This is a library of perfboard and single-sided PCB effect layouts for guitar and bass. I'm not an electrical engineer by any stretch of the imagination, just a DIY'er who likes drawing layouts. It is meant for the hobbyist (so commercial use of any of these layout is not allowed without permission) and as a way to give back to the online DIY community.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Analogman King of Tone

Here's Analogman's original version of the King of Tone, a highly regarded overdrive with a few "unobtanium" diodes. It's probably best to socket said diodes to play around with your favorite combinations. Switch A controls the 4-diode array in the feedback loop (much like a Tube Screamer), while Switch B controls shunted diodes (much like a RAT or Distortion +). Originally these were DIP switches, but it makes more sense to me to have these externally.

53 comments:

  1. hello

    can you make layout from this schematic?
    http://home.netcarrier.com/lxh2/web/fenpre4.gif
    link for the schematic
    http://home.netcarrier.com/lxh2/web/

    thx
    juan

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  2. Hi! I'm going to try to build it, i wanted to ask what is the purpose of the 50k trimpot?

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    1. I think it's almost like a secondary tone control as it mixes in a 10n filter cap before the volume control. Just something to fiddle with once you've got it working.

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    2. Its supposed to be a presence control

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    3. I'm getting no audible effect from the 50k pot. I've gone over it several times and cannot find an issue in the wiring. It just isn't doing anything.

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  3. Hi! I've build it and seems that d1-d4 don't work.

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    1. What do you mean, don't work? They're not clipping the signal?

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    2. Yeah, they don't respond to swA

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    3. Also it has tremendous amount of gain and produces a lot of noise when gain knob is cranked all the way

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    4. I check my layout again to the schematic and I had the 6.8k resistor going to the diodes coming off the wrong pin of the IC (it was on pin 7 and should have been pin 6). The layout has been updated and should be good to go.

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    5. I can verify it then.

      Btw my choise is 1т4733 for d1-4 and 2 3mm red leds for d5-6

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  4. Hello,

    is this covering both circuits? I am a complete dumb on this electronic stuff, and it seems that the PCB on the KoT is rectangular not square... can you explain to me?

    sorry if this is a stupid question.

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    Replies
    1. This is my layout of the first version of the KoT. The circuit is the same, but the layout is not a replica or copy of Mike's original PCB. More than one way to arrange a bunch of components.

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  5. Hey bud, been on holidays skiing in Canadia. Awesome time...didn't want to come home to stinking hot tropical Australia...
    Now I'm back and keen to build some more of your awesome layouts. Can you please check the transfer image of this beast as it wont open for me but the Sunface will... Cheers and happy building guys and gals.

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    Replies
    1. Updated the PDF. Somehow after the last edit it got corrupt. Should work now.

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  6. Hi! your circuit is verified now. It works perfectly

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  7. hi ... may i ask what is the gray capacitor? the 1uf .. thanks :)

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    Replies
    1. It's a box film type. I get them from Tayda

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    2. how about the voltage? thanks btw

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    3. I think 100v. Don't remember exactly off the top of my head.

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    4. Hey man ... May I ask if what is the voltage of the electro caps and diode wattage? Thanks and is it a JRC 4580? Sorry cant read it well on my phone...thnks again man have a nice day ;)

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    5. As long as the voltage of the cap is higher than the supply you should be good. I typically use 35-50v electros. You'll have to look at the diode datasheets for their rating. And it is a JRC4580.

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  8. I have a question. The KOTs I'm looking at have 6 controls. This only has 3, and 2 toggles. Is this the Prince of Tone or an I missing something? Please explain a little. Thanks guys!

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    1. Anyone? I'd like to build this but want to know what it is exactly. Is it a Prince of Tone? Or do I build 2 of these in series for a king of tone?

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    2. One would be the Prince of Tone, 2 in series would be the King.

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  9. can someone confirm if i am right, in the original (new one) those DIP switches are these two switches here on schematic?

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  10. Hey man...can i ask what is voltage of the electro caps? and the diode Amps? thanks in advance man...

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    Replies
    1. I like to use at least 35v electros. Don't know about the diodes off the top of my head. Google's your friend there.

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  11. Hi,
    I'm thinking of building this pedal, I just have one question. Will this type of switch work for switches A and B? ( https://www.taydaelectronics.com/mini-toggle-switch-spdt-on-on.html ) I'm new to building pedals and just wanted to check.
    Thanks

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    Replies
    1. It will. Just ignore the the 3rd lug.

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    2. Okay, Thanks. Just one more question. Where can I get the IC from? Could I use a JRC4558 instead?

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    3. I forgot to mention Tayda and Mammoth electronics don't seem to have it.

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    4. I think Small Bear has them. Or a 4558 will work too.

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  12. Hi Effects Layouts
    are you ok whith that ?
    "Btw my choise is 1т4733 for d1-4 and 2 3mm red leds for d5-6"
    or what do you préconise ?

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  13. Hi Everyone.

    Could someone verify if this works? Another doubt is
    What diodes could be tested and gave good results?

    Great work my friend. You´re amazing.

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    Replies
    1. As far as the layout working? Yes, it works perfectly. And it sounds really, really good going into a clean channel on a 50w tube head.
      I used 1N914 for the quad set of diodes, and 1N457a for the duo.. but, you could just as easily run two wires to a rotary switch and run any combination of diodes you want!
      OR, instead of soldering a pair of diodes to the board, put sockets in their place and test whatever diodes you want.. that's really the whole point of it, isn't it?
      The layout above is simply a canvas to experiment with!!
      Good Luck!!

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  14. hi everybody!
    another great layout! iv,e read there are versions running at 18volt?
    do they mean 2x 9 volt from a charge pump to power the 2 circuits ( for th king of tone) ?

    greetings from austria
    bluesanderl

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  15. So, I built this and everything works good except those two shunted diodes, they only work if diodes in feedback are on, and they don't do anything for sound shaping, only louden the sound. Can someone help me?

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  16. Hello, I am beginner and don't have a lot of sense of how to make connections "sw a1 / 2 and sw b1 / 2". what type of sw use? and how to connect the Circuit? already thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Check out the General Layout Notes tab. Switch type is listed in the layout image above.

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  17. hello, I've ridden like a king and it sounds great and all very well, I only have an annoying "POP" strong when you press the 3dpt.
    Does someone happen to him?
    Can you help me solve it?
    Greetings and thanks for your designs

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  18. Hi everybody!
    anybody kwons what is the meaning of the 1M resistor at the output?? It sets a high output impedance which is not desirable

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  19. If it is a pull down resistor in order to avoid pop switching, a 100k resistor woould be ok, wouldn´t be?

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    Replies
    1. 1M is just what's in the original schematic. 100k will probably work just as well.

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  20. Could I use just one SPDT ON/OFF/ON for A1A2 B1B2????

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    Replies
    1. I wanna wire just one toggle choosing clean od higain settings

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  21. There's 2 switch in the circuit, but i only notice 1drive and tone each. Is it a king of tone or Prince of tone?

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  22. According to original schematic, on of left bottom corner 10nf capacitor should be between 33k and 27k resistors! Not Beetween 27k resistor ang GND.

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  23. Hi, I build this circuit on breadboard. It perfectly worked and I built it 4-5 times on perfboard. They just making noises. I checked everything again an again, everything absolutely right. I checked VREF, there is a problem about it. Its not stable. What can couse the problem with it?

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