PARASIT STUDIO
  • DIY GUITAR EFFECTS
    • Original Effects
    • Building blog
    • DIY Gallery
    • Stripboard layouts
    • Articles
  • SHOP
  • BUILD DOCS
  • ABOUT

Work in progress june 2020

5/6/2020

9 Comments

 
Here's what I have been up to lately. Check out the video below for some talk and sound samples. :)
This is the first time i've done a video to talk about stuff that i'm working on. I'm very uncomfortable to speak in english and to hear my own voice haha, but i'm working on it.

​Perhaps if I get a bit more confident I'll do some video based tutorials (CMOS, Attiny prgramming ect.) in the future. Let me know if that's something that you would like to see.

Here's a summary with some additional info.

The Monobius 8-bit Micro System
This was a Attiny84 based project with a card/cartridge-slot that I was working on earlier this year in the winter. It was supposed to have 3-4 cards with programs based on old Parasit Studio designs, such as the Arcadiator, Xor'cist ect. but with a few more bonus features.

However, I decided to scrap the card idea, since it felt like it was too much trouble for a gimmick, so now I'm working on a stand alone version instead that I think will be really good. This one will only be avaliable as a fully assembled pedal, not DIY (Sorry).
Picture

The Databus Drive
The second project that i'm working on right now is called the Databus Drive, and it's a huge guitar synth inspired by old 8-bit computers, especially the Gigatron TTL DIY computer that I have built for myself a while ago. 

The idea is that the Databus Drive will also be built inside a custom wooden enclosure with a clear transparent top cover. It's 100% CMOS based (I enjoy developing these kinds of projects alot more than microcontroller based projects) and features a 16x16 LED matrix oscilloscope that I originally developed as an addon for the Multiwave MEGA (before it became Attiny based).
​
Picture
PCB render - final version will be white with black silkscreen
It has a phaser and a vibrato that are both kinda complicated features to pull off with CMOS only, hence the big number of chips in this one. I had these features going with a microcontroller, but I thought that it was fun to see if it could be done with CMOS instead. Otherwise it's nothing super special. No filter or envelopes. But I think it will be a very cool effect as a whole. Right now i'm waiting for the prototype PCB's and a ton of LEDs to arrive. Can't wait to build this one. :)

If enough people are interested in this one, then I will do a limited run of PCB's for DIY (it's a huge and expensive board). Just note that the PCB isn't designed for any standard enclosure size (but there are some plastic electronic boxes with transparent covers that can suit the PCB).

A few custom builds
I usually don't accept custom requests, but because of the Corona Situation i've been building a few pedals for birthday gifts ect.
A custom Green Currant Tremolo, built for a member of the band Vidro.
​Check them out if you like raw hardcore punk. :)
Picture
The "Darby Fuzz" - A germanium Fuzzface variant with russian NOS germanium transistors and a discrete voltage inverter.

I built the board a long time ago and decided to finally box it up. It was built/designed specifically for this article: https://www.parasitstudio.se/building-blog/manhattan-style-pedalbuilding

If you are interested in the transistor based voltage inverter, you might want to draw up a schematic from the manhattan style layout (I don't have the schematic any longer), and check out Dave Jones video on the theory behind the Cockcroft-Walton Multiplier (same principle can be used to generate negative voltages aswell).
https://youtu.be/ep3D_LC2UzU
Picture
A custom modded EA tremolo

​Not much to say about this one. I built it on singlesided copperboard "manhattan style" aswell. It's just such an enjoyable way of building simpler circuits like this one, and the big ground plane makes it good for low noise (one of the reasons the manhattan style is popular with ham radio DIY electronics).
Picture

PCBWay PCB Assembly Service
When I was designing the Monobius pedal I was contacted by PCBWay that wanted me to try their PCB service for free (they even paid for the shipping) if I shared my opinion on their service. I wasn't interested at first, but I decided to try their PCB assembly service since I've never used an assembly service before and it could be a great time saver.

So this post is sponsored by PCBWay since I own them a mention. They guided me through the whole process of ordering and they were very easy to communicate with and the board turned out great, so i'm happy to recommend them and use their service in the future. :)​
Picture
Picture
One of the Monobius cards being designed (in Diptrace)
PCBWay made the 10x Monobius cards for me with preassembled chips. Now, as it turns out, these cards will not be used, but it nice to learn how the PCB assembly ordering process in case I want to use it for a bigger project in the future.

That's all for now. For more frequent updates, please check out Parasit Studio on Instagram and Facebook.

Stay safe and keep up the DIY spirit. :)
/ Fredrik
9 Comments
Paul
6/24/2020 01:01:58 pm

hi Fredrik, glad to see you're keeping well, and don't worry about your English, written and spoken are both very good. And you've got a great way of being able to talk about complicated circuits in a way that is quite easy to understand. Now I really should get that ITU board finished, Thanks and stay safe :o)

Reply
Fredrik Lyxzen link
6/27/2020 06:26:46 am

Hi Paul,
Thank you for your kind comment! :)
Have fun building your Into the Unknown.
Cheers / Fredrik

Reply
Mariano segat
6/29/2020 10:24:17 am

I am always checking for new articles, so more videos would be great!
Your english is super clear, so don't worry about that.
I have bought some ATTINYS85 for trying out programming for the first time so any insight about that would be awesome. Links to study maybe? Couldn't find something izzy pizzy like your aricticles about cmos, but about programming the attiny for this kind of projects. I couldn't even find a straight answer for what kind of programming language would be ideal. Found that someone said that MAYBE python would be possible, and that would be superb cause I could use python for my regular work also, but I guess that would be the less recommended route.

Keep up the good work!

Reply
Fredrik Lyxzén link
7/2/2020 11:53:36 am

Thank you for the kind words. :)

For Attiny programming, I recommend that you get a small arduino nano and a breadboard, then you can program the Attiny85 with the Arduino Nano in the Arduino IDE software. Search for "Attiny Arduino nano as ISP" and "Arduino Attiny library" and you will find plenty of information on how to hook everything up, and which liberaries you need to install for the Arduino IDE so that it can speak with the Attiny.

The nice thing about using the Arduino as a programmer is that you can use the arduino library for simplified commants for the Attiny aswell, such as simple pin commands, timers ect. It's all C++ though, but it's not hard to learn, and when you get better at it you can start manipulating registers directly to speed up your code.

I hope that helps to get you started. :)
cheers / Fredrik

Reply
Nathan Matteson
9/15/2020 06:33:08 pm

I've built about a half a dozen of your pedals so far and absolutely love them all—but I have a deep and abiding need for that Databus Drive! So if you're keeping track of potential customers, add one more to the list. Much love from the American midwest.

Reply
Radical CJ
9/16/2020 06:26:24 am

This website is a great resource. I share your enthusiasm for one-knob fuzz pedals and kung fu movies.

I would be interested to see some more videos of the work.

Reply
Spark International link
4/5/2022 11:14:55 pm


Great blog post.Helpful and informative tips. I like it thanks for sharing this information with us

Reply
Biomedis link
2/6/2023 08:29:08 pm

why did you decide to make a video?

Reply
Los Angeles Lakers link
2/26/2023 12:04:02 am

This is actually the kind of information I have been trying to find. Thank you for writing this information.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

  • DIY GUITAR EFFECTS
    • Original Effects
    • Building blog
    • DIY Gallery
    • Stripboard layouts
    • Articles
  • SHOP
  • BUILD DOCS
  • ABOUT