The Line 6 M-Series Stompbox Modelers are the next incarnation of multi-effects from the makers of the DL4 Delay and other XX-4 modelers. The Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler has become a modern stompbox classic, with it being featured on many musicians pedalboards, like solo performers such as Reggie Watts to the multiple DL4 setup of Minus The Bear guitarist Dave Knudson.

The Line 6 M-Series takes the 100+ models from the DL4 delays, MM4 modulations, FM4 synths/filters, DM4 distortions and reverbs from the ToneCore Verbzilla to provide every effect any musician would want, and need. The range features three models, the monolithic M13, the DL4-sized M9 and the small M5. For those familiar with the original XX-4 series, you will jump straight into the M-Series, but new users will find the pedal easy to navigate. I have found a way to add my popular DL4 modifications into the M-Series and have done so first with the M5.

Two of the most popular mods I offer on the Line XX-4 series are an Expression Mod and Feedback Mod. I was able to put both of these mods into a breakout box for a mod I call the Feedback Box Mod.

The Expression Mod utilises the Expression Pedal functionality that many users don’t capitalise on. The mod allows you to save a heel-down and toe-down setting for each preset. If you have a Tube Echo, for example, you can increase the drive, and repeats at toe-down to shoot the echoes into self-oscillation. Or if you have the Rotary Drum model, you can control the speed of the horn for a subtle sound to a fast Leslie tone.

The Feedback Mod involves re-routing the output of the Modeler back into the input, and the new output selected by a switch on the breakout box. This is a feedback loop, and causes spontaneous bursts of noise, squeals, oscillations, drones – all unique depending on the modeler selected. This modification is definitely for the more adventurous musician, but with every effect, the feedback can be used subtly by adjusting the BLEND and INTENSITY knobs on the breakout box. Also, the feedback can be controlled via the pickup selector and volume controls of your guitar.

Having the two mods in the one box enables a wealth of experimental sounds from long, feedbacking reverbs, to resonant ring modulators, to static-like short decaying fuzzes. The experimenting is up to you with over 100 models to try!

Below is a demo of the Feedback Box mod for the Line 6 M5.

Clip Details: Hamer Flying V> cubisteffects modded Line 6 M5 Feedback Box Mod > MI Amplification Megalith Beta
Recording: SM57 in front of MI Amplification 4×12 (Custom MI Eminence Wizards) > Mbox2 > Logic Pro 9

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I received a Roland AP7 Jet Phaser that was taken out of its original case (top left) and housed in a plywood shell and gigged to no end. The owner is Mitch Jones from Australian legendary post-punk band Scattered Order. The AP7 is a phaser/distortion pedal that provides the swooshing lead sound made famous by the hair metal gods of the ’80s. A six way MODE switch selects between two clean phaser modes, and four jet modes – a combination of differently filtered distortion plus phase sounds. There are also knobs for LEVEL (volume), RESONANCE of the phase and SLOW RATE. The final knob allows a “base slow speed” of the LFO of the phaser that is ramped up to maximum with a stomp of the FAST/SLOW switch. This take-off sound gives the Jet Phaser its signature sound.

I was asked by Mitch to move the RATE switch to a toggle instead of a stomp. In its place, a Mute/Killswitch was put in as he runs the effect into a mixer. The RATE switch is more of a ramp switch, with the rate increasing and decreasing much like a jet taking off! I was also asked to make the pedal extreme! So after much prodding around, I managed to find several circuit bends that took the pedal from an 80′s shred machine to a unique textured phaser. If you have heard Scattered Order, this will fit in quite nicely.

When circuit-bending I aim to provide a few different types of noises. Oscillations (sustained high/low pitched notes) are common, as are different EQ options by concentrating on filter/tone sections. I also like to add in some white noise bends and volume boosts to take the effect to the next level. Luckily, I was able to find all of these bends in this phaser. The video demo below shows the various EQ shifts in resonance, some white noise and some level boosts that work with different frequencies of the effected synth. Also, with circuit-bends being completely chaotic and random, some unexpected combinations of these bends gave some fantastic results.

After bending, I rehoused the pedal into a large new white enclosure, added the MUTE switch and a blue LED to show the rate of the LFO. The artwork is from the cover of a Scattered Order 12″ “A Dancing Foot And Praying Knee Don’t Belong On The Same Leg”.

The video below is a Korg Trident being played through the new AP7 and going through each of the circuit bends to show the combination of new sounds available.

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One of my all-time favourite effects pedals is the Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man analog delay. I have yet to find a delay (for me) that can beat that rich, analog warmth found in those bucket brigade chips. The dark, slurring oscillations, and warbling chorus and vibrato put the icing on the cake. This ad from 1977 I think shows the introduction of a pedal to the market that would change preconceptions of effects pedals forever.

I have owned a few of these, and fixed a few as well, and have watched with interest the launch of the new line of Electro Harmonix “Memory” analog delays. These include a more compact Deluxe Memory Man, a Deluxe Memory Boy, a Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai, a small Memory Toy and this pedal shown above, the Memory Boy.

The most interesting part of the Memory Boy’s features is the option for expression pedal. It allows you to control either the delay time, or rate of modulation, by foot on the fly. This feature, coupled with the insane modulation, changes the standard analog delay to a delay experimenter’s dream. However, a lot of musicians do not wish to use an expression pedal, or have it take up valuable pedal board real estate, so the cubisteffects Expression Mod aims to fix that.

The modification of the Memory Boy involves two changes;

1. A small potentiometer is placed to the left side of the pedal and is equipped with a chunky knob that can be rolled back and forth with your foot – just like an expression pedal.
2. The pedal’s circuitry is tweaked to provide wilder modulation sounds and for oscillation to be easily controlled using the Expression Mod.

What is now left is a pedal that can produce a number of unorthodox sounds by changing the rate of modulation or delay, and also a much more flexible and controllable delay. Check out the demo below for some examples of what the modded Memory Boy can do…

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PLEASE NOTE: THIS MODIFICATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE
LINE 6 DL4 DELAY MODELER and LINE 6 FM4 FILTER MODELER

The Line 6 MM4 Modulation Modeler is a multi-effect unit from Line 6′s popular Modeler range. Line 6 provided with this box, a got-to tool for any kind of modulation any musician would need – Leslie tones for the keyboardist, Mutron Bi-Phase for the funk, vintage Fender amp tremolo for the old-school guitarists and off-the-wall ring modulation for the experimentalists. Vox, Fender, MXR, A/DA… they are all modeled here to provide the next inspiring sound at a click of the switch.

Like the FM4, the blue MM4 has four footswitches that allow you to instantly recall four saved presets. The five control parameters allow you to select the Speed, Depth, Tweak, Tweez and Mix of each setting. Expression Pedal control allows you to morph between two different saved settings in the one preset. For example, heel down of the expression pedal can be saved for 50% Speed and 50% Mix and toe down can be saved for 100% Speed and 100% Mix. This lets you morph between these two settings and stop at any parameter along the way – useful for keeping in time with a fluctuating rhythm section.

The Line 6 Modeler range has gained a bad reputation as unreliable due to some design limitations. Firstly, the switches used are not on/off switches, but spring actuators that “click” a surface mount switch on and off. These switches feel unsturdy and are normally the first things to break. Secondly, many users noticed a volume drop when activating the pedal. The output level was affected by component values in the buffer circuit with varied levels of “drop” in different pedals.

The DIY community was pleased when pedal designer Jeorge Tripps (Way Huge, Line 6, Dunlop) released information in tackling these initial limitations, it led to a number of pedal makers and modders to offering their services to improve the Line 6 Modelers. Robert Keeley offers a hi-fi mod involving the replacement of IC chips for Burr Brown’s and some part-time modders (DRASP at Harmony Central Effects Forum) improving on the flexibility of the pedal. After intensive experimenting successes (and failures), cubisteffects now offers a number of modifications to the Line 6 Modelers.

cubisteffects offers not only a modification to rectify the initial design flaws but also has a number of modifications that can improve the flexibility of the unit, and some that push the pedal to become a new experimental tool.

STANDARD MOD

The Standard Modification involves three changes;

1. SWITCHES – The spring actuators are removed and momentary SPST “soft-touch” switches are installed. These switches are screwed to the pedal chassis and are wired to the place of the switch providing thousands of clicks without touching the PCB.
2. VOLUME DROP – Selected capacitors and resistors are removed and, if required, replaced with metal film components.
3. LEDs – The four red LEDs are replaced with superbright, waterclear LEDs of your choice.

EXPRESSION MOD

A rugged 24mm Alpha pot is placed on either side of your preference. This allows you to use the Expression Pedal controls without having an expression pedal take up pedalboard real estate. The modification enables you to save and morph between two settings per preset by rolling your foot over the knob. Settings are saved as per the Line 6 instruction manual.

FEEDBACK MOD

This modification involves re-routing the output of the Modeler back into the input, and the new output selected by a switch on the top of the chassis. This is a feedback loop, and causes spontaneous bursts of noise, squeals, oscillations, drones – all depending on the setting selected. This modification is definitely for the more adventurous musician, but with every effect, the feedback can be used subtly. Most times the feedback can be deafening so it must be used with caution. However, I have installed a small knob that sits aside the switch allowing you to control the amount, pitch, speed of the feedback. A superbright, waterclear LED indicates whether the feedback loop is on or off.

The cool thing with this modification is that the MM4 becomes a stand-alone noisemaker or “synth” as a loose term. I found it best run through a mixer to control its levels more accurately and left as a table-top unit.

Other modifications offered are:

TWIN PRESET MODIFICATION

This preset lets you save two different settings per preset as per the Expression Mod. However unlike the Expression Mod, the two settings are selected via a stomp switch. This allows you to instantly switch between two settings without the need for an expression pedal. The selected preset is indicated by a superbright, waterclear LED.

DISTORTION CIRCUIT BENDS

WARNING: Volatile and extreme modification. Not for the faint-hearted.
This mod involves two circuit bends that work around the same principle as the Feedback Mod but are much more pronounced and distorted. Crackling, white noise, fuzzed insanity can all be activated via two independent toggle switches with a knob controlling the output volume for both. Superbright, waterclear LEDs indicate whether bend is on or off (but you can clearly hear them if they are on!)

C.

So I modded this BRAT in the same vein as the Four Headed RAT mods -  changed the capacitors to hi-fi grade WIMAs, tweaked the buffer circuitry, added a DC jack and a two-way switch to approximate the sounds of Mode 2 and Mode 3 of the Four Headed RAT.

What eventuated was a pedal that now sounded like a true RAT, and more. The pedal become more open sounding with improved clarity and attack in overdrive mode, and the distortion mode had thick harmonic sustain for days. The pedal was also able to clean up better with the guitar’s volume knob to go from a gritty low gain drive to screaming high gain crunch. Not bad for a pink pedal

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The ProCo RAT is one of those unique distortion pedals that has its “own sound”. Going quickly from overdrive to flat-out fuzz, the RAT has been the distortion flavour of many guitarists from Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and some classic rock guitarists like Joe Walsh and Jeff Beck.

A big part of the RATs sound is the LM308 – the IC used to provide the distortion tone unique to the RAT; and its pronounced frequency response provided by two R-C networks and the FILTER control. This wide sweeping tone stack allows the RAT to slot into any guitarist’s setup – regardless of the use of a bright or dark amp. Sweep one way and the high frequencies are rolled off, or if you want to cut through the mix, sweep it the other way for more treble. It is definitely an “in-your-face” distortion flavour, that is really closer to a fuzz sound at maximum gain. There are also a number of RAT variants now – the classic “big-box” RAT, small box RAT, the Whiteface RAT, RAT2 etc, all of which contain part of the RAT heritage but with varying levels of tone that make some more sought-after than others.

This variance in the RAT pedal pedigree is what disappoints many guitarists. The RAT has a reputation of inconsistency between individual pedals. I have played some RATs that sound terrific and I wouldn’t want to change at all, but I have also played some RATs that I would never plug in again. This inconsistency is mostly due to cheap parts as is common in a lot of mass-manufactured products. The cubisteffects Four Headed RAT mod uses the best hi-fi components to provide the ultimate in RAT tone for any RAT2 or vintage “big box” reissue. With these changes, the RAT becomes an articulate, harmonically-rich distortion pedal, but also a great overdrive/boost pedal as the new components provide a cleaner, more defined tone than stock.

The cubisteffects Four Headed RAT mod provides four unique gain voicings – two overdrive settings and two distortion settings – to provide the most flexible RAT pedal out there. Each of these settings has something unique to offer and covers the spectrum of low gain blues to super-fuzz stoner rock.

Not only does the RAT stand on its own… four feet, but the two overdrive settings make it a brilliant “stacking” pedal to provide another tonal flavour to your other overdrive pedals. The cubisteffects modded RAT combines with other drive pedals to provide complex and louder crunchy tones. A lot of the clean signal can be heard when the DISTORTION knob is rolled off and this is ideal when boosting another overdrive or fuzz pedal. Your tone will retain its responsiveness to your playing even though multiple pedals may be stacked.

I offer two stages of modifications of the cubisteffects Four Headed RAT mod: the STANDARD mod and the NOISE mod.

STANDARD MOD

The Standard Mod changes involves four changes:

1. CAPACITOR CHANGE – All capacitors are replaced with hi-fi WIMA capacitors, used in the best audio devices around the world. Every capacitor is changed in the Four Headed RAT mod providing a clarity and more complex sound unique to this mod. Also, certain values are tweaked to capture the tone of the early 80′s RATs.
2. IC CHANGE – The backbone of the original RAT tone was in the LM308 IC chip. Newer RATs have the OP07DP chip which although sounds similar at high gain settings, really differs in the lower gain territory. The LM308 has a different dynamic range that allows it to clean up and be more responsive to your playing. It also sounds more smoother and has less high-end fizziness that the newer OP07DP RATs have. The Four Headed RAT involves replacing the OP07DP with an LM308 chip.
3. DC JACK – the small DC jack that comes stock with the RAT is changed for a “BOSS-style” jack, making it easier for daisy-chained pedal boards.
4. THE FOUR-HEADED KNOB – This four-way switch selects between four different gain voicings. The red chicken-head knob transforms the RAT to a tame low-gain drive to a wild, fuzzy monster.

Each of the four gain voicings are described below:

MODE 1 – Vintage Overdrive – This overdrive setting sees a blend of your clean guitar signal and a slightly fuzzy overdrive signal. The use of germanium diodes provides a spongy overdrive great for blues.
MODE 2 – Overdrive and Boost – This setting has a slightly higher volume than Mode 1 but still has a good balance of clean and overdrive signal. This mode is great for rolling back your guitar’s volume for a crystal clear clean tone and rolling it forward for big harmonic drive.
MODE 3 – Rock – This mode is closest to the stock mode of the old-school RATs. The new components, plus the standard silicon diodes, provide the classic RAT tone but with a richer, more complex sound. This is how a RAT should sound with a more balanced bottom end and less high-end fizz to give a well-rounded rhythm tone or an overtone-rich lead.
MODE 4 – Fuzz -  The fuzz mode takes the gain to another level with a really sagging, compressed sound. Roll up the FILTER control and you’ll have Kyuss riffs for days! Turn the DISTORTION all the way up and the fuzz starts to really dip with the guitar’s attack left dead. A really over-the-top and unique fuzz sound that will have people wondering “What the hell was that?!”

NOISE MOD

In addition to the Standard mods, the Noise mods see the addition of two features that take the RAT into noisy, feedback territory. All of these mods can be used in conjunction with the Standard mods so you can have your polite, low-gain boost or you can have an oscillating, filtered wild rodent all in one!

1. frEQ POTS – Two pots control the response of the FILTER control, and affects the gain at the same time. Roll each all the way down for a crisp, tight drive sound or push it tom maximum to get squeals, oscillation and Sonic Youth feedback all in the stomp of the RAT.
2. OSCILLATION SWITCH – A two-way switch selects between Standard Mode or Noise Mode. Noise Mode introduces a howling pitch of feedback that can be tuned with the DISTORTION knob or your guitar’s volume/tone knobs. The feedback can be blended to the back of your high gain signal or even be heard over your clean signal.

Below is a video demo made by Jon at Guitar Noize. He has an awesome guitar blog with up-to-date news items and gear demos like the one below. Jon goes through the four modes of the 4HRAT with some nice playing to boot.

Four Headed RAT Mod – Clean Riff by cubisteffects

This clip goes through each of the four modes of the RAT at half distortion. All pedal settings (D: 12 o’clock, T: 12 o’clock, V: 3 o’clock) are the same and only the red knob is turned. Notice the increasing amount of gain and harmonics as it goes from overdrive to fuzz.

Four Headed RAT Mod – Half Distortion by cubisteffects

This clip again goes through each of the four modes of the RAT, but this time near full distortion. All pedal settings (D: 4 o’clock, T: 12 o’clock, V: 3 o’clock) are the same and only the red knob is turned. Notice the loose spongy sound of the overdrive mode compared to the tighter mode 3. Also, the fuzz really starts to kick in and splutters its way through to the end.

Four Headed RAT Mod – Full Distortion by cubisteffects

The DigiTech Whammy burst onto the scene as one of the first pedals to provide expression controlled pitch-shifting, detuning and harmonising in stompbox form. It featured over a dozen harmony options and several octave pitch shifting capabilities to become an inspiring tool adapted by many guitarists around the world. Musicians such as Tom Morello and Dimebag Darrell integrated the Whammy into their sound and ‘bag of tricks’, whilst it has featured on may stand out recordings like “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes and “My Iron Lung” by Radiohead. More of these Whammy moments are discussed over at i heart guitar.

The Whammy has seen a few iterations since its inception over a decade ago. The original WH1 is still a highly coveted pedal due to its pitch detection algorithm designed by IVL Technologies. This algorithm could be used in both pitch shifting and harmonising an audio signal, and featured in only the WH1 and its successor, the WH2. These older units are thought to have superior tracking to the reissue. After both of these units were discontinued, a short run of third generation Whammy’s were made called the XP100 Whammy-Wah, combining the Whammy features with wah options. After the lack of success of these units, DigiTech reissued the original as the WH4 – the current model that is seen on pedalboards everywhere.

Tom Morello was my favourite guitarist growing up as a teenager and the Whammy was my first “real” pedal. But like many users, I found some of the features as limitations. The difference between your original signal and clean signal were noticeable and is commonly referred to as “tone suck”. Also, the selection of preset via the rotary knob made changing settings on-the-fly extremely difficult, especially mid-song. So I thought that I would offer some cubisteffects modifications to the DigiTech Whammy to get around these short-comings and make it a much more versatile tool.

I have two more mods on the ‘drawing board’ and will update this page as they come to fruition.

The cubisteffects DigiTech Whammy modifications involve a True Bypass mod and a Preset Switch mod.

TRUE BYPASS

In this mod the Whammy has a 3PDT switch added and is true bypassed, preserving your original guitar tone when the effect is off. This pedal is known to be a “tone-sucker”, so by using true bypass, we can maintain the clean tone you battle for. A bright waterclear red LED is also added next to the main switch to indicate on or off.
The original on/off switch is a momentary switch that not only activated the pedal, but is also used to calibrate the treadle of the pedal. This is an integral part of the pedal and is not removed, but changed to a smaller switch I have placed on the top of the pedal (pictured right). This new switch acts as a “Master” on/off switch and can be held down to calibrate the pedal. The small LED marked “Effect” indicates whether the Master switch is on or off.

PRESET SWITCH

I had repaired a WH2 awhile back and it had a great feature where the presets were selected by an up/down stomp mechanism, rather than the rotary knob on the reissue. This was quite useful in getting to settings quickly and without bending down to adjust – especially mid-song. So I have made a modification that allows you to use a two-button auxiliary switch to select up and down between the presets. This modification involves the addition of a stereo jack to the Whammy that can be then patched (via TRS cable) to the auxiliary switch for more flexibility. This modification includes the addition of the jack, one 1/4″ stereo to 1/4″ stereo (TRS) patch lead and one sparkly red cubisteffects two-button auxiliary switch (pictured below). Not only does this add more options to your playing, but can add some interesting sounds to inspire your next song. Check out the demo below.

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After reading Part 1 of the M.I.Y series: Tools and Techniques, you should have a good grasp of what is required to get into your pedal and start modding. But before we flick on the soldering iron, I thought I’d write a few points about the diode, the key component to Part 2 of the M.I.Y series: Diode Clipping.

A diode is an electronic component that allows electricity to flow in one direction, much like a valve does letting water go one way but not the other. Diodes can be seen in nearly all effect pedal schematics and are noted as this symbol (left). They are integral in creating that overdrive or distortion sounds in your favourite dirt pedals, and come in different packages, materials and sizes. Each diode has a positive side (anode) and negative side (cathode). This polarity is what resembles a valve, and dictates the flow of electricity.

But how does a diode contribute to that overdrive sound? If we look at an audio signal (represented as a sine wave) we can distort the signal by “clipping” the tops and bottoms of the wave. This clipping produces harmonics that we hear as overdrive.

Image source: www.geofex.com

If a signal is clipped evenly on both top and bottom of the wave, this is referred to as symmetrical clipping and is used in pedals such as the Ibanez Tubescreamer. If a signal is clipped more heavily at one peak than the other, this is called asymmetrical clipping as heard in the BOSS SD-1 Overdrive. The more heavily a peak is clipped, the more a sine wave moves closer to a square wave, and closer to distortion and fuzz.

Image source: www.diystompboxes.com

The location of clipping diodes has an effect on the sound as well. Soft clipping involves having two diodes connected on the feedback-path of an opamp or a transistor (Tubescreamer). Hard clipping is when two diodes shunt to ground, creating distortion as in the ProCo RAT. The material of the diode also affects the clipping. Silicon diodes have been described as being “sharper” and “tighter” whereas germanium diodes are described as being more”compressed” or “spongey”. You can also use LEDs (light emitting diodes), Zeners, Schottkys, MOSFETs etc… the experimental possibilities are endless.

So with all of that in mind, let’s crack open a pedal. We will need [1]:

• A pedal (I will be using a BOSS SD-1),
• A selection of diodes,
• Single in-line break away sockets (purchased from any electronics store),
• The schematic of the pedal (that can be found at the resources listed in Part 1 of the series).

Firstly, unscrew the back so we can get to the PCB. You should be able to see a trace side, full of tracks and solder joins [2]. Carefully lift up the PCB so we can see the component side, and look for a set of diodes [3]. The markings (e.g D3, D4, D5) should correspond to your schematic. Desolder these diodes, marking down their original orientation, and clear the holes. Solder in a socket for each hole from where the diode was removed [4] and place the PCB back into the pedal. We can now experiment with different diodes, and combinations of diodes, and immediately hear the difference between them.

Place the diodes (using the same polarity as you marked down earlier) back into the sockets, power up the pedal, plug in and play. No need to close the pedal back up, it will just be a bit noisier. Now remove the power, remove the diodes and try another combination. Power, plug and play – hear the difference. Now try a symmetrical configuration, then asymmetrical.

In the place of one diode, try a MOSFET like an MPF102 (note in [1] how I bent only the ground pin to remove). Or you could try germanium and silicon diode in series, a silicon and LED, two silicons in series, two germaniums in series etc. To solder diodes in series, ensure that the cathode is soldered to the anode [5]. Using diodes in series increases headroom and volume but sacrifices a bit of gain. Use MOSFETs for “tube-like response” and LEDs (reds are great) for crunch and higher gain. When you find a combination you prefer, desolder the sockets and solder in your killer selection. Close the pedal back up and you now have a diode clipping modded pedal. Common mods include placing different diode combinations on switches, or a symmetrical/asymmetrical diode switch. But we may leave that till next time…

Happy modding.

C.

DIY electronics for guitar effect pedals has become increasingly popular of late. Guitarists and musicians worldwide are downing instruments and picking up tools to build and modify their own pedals, searching for that unique tone. There are sites like Build Your Own Clone, General Guitar Gadgets and Tonepad that sell printed circuit boards (PCBs) and kits to create your own version of popular effect pedal designs. There are also websites like DIYstompboxes, Ampage, GEOFEX and AMZFX that provide a wealth of knowledge from a committed online community. However, all of this information is useless if you do not have the basic tools and techniques to enter the DIY realm. The Mod.It.Yourself (M.I.Y) blog series aims to give you those skills (plus a handful of ideas) so you too can begin deconstructing electronics to create your own personalised sound.

Part 1 of the M.I.Y series is starting from the beginning – Tools and Techniques. Without these fundamentals, you will no doubt be left with damaged parts, boards and burnt finger tips. So safety first! Be sure to work in a well-ventilated, well lit work area with a clear work space to avoid burning anything as a soldering iron can reach 900 degrees (480°C). Soldering produces fumes so ventilation is a must and safety glasses/goggles are also recommended as stray metal is known to fly around an electronics work space.

To build/modify any electronics you will need to have tools for soldering. Soldering is the melting of metal to join two components to form a conductive connection (solder joint), so you will need solder and a soldering iron to create this connection. Soldering irons come in many forms but a 40W iron is best to provide adequate heat transfer and solder flow. Solder comes in different compositions, with different types of metal. There are other tools required for building/modifying guitar pedals; long-nose pliers, side cutters (or snips), multimeter and wire strippers (as pictured). These tools will help in populating boards, cutting away component legs, checking proper connections and stripping insulated wire.

Now that we have the tools, let’s get to soldering technique.

To form a solder joint, place the component through the PCB hole and follow these four easy steps to ensure a solid joint is made:
(1) It is important to place the iron where the component passes through the board. Heat this spot for a second.
(2) Apply the solder to this spot.  Keep applying solder until a dome forms up the component leg (two seconds).
(3) Remove strand of solder while maintaining iron on spot. This allows the solder to flow through the PCB hole (one second).
(4) Finally, remove iron from spot. Cut off the remaining component leg and you should now have a shiny, solid solder joint.

But mistakes do happen, and a technique as important as soldering is desoldering, the process of removing solder from a joint. This skill is a must in electronics for removing components from a board, correcting a bad (or cold) solder joint etc. A desoldering pump and desoldering wick or braid (as pictured) are just as valuable as a soldering iron and are must haves in your toolbox. This video from Make Magazine runs through a few desoldering methods, as well as a brief soldering demonstration and is well worth watching.

So go off to your local electronics store, pick up these tools and an electronics kit and practice your soldering/desoldering technique. In Part 2 of the M.I.Y series, we will look at common modifications to overdrive/distortion pedals and how to hot-rod that old pedal on your shelf into a mean gain machine. Until then…

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PLEASE NOTE: THIS MODIFICATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE
LINE 6 DL4 DELAY MODELER

The Line 6 FM4 Filter Modeler is a multi-effect unit from Line 6′s popular Modeler range. In this pedal, Line 6 took many famous filter effects, vintage synthesizers and vocoders as inspiration to inspire guitarists to look outside-of-the-box. Most of the models in this stompbox are pure unobtanium – you’d be hard pressed to see one on eBay, let alone have one of your own. The FM4 neatly packages sixteen models, with some sounds instantly recalling musical heroes such as Zappa, Fripp and Frampton. Examples of some of the inspired models are the Mutron III Filter, Oberheim Voltage Controlled Filter, Z-Vex Seek Wah, Korg x-911 Guitar Synth and waveforms from vintage synths such as the Prophet 600 to the legendary Arp Explorer.

This purple beast has four footswitches that allow you to instantly recall four saved presets. The five control parameters allow you to select the Frequency, Q, Speed, Mode/Pitch and Mix of each filter/synth setting. Expression Pedal control allows you to morph between two different saved settings in the one preset. For example, heel down of the expression pedal can be saved for 50% Speed and 50% Mix and toe down can be saved for 100% Speed and 100% Mix. This lets you morph between these two settings and stop at any parameter along the way – useful for keeping in time with a fluctuating rhythm section.

The Line 6 Modeler range has gained a bad reputation as unreliable due to some design limitations. Firstly, the switches used are not on/off switches, but spring actuators that “click” a surface mount switch on and off. These switches feel unsturdy and are normally the first things to break. Secondly, many users noticed a volume drop when activating the pedal. The output level was affected by component values in the buffer circuit with varied levels of “drop” in different pedals.

The DIY community was pleased when pedal designer Jeorge Tripps (Way Huge, Line 6, Dunlop) released information in tackling these initial limitations, it led to a number of pedal makers and modders to offering their services to improve the Line 6 Modelers. Robert Keeley offers a hi-fi mod involving the replacement of IC chips for Burr Brown’s and some part-time modders (DRASP at Harmony Central Effects Forum) improving on the flexibility of the pedal. After intensive experimenting successes (and failures), cubisteffects now offers a number of modifications to the Line 6 Modelers.

As you can see in these pictures on this page, I have custom sprayed the once-purple pedal to a Barbie Pink. This is not the colour of the original !

cubisteffects offers not only a modification to rectify the initial design flaws but also has a number of modifications that can improve the flexibility of the unit, and some that push the pedal to become a new experimental tool.

STANDARD MOD

The Standard Modification involves three changes;

1. SWITCHES – The spring actuators are removed and momentary SPST “soft-touch” switches are installed. These switches are screwed to the pedal chassis and are wired to the place of the switch providing thousands of clicks without touching the PCB.
2. VOLUME DROP – Selected capacitors and resistors are removed and, if required, replaced with metal film components.
3. LEDs – The four red LEDs are replaced with superbright, waterclear LEDs of your choice.

EXPRESSION MOD

A rugged 24mm Alpha pot is placed on either side of your preference. This allows you to use the Expression Pedal controls without having an expression pedal take up pedalboard real estate. The modification enables you to save and morph between two settings per preset by rolling your foot over the knob. Settings are saved as per the Line 6 instruction manual.

FEEDBACK MOD

This modification involves re-routing the output of the Modeler back into the input, and the new output selected by a switch on the top of the chassis. This is a feedback loop, and causes spontaneous bursts of noise, squeals, oscillations, drones – all depending on the setting selected. This modification is definitely for the more adventurous musician, but with every effect, the feedback can be used subtly. Most times the feedback can be deafening so it must be used with caution. However, I have installed a small knob that sits aside the switch allowing you to control the amount, pitch, speed of the feedback. A superbright, waterclear LED indicates whether the feedback loop is on or off.

The cool thing with this modification is that the FM4 becomes a stand-alone noisemaker or “synth” as a loose term. I found it best run through a mixer to control its levels more accurately and left as a table-top unit. Alternatively, if on your pedal board, running your guitar through it will produce a background oscillation (especially in the Synth models) similar to the Z-Vex Fuzz Factory.

Other modifications offered are:

TWIN PRESET MODIFICATION

This preset lets you save two different settings per preset as per the Expression Mod. However unlike the Expression Mod, the two settings are selected via a stomp switch. This allows you to instantly switch between two settings without the need for an expression pedal. The selected preset is indicated by a superbright, waterclear LED.

DISTORTION CIRCUIT BENDS

WARNING: Volatile and extreme modification. Not for the faint-hearted.
This mod involves two circuit bends that work around the same principle as the Feedback Mod but are much more pronounced and distorted. Crackling, white noise, fuzzed insanity can all be activated via two independent toggle switches with a knob controlling the output volume for both. Superbright, waterclear LEDs indicate whether bend is on or off (but you can clearly hear them if they are on!)

C.