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Monday, May 18, 2015

Lovepedal/Hermida Audio Zendrive

Got a request for this one. The Zendrive is a low-to-medium gain overdrive, delivering blues to jazz tones. It has an interesting clipping section, using a combination of diodes and MOSFETs in an asymmetrical arrangement. I've drawn the layout to accommodate board mounted pots (from the solder-side) and it will fit easily in a 1590b.


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42 comments:

  1. GuilhermeMay 18, 2015 at 3:10 PM

    Awesome! I love this one, one of my favorite overdrives. One thing to note is that the first diode below the 1k resistor should be germanium, not a schottky. Almost all schematics for the Zen Drive shows the 3 diodes as schottky, but I had some originals on my hands and they all had this combination of 2 bat41 and 1 1n34a

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    1. dtgehringMay 19, 2015 at 9:02 AM

      Thanks Guilherme! Thanks makes the clipping section even more interesting.

      Delete
  2. GuilhermeMay 19, 2015 at 1:11 PM

    It really doesn't make a night and day difference because the fw voltages from the diodes are actually close, but with good phones or playing loud you can actually perceive a change in the compression and overall feel

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    1. Bruno VianaMay 25, 2018 at 10:00 AM

      Qual deve ser 1N34A? O mais proximo do topo ou ou mais próximo do capacitor de 100p?

      Delete
  3. Rafael MorganMay 19, 2015 at 2:10 PM

    Hey! This was my request!
    Thanks so much for making this layout, my friend. I really appreciate it.
    I'm going to build one asap. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. GuilhermeSeptember 29, 2015 at 11:40 AM

    I don't know why, but I decided to check this one again, and there's two other corrections I want to point out. At least at the Lovepedal version, the IC isn't sanded, and it's a NE5532. And the volume pot is Linear, if you use Log, it does next to nothing in the first half of the rotation, and by the end of it there will be a sudden jump in volume. Been there, done that, hehehe. I'll try to verify this nice layout ASAP!

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  5. Hannibal LecterOctober 23, 2015 at 10:26 AM

    Hi,

    Can I replace the BAT41 with a BAT43? There will be much of a difference in sound? Thanks.

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  6. ashkanDecember 6, 2015 at 3:00 AM

    It's verified. I did not have much time to test it with a decent amp. so I 'm not commenting on how it sounds.
    by the way the pcb layout is a work of art. it is pure ZEN.
    thanks a lot.

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  7. InakiLinaresRabascoApril 27, 2016 at 2:56 PM

    hi friends, the Ic AD712 is not avaliable in my usual shops. one replace? Thx!! this place is the best for DIY lovers ; )

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    1. Effects LayoutsApril 27, 2016 at 3:12 PM

      You can try just about any dual opamp. TL072, NE5532, even a JRC4558.

      Delete
  8. JoeMay 7, 2016 at 3:42 AM

    Hi guys! I'm sorry i'm very, very beginner, so i would be very, very happy if someone can help me with linking the schematic to the pots, LED and.. the switch.. Maybe a hand-drawing will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!
    Joe

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    Replies
    1. Effects LayoutsMay 7, 2016 at 4:52 PM

      The pots can be wired to the board with hookup wire or if you get right angle PCB mount pots you can hard mount them to the board. Google is always your friend with things like this. But also check out the General Layout Notes tab at the top of the page. Lots of info there.

      Delete
  9. UnknownJune 4, 2016 at 9:45 AM

    Hi, I noticed the word 'ZENDRIVE' is not mirrored on the transfer image. I only realized this after etching one.

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  10. UnknownJune 10, 2016 at 7:35 PM

    Does the gain work in reverse? I built one using the above layout and using pcb mount pots.

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    Replies
    1. Effects LayoutsJune 13, 2016 at 12:24 PM

      Yeah, looks like I got the pot lugs reversed when I laid this out originally. Fixed it. Thanks for catching that.

      Delete
  11. UnknownJuly 18, 2016 at 11:03 AM


    in most layouts are 3 resistors 1k and 3 resistors 10k . What is the difference for this?

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  12. Sam RothrockAugust 30, 2016 at 4:32 PM

    Very cool nice tone ! Whats the name of your Jam track ??

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  13. mamenkbioFebruary 21, 2017 at 11:36 PM

    I could not find diode BAT41. is there one instead.??

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  14. mamenkbioFebruary 22, 2017 at 12:46 AM

    I could not find diode BAT41. is there one instead.??

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    1. Effects LayoutsFebruary 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM

      You can socket those diodes and try out whatever you have on hand. 4148s, 4001s, etc.

      Delete
  15. mamenkbioFebruary 26, 2017 at 1:02 PM

    Thanks for the advice.. I will try..

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  16. mamenkbioFebruary 26, 2017 at 6:39 PM

    Thanks for the advice.. I will try..

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  17. Desde la cima del rockMarch 7, 2017 at 11:58 AM

    Maybe I'm wrong but I think the 1K resistance to the 3-tone connection should be 10K

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  18. UnknownSeptember 5, 2017 at 9:04 AM

    Hello! Wonderful layout, congrats!
    What schematic did you use as reference?

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  19. JohnJune 8, 2019 at 4:24 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  20. MishaOctober 30, 2019 at 5:05 PM

    It works, the drawing is good. I built a few pedals from the drawings here. Thanks for them.

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  21. GrendizerNovember 19, 2019 at 6:35 PM

    Hello there! Thanks a lot for your layout. I've just finished it and it sounds sweet!

    Here is mine :)

    https://scontent-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/72236410_10219866717569107_5447713454272020480_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_oc=AQlNGegCQAclEzOCScIrRPJocUAB-ljpLDCADuT0VZ0VA00jvepw1zY_opVHlmRv5C0&_nc_ht=scontent-mxp1-1.xx&oh=c333b046d3efa7d4eab47f8cdc456976&oe=5E45B3D8

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  22. jrdnMarch 12, 2020 at 1:14 AM

    @Effects Layout, it’s okay to put 1M instead of 2M after signal IN on the left am I correct?

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  23. Enzo MarchenaNovember 9, 2020 at 7:59 PM

    @Effects Layouts. Do you have the schematic? I Need it to test why my proyect didn't worl. Thnx

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    1. Effects LayoutsNovember 9, 2020 at 10:06 PM

      http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_y4AYtND8Hz8/SDNHYwkDnhI/AAAAAAAAALA/WHIn40nhzu4/s1600-h/Z_drive01.gif

      Delete
  24. VoideliciousMarch 12, 2021 at 1:28 PM

    Hiya! Great layout for a great pedal! However, I cant get it to work properly. Something makes it distort like crazy. I cant use the voice pot at all. If I do it sounds like a dozen of metalzones smashed into one. I tried another op amp. I tried without the clipping. The intentional clipping that is. I checked my amp and everything. What could make that distortion except a transistor, op amp or diode?
    Im using the same resistors as the layout although I had to use 2x 1M instead of 1x 2M.

    Please help! 😁

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  25. AndyMarch 25, 2021 at 12:50 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  26. DinsMay 23, 2021 at 11:40 AM

    Pot tone 3 connect to 3n3, tone 1.2 connect to 1k or 10k

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  27. GiovannyDecember 31, 2021 at 7:12 PM

    Hi! I noticed that the resistor in tone is 10k in schematic. The correct is 1k or 10k? Thank you!

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  28. Ricco SeixasApril 18, 2023 at 1:43 AM

    the 1k resistor going to tone 3 is incorrect, checking the used scheme I realized that it is actually correct to be a 10k resistor going to tone 3.
    great layout and very good aom, very zen!!!

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  29. Ricco SeixasApril 28, 2023 at 6:05 PM

    I tested several ic's and the one that came closest to the zendrive sound was the 1458, I put a selection switch to change diodes where I have the stock version and a version with all germanium diodes. great pedal, it doesn't leave my set anymore, with high volumes you feel that this pedal is incredible, thanks again for your work on the blog, with this one there are already 58 pedals successfully made and I believe that a new overdrive is never too much hahaha !!!

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