# "Express Lane" Pedals



## Chuck D. Bones (Dec 8, 2020)

One of the active members on these forums (you know who you are), had used the term "Express Lane" to describe a pedal.  What he meant was "15 items or less."  We don't count anything that mounts on the box, such as switches, jacks, or pots.  There are actually quite a few pedal designs that fit into this category, including the Rangemaster, Fuzz Face and Electro Distortion.  The Fuzz Factory, for all it's versatility, has 13 parts.  The Jordan Boss Tone squeezes under the line at 14 parts and the FuzzRite has 15 parts.  The Zvex SHO has the lowest parts count I've found: 9 parts, 7 if you ditch the protection diodes.

What's your favorite Express Lane pedal?


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## Betty Wont (Dec 8, 2020)

DAM Meathead


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## Gordo (Dec 8, 2020)

Technically it has one part:  the volume control on my guitar.  For all the cool stuff I get to build these days and the cool amps I run them thru the most used effect I have is the volume control.  Swelling into notes, changing up dynamics, creating pads and trying to wrangle as much character and voice out of the little beast as I can.

I've been playing for about 50 years and NOW I figure out how to use it???


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## Nostradoomus (Dec 8, 2020)

DOD 250/MXR Dist+ I think squeaks in at 15

Edit: Damn, 16...might get a sly eye from the people in line behind me


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## Betty Wont (Dec 8, 2020)

Yeah, I was gonna say SRS EQ Exciter and Bigfoot Magnavibe, but they are a bit over in parts count.


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## Nostradoomus (Dec 8, 2020)

Like the meathead, I think the SRS falls under Fuzz Face anyway haha. The EHX Muff Fuzz is pretty great too, it’s 15 if you take out the 5817 as well.


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## jubal81 (Dec 8, 2020)

Another vote for the Meathead.


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## Barry (Dec 8, 2020)

I think there should be an alarm that goes off in the store line when the 16th item is scanned! I'll have to check out the Meathead


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## BurntFingers (Dec 8, 2020)

Haha, glad you remembered 

I do have an active member.

For me it's the SHO. Simple and wonderfully effective.

Or the LBP1. Just a few components
, whack it after a tone stack for some recovery, stack it 2 or 3 times over for a beasty drive pedal, use one in a dual pedal for an optional boost. It's a triumph.


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## jspake (Dec 8, 2020)

i just built two DAM sonic titans based on an old DIY board from EAE. it is a killer distortion. i think a SHO running into the sonic titan in a single 1590BB would be an amazing two button stomp box, and still under 30 components!


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## Chuck D. Bones (Dec 9, 2020)

So far, none of my designs make the cut.  I'll get there...


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## Markus Kersius (Dec 9, 2020)

Emerson's EM drive.
A whopping 5 parts on the board.
2 resitors, single transistor, 2 caps.


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## music6000 (Dec 9, 2020)

DAM Red Rooster!​


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## Danbieranowski (Dec 10, 2020)

PedalPCB specifically - the Ionizer is exactly 15 I believe. Amentum is under 15 as well. Both are great!


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## music6000 (Dec 10, 2020)

My VOLTSTAVA!
9v DC down to 1v, for Fuzz lovers!
*UPDATE: Built in 2011, The Beginning!*


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## music6000 (Dec 10, 2020)

music6000 said:


> My VOLTSTAVA!
> 9v DC down to 1v, for Fuzz lovers!
> 
> View attachment 8329
> ...



Original Layout found on the net


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

Depending on the pedal's current demand, you may hit 1V long before the knob is at zero.  Obviously, this won't work with every pedal.  Pedals containing digital ICs (FV-1) or charge pumps will not like this.


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## Betty Wont (Dec 10, 2020)

I like to build this starve circuit into the box of many fuzz circuits. Devi Ever stuff especially reacts in a fun way. As do Bosstone variants.


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## music6000 (Dec 10, 2020)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> Depending on the pedal's current demand, you may hit 1V long before the knob is at zero.  Obviously, this won't work with every pedal.  Pedals containing digital ICs (FV-1) or charge pumps will not like this.


If you lok at my UPDATE on Original listing you will see I built this in 2011, FV-1's were not around & the Klon was probably the only pedal using a Charge Pump.


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## phi1 (Dec 10, 2020)

I enjoy the simple bazz fuss based circuits. I like to put 3 si diodes in series for a bit more clarity. Was my first *successful* build.


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

Torgoslayer said:


> I like to build this starve circuit into the box of many fuzz circuits. Devi Ever stuff especially reacts in a fun way. As do Bosstone variants.


Indeed.  The Hyperion 2 and some of the Bosstone derivatives contain their own Starve pots.


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## Betty Wont (Dec 10, 2020)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> It looks like Trombetta has made a mint out of starving Bosstones though.


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## Feral Feline (Feb 13, 2021)

BUMP
Stumbled on this thread because I was looking for more Manhattan-build projects...

I like the Em Drive and BazzFuss mentioned, and you can build the Buzzbox (2 BazzFusses) and Em Drive in one build and still be under the 15 Items or Less Dictum! Also, since we're talking Em Drive, the Emerson Paramount is worth including here.


Some more for the Express Bass Lane...

Hog's Foot/Mole (]LPB-1 already mentioned, but the Hog/Mole has a few more parts)

Neckbeard — a switchable FuzzFace/Tonebender circuit in one. One of the caps is mounted on a switch, so 15 parts on the board, but does the cap on the switch disqualify it?

Woolly Mammoth

Os Mutantes (at least one schematic I've seen qualifies it)

Sogrado Poblano Picosso

Percolator

Apollo Treble/Bass Booster

Hornby Skewes Treble/Bass Booster

EQD Bellows (great BazzFuss variant)

The Great Destroyer

Escobedo's LOFOMOFO

BJFE Baby Pink Booster (I think? Does the CLR and or/the LED count?)

Buff N Blend

Cornish Buffer

Amptweaker's Defizzerator



If I had to pick just one, I guess it'd be ...


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## Feral Feline (Feb 13, 2021)

PS: Acapulco Gold


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## Reno315 (Feb 13, 2021)

The EQD Arrows and Speaker Cranker both have a 14 piece part count.

I have them in a enclosure together, so I guess you could call it an "Express Lane Dual Throttle Box"


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## Tremster (Feb 14, 2021)

NPN Silicon Fuzz Face and Tone Bender MkII
SHO
Naga Viper or Runoffgroove Omega
And my favorite One Knob dirt pedal: Juansolo's/Cleggy's Big Omar (once a thing on the Madbean forum, sadly not available anywhere; I'm really glad I have one) (I think it was a single AC15 gain stage transistorized) (and it's 19 parts including the pot, so doesn't count)


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## ianmarks (Feb 14, 2021)

catalinbread hyperpak


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## thesmokingman (Feb 15, 2021)

red llama


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## perfboarder (Jun 12, 2021)

Bump! 1.5V powered


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