# Captain Bit



## Route14 (Oct 27, 2020)

Back in 2004 I built Tonepads Blue Box project because I always wanted to try a Blue Box. It was okay but not terribly usable. 10 years later I got the Bit Commander and thought it was similar to the Blue Box but with way more control, additional options and much more usability. I decided to give the Captain a go and compare. I a/b'd them and they were dead on as one might expect. Once you get the hang of them these are fun pedals.


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## vashuba (Nov 18, 2020)

Nice! Gonna build one. Use to have one but I sold it.


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## Route14 (Nov 18, 2020)

vashuba said:


> Nice! Gonna build one. Use to have one but I sold it.


Cool. If you like the original you'll like this one. Mouser has the transformer, Small Bear has the 386 chip and I used Tayda's 6 knob pre drilled enclosure. It came together very easily.


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## Betty Wont (Nov 18, 2020)

Route14 said:


> Cool. If you like the original you'll like this one. Mouser has the transformer, Small Bear has the 386 chip and I used Tayda's 6 knob pre drilled enclosure. It came together very easily.


The chip is also available at tayda and mouser, and small bear carries a 011 transformer as well.


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## vashuba (Nov 25, 2020)

currently souring parts for this, as its in the mail.
So from what i have gathered the JRC386D is now the NJM386D, but am having trouble finding either.  Any other alternatives?
thanks


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## Route14 (Nov 25, 2020)

vashuba said:


> currently souring parts for this, as its in the mail.
> So from what i have gathered the JRC386D is now the NJM386D, but am having trouble finding either.  Any other alternatives?
> thanks


Pretty much. The company used to be called Japan Radio Company but I think the are called New Japan Radio now. The chips still say JRC but when searching Mouser you have to use NJM####. The only place I’ve found the JRC386D is at Small Bear. Search NJM386D and you should find it.

There might be substitutes but I’m not knowledgeable enough to know what would work.


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## vashuba (Jan 3, 2021)

hey so is the base knob the dry signal?


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## Danbieranowski (Jan 4, 2021)

vashuba said:


> hey so is the base knob the dry signal?


Kind of. It’s the guitar signal but adds a fuzz.


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## giovanni (Jan 4, 2021)

Hey guys, NJM386D was officially discontinued and, although it seems possible to find, I wonder if there are alternative parts we can use? Mouser suggests NJM2113D, but from the comparison it looks like there are substantial differences (higher output impedance, almost double the gain), although I don't know if and how they would affect this circuit. Any ideas?


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## Elijah-Baley (Jan 5, 2021)

Original and replica pedals sounds pretty the same.
But I'm wondering why the setting of the knobs are so different.


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## Route14 (Jan 5, 2021)

Elijah-Baley said:


> Original and replica pedals sounds pretty the same.
> But I'm wondering why the setting of the knobs are so different.


Mostly because the arrangement of the knobs is completely different between the two board layouts.

Any other difference would be because of tolerance in components (particularly the pots which can be up to 20%) and because of the installation point of the knobs to the pot. I matched the sounds and levels by ear the best I could. Really the only way to do a true comparison between two pedals of the same circuit. 

Thanks!


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## Route14 (Jan 5, 2021)

giovanni said:


> Hey guys, NJM386D was officially discontinued and, although it seems possible to find, I wonder if there are alternative parts we can use? Mouser suggests NJM2113D, but from the comparison it looks like there are substantial differences (higher output impedance, almost double the gain), although I don't know if and how they would affect this circuit. Any ideas?


I wish I knew enough about components to say. 

Because the guitar pedal industry doesn't drive the electronic parts industry it's gotta be tough for builders when a part they use becomes obsolete. I imagine they have to move to SMD parts or redesign their circuits to work with available parts. 

I wonder in a situation like this if EQD has a stock pile of these parts or if they would discontinue the pedal.


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## giovanni (Jan 5, 2021)

I think that's when builders release their V2 of a pedal or something... I wonder if I should just get the part and see if it works properly. If the circuit is well designed, some part differences shouldn't make a huge difference. I am a bit concerned about 2X the gain tho (in dB).


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## giovanni (Jan 5, 2021)

Looking at the datasheets, I think I can safely assume that the NJM386 is equivalent to the LM386 which is available on Mouser.


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## Danbieranowski (Jan 6, 2021)

giovanni said:


> Looking at the datasheets, I think I can safely assume that the NJM386 is equivalent to the LM386 which is available on Mouser.


That’s what I used and it worked well.


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## vashuba (Jan 6, 2021)

where you guys getting your enclosures?  you buying pre-drilled?


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## Route14 (Jan 7, 2021)

vashuba said:


> where you guys getting your enclosures?  you buying pre-drilled?


I've primarily been purchasing enclosures from Tayda. Coated and pre-drilled when I can.


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## vashuba (Jan 7, 2021)

thanks, at first I was like Thailand! thats gonna take forever, but the have a shipping center in CO.  I like how they have links to the components to their PCB kits...


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