# Mutron III- Madbean Naughty Fish



## Harry Klippton (Jan 16, 2022)

I started this build like a year ago, and there are some growing pains in this one. The enclosure had been sitting around and was from one of my first batches of no film, where I found out the hard way that if you trim the decal too close to the edge, it curls and doesn't adhere right. 

The volume pot is optional and wasn't original to the mutron unit, but it seemed like a good idea. The build doc says to use a 9mm or 12mm pot but despite having read the build doc, I ended up with a 16mm pot anyway and made it work because fuck it. 

This pedal is great. There are so many wacky sounds to be had, and lots and lots of unusable/unusual ones too. I wanted to throw together a quick bass clip today too but that didn't happen. 

@thewintersoldier came in clutch and hooked me up with a couple of the 1/8w resistors I somehow forgot to order and a couple odd value caps back before xmas and I still couldn't make this one happen before the end of the year. Kids are wild and this was a one wire at a time job. Quick wank of a sound clip at the bottom with a couple different sounds. I think I was just switching from HI to LO


----------



## Barry (Jan 16, 2022)

Sounds good and looks good, too!


----------



## xefned (Jan 16, 2022)

That sounds badass. Props on the sound samples!


----------



## jimilee (Jan 16, 2022)

Very kewl. I forgot I have one of these boards somewhere in a stack of others. I need to get it out and build it.


----------



## Paradox916 (Jan 16, 2022)

Looks and sound good!


----------



## Bio77 (Jan 16, 2022)

That looks awesome!  Congrats on seeing it through. This is a super fun pedal, even if its not your style, hours of fun.


----------



## Preverb (Jan 16, 2022)

I think the Mu-Tron III is considered their best envlope filter right?  I think the dead heads like it and it sounds better to me than DOD one that pedalpcb has a pcb for


----------



## fig (Jan 17, 2022)

I _thought_ I heard some funkalicious tunes coming from over here! 

The halflings are sometimes tough to pick up once left behind, so extra props there!

Great build and riffing Will!


----------



## xefned (Jan 17, 2022)

thewintersoldier said:


> The reissue dod is ota based and the original dod used an vtl5c4/2 which is suuuuper hard to find and the xvive reissue doesn't work well in the circuit. Madbean sells the vfe mini-mu which is a tweaked mutron since he discontinued the naughty fish board. Will nailed it!



I wonder if it's worth investigating the original DOD. The green DOD envelope filter was my first effect and I loved it.

Having already built the FX25 (from the Madbean Flunkee PCB) do you think it's worth attempting the original vactrol-based 440 version of the DOD?


----------



## xefned (Jan 17, 2022)

I'm pretty sure I have original vtl5c4/2s from building the 440 a long time ago. 

It was an early effect for me. One of those ones that worked when originally boxed in a tin can, but then trying to rebox it with a footswitch and proper DC jack I screwed something up and it ended up in my junk pile. I don't even know where the PCB layout came from. I think I took the General Guitar Gadgets one and straightened the tracks in photoshop before etching.

I guess I might as well try one eh? I can read opinions on TGP, but I won't know for sure unless I try.


----------



## Harry Klippton (Jan 17, 2022)

Once Madbean discontinued the naughty fish, I picked up the mini mu board too. Eventually I can compare them


----------



## xefned (Jan 17, 2022)

Harry Klippton said:


> Once Madbean discontinued the naughty fish, I picked up the mini mu board too. Eventually I can compare them



I'll be interested in hearing if the Naughty Fish is noticeably better.


----------



## Harry Klippton (Jan 18, 2022)

Short bass clip:


----------



## Betty Wont (Jan 18, 2022)

I have compared them and the mini mu wins every category. Smaller form, more stability, better response, more range, more headroom.


----------



## xefned (Jan 18, 2022)

Harry Klippton said:


> Short bass clip …


That makes me wanna go hump something. Nicely done.


----------



## xefned (Jan 18, 2022)

Betty Wont said:


> I have compared them and the mini mu wins every category. Smaller form, more stability, better response, more range, more headroom.









Oh no, the _good fun_ is leaking out into the civilized world!


----------



## Preverb (Jan 19, 2022)

Betty Wont said:


> I have compared them and the mini mu wins every category. Smaller form, more stability, better response, more range, more headroom.


This is a Madbean/VFE pcb right?


----------



## Harry Klippton (Jan 19, 2022)

Preverb said:


> This is a Madbean/VFE pcb right?


Yes. Brian at Madbean stopped making the naughty fish board because of the mini mu


----------



## xefned (Jan 22, 2022)

Harry Klippton said:


> Yes. Brian at Madbean stopped making the naughty fish board because of the mini mu



And Peter at VFE stopped making the mini µ because of the NSL-32SR3.


----------



## xefned (Jan 23, 2022)

Betty Wont said:


> I have compared them and the mini mu wins every category. Smaller form, more stability, better response, more range, more headroom.



Hey Betty, I know you've been in this game a lot longer than most of the people here. Could you give some advice to an envelope filter aficionado?

Have you tried an envelope filter that was not based on the Mutron III that you could recommend? I'm convinced that the VFE is the best Mutron-based envelope filter out there, but I want to add some others to my collection. And I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many envelope filters.


----------



## Betty Wont (Jan 23, 2022)

xefned said:


> Hey Betty, I know you've been in this game a lot longer than most of the people here. Could you give some advice to an envelope filter aficionado?
> 
> Have you tried an envelope filter that was not based on the Mutron III that you could recommend? I'm convinced that the VFE is the best Mutron-based envelope filter out there, but I want to add some others to my collection. And I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many envelope filters.


My favorite filter (I'm mostly a bass player) is the Ibanez SB-7. Madbean has a project for that. There is also something a little magical about the filter side of the Maestro F/SH.


----------



## xefned (Jan 23, 2022)

Hey, thanks! I've been eyeing that 'Edgelord' for a while, even though it looks a little more complex than the pedals I usually go for.

I'll sneak it into my cart next time I place a Madbean order. Appreciate it!


----------

