which filter? sea moon FM vs nurse quacky vs ???

[fuzznaught]

I am getting ready to build an autowah type filter. It is going to be used with high gain/alotta fuzz and was wondering if there's one that would be best for this? After reading the comments, I tried the nurse quacky, but couldn't get it to work. I'd fiddled with it off&on for a very very long time, posted questions here, etc. so I'm going to start over (it felt great to toss it, lol)... I've always wanted a bassballs, but figured if I had a hard time with the NQ, then trying the EHXBB wouldn't be such a good idea (altho I did finally build a great sounding superfuzz so the bassballs was looking more within reach). Anyways, I was most likely just gonna do the NQ again since my soldering has gotten much better since my first attempt at it. But then I saw the Sea Moon w/buffer and thot it might be better for using with higher gain pedals? Whichever one I build, I'll be using it with a superfuzz and box-of-rock mostly...any suggestions?

[JaviCAP]

Mad Professor Snow White autowah. In my opinion, the best modern production autowah that I've ever tried.

Don't get scared by the size of the board, is a pretty forward (long) build but results are amazing, and you don't have to tweak any transistor or component.

BR

[Silver Blues]

JaviCAP wrote

Mad Professor Snow White autowah. In my opinion, the best modern production autowah that I've ever tried.

Don't get scared by the size of the board, is a pretty forward (long) build but results are amazing, and you don't have to tweak any transistor or component.

BR

This.

[fuzznaught]

Yea, the main reason why I didn't mention it within my possibilities is because it's not in the cards for me right now. My full sheets of vero are only 19 rows tall and I don't have any LM13700's. I could prolly rig some rows, but is there any getting around the LM13700? I'm a pretty much still a noob and just bought all the tools and all the most common components in most sizes/values. It is going to be far past christmas/new year's until I can order anything again and be able to stay married, LOL. Is it that the SWAW is the only one that's going to work with high gain? Are the other's not even worth building? Let me know, Thanks!  

[adstrum]

You could probably swap the LM13700 for some other quad opamp such as TL074.

[fuzznaught]

REALLY? That would be awesome since I have one of those. I just tried to compare the data sheets the best I can, but don't know if the differences in specs would matter, as I mentioned I'm still new at this. I'm sure you can remember when you first started building pedals, and understand the snow white autowah isn't something that I will be able to just slap together in a lil while. I don't want to "roll the dice" with a large portion of my hobby time, and a big chunk of my component stash...as it would be pretty much devastating to find out the suggested substitution wouldn't work after building it. But if you guys can say for sure it will absolutely work, I'll go for it! Its lookin like if it isn't this particular pedal, its safe to assume any I've mentioned are definately not even worth building. Since this pedal is the best (and only) option for me, subbing TL074 in place of LM13700 (and rigging two pieces of vero together to get enough rows) is 100% ok?  

[johnk]

you CANNOT swap any quad opamp for an LM13700. an LM13700 is a dual transconductance opamp which is a totally different animal.  just cuz it has 14 pins doesn't mean you can swap it in there.

[fuzznaught]

thanks very much JohnK...glad I didn't roll the dice on that one...maybe the thot was: its worth trying ANYTHING just as long as it's not a different filter pedal than the snow white autowah? Someday I'll get there, until then I'll probably just give the Nurse Quacky a try, oh well.... And thanks again for lookin out johnK, very much appreciated:)

[JaviCAP]

Let's see. I've built a few autowahs:

- Nurse Quacky
- Doctor Q
- Mutron III
- Meatball
- Sonw White.
- EHX Basballs

For my taste, the best is the Mutron, very close to the Meatball. The problem is that these two pedals are REALLY difficult to build, and expensive.

Basballs is something like a double Doctor Q, nice, but not great

Snow White, has great tone, compact size and is not really difficult, nor expensive  to build

Doctor Q and Nurse Quacky, are the simplest ones to build, have a correct tone and are cheap.

But once you try the Snow White, the Mutron or the Meatball, you won't use again the Nurse or any of the rest

Anyway, the expense is not really big, you can get two LM13700 for less than two euros shippin' inlcuded (http://www.ebay.es/itm/2-NEW-LM13700-LM13700N-Dual-OP-Amplifier-ICS-IC-Chip-/250922464066?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a6c24f342&_uhb=1) and a 10x16 vero (somenting like 35x64 holes) for about 3 euros.

If you want to build a Nurse Quacky, go ahead, it's a nice pedal, and with a fuzz sounds very good, (NOT with a high gain distorion), but is not by any means the one I would recommend to anyone that wants to get a  good envelope filter.

BR

[fuzznaught]

Thanks Javi! that was EXACTLY the help I needed. I'm in the USA so I can still do ebay/tayda/etc., but not for awhile. The electronics store near me can order the LM13700's for me when I'm ready for the snow white, and I can get away with some minimal  purchaces still as long as its with cash (I'm gonna get divorced if I use the credit card anymore for awhile, the new soldering station was the final straw). I'll gladly settle for feeding the nurse Quacky only fuzz while I'm waiting 'til I can get the parts for the snow white :)  ...and when the time comes, I have plenty of buddies that would really appreciate a slightly used so-so envelope filter like the NQ, (It's behringer broke around here, we aren't too spoiled...haha). I learned a long time ago that I'll never have the resources for the "best" gear that most people do. Even if the Nurse Q isnt for anyone that wants a good envelope filter, I'll still be plenty happy to get to play with an envelope filter. So thanks man, I appreciate you taking the time to really give a big rundown of them. Asking for advice in a place where everyone can have/build anything they want anytime they want can be a bit intimidating at times. So I really appreciate you giving me a good rundown of them. That was what I was trying to find out with my original post. Thank you sooo much man!

[Vince]

Not quite an auto wah but something to think about. The Systech Harmonic Energizer is great for high gain stuff. You manually sweep through a 'wah'. great for that cocked wah sound.

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/systech-harmonic-energizer.html

[induction]

I recently built the Snow White, and I also recommend it. The variable decay is extremely useful.

My layout fits on a standard-size (94 x 53 mm) veroboard, but relies on some SMD components on the copper side. It would probably fit in a 1590B, but I put mine in a BB.









The twisty jumper under the LM324 is a single piece of wire. I listed equivalent parallel components for values I didn't have on hand. Paralleled SMD components are simply stacked one on top of the other.