klon

[newey]

Aug 24, 2022 23:03:22 GMT -5 unreg said:

Maybe the crackling is from a dirty cassette slot?

If the recorder is the culprit, a Q-tip with a bit of isopropyl alcohol (aka "rubbing alcohol") across the record head should do the trick. I mean, clean both heads but the record head would be the source of your problem if that's the cause.

Or, join the rest of the world in the new millenium . I bought a stereo digital recorder about 10 years ago, it does a fine job although it's nowhere near pro-quality. IIRC it cost me about $30 or so, and it's about a third of the size of my cellphone. Runs on an internal rechargeable battery. It has two internal mics (for the stereo, natch) but I plug in a pair of external mics to get more channel separation. It sounds very good and I can upload the digital files straight into Audacity or whatever.

Or, ditch the recorder altogether and just get a DI interface and go right into a PC/laptop. The advantage to the digital recorder is that I don't have to sit in front of the computer, it's a lot more portable.

[thetragichero]

but that's not analog, maaannnn

of course that was in jest because I've been digital since 2000 when i got a fostex four track that records straight to hdd and daw since 2010 when i built a pc and paid for a legit copy of pro tools (ouch). nonlinear editing is where it's at, especially for guys like me whose mind/fingers can wander off after a bit

since most of my income these days comes from buying and selling gear I've kept a good eye on the online marketplaces. shortly after the pandemic hit stateside prices for cassette tape based four tracks started skyrocketing. at this point they seem to hover around 3-400 clams which is as much or more as they were selling for brand new "back in the day"
why tape? musicians (especially guitarists) the to be romantic types (rather than pragmatists) with an almost religious-like fascination with old, obsolete technology (i suppose tube amplification can be included here even though I'm mostly referring to magnetic tape and carbon composition resistors). just sold the vibrolux i rebuilt to and did a repair for a local guy who runs a fully analog (magnetic tape) studio and he seems to stay booked (how well he does financially is sorta irrelevant as getting into the more technical music-related fields ie recording engineer, amp builder, etc is very rarely a wealth-building endeavor but sure beats sitting in an office all day)


digression aside, if hiss and crackles and pops are bothersome then 21st century recording methods are the way to go

[unreg]

Surely, I love playing with analogue 4 track. And, we’re still in the 20th century? Can’t be the 21st… cause 21 is a giant one greater than twenty!

I’ll use a Maxell Head Cleaner & Demagnetizer cassette that I’ve used before, when I have some free time tonight… that will hopefully work wonderfully.


[EDIT]Note: I realized I owned this cleaning cassette as I was writing my previous post… and I’ve already found it again bc I didn’t remember what it was called and I couldn’t properly spell “Demagnetizer”.[/EDIT]

[thetragichero]

unreg

[unreg]

Lol thetragichero! Gosh, even spelled Shirley wrong too. My spelling skills are perishing today.

But, good news, that demagnetizer cassette solved my problem I think. Tried to rerecord that short part today so you could be glad it actually works; tomorrow [20220826 EDIT], actually tomorrow,[/20220826 EDIT] should be better.

[unreg]

Sigh, will have to wait till Sept. 1st to record this short track.

Chose to buy a new demagnetizer tape bc this one seems like it’s dirty… there are small noises at times when I’m playing low notes.

Now that I know what to listen for, this almost invisible sound is quite obvious.


If anyone has more info on demagnetizer tapes, that would be great to learn.


edit: And, yes, I do realize I’m talking about this in the wrong century.

[unreg]

Aug 25, 2022 7:05:07 GMT -5 thetragichero said:

shortly after the pandemic hit stateside prices for cassette tape based four tracks started skyrocketing. at this point they seem to hover around 3-400 clams which is as much or more as they were selling for brand new "back in the day"
why tape? musicians (especially guitarists) the to be romantic types (rather than pragmatists) with an almost religious-like fascination with old, obsolete technology (i suppose tube amplification can be included here even though I'm mostly referring to magnetic tape and carbon composition resistors). just sold the vibrolux i rebuilt to and did a repair for a local guy who runs a fully analog (magnetic tape) studio and he seems to stay booked (how well he does financially is sorta irrelevant as getting into the more technical music-related fields ie recording engineer, amp builder, etc is very rarely a wealth-building endeavor but sure beats sitting in an office all day)


digression aside, if hiss and crackles and pops are bothersome then 21st century recording methods are the way to go

Very informative and interesting! Thank you thetragichero!

I obtained my 4 track recorder from an auction on eBay around 2001. It was a good deal for the low price and reportedly, it wasn’t used much… the guy who auctioned it said he bought it, but never used it. It’s a Tascam 424mkII and still looks new!

The noise now is not a hiss or pops… it’s almost invisible now… and that’s a blessing! I’ll wait for the new Maxell A-450 tape.

[unreg]

Aug 28, 2022 18:09:23 GMT -5 unreg said:

Sigh, will have to wait till Sept. 1st to record this short track.

Well, it arrived already opened; got refund; will need to wait till Sept. 7th now.

Just explaining. Not sure anyone cares, but going to finish this thread; promise.

[unreg]

It’s the 9th now… the 7th equaled success with my new cassette that arrived, but was too busy with choir practice and life.. the 8th equaled success with settings that sound excellent + nothing else other than many failed attempts bc lack of sleep ruined communication with my hands… talking to myself now: I’m not giving up. 👍

edit: sry it’s not the 10th today… that makes more sense

[sumgai]

A couple of months later, and this trips my YouTube radar:



Just for drill, you understand.






sumgai

[unreg]

Wow, that guy finished in 3 to 4 hours?!

That YouTube video guy didn’t explain the crucial painting of the case BEFORE applying the stickers/hardware. And he said he’d remove the hardware and apply a clear coat to the case so the stickers would keep in place. Imo, removing the hardware seems nearly impossible bc I didn’t want to break anything; also bc the battery cord would be difficult to place appropriately after/in-the-midst-of hardware reinsertion; plus the breakout board is already soldered to the switch… and there’s a nut beneath holding the switch in place; hardware removal IS hard. So, I recommend everyone paint and apply stickers and then clear coat before hardware application.


And, I also recommend others follow thetragichero’s advice, on page 1, and pick up a rail-to-rail cmos op amp; the TLC2262AIP allows me to power the pedal with more than 9 volts! And the TLC2262AIP can survive in really chilly weather.

And I also had to solve a “Pin1 problem”. b4nj0 teaches me about that on page 2 or 3.

[unreg]

Note: From middle of page 3 // my Pin 1 problem solution:

Aug 12, 2022 23:32:03 GMT -5 unreg said:

Ok b4nj0, I’ve got the 1uf 50V capacitor, from MattB’s first two links he provided, installed touching my DC jack’s terminal, the one that has also been connected to the + space on my PCB, and touching my output jack’s sleeve terminal.

Each of those two, new, connections has returned a 0.0 continuity reading and a 0.0 ohms resistance reading.

So, the pin1 problem is gone? …

Aug 13, 2022 6:52:23 GMT -5 b4nj0 said:

unreg; your description of what you have done to "decouple" the incoming insulated DC connector battery positive terminal (read literally ...) seems perfect to me. I still think that the case should be connected to the DC ground tag at the point of entry into the enclosure which would have been a given if a more sensible (in my opinion) centre positive supply was used. Just be certain that none of the various rail voltages appear on the case by way of the PCB mounting system. I am reasonably sure that this will be fine, but I hate offering my take on things without the project in front of me, and any self-appointed advisor has to be cognisant of how advice would sound to anyone else. This is why I am a useless teacher!

As I wrote previously, your noise issue appeared to have been largely addressed. The so-called "Pin 1 problem" refers to the issue of ground loops in balanced audio distribution systems, but ground loops can and do rear their ugly heads juat as regularly in unbalanced systems such as this too. If as you say the noise goes away when you touch the strings that is a very familiar experience to me and many others, and I would say that your totally reasonable search for audio nirvana should now follow the holy grail search that the rest of us are all on, because I reckon your Klon clone is by now delivering the best you can expect.

What does it sound like though? Is it worth the effort? I'm interested for myself, even though I tend to give distorted sounds the swerve in old(er!) age.



でつ e&oe ...

[unreg]

Sept 9, 2022 0:57:22 GMT -5 unreg said:

I’m not giving up. 👍

and I still haven’t given up; the short GhostDrive street spirit track WILL be recorded and posted here

My guitar traveled back to the luthier bc of my setting intonation problems. The Shaller claw was installed too close to a side cavity wall, so spring rubbing on cavity wall could be heard through amp. I adjusted the springs to nonparallel and then the claw was over an inch away from its wall. Thus guitar returned to luthier; it’s been a while so I called yesterday and learned from answering machine he was facing hip replacement surgery. He told me this morning his surgery went well! PRAISE GOD!! Now it will be 2 week recovery time before receiving guitar. But, want to rehash: I haven’t given up! 👍

[cynical1]

Hip replacement is supposed to be less painful than knee replacement and take less time to get through rehab. Two weeks sounds a bit optimistic, though. I had a knee replacement last February and it was last April before the insurance company cut me loose declaring I was now "healed".  8+ weeks of therapy, with the first week in Skilled Nursing.

Wish your guy good luck for me.

HTC1

[unreg]

Thank you cynical1, that’s quite kind; I let him know.

If it’s longer than 2 weeks, that will be alright. He needs to heal first! 👍

[unreg]

cynical1, he’s healed! AND his shop will reopen Tuesday. at 11am!

[cynical1]

Cool. I'm sure he's happier about than you are.

Once it's all setup you'll have to give an honest impression of the differences you notice. Bass players don't get toys like these...

HTC1

[unreg]

Differences I noticed:

1.) the Schaller is super smooth and silently bends the strings. On my ESP LFR, bending the strings was NOT smooth and tiny metallic sounds could be heard; perhaps it was the non-shiny non-silver-colored springs. This difference is super evident; it makes me want to learn your Epilogue for Lisa video!

2.) The Schaller’s arm is much longer and it easy to move while strumming the strings; as is apparent in that Epilogue for Lisa video.

3.) As I was fumbling in intonation setting before returning my guitar to the luthier, turning the hardened steel saddle screws was also super smooth. The entire Schaller is more fun to adjust!

4.) Kevin is an excellent luthier! And, yes, he’s also super enjoying being healed, as you said cynical1.

5.) My guitar is ready to be played, and my fingers need to stop hurting… I haven’t played in so long… today was fun!


A giant thank you to cynical1! And to… (continued in a Schaller Floyd Rose installation thread bc this is klon thread).

[unreg]

Mar 24, 2023 15:25:46 GMT -5 unreg said:

Sept 9, 2022 0:57:22 GMT -5 unreg said:

I’m not giving up. 👍

and I still haven’t given up; the short GhostDrive street spirit track WILL be recorded and posted here

Ah, this is quite SO terribly late. If you care to listen, feel free.

fervid.org/matthewMusic/streetghost2_unreg.mp3

Note: The wav file doesn’t have pops… if this does perhaps I’m creating the mp3 incorrectly.