Demo Videos

June 16th, 2009

I use YouTube as the place for uploading my videos - most of my business comes from people that have watched my videos on YouTube, so it helps keep interest in my products.

http://www.youtube.com/jimosity

Why do I use my personal YouTube page for hosting my demo videos?
I already have a huge number of subscribers to my video channel, so it’s already a good audience to show my work to.  I have also done some guitar instructional videos that have received a HUGE number of hits, so it made sense to keep those guitarists interested by showing my effects pedals in the same channel.  So far it has worked out well and I have been receiving a ton of orders - so why change my format now?

Word of mouth (or conversations on message boards) is also a great way to generate business for me and I thank you to those that have ordered units from me and promote them online - which generates more business for me.

Line 6 Mods (DL-4, DM-4, MM-4, AM-4, FM-4)

June 3rd, 2009

DOUBLE PRESETS MOD - $50
What the double presets mod does is just that - it doubles the number of presets you can use on your unit.
The units that have a tap tempo button have three banks for saving presets, this mod gives you SIX.
The units without tap tempo have four buttons for presets…this mod gives you EIGHT.
See the video below for an example of how this mod works.

VOLUME DROP MOD - $20
This may be the most beneficial mod you can do to your Line 6 unit to improve the quality of the effect. From the factory, most units will have a huge drop in volume when you engage the pedal.
This fixes that problem.

LED REPLACEMENT - $20
I can also swap out the LEDs to a color of your choice for an additional $20. EMAIL me for color availability. Special color LEDs are not always stocked, so turnaround time is up to a week on mods with LED replacement.

UPGRADED FOOTSWITCHES - $40
On the outside, the footswitches appear to be heavy duty; but in reality - the outside of the switch is the only thing that looks heavy duty. Internally, there is just a small little spring that pushes into a very sensitive tactile switch that’s mounted onto the circuit board. This mod replaces all of the circuit board mounted switches and external switches with high quality, HEAVY DUTY switches. These are what SHOULD have been used in the Line 6 units.

VIDEO DEMOS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et339Td3QSU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o24aPs24UQA

Turnaround time is usually 1 day on all mods except the footswitches (I do not stock the switches, so those need to be ordered - pay in advance and I can have them here when your unit arrives).
You will also need to include $12 for return shipping in the US.  International shipping is slightly higher and you should email me for a quote on shipping.
As for payment, there is no discount on multiple mods because the prices are already at a minimum, simply add up the price of each mod you want and include the shipping; that’s what you would owe.
I prefer cash in the battery compartment, but will also accept paypal or trades.

Serial Number Database

May 31st, 2009

As of 5/30/01, I will now be building effects under the name of R3FX.
From this point on, I’ll be keeping track of all builds by sequential numbering.
This listing will be a master list of the serial numbers and as much information about the units themselves as I can think of at the time of writing it down.
All units from this point on will be hand numbered on the inside of the unit along with a build date.

Here we go.

R3FX-001 - Dual Resistafier
Flat black enclosure, first version with landscape layout (five knobs across the top <VOL | PRES | TREB | MID | BASS) followed by two knobs on the second row <GREEN Gain | RED Gain>).
This pedal has a high intensity purple power LED and a bi-colored (green/red) gain channel indicator.
On / Off footswitch and Channel Select footswitch.
Standard Boss style 9VDC (No battery snap)
Hammond 1590BB Enclosure
Final assembly and test on 5/30/09
Ordered by Ben McSherry (Dayton, Ohio)
Demo Video

R3FX-002 - Cabinet Simulator
Red sparkle enclosure
Input jack, cab sim jack and bypass jack.
Standard Boss style 9VDC power supply + battery snap
The request of the customer was that this version be the “vintage” setting only along with the optional Bypass jack.
Final assembly and test on 5/31/09
Buyer changed his mind - this item is now “in stock” and available for sale.
Demo Video


R3FX-003 - Cabinet Simulator

Black glossy enclosure
Input jack, cab sim jack, bypass jack, vintage/modern toggle, gain and volume
control.
Standard Boss style 9VDC power supply + battery snap
Final assembly and test on 6/5/09
This one is going to Chris (Canada)
Demo Video

R3FX-004 - Dual Resistafier
Blue sparkle enclosure
From left to right (row 1) BASS/MID/TREB/PRES/VOL - (row 2) GREEN GAIN / RED GAIN
This pedal has a high intensity purple power LED and a bi-colored (green/red) gain channel indicator.
On / Off footswitch and Channel Select footswitch.
Standard Boss style 9VDC (No battery snap)
Hammond 1590BB Enclosure
Final assembly and test on 6/13/09, shipped on 6/15/09
Ordered by Gert Claes (Belgium)
Demo Video

R3FX-005 - Dual Resistafier
Circuit Board Green colored enclosure
From left to right (row 1) BASS/MID/TREB/PRES/VOL - (row 2) GREEN GAIN / RED GAIN
This pedal has a green power LED and a bi-colored (green/red) gain channel indicator.
On / Off footswitch and Channel Select footswitch.
Standard Boss style 9VDC (No battery snap)
Hammond 1590BB Enclosure
Final assembly and test on 6/14/09, shipped on 6/15/09
Ordered by Markos Chalaris (Greece)
Demo Video

R3FX-006 - Dual Resistafier
Black Gloss colored enclosure
From left to right (row 1) BASS/MID/TREB/PRES/VOL - (row 2) GREEN GAIN / RED GAIN
This pedal has a green power LED and a bi-colored (green/red) gain channel indicator.
On / Off footswitch and Channel Select footswitch.
Standard Boss style 9VDC (No battery snap)
Hammond 1590BB Enclosure
Order placed by Aaron Mcqueen (Australia)
Final assembly and test on 7/3/09 - will ship on 7/6/09 due to 4th of July holiday

R3FX-007 - Vox Valvetone V810 Clone
Brett sent me his V810 pedal to clone.
Order placed by Brett Cox
STATUS:  PCB has been etched, all resistors are in place, caps and remaining components are next <7/2/09>

R3FX-008 - Dual Resistafier
2 channel / bicolored LED
Order placed by Dave
STATUS:  PCB has been etched <7/3/09>
Paid via Trade

R3FX-009 - Echo Base
Ordered with Dry Loop option
Order placed by Dave
STATUS:  Not yet started <6/25/09>
Paid via Trade

R3FX-010 - Mesa Boogie 2 Channel Footswitch
Order placed by Dave
Completed 7/3/09

R3FX-011 - Dual Resistafier
2 channel / bicolored LED
Customer requests white enclosure.
Order placed by Benoit Landriau (Canada)
STATUS:  Enclosure is painted <7/3/09>
Paid
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Modification serial numbering

R3FX-M001
Boss DS-1 modified with Marshall+ mod for Bob Neri
Shipped 6/12/09
Demo Video

R3FX-M002
Boss DS-1 modified with Marshall+ mod for Randy Porter
Shipped 6/15/09
Demo Video

R3FX-M003
Boss DS-1 modified with Marshall+ mod for Jim Rodgers (me).

R3FX-M004
Boss MT-2 modified with Diezel mod for Randy Porter
Shipped 6/15/09
Demo Video

R3FX-M005
Line 6 DL-4 with upgraded footswitches, volume drop fix, double presets, white LEDs for 1-3, purple LED for tap and preset switch for Alexander May
Completed 6/21/09
Demo Video

R3FX-M006
Boss DS-1 modified with Marshall+ mod for Richard Lopez
Completed on 7/3/09 - will ship on 7/6/09 due to 4th of July holiday



I’ve done many other mods but just started keeping track of them with the name change and new website.

Ordering Information

May 28th, 2009

ORDERING PROCESS / INFORMATION

1) Email me and let me know what I can do for you with as much detail as possible.

I’ll reply within 12 hours with a quote or respond with further questions. (If you do not hear from me, I didn’t get your email, so please resend it or check your junk mail folder).

2) Initial Payment / Shipment

BUILDS: If you are requesting a build, 53% payment is due before the project can begin.

This is a non-refundable fee because I use this payment to order specific parts for your build as well as begin the PCB etching - once this is started, there’s no going back - thus the reason for this deposit being non-refundable.

MODS/REPAIRS: If you are requesting a modification or repair, 100% of payment is due at the time I receive your unit or before it will be shippedback to you.   I will provide you with shipping information via email.

PAYMENT:
I accept Paypal, Money Orders, Trades or Cash - no other methods - PERIOD!
With trade ins, let me know what you have to offer and if I’m interested in it, I’ll let you know - this could be a full or partial payment.

4) Once your project is started; you will receive email updates during the build progress. Once your project is completed, you will be provided a demo video of your unit being tested. At this point, final payment is required before the item will be shipped to you.

SHIPPING:
I always ship via USPS Priority Mail with delivery confirmation and insurance.

Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive mods

April 26th, 2009

The Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive is an overdrive circuit that is essentially the same thing as an Ibanez TS-808 with an additional control to blend in your clean tone with it.  The PCB for these units is notoriously easy to lift traces on and overall a pain in the ass to work on.

I received this unit to do some mods on and basically pulled most of the caps/resistors and installed sockets to test out several different mods.  I narrowed it down to basically just changing three values.

R4 is the resistor to allow for more gain.  By installing a switch to toggle between an 8.2k resistor and a jumper (which gives the most gain); this allows for a nice gain boost.

D1 and D2 are the clipping diodes.  I installed a toggle on each of them.  D1 can switch between an LED and a Diode, which D2 switches between a diode and a lift to allow for a great blend of clipping options.

Below is a demo video of the unit - the video has audio from the camera but I also recorded an MP3 of the direct tones as well.

Here’s the MP3, which you can stream or download.
Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive with Mods

And here’s the video

Echo Base Test (Chris Larralde)

April 24th, 2009

This audio clip is a test of the stock Echo Base that I built for Chris Larralde.
Chris requested to have all of the caps socketed so that he could play with the tone by swapping out cap values later on.
Unfortunately, after socketing the entire project and finishing it all up, there were far too many slightly loose connections that made me uncomfortable about sending the pedal out like that.  I removed all of the sockets and am targeting one or two tone shaping caps that I may attempt to leave socketed.
Chris also requested a Dry Loop so that he could add other effects to the delay so that the repeats are effected by whatever is in the Dry Loop.  I will add this loop after I have tested the unit in stock form.

This clip is a test of the unit in stock form with only one part value difference than the original schematic.
The 20k resistor at the second lug connection for the Feedback pot has been replaced with a 100k resistor for better control over the Feedback setting.  With the 20k resistor as stock, the unit would self oscillate far too quickly.  The 100k resistor helps tame this and gives more control over the Feedback rate.

Echo Base Before Dry Loop Mod