Great DIY "mini booster" called the Omega

[smackoj]

I just finished one of these and love the tone enhancement without the hissy fit noise. I did change it a bit by putting a fixed 4.7k r in place of the 10k "master" vol. and I used a vintage .038 uf instead of the 4.7 polarized cap they show on the schemo. Here is a link if you want to build one. Very few components and a great sound.

Omega from Runoffgroove.com      http://www.runoffgroove.com/omega.html

jd   

[simonallaway]

Are you using it in a pedal or as an on-board effect in a guitar?

[smackoj]

hi; not as a pedal but not on-board either. I have it in a metal case kind of like the early Range Master, sitting on top the amp and just run it continuous. I just built a 2nd one today and it sounds as good as the first. I like the Jfet and mosfet chips bcuz they run really quiet. you really have to pay close attention to the pin out of the little buggers though. Both the 2n5457 and the J201 have the Source leg in the middle which can easily throw you off.

FYI: I'm pretty much a single coil Strat type player now and these are excellent for getting the signal juiced and shaped a little for those. I haven't tried these boosters with humbuckers yet and it may be overkill?

adios amigo.   

[Willabe]

There's a strong chance that Rory Gallagher used a range master on the Irish Tour double live album, with a strat. You can see a small box taped on top of his tweed bassmen in video clips from the same time period, 74/75. 

He definitely used a range master on earlier albums and live with his strat and an AC30.


          Brad      

[smackoj]

I think that Fenders (other makes also for sure) with mild-wound single coils have such an earthy sound. But, trying to get them to sing more in a live show setting can be very challenging. I'm sure Rory G. found something he liked with the Range Master juicing those woody sounding single coils. I built a silicon chip version of the Brian May Treble Booster (generalguitargadgets schemo) and I like it better than most the germanium tranny Range Masters I have built. It seems like getting to the sweet spot on the germanium requires enduring lots of hiss which is ok in loud, live shows but just about every other situation they are too noisy.

Here is a link to the Brian May booster that I built. It's a very useful booster with smooth action for the Strat-Tele types.

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_geb_bmay_sc.pdf?phpMyAdmin=78482479fd7e7fc3768044a841b3e85a

 

[Willabe]

May said Rory was a big influence on him.


            Brad   

[Ritchie200]

Tony Iomi used a Rangemaster for years.  Then one of his roadies threw it away because it was so beat up, he thought it was trash.  Tony has purchased countless vintage units and has had countless boutique units built for him and he said none sounds like his old one.  By the way, that roadie no longer works for Sabbath...

Jim

[Willabe]

By the way, that roadie no longer works for Sabbath...

Whoops.   

[smackoj]

As the 'old' folks like to say, "one man's junk is another man's treasure"   I threw some old children's toys away at the school I work at once. I got reeeemed bcuz the stuff was bought with tax money. Ouchy!  Now anything that looks like junk sits in a corner 'till de boss lady says "cleared for disposal"   

hasta luego amigos: