Machine Head Pedal mods!

[chuckocaster]

If you are handy with a soldering iron you really need to check these out. I did the "outlaw" mod to a DS1 and now it sounds cool, nothing like the other mods I've done in the past. It's still "gainy", but not harsh or fuzzy. The tone knob no longer is a "fizz" knob.

I need to put the SD1 thru it's paces tomorrow, but from what I heard it sounds more organic and open.

www.machineheadpedals.com

[chuckocaster]

So I got to A/B the SD1 against a Keeley mod. Very different! The Keeley sounded cutting and tough, where the MHP sounded smoother and more refined. Both sounded really good, I just preferred the MHP mod because I think it complements my Keeley TS9 better. I never run them together, but they are like colors of OD but different enough to be distinct if that makes sense.

[Kap'n]

Sounds cool. If I still had a DS-1, I'd consider it. They're pretty unusable in stock form.

I had to swap out a clipping diode in my Ross D/P Combination, as it had opened up. I had a silicon lying around - instant asymmentrical clipping! Sounds pretty good, especially pushing a Tim.

[chuckocaster]

Stock DS1s are door stops in my book. Very cool on the ROSS!

[Kap'n]

Stock DS1s are door stops in my book!

Yeah, I could never figure out what the deal was with them. I had a stock one, and every time I stepped on it, my guitar disappeared. Admittedly, I was playing a Fender amp, and not a Marshall, but still. I dinked around with the insides a touch, but I could never overcome the EQ and compression issues. I suppose if I knew what I was doing, it would have helped.

Sounds like that MachineHead guy has it figured out.

[chuckocaster]

Yeah, Keith has some good mods. He also makes some great original pedals. I have yet to play the DS1 in a band setting, but with my tele and the Jet I was cycling through all the grungy songs I could think of from the 90's.

[cdw2000]

I did the Robert Keeley "Seeing Eye" and "Ultra" mods on my DS-1 and now its a quite useable pedal (he had actually published free how-to's at one time, which I archived on my computer).

I'm curious about this Machine Head mod, however. Maybe I'll actually shell out money for the mod instructions.

[Rickenjangle]

I have a DS1 that I acquired as part of a trade and finally got around to plugging it in. The guy said he bought it to mod and never got around to it.

I thought that the pedal sounded pretty good in its stock form, but then plugged into my Custom '78 Badass MXR distortion and it's much clearer, punchier, and ballsier at the same basic settings on the knobs.

So I might like to mod my DS1 - Now to decide which one(s) to do. The Machine Head one sound good, Chucko? CDW, what did the Seeing Eye and Ultra mods do?

Thanks

[chuckocaster]

I really like the DS1 now, it sounds now how I imagined a DS1 was supposed to sound. I was rocking out some Everclear "Santa Monica" with it.

Check your email cold pickle.

[Rickenjangle]

Thanks for the info home skillet.

I might "simma down" for awhile with the pedal as is...and in the wintertime when all leaves are down and the wind blows, I'll get out my soldering iron.

[chuckocaster]

No prob bob!

[cdw2000]

The "Seeing Eye" mod basically repurposes the existing red indicator LED by using it as one of the clipping diodes for asymetrical clipping. Keeley drills a hole through the 'O' of the Tone label and puts the LED in there, then uses a blue LED for the effect on/off indicator.

The Ultra mod changes several capacitors and a few resistors to increase the bottom end and alter the tone control to make it less raspy.

I'll send the info to you later when I get home, RJ.

[cdw2000]

Chucko and Rickenjangle, I emailed you some info last night.

Enjoy.

[Rickenjangle]

Thanks so much! I briefly looked over the materials before heading off to practice.

Now I know what I'm doing this winter...modding one DS1 with the Keeley Mod and one to the MachineHead specs.

Hey, why not? They're cheap 'n' cheerful.




By the way, while I don't think it's gonna replace my TS9/SD1 combination (these are the 2 pedals I keep returning to, and all the combinations of them work well for my style of playing) I tried out the combination of the DS1 and the '78 Badass at practice last night. The '78 sounds better for rhythm-to-lead sounds - the DS1, however, sounded really great when playing certain single-note low-register riffs. Seemed to add a nice early-Sabbath-y fullness to the single-note lines. I might keep one stock and mod 2 other ones. Did I mention they were cheap? I got a dead-mint one used for $20 and there's another on CL with box/man for $25. Cheap 'n' cheerful!

[cdw2000]

Now I know what I'm doing this winter...modding one DS1 with the Keeley Mod and one to the MachineHead specs.

I was thinking of doing essentially the same thing! I have the Seeing Eye/Ultra mod already, so thinking of another one and modding it to just the Machine Head specs.

[Rickenjangle]

I've noticed that when I switch the DS1 on - absolutely ALL of my low-end goes bye-bye.

It gives a nice lift for some snarky leads but damn if it isn't thin!

Might have to substitute in my SD1 for my pedalboard tonight...too bad the DS1 is screwed to the board.

[cdw2000]

The Keeley Ultra mod will add some bottom end.

[chuckocaster]

Revisiting this, as I sold the first SD1 cuz I needed the cash. I got another SD1 in trade, so I modded it to be like the last one. Damn, I STILL love this pedal. Sounds soooooo good into my Jet.

[chuckocaster]

Today I swapped in a 100k pot on the "drive" control, stock value is 1m. I experimented with running a resistor across lugs 1 & 3 to lower the value. I never go past noon on that control anyways. After listening to it, I pulled the stock pot and measured the results, 150k. 100k is close enough so the 1m got removed and the 100k went in its place. Perfecto! Now the SD1 is dialed in for me, as a meedjium gain OD.