Been a while since we had a HARMONIC PERCOLATOR thread, no?

[BetterOffShred]

Sweet review man! Thanks for sharing this with us. I've read in numerous locations the silicon variants are far more compressed and that the diode lift is an overall beneficial feature. I plan to use a spdt on/off/on switch with the 914's on one side and 1N34A'S on the other and the middle is your jercolator style with diode lift.

I'm curious about the power requirements as I didn't think any of these were positive ground. I could be wrong.

Do all/any of your perc clones "bloom" pretty dece? That is to say grow harmonic overtones during sustained notes?

[BetterOffShred]

Well I've researched this device to death and listened to like 50 clones, and that land devices definitely sounds fantastic. It looks like it also has 3 diode modes (Si, lift, Ge). Curious what pre and post values he's got in there.

[Chankgeez]

This deserves to be on this page too :

Here is what my unkempt board looked like during A/B/C/D testing (before all my gear had to be packed and hidden from duct work contractors):



Final impressions:

JDM Pedals Little Steamer: Probably the most versatile of the lot and my favorite at the moment. It can chime and grind equally well depending upon guitar pickup configurations and/or settings and gain levels. JDM created a variant that can sound both musical and mean, but the DC polarity requirements may differ from the norm (based on labeling). I use batteries, so this is a non-issue.

Customeffects Harmonic Percolator: A killee deal for only 78 USD new/shipped from Poland to the US. It has the most limited features of the bunch, but totally nails the classic HP vibe. There's no battery clip, but it has standard polarity requirements.

Zander Circuitry Cafetiere: A wacky, silicon take on the perc circuit with extra compression and heft. Its response to playing dynamics and different guitar-related nuances seems more limited than the other options, though all sorts of oddball artifacts like octave down harmonics are possible. Silicon transistors also means more saturation on tap, which allows for even gnarlier textures at max gain with chords.

Land Devices HP-2: I'm not sure what transistors are in the mix, but they almost sound silicon compared to other options on hand. The HP-2 isn't quite as compressed as the Cafetiere, but definitely sounds fuzzier overall than my germanium perc variants. There may also be a slight lowpass filter at play, as its slight smoothness reminds me of my former Fredric Effects Utility Perkolator. This pedal can nudge my Way Huge Russian Pickle into uber doom territory when in diode bypass mode.

Results of cascading more than one pedal together in classic HP mode were flatulently grotesque, while they were nice and chunky with diodes removed.

[ck3]

Do all/any of your perc clones "bloom" pretty dece? That is to say grow harmonic overtones during sustained notes?

There can be some bloom at lower gain levels or with lighter fingerstyle picking and/or use of single coil pickups with the germanium variants. It is worth noting that I use solid state amplification. Results with tubes likely differ.

Well I've researched this device to death and listened to like 50 clones, and that land devices definitely sounds fantastic. It looks like it also has 3 diode modes (Si, lift, Ge). Curious what pre and post values he's got in there.

The HP-2 I have only offers 2 modes. Did you find a custom Land Devices build? The Fredric Effects Utility Perkolator is the only variant I've owned with 3 diode settings. Components in the HP-2 are on the other side of the PCB, so it's difficult to read numbers and such.

[codetocontra]

Group buy for my bassist's birthday later next month with a Latent Lemon with the optional mods. Supposed to work better on bass. He loves the circuit but the Collins version cuts too much low end. Excited to hear it. More excited for his surprise party.

[BetterOffShred]

I think I've literally watched so many Percolator videos recently I got it confused with a different device.

I built my board tonight and picked out a mp42 with like 89 hFe to try out. I'm socketing both trannys and I'll try the 44 series Si in addition to the usual 5088 and 3904..

I'm also thinking about throwing 4 input caps on a rotary for posterity... I am out of 4T switches but I got 5 coming.

Thanks again for sharing the land devices.. It's a very good sounding perc. It really inspired me. I've been building and designing this combo box in my head ever since.

[BetterOffShred]

Sorry to double post, but I feel it's worth mentioning that I play only tube amps.. and I really like things that just absolutely butt-fuck the front end.. like the Harmonic Transformer, meathead, etc. I'm hoping my clone has a huge pile of post gain available. That will be worth messing with to get right.

[D Rock]

Percs have been my dirt/fuzz of choice lately. Spent quite a bit of time with the circuit on the breadboard so if anyone needs any help please PM me.

Built A PTP Perc first. It sounds great but quite a bit of work to do all the off-board wiring.




Then decided to start designing my own PCBs. This is version 1.



This version has a bass control, gain, bias, voltage starve and master volume. Sick. As far as I know there are no other more versatile percolators available. Also, it can self oscillate. Unsure if i want to tune that out or not. Produces some sick feedback when you let notes ring out, but can also be tuned back into a nice overdrive that has plenty of bite.



This circuit rocks, I plan to expand on it as time allows, but for now the 5 knob version is the tits. Bias has a sweet spot for sure, so that may just end up as a trim pot, but it is nice to tune in. I'm aware most people prefer fewer knobs so I'm working on tidying it up a bit so I can sell a few from time to time. Also, did I mention Russian Germanium PNP transistors. Fuck yes.

[actual]

I'm aware most people prefer fewer knobs so I'm working on tidying it up a bit

plz don't, looks awesome. What does the bass control do?

[D Rock]

I'm aware most people prefer fewer knobs so I'm working on tidying it up a bit

plz don't, looks awesome. What does the bass control do?

The bass control just controls the amount of Bass that enters the circuit. By doing so it also tends to make the circuit break up a little sooner, and you do lose a little clarity by letting in too much bass. But more bass adds a badass doomy sound for sure, more fuzzlike that most percs that I've heard, but with more clarity that most fuzzes if that makes any sense.

[actual]

So does it cut and boost or just cut?

[BetterOffShred]

Percs have been my dirt/fuzz of choice lately. Spent quite a bit of time with the circuit on the breadboard so if anyone needs any help please PM me.

Also, did I mention Russian Germanium PNP transistors. Fuck yes.

This guy! My Man!!
Thanks for the pics dude, and thanks for your input!
What gain range sounds the best on these? I'm sure that's subjective but you seem to have a handle on what it should sound like. I have recently bought huge piles of Russian PNP'sand I certainly have a few favorites .. does this circuit handle leaky (say .4ma or above) trannys at all? Maybe I should have PM you ..

[BetterOffShred]

So does it cut and boost or just cut?

I'd be willing to bet it's a blend between 2 cap values and only serves to cut so you can use it on downtuned or bass guitars maintaining the "intended" input gain which keeps the clarity D rock is talking about.

The Boneshaker does this as well as some others. I like it, it's definitely not subtle if you have a really gassy guitar hehe.

[Chankgeez]

Percs have been my dirt/fuzz of choice lately. Spent quite a bit of time with the circuit on the breadboard so if anyone needs any help please PM me.

Built A PTP Perc first. It sounds great but quite a bit of work to do all the off-board wiring.




Then decided to start designing my own PCBs. This is version 1.



This version has a bass control, gain, bias, voltage starve and master volume. Sick. As far as I know there are no other more versatile percolators available. Also, it can self oscillate. Unsure if i want to tune that out or not. Produces some sick feedback when you let notes ring out, but can also be tuned back into a nice overdrive that has plenty of bite.



This circuit rocks, I plan to expand on it as time allows, but for now the 5 knob version is the tits. Bias has a sweet spot for sure, so that may just end up as a trim pot, but it is nice to tune in. I'm aware most people prefer fewer knobs so I'm working on tidying it up a bit so I can sell a few from time to time. Also, did I mention Russian Germanium PNP transistors. Fuck yes.

Nice!

You've got purple wire and purple pcb!

Overall (& the enclosure) looks great too!

[karmablock]

Does anyone have problems with Percs picking up radio stations? I have a silicone perc that does that into a solid state amp but not a tube amp.