# Arcane Analog - Guitars Canada Exclusive Build



## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

All,

As you may know, I am a small builder (one man show) here in Fredericton, New Brunswick. I specialize in handcrafted unique pedals or very limited runs of the same. I specialize in fuzz pedals built "oldschool" on tagboard or veroboard but I can build just about anything. Many Guitars Canada members have commissioned builds or have purchased one of my pedals.

Examples of my builds can be found HERE and HERE.

I am going to do a short run of exclusive pedals for Guitars Canada. This first run will be limited to only three (3) units. It does not get any more limited than that! 

I was simply going to pick a circuit, build it and pop it up here but I think it would be more fun to invite the membership to decide not only what the pedal will be but to also invite suggestions on the fit and finish as well.

So, I ask all of you fine GC members, what will the first Guitars Canada exclusive be?


[start]Gratuitous tagboard mojo![/end]


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## Clean Channel (Apr 18, 2011)

Very cool idea! 

My only suggestion is that the outside etch be something over-the-top Canadian.

A quick google search gave me this:


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Haha. I could probably etch that.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

You could call it The Screamin' Beaver or The Honkin' Goose.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have a Danelectro Peach Fuzz Ver 1 Clone but with separate bass and treble knobs (maybe a pre fuzz bass control and a post fuzz treble control ala the Timmy?). People are probably saying "WTF" but this is seriously one of the best fuzz pedals I have every played it is just ridiculously bass heavy (I've played a ton and yes I know it is based on the Frantone). It cleans up amazingly well and does great lighter dirt (better than Astro Tone IMO) and can also do a great Muff meats Tone Bender with more clarity and more cut. 

Do a 2 in 1 enclosure with a Dano French toast and I am in (this too has beaten every boutique option for me).

Top loaded jacks a must! The picture above would be cool, to keep it both Canadian and an ode to the above pedals, call it the "French Beaver" 

TG


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

traynor_garnet, that sounds more like a personal custom build over a Guitars Canada build. Doing something like that would take some research and a custom layout to pull off.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

What about your version of the Rangemaster? ...I think you called it the "Skullmaster"

....or possibly a simple overdrive like the "Soul Food" which has been discussed here recently.

Cheers

Dave


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

A Maestro? I don't think you've got one of those in your line-up currently.


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

100th post!

The Maestro, Rangemaster and Klone are good calls.


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

How about an Arcane version of a jimi in a Box, like the captain coconut, Prescription Electronics experience or an Analog man Mini Jimi?


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Arcane said:


> traynor_garnet, that sounds more like a personal custom build over a Guitars Canada build. Doing something like that would take some research and a custom layout to pull off.


Ok, I thought you were just looking for ideas from members. Does the market really need another klone? LOL


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

How about a Kay Fuzztone (aka Orange Kay) clone.


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Sneaky said:


> How about a Kay Fuzztone (aka Orange Kay) clone.


That would be fun! 

I was thinking of doing a Fuzzrite of some sorts.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

What about a foxx tone machine, coolest octave fuzz ever.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Arcane said:


> That would be fun!
> 
> I was thinking of doing a Fuzzrite of some sorts.


I used to do them with much larger output caps, for a much beefier sound. Wicked good, and simple as heck.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

A three button pedal (with appropriate controls).....a nice mid boosting overdrive (TS9, TS808), a fuzz, and a clean boost all in one slightly oversized pedal.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

zdogma said:


> What about a foxx tone machine, coolest octave fuzz ever.


See my post (#5) above!

TG


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

It seems we have it narrowed down to a fuzz of some kind...


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## grumpyoldman (Jan 31, 2010)

Arcane said:


> It seems we have it narrowed down to a fuzz of some kind...


Would it be difficult (or even impossible) to consider combining a digital AND an analog delay in a single pedal? 
I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask...


John
thegrumpyoldman


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

John, (almost) anything is possible but if you are looking digital I am not your guy.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

If you're doing an etching, how about a deathdealer style Captain Canada with a guitar or something?


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

traynor_garnet said:


> I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have a Danelectro Peach Fuzz Ver 1 Clone but with separate bass and treble knobs (maybe a pre fuzz bass control and a post fuzz treble control ala the Timmy?). People are probably saying "WTF" but this is seriously one of the best fuzz pedals I have every played it is just ridiculously bass heavy (I've played a ton and yes I know it is based on the Frantone). It cleans up amazingly well and does great lighter dirt (better than Astro Tone IMO) and can also do a great Muff meats Tone Bender with more clarity and more cut.
> 
> Do a 2 in 1 enclosure with a Dano French toast and I am in (this too has beaten every boutique option for me).
> 
> ...


This! Souds nice!


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

Really good germanium fuzz face on one side. Really good silicon fuzz face on the other. And call it the Referendum.


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

exhausted said:


> Really good germanium fuzz face on one side. Really good silicon fuzz face on the other. And *call it the Referendum*.


Haha. Brilliant!


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Love it!!!! 



exhausted said:


> Really good germanium fuzz face on one side. Really good silicon fuzz face on the other. And call it the Referendum.


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

Russian muff on one side. Ram's Head on the other. Call it the Cold War. But the fuzz face idea has a more Canadian flavour.


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

Great idea!


exhausted said:


> Really good germanium fuzz face on one side. Really good silicon fuzz face on the other. And call it the Referendum.


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

I also love the referendum idea. 

Here's my idea: a fuzz pedal called "The Looney". Or "Looney Tones". 

It should recall some vintage fuzz sounds but not be a copy of anything. The pedal would have an "identity" knob that changes the characteristics of the fuzz sound. This also references the endless debate in Canada about what it means to be Canadian. 

The pedal would also have another knob called "currency". It would be a bias knob, referencing how our currency goes from weak, sputtering to solid and smooth. 

The "gain" knob could be called "truculence" (with a nod to Brian Burke)


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## Clean Channel (Apr 18, 2011)

exhausted said:


> Really good germanium fuzz face on one side. Really good silicon fuzz face on the other. And call it the Referendum.


I dig it! Great idea!


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Lots of great ideas!

It looks like the desire for a Referendum is picking up steam.


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

OK - I am digging the Referendum idea. Thanks exhausted!

For this build, I am thinking of using NPN germanium and silicon to keep the power supply options simple and the pedal will be easily daisy chained.

For controls, I am thinking of keeping the standard Fuzz and Volume controls and adding a bias feature and/or modding the circuit for more output volume as almost every player finds that extremely useful. 

How does that sound?


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

I really like the bias idea. Equally important I think is a tone/bass control so the pedal is easily useable with both humbuckers and single coils. Good luck with the build!


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

I was thinking the same thing regarding power. Also, for logistics, top mounted jacks and the ability to in/out both pedals separately (I use a MIDI loop switcher). i.e. switching jacks.

And yes, bias and volume. You're reading my mind.



Arcane said:


> OK - I am digging the Referendum idea. Thanks exhausted!
> 
> For this build, I am thinking of using NPN germanium and silicon to keep the power supply options simple and the pedal will be easily daisy chained.
> 
> ...


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Prototype


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I love it!


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## Clean Channel (Apr 18, 2011)

Very cool! 

It also appears to have top-mounted jacks, which I support wholeheartedly!


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Ohhhh, this os nice!


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Canada Day special on the Referendum!


$125 plus Shipping!

Available in my webstore!


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Paid  Excellent MWAHAHAHAHA


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Apparently there is much more interest than I had anticipated. I had only made three of these available but I can certainly add more - with a bit more of wait time - if needed.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Mine is also ordered


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Almost finished these fellows.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Yeah baby, come to daddy!!!


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Got mine just now.


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

I ended up doing three of these - each slightly different. Each pedal was given a colour marked on the box which corresponds to the wiring colour. I sent them out randomly so you can chime in with the colour you received. Red, Black and Blue!


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I received the black one! It sounds great!


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## dolphinstreet (Sep 11, 2006)

Very cool!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## copperhead (May 24, 2006)

looks great


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

I hear that red has the best tone!


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

By process of elimination, I get blue....I haven't even plugged it in yet. Band day this aft, I'll put it in my rig or try, we'll see how nice it plays with the rest of my board.


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

FYI - I have one Referendum available.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Did anyone ever do a recording of one of these?


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

Not that I am aware of. You can probably find a few reviews though.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

OK thanks.

I'm not a fuzz guy at all but I absolutely love the tone in this video. Just wondering if the Referendum can get me there


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## Arcane (Oct 14, 2012)

The germanium side will definitely get you there.


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