# Woodpecker Tremolo



## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 20, 2019)

I've got The Chops! Here it is. It was a quick and easy build and it sounds exactly like my Hummingbird. Tayda red enclosure. LMS knobs. P-Touch printed labels. Relay bypass module for that sweet soft touch and momentary usage.


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## Barry (Oct 20, 2019)

Awesome as always!


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## Cucurbitam0schata (Oct 21, 2019)

Haven't considered using the relay bypass module for a build - just re-read the description on the shop's site. What other pedals would you all consider popping one of those modules in? That thing has some pretty sweet creative applications the more I think about it. 

Nice idea utilizing it for the Woodpecker!


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## Mourguitars (Oct 21, 2019)

Awesome as always ! You go some sweet builds !

Mike


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## benny_profane (Oct 21, 2019)

Cucurbitam0schata said:


> Haven't considered using the relay bypass module for a build - just re-read the description on the shop's site. What other pedals would you all consider popping one of those modules in? That thing has some pretty sweet creative applications the more I think about it.
> 
> Nice idea utilizing it for the Woodpecker!



I like to consider relay switching for anything that isn't "always on" for me (e.g., a compressor—although some folks use compressors as an 'effect' and don't have it always on) or something that I might want to use momentarily. Mostly, time-based or modulation effects are good candidates. They can be good for distortion/OD, too. You just have to weigh the pros/cons and consider how you use things. A SPST switch has better longevity and smoother actuation and you have a momentary option. But there are more parts, it's a bigger footprint, _some_ relay switching circuits have a brief muting period to avoid switching noise, and it's an overall more expensive switching option.


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

benny_profane said:


> I like to consider relay switching for anything that isn't "always on" for me (e.g., a compressor—although some folks use compressors as an 'effect' and don't have it always on) or something that I might want to use momentarily. Mostly, time-based or modulation effects are good candidates. They can be good for distortion/OD, too. You just have to weigh the pros/cons and consider how you use things. A SPST switch has better longevity and smoother actuation and you have a momentary option. But there are more parts, it's a bigger footprint, _some_ relay switching circuits have a brief muting period to avoid switching noise, and it's an overall more expensive switching option.


Pretty much this. Also, It'd be cool on a reverb if it had trails but I don't think any PCBs do that here.


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## benny_profane (Oct 21, 2019)

Jovi Bon Kenobi said:


> Pretty much this. Also, It'd be cool on a reverb if it had trails but I don't think any PCBs do that here.



I definitely agree. I was going to add a line about time-based effect trails, but I thought that got a little away from the original question since that often adds circuit modification or use of a looper.

Making a stand-alone looper pedal that allows for trails bypass with the relay would be a good idea. The looper box would be: signal in -> effect loop send -> effects in the loop (switched on) -> effects loop return -> signal out.

I’m really into utility circuits like that that can allow using existing effects in new ways. Feedback routing is an easy addition to a looper circuit like that. Doing it well, though, to contain runaway noise and high-pitched saturation is another thing entirely.


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## zgrav (Oct 21, 2019)

Jovi Bon Kenobi said:


> Pretty much this. Also, It'd be cool on a reverb if it had trails but I don't think any PCBs do that here.


Madbeanpedals just started offering several different bypass boards, including one with a "short fade":  http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/_folders/Bypass/pdf/3PDT-03.pdf

It uses a capacitor to make the fade, so it would not have long-trails.  Might be fun to experiments with.


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## benny_profane (Oct 21, 2019)

zgrav said:


> Madbeanpedals just started offering several different bypass boards, including one with a "short fade":  http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/_folders/Bypass/pdf/3PDT-03.pdf
> 
> It uses a capacitor to make the fade, so it would not have long-trails.  Might be fun to experiments with.


That's for the LED. Signal trails involve a bit more circuitry and cannot be true bypass.


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## zgrav (Oct 21, 2019)

Wow.  I completely misunderstood what that was supposed to do.   And obviously did not stop to read the description closely.


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## benny_profane (Oct 21, 2019)

zgrav said:


> Wow.  I completely misunderstood what that was supposed to do.   And obviously did not stop to read the description closely.


Haha, no worries! That would be a cool option though.


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## chongmagic (Oct 21, 2019)

Jovi Bon Kenobi said:


> I've got The Chops! Here it is. It was a quick and easy build and it sounds exactly like my Hummingbird. Tayda red enclosure. LMS knobs. P-Touch printed labels. Relay bypass module for that sweet soft touch and momentary usage.
> View attachment 1942
> View attachment 1943


Which P Touch do you use? Does it do all the design labels?


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

chongmagic said:


> Which P Touch do you use? Does it do all the design labels?


An older ptd600. I use the software that you have to download for your computer and connect it via USB cable. Basically, I can print any image or font from whatever's on my computer screen. The stock fonts that it comes with straight from the machine are much simpler and IMO kinda boring. I find a cool font on the internet, test it with what I want it to say, snap an image of it, then print it on my P-Touch.


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## chongmagic (Oct 21, 2019)

Jovi Bon Kenobi said:


> The ptd600. I use the software that you have to download for your computer and connect it via USB cable. Basically, any image or font I can print from my computer. The stock fonts that it comes with are much simpler. I find a cool font on the internet, test it with what I want it to say, snap an image of it, then print it on my P-Touch.


Do you use it with a clear background?


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

chongmagic said:


> Do you use it with a clear background?


Yeah, I buy off brand clear tape labels with different colored letters. 12mm or 18mm size. I've seen em in black, white, gold, blue, and red (on clear tape).


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

This is the software I am speaking of. It's called P-Touch Editor. It has a thing called "snapmode" that allows you to screen capture anything. In this photo I snapped "overcast" and it resized it to what it would look like on a tape.


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

And in this photo the nun is split into 3 tapes because I like a challenge. ?The body from head to toe is one tape and each wing are tapes. I use a pair of sharp fine detail scissors and my optivisor and cut em out right along the lettering or image.


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## chongmagic (Oct 21, 2019)

Awesome I might give it a try, where so you buy your clear labels?


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

chongmagic said:


> Awesome I might give it a try, where so you buy your clear labels?


Here are the white on clear I use


			https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQ5L86B/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_klJRDb0RXHX77
		


You'd have to dig a little deeper on Amazon to find the different colors on clear. They're around you just have to pay close attn to the details. I haven't found any colored clear bigger than 12mm but 18mm is preferred...more versatile. And save a ton by buying off brand, not Brother brand.


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## chongmagic (Oct 21, 2019)

Awesome thanks Jovi!


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

It's fun. A bit time consuming, but if you consider that I can label many boxes in one day if I don't pull my hair out it's pretty great. No chemicals or paint drying. The tapes are waterproof, uv resistant, and rub proof, but...also visable.
I save all files and can go back to oft used tapes, like the header and footer, or to certain control lettering radii curvatures and re-enter new words. As well as pretty much all images so I mix and match from previously saved designs.
In conjunction to the software, I'll occasionally use pinetools.com to alter, rotate just a hair, Saturate, etc the images I snapped, like that nun above...which was from a movie poster called Nunsploitation. The background was gray not white so I used pinetools to add contrast and it became white, adding more definition.
I also like myfonts.com and have preferred typography companies I favorited that I always go back to for inspiration.


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Oct 21, 2019)

I think I'll make a P-Touch thread going into detail my process so I can link to it. Haha.


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## Many__Of__Horror (Dec 4, 2019)

Can you share the soft touch switch to use on this module? Just want to make sure I search out the correct parts.


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## Jovi Bon Kenobi (Dec 5, 2019)

Many__Of__Horror said:


> Can you share the soft touch switch to use on this module? Just want to make sure I search out the correct parts.


These. And I specifically got the short shaft version because I wanted more room for the relay bypass module that sits over it. I have some longer shaft ones but I don't like that I have to mount them with all of the excess shaft coming out of the front of the enclosure. It's just too long for my taste. The short shaft ones look nice and tidy.








						SPST Momentary Foot Switch - Normally Open - Soft Touch - Short Shaft
					

Same day shipping and awesome prices for guitar pedal parts! A family owned business with AMAZING customer service.




					lovemyswitches.com


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## Many__Of__Horror (Dec 5, 2019)

Jovi Bon Kenobi said:


> These. And I specifically got the short shaft version because I wanted more room for the relay bypass module that sits over it. I have some longer shaft ones but I don't like that I have to mount them with all of the excess shaft coming out of the front of the enclosure. It's just too long for my taste. The short shaft ones look nice and tidy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you!

What would be the difference in useage with an open vs closed SPST momentary switch?
EDIT: Never mind, got off my ass and researched it. Open it is!


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