To all Guitar Playing Members!

[Deansolo]

Couple of questions:

1) How many of you guys would like to see a Limited Edition reproduction of Jake's OD-1 from back in the day?

2) If I was to produce one at a reasonable cost, how many of you guys would consider purchasing one?

3) would you consider buying one if The Man himself gave his stamp of approval as to it's sonic authenticity?

I've been toying with the Idea lately and ran it by Jefnel1. He thinks it would be a great idea. Jeff thinks we could call it the "Jake E Lee OD" maybe put the site's logo on it....If it's okay with Jake, of course.

What do you guys think?

Dean

[Gonzo]

Awesome!! Don't add any extra stuff in, just make an identical copy (sound wise) of the original and you will get a purchase from me. The stamp of approval from Jake would be sweet too.

[_will_]

I would like it very much.
Do the old Boss' have a hard wired bypass though...?
that would put people off if it didn't, or other people off because it wasn't true to the old one i guess

[Fretman]

I would buy one, and I know a few others who would too.

[Deansolo]

I would like it very much.
Do the old Boss' have a hard wired bypass though...?
that would put people off if it didn't, or other people off because it wasn't true to the old one i guess

No the old ones had FET switching aka Buffered Bypass. Our version would definitely have a hardwired (true bypass) Bypass so there's no sucking tone when bypassed.

We're gonna run it by Da Oge this week or next. I think we'll have to send him a prototype first. If he likes it, we'll ask about him endorsing it and ask if we can call it the "Jake E Lee OD".

Basically it's in the idea stage right now. First I have to gauge interest and see if it's cost effective to produce it. Then, if all goes well..we'll make a Limited Edition batch for the forum members ...And maybe eventually we'll advertise it for the general pedal buying public.


Dean

[GtrWiz]

I'm about as big of a fan as anyone, I named one of my kids Jake, but pedals have advanced so much in the last five years alone that to do a clone of an old Boss pedal seems... meh...

[Fretman]

I would like it very much.
Do the old Boss' have a hard wired bypass though...?
that would put people off if it didn't, or other people off because it wasn't true to the old one i guess

No the old ones had FET switching aka Buffered Bypass. Our version would definitely have a hardwired (true bypass) Bypass so there's no sucking tone when bypassed.

We're gonna run it by Da Oge this week or next. I think we'll have to send him a prototype first. If he likes it, we'll ask about him endorsing it and ask if we can call it the "Jake E Lee OD".

Basically it's in the idea stage right now. First I have to gauge interest and see if it's cost effective to produce it. Then, if all goes well..we'll make a Limited Edition batch for the forum members ...And maybe eventually we'll advertise it for the general pedal buying public.


Dean

Sounds good...count me in for one when it becomes available.

[Deansolo]

I'm about as big of a fan as anyone, I named one of my kids Jake, but pedals have advanced so much in the last five years alone that to do a clone of an old Boss pedal seems... meh...

You know I felt the same way for years. In fact we shelved our Overdrive a few years ago because the market was so saturated with Tubscreamer clones. But ever since we did our ad with Jake I've been getting calls and e-mails from people (fans, old friends of his, ex-bandmates, old girlfriends, etc.) asking about his gear and how to get ahold of him. Even Greg Chaisson called and wanted to endorse, etc. Not to mention the fact that I frequently get PM's from forum members wanting me to make them an custom OD-1 clone.

I figured since i have a bunch of NOS JRC4558 chips just laying around we can try to make a limited edition clone for a reasonable price. and if we can get jake to give it his approval, then we should at least do it for the guitar playing members who want to really cop his tone.

[GtrWiz]

I'm about as big of a fan as anyone, I named one of my kids Jake, but pedals have advanced so much in the last five years alone that to do a clone of an old Boss pedal seems... meh...

You know I felt the same way for years. In fact we shelved our Overdrive a few years ago because the market was so saturated with Tubscreamer clones. But ever since we did our ad with Jake I've been getting calls and e-mails from people (fans, old friends of his, ex-bandmates, old girlfriends, etc.) asking about his gear and how to get ahold of him. Even Greg Chaisson called and wanted to endorse, etc. Not to mention the fact that I frequently get PM's from forum members wanting me to make them an custom OD-1 clone.

I figured since i have a bunch of NOS JRC4558 chips just laying around we can try to make a limited edition clone for a reasonable price. and if we can get jake to give it his approval, then we should at least do it for the guitar playing members who want to really cop his tone.

If the interest is there, then go for it. I don't know how easily you can get in touch with Jake but, if possible, consult with him as to what he thinks could make it better. I'm really not trying to discourage you, but there are so many clones of similar circuits, I'm just thinking he might have some input on how to make it something really special! Jake's Dream OD if you will...

[Deansolo]

I would like it very much.
Do the old Boss' have a hard wired bypass though...?
that would put people off if it didn't, or other people off because it wasn't true to the old one i guess

No the old ones had FET switching aka Buffered Bypass. Our version would definitely have a hardwired (true bypass) Bypass so there's no sucking tone when bypassed.

We're gonna run it by Da Oge this week or next. I think we'll have to send him a prototype first. If he likes it, we'll ask about him endorsing it and ask if we can call it the "Jake E Lee OD".

Basically it's in the idea stage right now. First I have to gauge interest and see if it's cost effective to produce it. Then, if all goes well..we'll make a Limited Edition batch for the forum members ...And maybe eventually we'll advertise it for the general pedal buying public.


Dean

Sounds good...count me in for one when it becomes available.

You've got it Jake!

[Deansolo]

I'm about as big of a fan as anyone, I named one of my kids Jake, but pedals have advanced so much in the last five years alone that to do a clone of an old Boss pedal seems... meh...

You know I felt the same way for years. In fact we shelved our Overdrive a few years ago because the market was so saturated with Tubscreamer clones. But ever since we did our ad with Jake I've been getting calls and e-mails from people (fans, old friends of his, ex-bandmates, old girlfriends, etc.) asking about his gear and how to get ahold of him. Even Greg Chaisson called and wanted to endorse, etc. Not to mention the fact that I frequently get PM's from forum members wanting me to make them an custom OD-1 clone.

I figured since i have a bunch of NOS JRC4558 chips just laying around we can try to make a limited edition clone for a reasonable price. and if we can get jake to give it his approval, then we should at least do it for the guitar playing members who want to really cop his tone.

If the interest is there, then go for it. I don't know how easily you can get in touch with Jake but, if possible, consult with him as to what he thinks could make it better. I'm really not trying to discourage you, but there are so many clones of similar circuits, I'm just thinking he might have some input on how to make it something really special! Jake's Dream OD if you will...

That's the plan, man! No need to apologise...I know there's many OD's out there using the exact same circuit. That's why I'm asking you guys rather than post it all over the net, i.e. HC and TGP. Gotta be a diehard Jake fan to want a Boss OD-1 clone. But you'd be surprised at how many players dig Jake and his Badlands tone. I did an Amp and Pedal trade show in L.A. last weekend. Spent most of the day talking with dozens of guys about Jake and his gear Cat's-Eye and his earlier stuff.

I can get in touch with Jake pretty easily. Both Jake and Greg have already agreed to give input on pedals and help with prototyping.

Dean

[zepeteus]

1) How many of you guys would like to see a Limited Edition reproduction of Jake's OD-1 from back in the day?

2) If I was to produce one at a reasonable cost, how many of you guys would consider purchasing one?

3) would you consider buying one if The Man himself gave his stamp of approval as to it's sonic authenticity?

Dean

1) Kinda cool idea.

2) I would _maybe_ consider one, but only if the pedal would be like the original (box and all) and still have a reasonable price. More about that below. To be honest, I can make one myself.

3) Like above. Well, Jake has done some pedals himself, wouldn't mind one of his creations.

---

OK, for the technically orientated people, here's the technical part.

"Hardwired", how do I not like that misleading advertisement word. Every pedal in the market is hardwired, in a sense. True bypass is another thing altogether.

All Boss pedals have input and output buffers (no TB) and are NOT tone suckers in the same way like some wah pedals for example. As a matter of fact, these very buffers can and will help your signal, depending on your other gear.

Now, Jake has done DIY. Did he ever bypass the buffers on his OD-1s?

True bypass is hard to do on the original Boss boxes without nasty cosmetic changes, but would be easy on totally new one. Still, if you would have your pedal ON all the time, there's no need for the TB to begin with. The buffers will have some (minor?) sonic effect on the signal, effect on or off, so for truly authentic sound you will have to have them there anyway....unless Jake indeed had his modified or done himself. Kinda question then, to have or not to have it?

I would have the true bypass on my version and make the rest of the circuit as is. There was talk about JRC4558, which is a match for OD-1E. I thought this would be a clone of OD-1D model, so uPC4558C, NJM4558D or TL4558P would be perfect. I salute any cloner who won't mind these details and is fine with later JRC, NEC or TL versions. The possible differencies in sound have been debated into death in appropriate forums, no need for that here.

Same goes for those buffers, 2SC732TMs being hard to find nowadays. And if we are talking about truly authentic signal path (ie. sound reproducing), I quess the lone 2SK30ATM would have to be imitated also, although it's just a switch before the output buffer. I would probably go with the basic 2N3904s as buffers and skip the switch (no need for that anyway in TB). Not authentic, but close enough for rock'n'roll.

Soundwise that would be it, but visually not quite. I like Boss boxes. Unfortunately they are not available for DIY. Then again, things like applying regular DPDT switches into them to make TB to happen is a no-go anyway. So any appropriate box would and should be fine, just not totally authentic per se. However, being a dedicated Jake pedal, this would open up possibilities for any fancy design one would want to imagine.

All in all, thumbs up for a nice idea. Wouldn't be _totally_ authentic OD-1 as per Jakes pedals, but rather something unique in itself.

[Charvelised]

Yep...I'll Take one...

[Deansolo]

1) How many of you guys would like to see a Limited Edition reproduction of Jake's OD-1 from back in the day?

2) If I was to produce one at a reasonable cost, how many of you guys would consider purchasing one?

3) would you consider buying one if The Man himself gave his stamp of approval as to it's sonic authenticity?

Dean

1) Kinda cool idea.

2) I would _maybe_ consider one, but only if the pedal would be like the original (box and all) and still have a reasonable price. More about that below. To be honest, I can make one myself.

3) Like above. Well, Jake has done some pedals himself, wouldn't mind one of his creations.

---

OK, for the technically orientated people, here's the technical part.

"Hardwired", how do I not like that misleading advertisement word. Every pedal in the market is hardwired, in a sense. True bypass is another thing altogether.

All Boss pedals have input and output buffers (no TB) and are NOT tone suckers in the same way like some wah pedals for example. As a matter of fact, these very buffers can and will help your signal, depending on your other gear.

Now, Jake has done DIY. Did he ever bypass the buffers on his OD-1s?

True bypass is hard to do on the original Boss boxes without nasty cosmetic changes, but would be easy on totally new one. Still, if you would have your pedal ON all the time, there's no need for the TB to begin with. The buffers will have some (minor?) sonic effect on the signal, effect on or off, so for truly authentic sound you will have to have them there anyway....unless Jake indeed had his modified or done himself. Kinda question then, to have or not to have it?

I would have the true bypass on my version and make the rest of the circuit as is. There was talk about JRC4558, which is a match for OD-1E. I thought this would be a clone of OD-1D model, so uPC4558C, NJM4558D or TL4558P would be perfect. I salute any cloner who won't mind these details and is fine with later JRC, NEC or TL versions. The possible differencies in sound have been debated into death in appropriate forums, no need for that here.

Same goes for those buffers, 2SC732TMs being hard to find nowadays. And if we are talking about truly authentic signal path (ie. sound reproducing), I quess the lone 2SK30ATM would have to be imitated also, although it's just a switch before the output buffer. I would probably go with the basic 2N3904s as buffers and skip the switch (no need for that anyway in TB). Not authentic, but close enough for rock'n'roll.

Soundwise that would be it, but visually not quite. I like Boss boxes. Unfortunately they are not available for DIY. Then again, things like applying regular DPDT switches into them to make TB to happen is a no-go anyway. So any appropriate box would and should be fine, just not totally authentic per se. However, being a dedicated Jake pedal, this would open up possibilities for any fancy design one would want to imagine.

All in all, thumbs up for a nice idea. Wouldn't be _totally_ authentic OD-1 as per Jakes pedals, but rather something unique in itself.

Well, see that's the thing...I'm talking about a "reasonable" cost. If It has to be exactly like the OD-1 version he used....well you can get them on eBay for $100 +. Even for me ( I designed and and have MFG the Cat's Eye box), getting a "boss Style" box made would make the pedal basically in the 200 buck range. Hardly affordable.

By hardwired bypass I meant "non transistor switching". Basically true bypass as we all know it with a DPDT switch and simple LED driver.

Yeah, we can go on and on about the sonic differences in the 4558 opamp. I actually prefer the Raytheon version. They're easier to get and , to my ears anyway, sound identical to the fabled JRC4558D. Got a slew of those too. I offer the JRC as an option in our distortion.

Yep, I've spoken to Jake about his DIY pedals. he knows his shit. He never mentioned any mods or clones of an OD-1. I talked with him via email this morning. He's hip to checking out a prototype of another effect I have, to see what "personal stank" I can put on it. In fact a couple of years ago he was a bit skeptical of the Mista Fuzz I sent him (hadn't seen a fuzzface like that before)...After trying it with a Dano practice amp at home, he modded it (before he tried it with his Marshalls) to be more in line with his old fuzzfaces. He changed it back before they started recording Retraced!

I'm definitely gonna ask him about his OD-1's.

Keep the comments and opinions coming! They're much appreciated and are/will be a great help in determining if I should proceed with the idea.

Dean

[_will_]

I would think it woudl be a nice plan to have it as un noisy as possible with the level cranked and the gain low - if thats possible. testing my memory, but is that not Jakes favoured setting?