Xs "old-school" 300STER Box

Decided to make my "live" booster in a true point-to-point construction, and using only old-school components. Added a few improvements like diode clipping/clean boost switch, and a "feel" selector for tighter or looser touch. All build in a very small enclosure type.

Since I intend to leave it allways on, I used an on/cut/off/ toggle switch. The result is a very organic and amplike dirty boost, that works great with my Victorious 14.

300STER II

I built this circuit, based on the the first 300STER, but with a second drive circuit instead of the Fet boost, for a secondary and diferent overdrive flavour. Also handwired point to point, features NOS germanium diodes, and an oil cap for warmer tone. This circuit is also capable of a clean boost, that can be bright or fat. Great with a vintage style amp.

300STER III

300STER III ads a new od channel (germanium diodes) at the end of the circuit, allowing the user to switch between the Boost (also featured in the first 300STER) or the new germanium overdrive sound that is closer to old marshall's crunch. Handwired point to point, true bypass, and also allows a 9v. battery.





Samples:
(home-recorded with an sm57, 20cm away off-axis. the amp is the Spartan30 w/gain set low)

Stratocaster (w/ SCN pickups) - Overdrive 2 - (guitar volume on 10)


Stratocaster (w/ SCN pickups) - Overdrive - smooth mode, (guitar volume on 10 part was played clean, then with overdrive)


Stratocaster (w/ fat 50's) - Overdrive - bright mode, (guitar volume on 10)


Stratocaster (w/ humbucker) - Overdrive 2 - (guitar volume on 10)

300STER (update)

Working on the prototype, I modified the tone possibilities of the overdrive, adding a 3 way switch keeping the bright stock sound, a smooth overdrive mode and sooth with added sparckle. The smooth overdrive keeps the amplike feel, with more bass and a little less sparkle. The effect works with the amp tone and doesnt sound like a pedal was added, sounds more like a cranked amp bluesy tone, also very "Santana-like" with humbuckers or darker single coils. Also works very well pushing other pedals, (like a tubescreamer) into high gain.
A sample of the smooth od was added bellow:



Sample:
(home-recorded with an sm57, 20cm away off-axis. the amp is the Spartan30 w/gain set low)

Stratocaster (w/ SCN pickups) - Overdrive - smooth mode, (guitar volume on 10 part was played clean, then with overdrive, and in the end using only the neck pickup)

300STER

I decided to build an overdrive and a booster combined in a small package. This pedal was designed for use with the Spartan, and built handwired, hand wired, using quality components, and its true-bypass. It works great with vintage styled and other amps, and its gain and tone are perfectly controled with the guitar volume and tone knobs, without loosing punch and keeping natural dynamics and brightness. the circuit on both the booster and overdrive are very touch sensitive and amplike. fine tune switches are used to change some of the cap values, for tuning the frequency response




Samples:
(home-recorded with an sm57, 20cm away off-axis. the amp is the Spartan30 w/gain set low)

Stratocaster (w/ fat 50's) - booster mode, (guitar vol. on 7, 10 and 4)


Stratocaster (w/ fat 50's) - overdrive mode (guitar vol. on 8, guitar tone on 6)

( I apologise for the cliping at the end, but it was a quick setup and I forgot to check the mixer for clipping).

Stratocaster (w/ fat 50's) - both modes stacked (guitar vol. on 6)