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.

Friday, October 4, 2019

EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal

For Fuzz Friday here's the coolest Green Ringer + Rat pedal around! (To be fair, it's an awesome combo) The Green Ringer is on a JFET blend and the Rat section is pretty standard. There's also a fairly generic MOSFET boost on board as well, similar to a SHO or Black Eye. This should all fit nicely in a 1590BB with board mounted pots.





As requested, here's the schematic:



65 comments:

  1. What is the value for the Octave pot? Thanks and keep up with the amazing work!

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  2. Any substitute for PF5102? J201 maybe?

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  3. it looks like one 1N4148 is missing for the asymmetrical clipping circuit. there's supposed to be 5 of them.

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  4. there are two 1n4148 and red led for the asymmetrical clipping

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    Replies
    1. Different LED's have different voltage drops which will sound different. Red will be a ~1.8v drop vs blue around 3.3v. If you don't have red, yellow or green will probably sound the same, or just experiment.

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  5. hi, where can i file a requeste for the earthquaker grand orbiter?

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  6. i just finished building it. it works perfect and sounds awesome so you can VERIFY it.

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  7. finished building last night and sounded amazing to my ears ... one friend's request? ibanez nb10 noise booster 🙏

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  8. my completed build with relayed bypasses: http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/LifePedal/Life-02.jpg: http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/LifePedal/Life-01.jpg

    http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/LifePedal/Life-02.jpg

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  9. This circuit is based on the Proco Rat Distortion ... The difference is that this pedal has extra functions ...

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  10. Any replacement of the PF5102.

    In my area there is not.
    J201-j112 Maybe??

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  11. Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Yep. Green Ringer and EQD Tentacle has the polarity switched!

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    3. Yeah, I thought that when I was drawing up but apparently that's as far as my brain went. Haha Will fix.

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  12. according to tjhe green ringer schematic that i've seen, it looks like they are.

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  13. HI!
    What footswitch are used? How are they connected?

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    1. You use 2, 3PDT footswitches and you connect them like you normally would (seen General Layout Notes tab). One footswitch connects to the Dist. In/Dist. Out pads, and the other to the Boost In/Boost Out pads.

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. Are the In/Out jacks are shared for both 3pdt switches?

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    4. In -> Dist. switch -> Boost switch -> Out

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  14. The basic Green Ringer circuit works better with a little more "push" as the front end. That can be provided by running a resistor/cap combination in parallel with the 2k2 resistor labelled R8. Consider use of a 1k resistor and 10uf electrolytic cap, negative side going to ground.

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    1. I'll also add that, since the octaver input stage doubles the frequency of everything, it's not clear why the Rat section really needs the R18/C12 network to goose the gain of content above 1500hz. Users may find less need to be brutal with the Filter control if they either omitted that RC network or perhaps replaced it with 330R and 1uf. That would provide proportionately more gain for content above around 500hz instead of the searing gain for higher-frequency content that a stock Rat provides.

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  15. It is possible to reduce pcb for 1590b, sacrificing the potentiometer line

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  16. By the way, mine is finished, and is excellent! Sounds dark and big, the sustain is perfect

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  17. Hello! I finished the circuit a few days ago and it's awesome how it sounds! Excellent work!
    How can the spdt be changed to a rotary switch? Thanks and regards!

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  18. I've noticed that all the green ringer/ tentacle schematics have the film cap values of 47nf, while the caps in this schematic are 100nf. Was this from the pedalpcb schematic or traced? Also all the copy says its supposed to be the Shin-ei octave fuzz into a rat +boost. Is that all hot air and its just a tentacle? or does it really matter? I'ms sure this layout sounds awesome, I'm more curious than anything.

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    1. It's from the PedalPCB trace, so I haven't looked at the guts in person, but from pics I don't see how it could be either of the Shin-Ei fuzzes. There are too many components for the FY-2, and not enough for the FY-6. I'm guessing the reason for the 100nF caps in place of the 47nF is to allow more bass through or they just had way more 100nF caps on hand than 47nF. lol

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  19. On the IC pin 2 - 6 .. schenmatic says 100pf. on the lay out its 100nf.
    whats the correct value? TiA

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    Replies
    1. Are you referring to C11? It's 100pF in both the schem and the layout...

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  20. Thanks! Will use pf. But
    Most definitely,pf on schematic. nf on layout.

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    Replies
    1. Just so there's no confusion

      https://i.postimg.cc/YCZdLy3w/Annotation-2019-11-08-090822.png

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  21. Works amazing!
    Some replaced I used and worked well:

    PF5102 = 2N5457
    2N5089 = 2N5088
    1N60A = 1N60P

    Hope it could help!

    Please do a Fortin zuul layout!

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    Replies
    1. So, I used 2N5458 instead Q5 PF5102 and something marked as J201 instead Q1 PF5102.
      It sounds awesO)))me

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  22. The clipping switch at the middle is op amp clipping in the original?

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  23. Are D1 and D2 specific germanium diodes?

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    Replies
    1. 1N34As should work fine. Heck, even 1N4148 silcons will work.

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  24. I know this thread is a little old. Though, I was wondering if anyone has a link for a PF5012?
    Also in the schematic, where is the net label "VA" connected?

    Kind regards,
    Jack.

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  25. Hello everyone! I just finished building it. As far as I understand order of connection is following: RAT connected befor Boost. Is it correct?
    Thank you!

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  26. Hi Guys,
    Jack here again.
    Just finished a PCB build for this and it sounds incredibly close to the original! very pleased, or rather my friends will be:

    https://www.4shared.com/photo/wGR393Q1iq/1__1_.html
    https://www.4shared.com/photo/_l2PTANHea/2_online.html
    https://www.4shared.com/photo/ZeSFe0u3ea/3_online.html
    https://www.4shared.com/photo/OSMkRMpHea/4_online.html
    https://www.4shared.com/photo/AcRFN3eWiq/5_online.html
    https://www.4shared.com/photo/BS7NR7gXiq/6_online.html
    https://www.4shared.com/photo/Us_Dmuu5iq/7_online.html
    https://www.4shared.com/photo/VLAeb_TMiq/8_online.html

    Thanks again to everyone :)

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    Replies
    1. Edit: Here's a better link that isn't so compressed (sorry).

      https://ibb.co/hB9CNv3
      https://ibb.co/bBSs8rC
      https://ibb.co/LJbRTDG
      https://ibb.co/THPssD9
      https://ibb.co/p14Y1cg
      https://ibb.co/GvQssXc
      https://ibb.co/bJhfxjX
      https://ibb.co/7vgXZr2

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  27. Replies
    1. I know it's probably too late for answear but I used 2n3906 and everything works fine

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  28. 2n5087 is pnp. What is the purpose of throwing a pnp in between two npn trannies?
    There doesn't appear to be any negative voltage on the base...

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    1. I've never looked at an octave circuit before. I suppose that's a standard way to produce the octave effect and I'm just too green.

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  29. hello someone know how we can add the input for an expression pedal to control the octave?
    franck

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    Replies
    1. Add wires from lug 2 and 3 of the octave to a stero jack I believe..there's a video on YouTube of someone adding this to their aftermath pedal

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  30. Didnt life pedal add ruetz mod for rat? Or maybe that was just the limited version? Have not owned one but plan to use octave part as bypassable for a rat

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  31. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  32. Couldn't get it to work untiL I replaced the LM308 with a OP07... then it blitzed. If your using 2N5457 be mindful of the different pinout.
    Thanks once again.

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  33. Hey man, I built this, and it works great. However, the drilling template you have for it is reversed...

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