Critique my design? (sort of YATS content)

[Ross]

I came up with this bass overdrive, based on ideas from a few pedals, including the Timmy (output gain makeup stage), the Rose Screamer (buffer-> clean stage) and the Big Muff (tone control).
I think it should work, but if there's anything I should do to make it better, please tell me!

[IvIark]

Yes looks ok to me.   If I was breadboarding it I would probably try it with and without that third stage buffer, because you'll get plenty of gain from the second stage and have a Timmy recovery stage after the tone stack which should counteract any losses.  Don't get me wrong they both would be "good", but I'd be interested in seeing the results if the gain stage goes straight to the muff tone stack.

Plus do you want the tone stack to work on the dry signal too, because you could always take the blend to the recovery stage so you don't get any losses there.

[alex.s]

I do like those "hybrid" circuits, they are good fun and can bear very interesting results!

Have a play around with the tone stack to nail the range most useful with bass and consider perhaps replacing the input cap with a larger one to see if it can benefit from it.

Oh, and do record us a demo when you're done! :)

[Ross]

Yeah, I was wondering about insertion loss in terms of the Big Muff tonestack, that's why I glued on the third stage buffer. If I don't use it, I'll just use that other half of the opamp to buffer Vref.  The tonestack was taken from another abandoned project,  and I've actually tweaked that tonestack to be completely flat at 12:00, so you can shape your signal from there.

[Madferret]

I'd agree with Mark here, I put a BMP tonestack into a pedal design and it really killed the volume, a gain stage after it really helps.

[Madferret]

Oh and the design looks excellent too :D  If I played bass I'd be all over it, looks like the blend feature would be pretty handy.