# The Fat Controller (General Tso's Compressor)



## SteveF (Jun 10, 2020)

Took a while to get here - stupid faulty LDRs (thanks for the assistance Chuck!) but it's all working now.


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## Chuck D. Bones (Jun 10, 2020)

Looking good! I like the strategically placed Stomp Switch.  One suggestion: remove some of the paint inside around the pots, switch and jack holes so the box is actually grounded.  Makes for better shielding.


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## Boukman (Jun 28, 2020)

Nice!!I built the same today!I was in doubt whether the ldr should face the leds or not..I built it like you..Do you have any problems?


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## SteveF (Jun 28, 2020)

Boukman said:


> Nice!!I built the same today!I was in doubt whether the ldr should face the leds or not..I built it like you..Do you have any problems?



 I’m still not 100% convinced it’s working optimally. It’s VERY subtle to the point where I’m never 100% convinced it’s actually doing much if anything at all.  I might do some samples and pop a vid here to see what people think.


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## Nostradoomus (Jun 28, 2020)

I just built the Aion Convex which is basically the same thing without a treble control. I rolled my own vactrols with Green LEDs and 5516 LDRs but they are facing each other head on and it works well, could be the problem.


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## Chuck D. Bones (Jun 28, 2020)

SteveF said:


> I’m still not 100% convinced it’s working optimally. It’s VERY subtle to the point where I’m never 100% convinced it’s actually doing much if anything at all.  I might do some samples and pop a vid here to see what people think.


You're testing this with the bottom cover securely fastened, right?  Any light leaks into the box will turn the LDRs on and reduce sustain.

Here are some easy tests you can run:

Set TONE to noon and BALANCE to max for all of these tests.  The position of the toggle switch does not matter when BALANCE is maxed.

Play softly with SUSTAIN all the way down and then again with SUSTAIN is turned all the way up.  Do you hear a difference?  

Turn SUSTAIN all the way up.  Strike a chord and listen to the decay while switching the pedal in and out.  Do you hear a difference?

In a very dark room, with the bottom cover removed, turn SUSTAIN all the way up, play some chords thru the pedal and see how brightly the LEDs light up.


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## SteveF (Jul 5, 2020)

Hey Chuck, sorry, only just saw this response.  

Yes, all secure in the enclosure and on the board now.   I’ve run the first tests and yes there is a difference.  I haven’t managed to do the dark room one yet.  I think it‘s just the fact that the Keeley 4 knob clone I used before goes a lot more “squishy” so this is a subtler compression than I’m used to I think.  The plus is that this one doesn’t amplify the noise floor nearly so much, so no hiss.  

I’ll report back when I get a chance to try and see how bright the LEDs are.  I wish I had a real one to A-B them.


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## SteveF (Jul 24, 2020)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> You're testing this with the bottom cover securely fastened, right?  Any light leaks into the box will turn the LDRs on and reduce sustain.
> 
> Here are some easy tests you can run:
> 
> ...



Hey Chuck, I managed to get hold of a Fat General to A/B them and they sound almost identical. Thanks very much.  It is a very subtle pedal compared to some compressors though.  I am more used to the Ross compressor and Keeley 4-knob, both of which I think are much more squashy if that makes sense.


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## Chuck D. Bones (Jul 24, 2020)

It absolutely does make sense.  A compressor is an automatic gain control.  It automatically adjusts the gain to maintain a constant, or nearly constant volume.  The Tso's maximum gain is significantly less than the Ross or Keeley.  The Delegate will behave the same way with RATIO and SUSTAIN turned down.


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## TheSin (Jul 26, 2020)

SteveF said:


> Hey Chuck, I managed to get hold of a Fat General to A/B them and they sound almost identical. Thanks very much.  It is a very subtle pedal compared to some compressors though.  I am more used to the Ross compressor and Keeley 4-knob, both of which I think are much more squashy if that makes sense.


I built me one. It is subtle, but a nice sounding compressor. 
Check out the Constrictor, nice and squashy sounding and very low noise! Simple 2 knob box for simpleton’s like myself. I’m plugged into it now with my newly built POT....fantastic!


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