In a previous post we combined a Pro Co Rate and EHX Big Muff into one enclosure with a few modifications. We decided to take this one step further and add both a Rat and a Tubescreamer into this USA Big Muff for an even more versatile sound. We didn’t want to dramatically change the tone of each effect but we did decide to go with some minor tweaks on each circuit.

Big Muff: We added our “Body Knob” to adjust the lower midrange and help the pedal sit well in the mix. We also moved the stock LED right next to the footswitch so it would match the layout of the added footswitches. This pedal already had true bypass so we didn’t need to change the switch but we did install a “Boss style” barrel jack to make it easier to power.

Ibanez Tubescreamer TS-9: For the TS-9 we converted the pedal to true bypass and simply replaced the stock IC with a socket and a JRC4558D as it should have had from the factory.

Pro Co Rat: While I think this pedal needs a bass boost we decided against putting that modification in as that may muddy up the Big Muff which is located down the signal path. We simply removed the stock chip and installed the LM308N and left the rest of the audio path unchanged.

This has been a great way to utilize the empty space in the cavernous Big Muff enclosure and make a convenient, all-in-one distortion pedal to cover a wide variety of tones.

The Ibanez UE-300 is a relic from the 1980s when multi effects were becoming popular but predates the popularity of digital effects. This unit has an all analog signal path with a compressor, overdrive (tubescreamer), and chorus all built into one unit with a master bypass switch and effects loop. The pedal sounds great but after thirty years the hardware is a bit tired. This rehousing narrows the pedal by almost two inches and also provides the opportunity to install soft-touch footswitches, all new jacks, a bypass switch for the effects loop, and convert the pedal to run on DC instead of 110V AC.  This ended up being a big project but the end result should provide years of reliable service and sounds great!

We are often asked to rehouse pedals into wah casings so the effect can be manipulated while still playing guitar. This ends up being a very expensive rehousing due to the cost of the casing as well as a variety of other adjustments that need to be made in order to get the new housing to accept a circuit not designed to fit in it. When MXR released the CSP-001 Variphase there was much anticipation until the reviews came in and many of the flaws were pointed out.

First, the pedal is spring loaded so the pedal automatically returns to the heel-down (or toe-up) position. This means that you cannot set the pedal to the desired rate and then take your foot off of the pedal; You’re constantly fighting with this spring. The first thing we did in this project was remove the spring mechanism (below: left) and install a normal wah torsion block (below: right).

From here we installed a normal stomp switch as you would see on a regular wah pedal which you activate by pressing your toe down. The new switch is true bypass and we even installed a pulsing LED so you can see the rate which the phaser is set to.

The second problem with the CSP-001 is that the circuit was modified from the traditional Phase 90 in an attempt to improve it. While a different circuit doesn’t have to be a bad thing– the massive volume boost when activated is definitely not welcome. This pedal has a volume knob on the side and even at the lowest setting there is a massive increase in volume when activated. With the modifications that the customer requested it ended up being cheaper to just replace the whole CSP-001 circuit board with a 74′ reissue Phase 90 and start from scratch.

Some added modifications include knobs to adjust the maximum speed, mix, and intensity as well as a Phase 45/90 switch, upgraded jacks, and true bypass with a pulsing LED. More info about the modifications for the Phase 90 can be found on the FXdoctor Phase 90 page.

And for those of you wondering why the LED is off-centered: the placement allows you to see the rate while keeping your foot on the pedal.

For years we’ve had people send various Big Muff pedals for rehousing into a smaller casing. The circuit board isn’t nearly as large as the casing that it ships in (specifically in the USA reissue) so it’s a great candidate for space savings. Just recently we had a customer request that a Rat be installed inside of the Big Muff to save space. We also installed a Clean Volume knob to each circuit to allow the original signal to be mixed in with the distortion. The end result is two independent distortion circuits in one casing to save space and help simplify a pedalboard.

The Deluxe Electric Mistress is the flanger that we see in here the most. It’s a great sounding flanger but there are so many reasons that it’s not friendly for a gigging musician. We’re offering a standard rehousing service which addresses common problems and keeps the cost lower than doing a custom rehousing each time.

First we’ll take the guts and put them into the 4.5″ x 5.5″ casing that you see above. The jacks are changed to a more conventional layout. We rewire the pedal for true bypass and add a status LED as well. If your pedal is an older model which has a 3-prong cord then we’ll convert it to accept a 24V 2.5mm DC power supply as used in the current models. We found that the best way to rehouse this pedal involves wiring the Color knob in reverse (clockwise is minimum; counterclockwise is max). This is done intentionally and is a result of moving the pots which also support the weight of the PCB. The end result of the changes is a pedal that sounds 100% as it did from the factory but in a smaller, pedalboard-friendly package.

Other add-ons include installing a volume boost circuit to bring the volume up to unity gain or a simple Enhance mod which brings out the highs and lows in order to compensate for the volume drop.

Check out www.fxdoctor.com for current pricing and a video to demonstrate the Enhance mod.

This Small Stone has had quite a history of tinkering and modifications. When it arrived it had broken wires and was literally falling apart. We decided to take it on as a complete rebuild. Every single wire was removed from the circuit board and all modifications were removed so we had a reliable starting point for the restoration. Some of the mods include:

• Complete rehousing in a 3.5″ x 4.5″ casing with new jacks and switches
• True bypass with an LED
• Color switch converted to a stompswitch; the LED turn blue when in Color mode, green when in regular mode, and is off when bypassed
• Mix and Volume knobs installed
• Aging capacitors replaced and LFO ticking removed
• Boss style DC adapter jack installed

Overall this pedal is awesome! These vintage Small Stones just sound amazing and with the new modifications it should provide years of reliable operation.=

The Mu-Tron III has a legacy of being one of the best envelope filters ever made. Some of the big names that made this pedal so popular include Stevie Wonder, Bootsy Collins, and Jerry Garcia. The pedal sounds excellent but in it’s original state can be a disaster for a gigging musician. The original has a massive enclosure (5″ x 8.75″) and is very heavy with a steel base. It runs on a special dual polarity power supply which makes it not very pedalboard friendly. From the factory it also has a switch to turn off the power which is just one more thing to wear out or become accidentally (unknowingly) switched off.

This pedal functions 100% the same as the original but in a smaller package and a standard 9V adapter jack.

Knobs from left to right: Gain, Peak, Mode

Switches: Drive (left), Range (right)

The original pedal was designed to run on Boss’s ACA120 adapter. This is the unregulated 9V adapter which they’ve long phased out and replaced with the PSA120 9V regulated adapter. Ibanez, Danelectro, DOD, Digitech, Voodoo Lab, Boss, and almost every other current pedal manufacturer uses a regulated 9V power supply. If you hook up a stock CE-2 to a regulated 9V adapter you’ll likely be providing slightly less voltage than intended and– while it will in no way damage your pedal– will have a dimmer LED. We modify the CE-2 and any other pedal designed for the Boss ACA120 adapter to run on a modern powder supply. This mod is also built into the cost of our Overhaul modification.

Speaking of the Overhaul modification, it also includes sonic and aesthetic upgrades. We replace key capacitors in the audio path including electrolytics with Panasonic metal film caps. Also replaced is the main audio op-amp for more headroom and a cleaner tone. Last we install a blue LED and set it to pulse to the rate of the chorus when activated. This makes a great pedal even better!

Here is another CE-2 we received as nothing more than a circuit board. The casing, jacks, footswitch, knobs, and pots are all replacements. Converted to true bypass and installed a large LED for better visibility. All fun stuff and these two exact pedals are currently (as of 9/25/2012) are listed on eBay! I’d love to see someone commission a true stereo output for their CE-2..