can extend the sound pallet of any midi capable keyboard into the analog range. Simple saw/square patches work really well but complex sounds are just as good.

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I'd be interested in Slow Gear, and feel free to slap on a digital delay while you are in there :) or any more crazy synthy glitchy things I can plug my guitar into.

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I would LOVE to see a Big Muff Pi Deluxe clone using your first two ideas together. One angry fuzz pedal with a switchable compressor built right in, so you can have fuzz, comp, or both at the same time. There's not anything like it anymore, afaik.

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I you don't give any idea of prices, it's not easy to decide... maybe it has been done in other thread.
You can't always get what you waaaant...

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stanlea wrote:I you don't give any idea of prices, it's not easy to decide... maybe it has been done in other thread.
I know. I was just looking for ideas about what people want before I start working on stuff. I'm thinking around $45 each. Most simple effects would fall under this sort of scheme. In some cases parts are only $3-4 dollars. My cut is so small I didn't really think anyone would want to save $7 and build a kit or I would add a DIY option.

$ 9 Case
$ 3 Pots
$ 3 Knobs
$ 5 Switch
$ 5 PB Board
$10 Parts

= $35
+ $ 7 labor
-----
= $42
+ $ 5 Shipping
-----
= $47

Based on the slim response so far, it's possible that I should just build what I want and let the chips fall where they may as far a sharing the wealth goes.

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pandashake wrote:I would LOVE to see a Big Muff Pi Deluxe clone using your first two ideas together. One angry fuzz pedal with a switchable compressor built right in, so you can have fuzz, comp, or both at the same time. There's not anything like it anymore, afaik.
That's cool but two boxes makes it easier for people who only want one of them to get in the game. The increase in cost is only for an additional $9 box.

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buscemi wrote:I'd be interested in Slow Gear, and feel free to slap on a digital delay while you are in there :) or any more crazy synthy glitchy things I can plug my guitar into.
Slow Gear - check
D Delay - check

:)

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Seems like the filter bank seems like it would be a hit. I personally would want something (or some things) a bit more simple in nature. Now that I'm thinking about this again I like the ideas behind the Pigtronix Attack Sustain but that's not so simple. Cool, though.

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buscemi wrote:Seems like the filter bank seems like it would be a hit. I personally would want something (or some things) a bit more simple in nature. Now that I'm thinking about this again I like the ideas behind the Pigtronix Attack Sustain but that's not so simple. Cool, though.
Something like the Pigtronix Attack Sustain would not really all that expensive. I'd say maybe $100. I don't have access to the schematic so I'd have to make it up as I went along but I know basically how it works so maybe is the best I can say until I can do a breadboard.

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tomg wrote:
buscemi wrote:Seems like the filter bank seems like it would be a hit. I personally would want something (or some things) a bit more simple in nature. Now that I'm thinking about this again I like the ideas behind the Pigtronix Attack Sustain but that's not so simple. Cool, though.
Something like the Pigtronix Attack Sustain would not really all that expensive. I'd say maybe $100. I don't have access to the schematic so I'd have to make it up as I went along but I know basically how it works so maybe is the best I can say until I can do a breadboard.
no biggie ot me, I like the idea of starting simple or maybe just a "synthy" ADSR without the MIDI control would be nice to throw on the pedal board. I know the Pigtronix has the optical compressor and more too, but simple parts of the whole work too.

Speaking of the pedal board, if some of these are pretty simple is it possible to have a smallish form factor? I know I love the Big Muff Pi but it is huge. I love the size of something like the Keeley Compressor or the MXR stuff when possible.

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If there were enough interest, would you consider fully stereo effects (i.e. two inputs, two outputs, one box)?

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Just a suggestion, but to make the Big Muff more appealing for buyers you could make one with the tone caps socketed and include a bunch of caps for people to play around with. Some people dislike the scoop in the classic muff, so maybe giving them a bit of variation might entice those type of people. They could have a look at duncans tonestack calculator to see what variations are possible. mid hump, vast scoop etc

also for the compressor, my favourite is John Hollis' Flatline, a simple but great sounding optical comp http://www.hollis.co.uk/john/flatline.jpg . I don't know if there is an issue with doing a production run of it though. Anyway, it's a great comp, if don't allready know about it.


good luck
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