# adding a master volume to the chickenhead



## jcrews (May 5, 2021)

What im trying to do may be impossible with the board, but I'm interested in it even if i have to go perf.  I built this tweaked rangemaster and it hasn't been turned off yet at all.  I made 5 more and gave them as gifts.  I'm full on in love.  

I'd love to be able to add in a simple post gain master volume.  The boost REALLY introduces some nice color when you crank it high but it's SO loud.

Would be cool to use the boost like a gain knob and have a way to control the overall output of the effect.  Is this do-able?  Is this stupid?

I'm open to the truth.


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## Big Monk (May 5, 2021)

jcrews said:


> What im trying to do may be impossible with the board, but I'm interested in it even if i have to go perf.  I built this tweaked rangemaster and it hasn't been turned off yet at all.  I made 5 more and gave them as gifts.  I'm full on in love.
> 
> I'd love to be able to add in a simple post gain master volume.  The boost REALLY introduces some nice color when you crank it high but it's SO loud.
> 
> ...



A volume control on a Treble Boost is a great idea. I use it all the time.

Just take the circuit output to the left most lug of a 100kA pot, wiper to effect output, and right lug to ground.


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## jcrews (May 5, 2021)

Even simpler than i had imagined.  Thanks again.  You've given me lots of good info in the past few days.  I surely appreciate it.


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## Big Monk (May 5, 2021)

jcrews said:


> Even simpler than i had imagined.  Thanks again.  You've given me lots of good info in the past few days.  I surely appreciate it.



Don't get used to it! I just joined and am answering things I know about. That will run out sooner or later!


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## jcrews (May 5, 2021)

works great.  I had a 100k linear layin around.  feels nice and even.  solid.


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## jcrews (May 5, 2021)

@Big Monk

snap.  I just realized.  It effects my volume even when the effect is off.  (which makes total sense, no idea how i didn't see that coming)That's my only hangup with it at the moment.  I wonder how to incorporate it somewhere in the circuit?

I run it as an "on all the time" so it's not a deal breaker, but i was hoping to get more of a OD use out of it and it does it in spades when i have the boost dimed and the master cut back, but if i step on it and turn it off, I'm gone until i reach down and crank that master back up...


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## Big Monk (May 5, 2021)

jcrews said:


> @Big Monk
> 
> snap.  I just realized.  It effects my volume even when the effect is off.  (which makes total sense, no idea how i didn't see that coming)That's my only hangup with it at the moment.  I wonder how to incorporate it somewhere in the circuit?
> 
> I run it as an "on all the time" so it's not a deal breaker, but i was hoping to get more of a OD use out of it and it does it in spades when i have the boost dimed and the master cut back, but if i step on it and turn it off, I'm gone until i reach down and crank that master back up...



You have it wired between the switch and the jack.

It needs to be wired between the circuit and the switch. Wire the volume control between the circuit board output and the switch.


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## jcrews (May 5, 2021)

well there goes all my credibility...

Fixed:  works perfect.


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## Chuck D. Bones (May 5, 2021)

I just looked at the Chicken Head schematic and the BOOST control _is a volume control_ after the gain stage. You just added another volume control right after the existing volume control. Not sure why the two should sound any different from each other. What are you driving with the Chicken Head?


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## jcrews (May 6, 2021)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> I just looked at the Chicken Head schematic and the BOOST control _is a volume control_ after the gain stage. You just added another volume control right after the existing volume control. Not sure why the two should sound any different from each other. What are you driving with the Chicken Head?


I know it's weird but it works like i expected.  I'll make a video tomorrow when the house ain't asleep.
Basically I run it on all the time at the front of my chain.  I usually use it to control my base level "gain" on my clean signal.  As i get to the top three quarters of the knob it gets dirtier but it's also super loud.  This (so far at low volume for testing) sounds gain-ier when the boost is cranked and the "master" is kicked back than when I back off on the boost to get the right amount of output vs. Unity.  It's not the same sound.  The magic in this circuit to me is how it turns 10 on my guitar volume into 12.  If i roll back a notch or two i get a sparkly clean like you would with a face circuit, and then rolling up to 10 hits all my other pedals harder and really makes my tube amps come alive.  I just dig them as a pre-amp.  I've tried the broadcast and the benson and the JHS and this one is my fav for that purpose.  Trying to tweak it to get more sounds and range out of a tiny little circuit 

I'm not saying this would be useful for anyone else, but it's good for my setup.  I've kind of taken to using a germy booster up front in my chain instead of compression lately and the chickenhead sounds real nice.  Since i have an extra laying around i figured id mess with it...  Tomorrow I want to make the bias external as well to deal with temp changes.  Super overkill rangemaster but whatever


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## Chuck D. Bones (May 6, 2021)

What's the next pedal in the chain?  Maybe what's going on is the 100K Volume control is raising the output impedance of the Chickenhead and that, combined with the input circuit of the next pedal is making the sound you want.  I'm just curious.


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## Feral Feline (May 6, 2021)

Big Monk said:


> Don't get used to it! I just joined and am answering things I know about. That will run out sooner or later!


Nah, can't run out 'cause you'll continue to build not just pedals, but also knowledge as you go!

"_Just take the circuit output to the left most lug of a 100kA pot, wiper to effect output, and right lug to ground._"

I'd clarify that with saying which way the pot is oriented — lugs up or down, looking at the back/front...


Now back to the vol>master-vol ...


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## Big Monk (May 6, 2021)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> I just looked at the Chicken Head schematic and the BOOST control _is a volume control_ after the gain stage. You just added another volume control right after the existing volume control. Not sure why the two should sound any different from each other. What are you driving with the Chicken Head?



In my experience, and I love the Rangemaster circuit and have built many, the Boost feels more like a gain control. While essentially the Fuzz Face Q2 and TB MKII Q3 voltage divider in pot form, I have found that by the time I get the Boost pot to a point I love, there is no hope for unity gain and I can’t use it as a tone sweetener. 

Don’t get me wrong, I still play with it with the Boost AND Volume cranked as well, but it’s more versatile with a Volume control.


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## Big Monk (May 6, 2021)

Feral Feline said:


> Nah, can't run out 'cause you'll continue to build not just pedals, but also knowledge as you go!
> 
> "_Just take the circuit output to the left most lug of a 100kA pot, wiper to effect output, and right lug to ground._"
> 
> ...



Good point. I meant looking at the back of the pot.


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## Big Monk (May 6, 2021)

jcrews said:


> I know it's weird but it works like i expected.  I'll make a video tomorrow when the house ain't asleep.
> Basically I run it on all the time at the front of my chain.  I usually use it to control my base level "gain" on my clean signal.  As i get to the top three quarters of the knob it gets dirtier but it's also super loud.  This (so far at low volume for testing) sounds gain-ier when the boost is cranked and the "master" is kicked back than when I back off on the boost to get the right amount of output vs. Unity.  It's not the same sound.  The magic in this circuit to me is how it turns 10 on my guitar volume into 12.  If i roll back a notch or two i get a sparkly clean like you would with a face circuit, and then rolling up to 10 hits all my other pedals harder and really makes my tube amps come alive.  I just dig them as a pre-amp.  I've tried the broadcast and the benson and the JHS and this one is my fav for that purpose.  Trying to tweak it to get more sounds and range out of a tiny little circuit
> 
> I'm not saying this would be useful for anyone else, but it's good for my setup.  I've kind of taken to using a germy booster up front in my chain instead of compression lately and the chickenhead sounds real nice.  Since i have an extra laying around i figured id mess with it...  Tomorrow I want to make the bias external as well to deal with temp changes.  Super overkill rangemaster but whatever



This is my experience exactly.


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## jcrews (May 6, 2021)

I will get a video at some point today.  I feel like the sound is definitely different with the boost on full and the master at half than with the master on full and the boost at half.  Looking at it on paper, i know that doesn't track but into a loud amp it def feels diff.  I'm not running back to do it to all the other rangemaster's I've built or anything, but it was a VERY easy experiment.  Like i mentioned, I intend to bring the bias knob out front as well and have the most tweakable treble booster I can.  It's crazy that such a small and basic circuit can do so much to your sound.  Germanium breakup sounds more natural and amp like to my ear than anything else ive tried.  In a perfect world when i can run my amp at it's sweet spot i don't really need it, but if the soundman wants lower stage volume, it's an irreplaceable tool for me to get the amp to behave like i want it to at a much larger range on the volume knob.  I'm generally running into old fenders and other single channel amps looking for that "edge of breakup" thing we are all so in love with.  a good germy booster lets me get stage sounds out of my champ at 2-3 at the house.  Keeps me from getting yelled at.

anecdotally:  I have been in the studio once or twice a month during lockdown working on a record.  We used a chickenhead to fix a lot of muffled tones (my bandmates casino is a constant challenge) and the producer/engineer dug the function so much he asked me to make him one and took 100 bucks off our day rate in trade.  Most of my guitar player buddies who have tried using a rangemaster variant up front in their chain have them on their boards perm now.  If you haven't tried one you should.  Shits like 8 parts and a 10 dollar NPN transistor (that's the high end too)  just make sure you snatch something in that 75-95 HFE gain range.  Cooler works as expected.  Hotter tends to sound like garbage.  I skipped over them for years because "treble booster" is bad marketing.  As a tele player, i figured i had all the treble i needed.  That's not what they do.  They make everything sparkle.  I run a lot of diff gain boxes and everyone of them sounds worse with the booster turned off.

I made a batch of 5 earlier this year.  If you tilt the board and angle it down a little towards the switch, you can fit them in the little 1590b with top jacks (find a good template for the jacks and power, you gotta be accurate, AND use the smaller DC jack)


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## Big Monk (May 6, 2021)

jcrews said:


> I will get a video at some point today.  I feel like the sound is definitely different with the boost on full and the master at half than with the master on full and the boost at half.  Looking at it on paper, i know that doesn't track but into a loud amp it def feels diff.  I'm not running back to do it to all the other rangemaster's I've built or anything, but it was a VERY easy experiment.  Like i mentioned, I intend to bring the bias knob out front as well and have the most tweakable treble booster I can.  It's crazy that such a small and basic circuit can do so much to your sound.  Germanium breakup sounds more natural and amp like to my ear than anything else ive tried.  In a perfect world when i can run my amp at it's sweet spot i don't really need it, but if the soundman wants lower stage volume, it's an irreplaceable tool for me to get the amp to behave like i want it to at a much larger range on the volume knob.  I'm generally running into old fenders and other single channel amps looking for that "edge of breakup" thing we are all so in love with.  a good germy booster lets me get stage sounds out of my champ at 2-3 at the house.  Keeps me from getting yelled at.
> 
> anecdotally:  I have been in the studio once or twice a month during lockdown working on a record.  We used a chickenhead to fix a lot of muffled tones (my bandmates casino is a constant challenge) and the producer/engineer dug the function so much he asked me to make him one and took 100 bucks off our day rate in trade.  Most of my guitar player buddies who have tried using a rangemaster variant up front in their chain have them on their boards perm now.  If you haven't tried one you should.  Shits like 8 parts and a 10 dollar NPN transistor (that's the high end too)  just make sure you snatch something in that 75-95 HFE gain range.  Cooler works as expected.  Hotter tends to sound like garbage.  I skipped over them for years because "treble booster" is bad marketing.  As a tele player, i figured i had all the treble i needed.  That's not what they do.  They make everything sparkle.  I run a lot of diff gain boxes and everyone of them sounds worse with the booster turned off.
> 
> ...



To me it's no different than a having a non-master volume amplifier. Yes, the Volume control does just that but it also affects the gain structure of the amp such that I may need to crank it to deafening levels to get the distorted tone I desire.

In this case, I like the sound of the Rangemaster cranked up past 2:00. When that happens i've blown past unity gain. This is where a separate Level control is ueful.


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## jcrews (May 6, 2021)

Yup.  I def smell what you're steppin in.  Thanks again for the tip.  Loving the functionality.


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