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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink SurfyTrem DIY builds and FAQ's

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otaznik wrote:

Gilette wrote:

About 50 mm x 70 mm, give or take a few mm. I can't check right now...

Is it give or take? Because 50 should fit 1590B but if you give a few mm you're screwed.

Don't take any chances Otaznik. I found the 1590B to small for a tidy build. In my experience it's more than likely you'll have to open the box more than once for service. You need to have some space to work with.

I really don't want 1590BB tremolo and if you're not set on using those PCB mounted pots there doesn't seem to be anything that won't easily fit into 1590B. You'll probably have easier time if you put every I/O on the top side.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you a candidate for the world's most over blown quiet practice amp. Smile This was started months ago before the Surfy Trem was available. I left space in the top area for the trem while assembling this unit. In retrospect, I should have waited until it was available before laying everything out. This is a really tight fit and didn't allow for a very neat run of wiring. After being warned about using a common power supply, I was relegated to 2 supplies. Both Sufy products are run off The Mean Well power supply. The amp is run off a laptop 5 amp supply. I used a jazzmaster style switch to split the output circuit from going through the trem or direct from the reverb to the amp circuit. The toggle switch on the rear panel shuts off the trem. I suppose you want to know how it works. Smile I accomplished what I set out to do which was to have a small in space and power amp that had both Surfy products inside it. It sure isn't as good as a Vox ac and a fet verb or a Quilter but it does fit the quest. If I was a real player, there would be a demo. Smile
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Last edited: Apr 21, 2017 19:59:35

First live stage use of the Surfy Trem was magical. Beautiful sound!

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

My quiet amp has too much noise. I'm going to redo all the electronics and separate the amp from the rest of it. What's a little more work? Smile

Stopping point for today. Plenty more to do. Smile
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Wow, it's great to follow this thread and see all these cool builds !!! Smile

You are using the boards in ways I didn't expect! Big Grin

wfoguy wrote:

Stopping point for today. Plenty more to do. Smile
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Wow, that's some very cool integration!

bjoish wrote:

Wow, it's great to follow this thread and see all these cool builds !!! Smile

Bjorn - you must feel like a proud papa!
Brilliant design that's impacted an will impact so many people.
My utmost respect to you sir.

Cheers,
Jeff

http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic

CrazyAces wrote:

bjoish wrote:

Wow, it's great to follow this thread and see all these cool builds !!! Smile

Bjorn - you must feel like a proud papa!
Brilliant design that's impacted an will impact so many people.
My utmost respect to you sir.

Thanks Jeff!!

You bet!!!
Its a strange, but good feeling Cool

Here's my build. Love the sounds. Only issue is I have a slight hum on the tremolo. I've isolated it to only the tremolo board. Hum seems to be generated by the oscillator as it varies in volume with the speed and intensity controls. Double checked all solder and connections and even put a 470uF CAP on the power input as a filter and it didn't change. It's not loud enough to hear while playing but just annoying and for quiet recording scenarios would be an issue. I have a 2nd surfytrem I'm building for our other guitarist and I'm going to see if that has the same hum. Anyone seen (I mean heard) that issue?

Shawn / Guitar UP!
http://reverbnation.com/guitarup

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http://guitarupsurfband.com
http://guitarup.bandcamp.com
http://facebook.com/guitarupband

^^^^^^
Very nice! I'm fighting hum through the reverb. With it turned down, there's nothing. I still need to install a divider to block off the amp side of my project though. I'm curious if we will have to have a wall separating the 2 pcbs? When I built the new top, I left enough space that I can do that. Maybe someone that actually knows what they're doing will shed some insight into this. Smile

wfoguy wrote:

^^^^^^
Very nice! I'm fighting hum through the reverb. With it turned down, there's nothing. I still need to install a divider to block off the amp side of my project though. I'm curious if we will have to have a wall separating the 2 pcbs? When I built the new top, I left enough space that I can do that. Maybe someone that actually knows what they're doing will shed some insight into this. Smile

What I think you mean is the oscillator cross-talk that can be heard in the background when intensity is set to max. Its the result of the jFET being overdriven and can be lowered by lowering the intensity or by adjusting the intensity trimmer.

This circuit is based on bias modulation and two matched jFETS acting as a double-tube. This is the old way of achieving amplitude modulation and it is not perfect but will give the same sound as the originals. Today most analog tremolos use modern technology like opto devices or trans-conductance amplifiers.

Last edited: Apr 24, 2017 15:31:05

Sorry, the reply above was for Guitarup.

@Wfoguy - with what settings do you get hum?
There is also some info about fighting hum at:
Http://surfyindustries/faq

In the download section you'll find a new drilling pattern for the 1590BB box. The new version provides a bit more room between the power input socket and the brown/black switch.

https://surfguitar101.com/downloads/details/742/

bjoish, the hum becomes very noticeable above 6. However, I'm using regular wire to run from the pcb to a terminal strip on the top plate and leftover computer power supply wire to run from the terminal strip to the pan. I haven't installed a divider in between the pcb's and the class d amp. After I get a divider installed, if the hum is still prominent, I'll find different wiring to run to the pan. The pan is on the lower level and is about 3" from the speaker magnet.

wfoguy wrote:

...leftover computer power supply wire to run from the terminal strip to the pan.

No
Right there - use a shielded cable, most likely your problems will be over.

Last edited: Apr 25, 2017 08:52:34

Ariel, I googled shielded wire to see if there was something I was unaware of. My exp. with shielded cable has been like direct bury cable which has tin foil around the wires or tv cables that appear to have the same style of wrapping. So I did what any creative type would do. I went to the kitchen and retrieved the tin foil. I wrapped the longest part of the wires from the terminal strip to the tank. 90% of the hum is gone. You win the prize, my friend! Smile I will do a much nicer job on down the road but made it way better. With the trem turned all the way up you can hear some oscillations but I believe with more tin foil, I will be able to cure that. And besides, if You have a really bad day, you can remove the foil and cook jalapeno poppers or something like that. Smile

Last edited: Apr 25, 2017 16:48:34

wfoguy wrote:

I believe with more tin foil, I will be able to cure that.

Tin foil and duck tape is all you need. Smile

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These are some really innovative builds; agree with Jeff: Bjorn has incubated some monsters. Laughing

Likely of no value to these current builds I'll just offer one other trouble-shooting option for down-the-road, as we often see the necessary use of small-gauge hookup wire.

If you find that you have radio-station interference at some point (usually one particular station) consider using clamp-on ferrites to minimize this. These are commonly seen in electronic stores as those things that clamp on phone or keyboard wires to stop the flow of bacteria-like RF into your interface. (It flows along the outside of the wire itself looking for a connection that makes it happy.) Open up, take some loops of the wire through it & clamp it on your wiring. Acts as a choke for common-mode RF.

Small ones in the VHF range typically found work for FM station freq range; if you're bombarded by the bigger daytime signal of an AM broadcast station get one for that lower HF/MW range. Fair-Rite products makes a variety of them & their line can be found at many elec suppliers paticularly those that cater to ham radio.

Just something to think about if you're unable to dress wiring to eliminate some things (and is better than putting your amp in a Faraday cage). Compressed iron powder is up on my list of favorite elements along with bacon.
Big Grin

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

Here's the start to my reverb and tremolo. I'm using some sort of aluminum chassis scavenged from a construction site in an alley. I have a friend that does vehicle wraps print up a faceplate decal. I'd like to say the wiring went easy, but that would be a lie. But.... the chassis is complete And working! Sounds great!

Next up, a cabinet.

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"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"

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