# Obsidious for a coworker



## Diynot (May 31, 2022)

As the title states, it’s an Obsidious. I let a coworker test drive mine and he liked it so I built this to pay him back for some computer work he did for me. Is a good sounding drive circuit. I figured I’d go ahead and disappoint the masses by posting this ahead of my next round of artless wonders. I view my pedals as an extension of myself, pretty bland aesthetically with maybe a tidy build inside…..ha, who am I kidding.


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## giovanni (May 31, 2022)

Quite tidy!


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## Cvoxdog (May 31, 2022)

I wish I had time to sit down and learn how to add fancy artwork to my pedals...but I don't and probably won't ever. Long live to the boring looking pedals that sound amazing!


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## Diynot (May 31, 2022)

Cvoxdog said:


> I wish I had time to sit down and learn how to add fancy artwork to my pedals...but I don't and probably won't ever. Long live to the boring looking pedals that sound amazing!


It’s what I started building for, the sounds, not the looks. A tidy, well populated board is all the aesthetics I need.


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## dawson (May 31, 2022)




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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2022)

Diynot said:


> View attachment 27000View attachment 27001
> As the title states, it’s an Obsidious. I let a coworker test drive mine and he liked it so I built this to pay him back for some computer work he did for me. Is a good sounding drive circuit. I figured I’d go ahead and disappoint the masses by posting this ahead of my next round of artless wonders. I view my pedals as an extension of myself, pretty bland aesthetically with maybe a tidy build inside…..ha, who am I kidding.


You're not alone brother! I actually bought a little thermal labelling gizmo and started printing clear labels for the knobs on the pedals I send to my brother. I also write up a little "user guide" with some history, background and suggested settings of all the pedals I've sent him. 

But as for me, I have like zero artistic ability and can't even begin to wrap my head around what guys like @thewintersoldier and @Manuel Ammon do to come up with such cool graphic ideas. So....I don't even try Powercoated enclosures and knob color is about the extent of my "pedal aesthetic".


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## BuddytheReow (Jun 1, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> You're not alone brother! I actually bought a little thermal labelling gizmo and started printing clear labels for the knobs on the pedals I send to my brother. I also write up a little "user guide" with some history, background and suggested settings of all the pedals I've sent him.
> 
> But as for me, I have like zero artistic ability and can't even begin to wrap my head around what guys like @thewintersoldier and @Manuel Ammon do to come up with such cool graphic ideas. So....I don't even try Powercoated enclosures and knob color is about the extent of my "pedal aesthetic".


The cool graphics idea is just that. An idea. The hardest part of enclosure art, for me, is deciding what to put on there. My first build was a clear sticker of a video game character slapped on there and thought it was pretty cool. Heck, you don’t even need to be that artistic to get something cool looking. Take acrylic paint for example: they’re $.60 a tube at Walmart and you can get some cool splatter effects by mixing it with a few drops of water and flicking a paint brush. Don’t like how it turned out? Wipe it before it dries with a damp paper towel and start again. For the record I have zero photoshop skills hence the paint comment.


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## Diynot (Jun 1, 2022)

I “tongue in cheek” the no art thing a lot just because there is a lot of chatter ab it on the forum. It is super impressive the work some put into their final product and I applaud those that can do it. I have tried a few different art styles including electro/salt etching and paint pens. I even tried using GIMP, but it crashed my pos computer (hence the need for the computer repair). I like the challenge of a bigger build. As @thewintersoldier has said, anyone can shove some wires and parts into a pretty box, but it doesn’t mean sh*t if it doesn’t work. Lipstick on the pig if you will. Guess that means I need to start posting demos……


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## fig (Jun 1, 2022)

Diynot said:


> I “tongue in cheek” the no art thing a lot just because there is a lot of chatter ab it on the forum. It is super impressive the work some put into their final product and I applaud those that can do it. I have tried a few different art styles including electro/salt etching and paint pens. I even tried using GIMP, but it crashed my pos computer (hence the need for the computer repair). I like the challenge of a bigger build. As @thewintersoldier has said, anyone can shove some wires and parts into a pretty box, but it doesn’t mean sh*t if it doesn’t work. Lipstick on the pig if you will. Guess that means I need to start posting demos……


If I felt the need to provide “proof” or meet someone else’s expectations, I’d have to re-think the hobby. I suppose it’s another ballgame if you sell pedals though.


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## EGRENIER (Jun 1, 2022)

Excellent work and very nice tidy build....  You don't need fancy graphic to build good pedal.

However, for me, the whole find the pedal a visual identity is part of the fun.  I've been lucky to have fooled with graphic software most of my adult life, so it's not a steep learning curve today.

But at the end if you build a good looking pedal that doesn't sound good... what's the point !  More time should have been spent on the circuit !


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## Feral Feline (Jun 1, 2022)

This pedal is The New Black, for summer. 
Black was so last season, but this pedal — it's fresh.
Long-live The New Black.

Black is the only colour that's strong enough to make up a whole pedalboard. 
Black is the only colour that can make your builds look classy and simple, charming yet effortless, sexy yet elegant — all at the same time. 
The magic and mystique of black never fails to amaze. 
A black pedal is to stage-presence swagger what a riff-hook is to a hit song.

Everyone needs at least one little black pedal on their board.


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## Diynot (Jun 1, 2022)

Feral Feline said:


> This pedal is The New Black, for summer.
> Black was so last season, but this pedal — it's fresh.
> Long-live The New Black.
> 
> ...


I mean, c’mon the name is Obsidius playing on Dark Glass= obsidian it was a no brainer. That and the dude I was building it for specifically requested all black.


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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2022)

BuddytheReow said:


> The cool graphics idea is just that. An idea. The hardest part of enclosure art, for me, is deciding what to put on there. My first build was a clear sticker of a video game character slapped on there and thought it was pretty cool. Heck, you don’t even need to be that artistic to get something cool looking. Take acrylic paint for example: they’re $.60 a tube at Walmart and you can get some cool splatter effects by mixing it with a few drops of water and flicking a paint brush. Don’t like how it turned out? Wipe it before it dries with a damp paper towel and start again. For the record I have zero photoshop skills hence the paint comment.


I actually did try to paint my very first pedal build attempt. I used a can of mailbox paint, multiple thin coats, let it dry for days. Then I put a waterslide label on it, then intended to hit it with a couple of light coats of clear coat. As SOON as the clear coat hit the enclosure all the paint shriveled up and puckered underneath. I have no idea what I did wrong. I keep that enclosure on my bench to remind me of why all my pedals are blank.....heh....


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## Feral Feline (Jun 1, 2022)

Diynot said:


> I mean, c’mon the name is Obsidius playing on Dark Glass= obsidian it was a no brainer. That and the dude I was building it for specifically requested all black.


Exactly!


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## BuddytheReow (Jun 1, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> I actually did try to paint my very first pedal build attempt. I used a can of mailbox paint, multiple thin coats, let it dry for days. Then I put a waterslide label on it, then intended to hit it with a couple of light coats of clear coat. As SOON as the clear coat hit the enclosure all the paint shriveled up and puckered underneath. I have no idea what I did wrong. I keep that enclosure on my bench to remind me of why all my pedals are blank.....heh....


I have no experience with mailbox paint, but I've used regular rustoleum and clear coat for a few builds and they work just fine for me. Just make sure the can says it works on metal.

Edit: it also helps if you put a coat of primer on before anything else to allow the paint to stick properly. I still prime it when I use simple acrylics with a brush.


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## Diynot (Jun 1, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> I actually did try to paint my very first pedal build attempt. I used a can of mailbox paint, multiple thin coats, let it dry for days. Then I put a waterslide label on it, then intended to hit it with a couple of light coats of clear coat. As SOON as the clear coat hit the enclosure all the paint shriveled up and puckered underneath. I have no idea what I did wrong. I keep that enclosure on my bench to remind me of why all my pedals are blank.....heh....


I have had that happen as well. From what I have read, it happens when the underlying coat has not dried fully (drying times dependent on ambient temp and humidity) and the top new coat dries faster than the under coat.


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## EGRENIER (Jun 1, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> I actually did try to paint my very first pedal build attempt. I used a can of mailbox paint, multiple thin coats, let it dry for days. Then I put a waterslide label on it, then intended to hit it with a couple of light coats of clear coat. As SOON as the clear coat hit the enclosure all the paint shriveled up and puckered underneath. I have no idea what I did wrong. I keep that enclosure on my bench to remind me of why all my pedals are blank.....heh....


Did it puckered up on the waterslide surface or on the painted sides as well...  I've problems with clear coating enclosure that had a vinyl stickers applied on the face.  It looks like the clear coat forms drops in large grouping instead of leveling evenly (sort of a mercury type effect).  I still haven't figure that one out yet.  But I never had issue with waterslides...


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## Feral Feline (Jun 1, 2022)

Temperature.

The ambient temp and the paint itself have to be in their respective correct zones.

It was barely warm enough the other day to spray, but my current build (one of many concurrents) had been stalled long enough so I rattled the can...

Runs, dust...


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## Diynot (Jun 1, 2022)

Feral Feline said:


> Temperature.
> 
> The ambient temp and the paint itself have to be in their respective correct zones.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I do mine outside when I do and inevitably some dumbass gnat ends up embedded in the paint. Need a good sized cardboard box to make a spray booth


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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2022)

EGRENIER said:


> Did it puckered up on the waterslide surface or on the painted sides as well...  I've problems with clear coating enclosure that had a vinyl stickers applied on the face.  It looks like the clear coat forms drops in large grouping instead of leveling evenly (sort of a mercury type effect).  I still haven't figure that one out yet.  But I never had issue with waterslides...


Whole dang thing puckered up, I started sanding it back to start over then said "F this.....", and that's the way I left it


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## EGRENIER (Jun 1, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> Whole dang thing puckered up, I started sanding it back to start over then said "F this.....", and that's the way I left it


Yeah, I got my own share of issue with enclosures... I once used the infamous Tayda silver power coated enclosure that scratches just by looking at it.  I tried to buff the scratch out with just coton and car compound and the whole things started turning black.  I dissolved the whole powder coat in acetone down to bare metal.  Then repainted it with silver Rustoleum Painter's touch 2 X paint and a clear of the same line.  Did a pretty good job.


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## MichaelW (Jun 3, 2022)

EGRENIER said:


> Yeah, I got my own share of issue with enclosures... I once used the infamous Tayda silver power coated enclosure that scratches just by looking at it.  I tried to buff the scratch out with just coton and car compound and the whole things started turning black.  I dissolved the whole powder coat in acetone down to bare metal.  Then repainted it with silver Rustoleum Painter's touch 2 X paint and a clear of the same line.  Did a pretty good job.


Ugh, I have one of those "Ball Silver" Tayda enclosures in 1590BB. Still in plastic. I got it for a "someday build" for a full size Kliche that I have some oxblood knobs for. Now I'm afraid to use it.... hahah


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## ADAOCE (Jun 3, 2022)

Great build that pedal is awesome. FWIW I felt the same about investing time in artwork and decided to try just doing faceplates. It’s super easy to use graphic software to do text and maybe soon I’ll mess with some actual designs but at least you have some text and what not. Either way it’s still fun.


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## Diynot (Jun 3, 2022)

ADAOCE said:


> Great build that pedal is awesome. FWIW I felt the same about investing time in artwork and decided to try just doing faceplates. It’s super easy to use graphic software to do text and maybe soon I’ll mess with some actual designs but at least you have some text and what not. Either way it’s still fun.


Thanks! Really I just need stop with the self-deprecating and post a useful build report with a review of said pedal. It really is a surprisingly good bass dirt pedal. Not a fuzz like I usually prefer on bass, but good for adding a little bite to your low end.


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## Diynot (Jun 3, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> Ugh, I have one of those "Ball Silver" Tayda enclosures in 1590BB. Still in plastic. I got it for a "someday build" for a full size Kliche that I have some oxblood knobs for. Now I'm afraid to use it.... hahah


I haven’t looked mine over lately, but I have a kliche mini in a ball silver box that seems to be holding up fairly well. I’m not a gigging musician so it isn’t subjected to harsh treatment, but meh?


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## EGRENIER (Jun 3, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> Ugh, I have one of those "Ball Silver" Tayda enclosures in 1590BB. Still in plastic. I got it for a "someday build" for a full size Kliche that I have some oxblood knobs for. Now I'm afraid to use it.... hahah


Well don't be afraid to use, but beware that they really scratch easy and really bad...

If I had to work with one again, I would just be much more careful...  I would apply my waterslide first, cover the enclosure with a think layer of clear and only then start thinking of getting any type of metallic tool or object near it.  So drill after you do your graphics.

For the record, when that happened, I opened a ticket at Tayda with no other intention then informing them that they may have had a batch of ball silver that had not cured properly.  Credit to Hugo, he replied explaining that the ball silver color requires special attention ("very very specific temperature to cure") and that they have been paying attention to it.

In an apology, he gave me a store credit. A very classy move from him, I was not expecting or demanding any reimbursement.

 Kudos to Tayda for it...


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## BuddytheReow (Jun 3, 2022)

Tayda does a good job to keep their customers. They sold me a faulty stomp switch ($2.50) and after a few emails exchanged they gave me $5 credit for my next order. Haven't had a bad one since.


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