# Anyone tried adding clipping diodes to a Wonder Drive?



## HamishR (Sep 9, 2020)

I'm quite impressed with the Wonder Drive but feel that the clipping is not its forté. I guess it's not really meant to be used as a stand-alone distortion but I was wondering if anyone has tried it with clipping diodes added? It wouldn't be difficult to put them on a switch and I may well try it, but keen to hear if anyone has tried it before.


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 14, 2020)

Would probably sound like a Tube Screamer. ?


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## BurntFingers (Sep 14, 2020)

You'd likely increase the gain you hear but lose volume. Usual clipping stuff.


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## Danbieranowski (Sep 14, 2020)

I’d like to hear it.


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## HamishR (Sep 14, 2020)

I think you're all right!  I am surprised at how much I like it as a booster which is I guess what it was designed to do. I don't like many boosters (although I LOVE the Red Rooster) but this one is a cracker.


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## Danbieranowski (Sep 14, 2020)

HamishR said:


> I think you're all right!  I am surprised at how much I like it as a booster which is I guess what it was designed to do. I don't like many boosters (although I LOVE the Red Rooster) but this one is a cracker.



Yeah it's definitely underrated. I love the way it sounds tightening up low end for heavy kinda chuggy stuff. It was my first PedalPCB build. I don't know enough about schematics to know where to add the diodes, but I'm down to try, I have a handful of those boards. I do know that the GAIN/DIRT knob adds a lot of noise to the signal, so I'd be curious to see how much of an impact diodes would have (or at least that's been my experience with high gain amps). I also bought some stepped knobs to try out with the BITE setting because I want it to be sort of 'set it and forget it'.

Here's what it sounds like tightening up a heavy tone for anyone who's interested:


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## Nostradoomus (Sep 14, 2020)

Just tack a pair of diodes from lugs 1-3 of the dirt knob and see what happens. I did that with my Zapper build to give it some oomph, though I also put an LED in there too for some asymmetrical clipping.


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## Danbieranowski (Sep 14, 2020)

Nostradoomus said:


> Just tack a pair of diodes from lugs 1-3 of the dirt knob and see what happens. I did that with my Zapper build to give it some oomph, though I also put an LED in there too for some asymmetrical clipping.
> 
> View attachment 6276



Does orientation matter beyond it being symmetrical/asymmetrical?


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## Nostradoomus (Sep 14, 2020)

I never gave it a thought really, it might...but seeing as they’re both tied to the same spot I don’t think it does? Experiment time!


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## Danbieranowski (Sep 14, 2020)

Storing this in my bookmarks! I'm expecting this breadboard tester from Arcadia that should add quite a bit to my experimenting arsenal. https://www.arcadiaelectronics.com/_p/prd1/4721292061/product/breadboard-power-and-bypass-module


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## Barry (Sep 14, 2020)

Danbieranowski said:


> Storing this in my bookmarks! I'm expecting this breadboard tester from Arcadia that should add quite a bit to my experimenting arsenal. https://www.arcadiaelectronics.com/_p/prd1/4721292061/product/breadboard-power-and-bypass-module


I got one of those a while back haven't had a chance to get into it yet.


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## Danbieranowski (Sep 15, 2020)

Barry said:


> I got one of those a while back haven't had a chance to get into it yet.



Look forward to seeing what you cook up.


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## mnemonic (Sep 18, 2020)

This thread piqued my interest so yesterday I dug out the wonder drive I made maybe last year. I did a few mods to it based on another thread where where pedalpcb had another version of the pedal and was detailing the differences. I changed a few things but I forget what now.

I haven’t used it much since I usually like some grit and drive from a tubescreamer-like boost. I mostly play high gain and for reference I will usually run a tubescreamer with the level all the way up and the drive between 9:00 and 12:00. Also I thought the wonderdrive kinda lacked some character and was just a little tubby on the bottom end.

not a scientific test or anything, I played it for like 2 minutes, then added three 1n4148’s as asymmetric clipping over the drive pot like was posted above. I was expecting a tubescreamer-like Drive knob but the clipping it added is quite subtle even turned all the way up. Not sure if that is a function of the drive pot value, or maybe there should be a resistor between the diodes and leg 1 of the pot (just comparing to tubescreamer schematic). 

Though I do think it sounds better, a bit tighter and grittier which addresses my issues with it before. I’ll give it a few days to see if it will earn a spot on my board.


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## HamishR (Sep 18, 2020)

If I was going to add clipping diodes I would probably use four: 2 pairs. I would connect them between pins 1 & 2 of the chip. Maybe I would use something like the nodes of R2 and R16 which connect to pins 1 & 2. If you wanted more compression just use two diodes, but I like four.


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## Mourguitars (Sep 27, 2020)

Building another one as we speak...might try tacking on the LED like Nostradoomus recommended ...but this is my favorite boost..plays well with all my amps and pre amps....awesome pedal build ! Love it as is ....but ?????? hmmm lol

Mike


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## Mourguitars (Sep 27, 2020)

Unboxed my parts  today and figured i would try this simple mod...

It made the Pedal sound more Woolly- dark- compressed....i took it off

I like this one the way it is

Mike



https://imgur.com/uaGDLjc




https://imgur.com/Ie1Fp6t


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## Nostradoomus (Sep 27, 2020)

Oh it’s not just an LED, there’s a pair of 1n5817s in there too


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