Ehx vintage hot tubes enclosure transfer

lukedlb

In an effort to return this huge pedal to my small pedalboard, is transferring the circuit board and all to a smaller enclosure possible?
This also requires replacing the power transformer with a 9 v to 15(?) volt solution. 
Furthermore, I would like any suggestions for the direct clean output (modulation) and how to mix it back in (the pedal has two outputs). 
I’m using a blender pedal to fix the bass fuzziness. One suggestion was to create an internal blender with the drive output and the clean output with a phase switch. 

Octafish

Best to first measure the PCB etc and see if there are any significantly smaller enclosures that it will fit. Did you know you can buy a Hot Tubes in much smaller standard size for £50 new, so £30-35 2nd hand?

lukedlb

Octafish said:

Best to first measure the PCB etc and see if there are any significantly smaller enclosures that it will fit. Did you know you can buy a Hot Tubes in much smaller standard size for £50 new, so £30-35 2nd hand?

The smaller version has little in common except the name. The circuit board is a third of the enclosure. 
https://goo.gl/images/EDyju3

jellybelly

lukedlb said:

Octafish said:

Best to first measure the PCB etc and see if there are any significantly smaller enclosures that it will fit. Did you know you can buy a Hot Tubes in much smaller standard size for £50 new, so £30-35 2nd hand?

The smaller version has little in common except the name. The circuit board is a third of the enclosure. 
https://goo.gl/images/EDyju3

Interesting, I’d read it was an exact clone. Have you tried one and a/b’d them? What were the differences? Seems a shame to disassemble a sought after vintage pedal. 

lukedlb

I know, I know... the enclosures on these are miles above the modern die cast ones. 
As for being clone, this isn’t a range of pedals I’m familiar with. However, the circuit is as simple as a fuzz face circuit where cloning values is far from cloning components. 
The tone offers more bass and treble than you possibly need, as well as a volume boost beyond my other pedals combined, and a gain that reaches a foolish fuzz; a simple pedal that compensated by offering way too much than any amp could handle. 
It has its defects: it is nothing like a tube pedal as it lacks any subtleties from picking pressure. Rather, it colours your sound, supports it with sustain; the amp or tube pedals can provide the playing differences. Perhaps it should be treated as a boost/distortion pedal. Unfortunate, the guitar volume pot does nothing so no ff cleanup. 
Oh yes, it’s quiet. No interference but that may be due to its independent power. 
Another circuit or two could be incorporated inside the pedal as an option to the clean. Any suggestions?

Octafish

jellybelly said:

lukedlb said:

Octafish said:

Best to first measure the PCB etc and see if there are any significantly smaller enclosures that it will fit. Did you know you can buy a Hot Tubes in much smaller standard size for £50 new, so £30-35 2nd hand?

The smaller version has little in common except the name. The circuit board is a third of the enclosure. 
https://goo.gl/images/EDyju3

Interesting, I’d read it was an exact clone. Have you tried one and a/b’d them? What were the differences? Seems a shame to disassemble a sought after vintage pedal. 

That's my understanding too. Electro Harmonix claim the nano it is the "exact same design" as the original, certainly sound the same in demos. Had the nano version myself for a while.

Ro_S

Get a Way Huge Red Llama (the narrower, 3 knob version) instead of a Hot Tubes?  very similar circuit.

lukedlb

Ro_S said:

Get a Way Huge Red Llama (the narrower, 3 knob version) instead of a Hot Tubes?  very similar circuit.

I have just become a disciple of the RYRA, even if the clean on the Hot Tubes is very similar; actually, the hot tubes wins over the klone in terms of drive/fuzz. 
I can get my hand on a 50 quid The Worm first edition with the big enclosure. I could take everything out, cancel the print on the enclosure, and fill up the excellent enclosure with pots galore and circuits.....
Luckily, I woke up this morning and put some money down on the new Hamstead overdrive. I figure that and the ryra should have me covered for tone and drive.
One temptation though: a first edition TIM for not bad money is on the cards. Should I?

lukedlb

Although a circuit may be the same, there is an undeniable difference between quality vintage components and their modern equivalent. My mate had a plexi-type pedal made using P2P and vintage Marshall components from 60s/70s. Although noisy the pedal was astonishing enough to have me commission a copy but in a smaller enclosure (his was a cigar box). Even though some ducati foil caps and resistors were used and the pedal sounded the same, there was a difference in the meat and range of the pedals. Fuzz faces are an obvious example, where few modern equivalents can compete with the original 60s/early 70s ff.
Which brings me back to the hot tubes. I've never heard the modern equivalent but I doubt there the two are comparable. It isn't the circuit; it's the meat in the sound.
Anyway, my plan is to go ahead with the transfer to a small enclosure.

jellybelly

Which brings me back to the hot tubes. I've never heard the modern equivalent but I doubt there the two are comparable. It isn't the circuit; it's the meat in the sound

But you’ve never tried it, so you don’t know - it might be all in your head!

Good luck with the rehousing of a vintage pedal though - some would say you’re crazy but if that’s what you want to do then give it a crack!

lukedlb

jellybelly said:

Which brings me back to the hot tubes. I've never heard the modern equivalent but I doubt there the two are comparable. It isn't the circuit; it's the meat in the sound

But you’ve never tried it, so you don’t know - it might be all in your head!

Good luck with the rehousing of a vintage pedal though - some would say you’re crazy but if that’s what you want to do then give it a crack!

Man, I wish it would be the same sound....

I'm starting to feel a little guilty about violating this pedal. It's immaculate with original box, manual and receipt from a shop in the USA in 1978. I think I might leave it to one side for the moment. God, it did sound great. The clean feels like it has been injected with a shot of adrenalin: solid, strong...and like a klon you can slowly add in a taste of drive... much fuzzier than a klon though.

ICBM

Don’t mess that pedal up. Try the modern one or buy a trashed original to rehouse if it’s not close enough.

lukedlb

ICBM said:

Don’t mess that pedal up. Try the modern one or buy a trashed original to rehouse if it’s not close enough.

I've come to my senses and decided to leave it be. But as it won't be sitting on my pedalboard it means I have to accept that I have to sell it. Actually, I'm not quite sure where this rule of law came from that if it's not being used, it should be sold. I suspect it's due to a strong sense of guilt of spending too much money on enjoying gear.

lukedlb

In the end the bass fuzziness I was so adamant to eliminate no longer became an issue as it was more a problem of the amp running hot, an issue I have fixed with an ay7 instead of an ax7. the damage it was doing on my ears was excessive with the volume on 1. The sparkle and headroom has returned.

jellybelly

If you like the pedal keep it, they’re only going to get more expensive! I know many here would be interested in how it compares to the Reissue...