Over the last two days or so I have gotten some links to my mailbox regarding threads at HCFX and TGP.
I'll compile my thoughts on that in this post.
Firstly I have never written onto the net what precise parts I use on my pcb's.
I design my circuits from sound and colour and then what actually goes on the pcb would have to come later.
I draw a lot of schematics and look up many component types and choose what would be closest to the sound I'd like and the functions and then I'd play and listen to define the operation of the circuit and remove what I don't like more than add while both can be possible
Yes I can modify circuits, but I'd view that as a different format more zoomed in on.
I was asked when BBOD was to be launched if it contained a cheap OP amp-not that parts would be used in product presentation but that many might ask if it was a Tube Screamer........
I told then that the BBOD was a discrete design and as I had told when first asked about what it was I told that it was sort of a fuzz circuit, but I was told to consider calling it an overdrive instead as it sounded more like an overdrive and calling it a fuzz would lead many people to the wrong conclusions just because of what they'd read into a name...........this turned out to be extremely true.
Anyway so the BBOD was launched and then as I added DRD it was just assumed I guess that it would have to be a discrete design.Actually it might be presumed that I only work with transistors..........well I work with tubes and transistors and IC's and whatever part I'd find working for me.
OK so onto LGW. I told about this circuit that it was not gooped and for the reason that the circuit was well explained in the product presentation and also as it contains an IC that can be changed.
Oh, and I though the other guy was the one famous for making gooped tubescreamers
It might seem easy to jump to the conclusion that if LGW is not gooped and it contains an IC then all my other models would be gooped because they contain transistors or those are really gooped tubescreamers
However as I told in the beginning of this post my pedals aren't designed with mojo parts that I need to use in marketing.
I work with sounds and behaviours of distortion and modulation et.c. but not with mojo parts.
Since parts are not really something important for me to use in product presentation I don't see the point of telling what parts I do use and besides I'd not like to enter the discussion on wether all transistorized circuits are fuzz faces or if all IC's sound like tubescreamers or if tuberectifiers or carbonbatteries make your sound better.
Ahum , well I have adressed many times mojo thinking and that with that parts have uses and I believe in defining the limitations of parts and using what would fit the application rather than building around a mojo component to make that work but that works too as long as limitations are observed.
Right well I am not a beginner nor a student allthough I would think of doing somethingelse the day I find I don't learn anything new.
I mention this as I don't necessarily sit down with a ProCo RAT to make a BJF Honey Bee.
As a sidenote if I'd sit down with a Pro Co RAT I'd think about what I like and what I don't like about the sound and they way the sound feels to play and I'd view that as a guitarpedal, a tool if you will.
It is maybe twenty years ago I played a RAT for the first time this year.
Yes I know reality is defined by models to make it understandable and manageable, and yes I see the gallery of models used on the internet today and a few years back......and names are put to circuits- some of those names I hadn't heard some ten years ago before entering internet.
I have seen over the years and remember well when launching the BBOD that there will always be people who want to cash in and the only way to maintain my business through hard times that have occassionally been has been through tradesecret and that protects forever or until someone cracks it.
Through the years this has worked well, but it's not the only way and I know I'll come up with more circuits- if I hadn't a few years back I would not be writing this today but perhaps work with something completely different.
I've actually avoided answering specific questions on what semicondutors I use and much because it usually matters little to the enduser what grounds I have had for using a specific semiconductor and it would strike me as muddying the water on that it may appear deep.
I get questions from musicians wether their sound would improve from using oxegynfree or whatever usually something they have read about on the internet and many times it's just the latest flare and usually focused on something that has little baring to the application.
I have told many to focus on what is the limitation in a total system and finding out how to get rid of that and to worry less about what the components are as your not playing the individual components but you are playing the sound.
I have recognized this missinglink in communication between musicians and technicians and I usually try to keep components or circuits outof normal conversation.
I have had questions to what semiconductors I would use and answered those like this that it's not the component but how you use it, and what I'd use in one of my models might not necessarily apply to the next guy's circuit, oh and those that have asked me questions like this have moreorless invariably built pedals themselves.
Yes I do talk shop at times while usually only with the people I work together with.
I'd find it more helpful to the next guy to help out with his/ her design with thoughts than to pound my chest and say look at my circuits instead!
I also happen to believe that knowledge of the parts and circuit are the keys to succesful design.
I don't think I have been asked that many times on what I'd look for in an OP amp but again that depends on the circuit and as a buildingblock it can be selected according to the desired limitations............but OP amps also have an internal structure and reading those tell a whole lot.
Some mecahnisms can be addressed via powersupply voltage and others by external components, while sometimes a chip can be desired for a couple of key parameters vital in a circuit- this is again not really useful information to the enduser.
Much of my point in this that I choose parts for their merits in a specific circuit rather than the other way around, but my design process invariably starts with a sound.
Oh yes it took me nearly ten years to find a specific transistor that would do the presice function I wanted for the BBOD, but the only reason I have mentioned that is that it made production difficult of that model.
On the Honey Bee, yes that was first just a wim and I thought it would be fine with something like 6 units........today though Honey Bee has its own myspace fanpage.
Right so it is not illegal to crack a tradesecret, while there's an ethical level with what one would do with the cracked nut
Learning: Actually I did go to a site to tell things that could be useful to those wanting to learn more about my circuits or just my views on components.
I wrote many posts, enough perhaps for someone who read them all to design a circuit based on the written word...actually I believe so and hope to write more about that.
It was proposed to me then that my circuits on an electroniclevel could be further expanded on on this site so
the DIY section is going to grow and I'll see about some new tools.
Another thing I noted was that there was more interest for actually building working pedals thatn theory of operation.
I also have seen from the DIY section here that likely more units would have been built if more complete kits also would have been offered - and this shall be looked into as well and I'll put up a post about that in that section too.
I had this question put to me wether I'd like to be rich or famous or popular or .........well I'd like to lead a fun life I'd say to that.
OK so onto MP Amplification and the why's
Like this I was asked if I'd build an amplifier to go with my pedals and I said no because I would not have the time, but could not resist the offer of designing an amplifier or two or three and well now that I was doing that and having so many orders could there not also be pedals and yes I'd think that'd be a good idea.
Are MP pedals supposed to be cheaper?
Not necessarily, and in fact I think it shows how low margins I actually kept over many years to stay in business because MP pedals are made much the same way as BJF pedals and of course the hardware parts cost...........
however the point was rather then that MP pedals could be made available almost around the globe and fairly easy to get.
Much of this development has made BJF pedals harder to get new but also the popularity of the BJF pedals has made a long line of orders.
Common to all my models is that they all rely on at least one but most often several components being matched or selected- this is something that carries heavy cost in large productions and obviously not desirable and to be avoided if possible.
Ah and now to how close to Honey Bee is the MP Sweet Honey OD?
Well, making the same thing would not strike me as fun but I was thinking why not take the most used sound and expand on further? Oh and there would be more fun things eh?
Right so what would benefit me the most is ofcourse if the MP SHOD would become popular.
For seven years I have put up posts on various forums and that has saved me time answering questions, while time changes constantely and I think realisticly I'll stick to answering questions on this forum.
Gentlemen have fun
BJ
Anyway on the MP site they describe the SHOD as their take on the HBOD...What are the real differences between the 2 pedals? Thanks 
But, I was loaned a HBOD and EGDM I really spent much more time, came here for tips, had fun, learned about pedals and BJF designs. Maybe the inverse of Bjorn, but oooh man was I hooked. In about 6 months I have 8 BJF design pedals with a TOP on the way. I think back 5 years I had NO pedals! (I have played since 1980) (My hero is Rory Gallagher and I learned to wring as much as I could from just a Strat and a Mesa Boogie MKIIB)
