BOW ECHO PCB

Fuzz/Delay DIY PCB

Includes:

Bow Echo PCB
Bow Echo PCB for Foot Switch 3PDT
16 Pin Socket for PT2399
PT2399
5V Regulator

** Please note that it is assumed that anyone buying and building this is familiar with building pedals, has the necessary tools, understands parts orientation, wiring, etc, etc. I've included some info in the Bill of Materials notes, but it is far from a step-by-step list of instructions. I will try to answer questions if they come up, but I cannot offer comprehensive support.

DOCUMENTS:

[ Bill Of Materials & Build Guide ]

GENERAL INFO / OPTIONS

DIY fuzz/delay. The Bow Echo is a crunchy and fuzzy beast capable of weird sounds and textures from fuzzy chorus to glitchy oscillation.

When developing the Hook Echo pedal, I was exploring and refining a sound that I could hear in my head, but was unlike the assorted pt2399 fuzzes and weirdness already in the world. The classic DIY references of the Noise Bomb and Noise Ensemble have a crunch in the delay tails that gives them their unique character and personality. That crunch wasn't what I wanted in the Hook Echo, but then I started thinking about creating something in-between but still different from all of the above, and thus the Bow Echo was born.

The Modulation control is one of many hacks of adding some pitch movement to the delay. It's not really chorus, but it's slightly more chorusy then some. And when turned all the way up it will have some strange and freakish behavior. With this design there is always some slight modulation present. If you don't want that you could always just omit this pot and the circuit will work just fine with no modulation. You could also put this on a switch, or even a momentary foot switch if you so desired.

For the Starve control I've chosen a slightly larger pot value than necessary, so you can experiment with the full range, all the way to completely killing the signal. If you don't want to test those extremes you could try a 2k or 1k pot. You could also choose to omit the Starve control by jumpering the Starve pot pads from pin 1 to pin 2 instead of using a pot.

The knob layout was designed so that if you wanted a simple 4 knob version (or 5 knob version), the knob layout would still look good as a simple Volume, Diffuse, Time, Repeats pedal.

The Diffuse control is roughly carried over from the Hook Echo and works similar to a delay mix control. Turn the knob down for more fuzz and less audible delay repeats. Turn the knob up for more delay repeats. Note that there is no dry signal present in this circuit, and this is not a clean blend.

The Infinite pads can be used with either a latching or momentary (normally open) footswitch. You can also simply leave those pads alone, and not add the Infinite switch. I know the schematic says “Momentary” on it but personally I’ve come to prefer Latching. YMMV.

So wait, is this just a simplified Hook Echo?

Not at all to be honest.

What's different?

- Hook Echo has an input buffer tuned to the delay circuit that improves the overall tone, makes it play nice with a variety of input signals, and makes it sound the same regardless of your signal chain. (Yes, buffers and/or having other pedals in line before Bow Echo will affect how it sounds to a varying extent)

- Hook Echo has multiple additional gain stages, and gives control over some of them via the Input Gain and Delay Gain controls. This allows for a greater range of lightly overdriven and less fuzzy sounds, as well as completely over-saturated sustain sounds. Meanwhile, Bow Echo is a fixed gain fuzz (though the Diffuse knob affects the feel of the gain to an extent).

- Hook Echo has an added two control tone stack

- Hook Echo has significantly more output volume

- Hook Echo's Distress knob adds a different flavor of weirdness and brokenness than the Bow Echo Modulation control.

- Hook Echo's Feedback knob is designed to have a more traditional delay feel and sweep.

- Hook Echo has more traditional sounding repeats (though still with some character), but not the glitchy crunch of the Bow Echo.

- And even more!

In other words - Both pedals are fun and weird pt2399 fuzz/delays and capable of some similar results, but they are quite different, and do not sound the same at the end of the day.