# EHX Small Clone mods?



## Salokin (Nov 10, 2008)

I' ve just got a reissue Small Clone on a trade and after had a modded vintage one "Mini-Chorus"(Same case as the reissue but written mini-chorus on it, not full-chorus), I can say that the high speed leslie sound was pertty cool on the vintage one.

With the one I' ve just go, I don' t have this nice fast leslie sound. It' s like a detune chorus effect to me when I set it with the switch up and the rate high.

What I need to mod it?


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

If yours uses surface mount parts, forget it. But if it uses through-hole components, go here: tonepad -- FX projects

Download the layout pdf (which will have the schematic), and read the 50 or so build reports to see what some have done.

One thing I will recommend is using a toggle to switch between shorter and longer delay times. There is a 150pf capacitor in there beside the 4047 chip. That sets the delay range. Dropping it down to around 100pf will shift the delay range, and put you more in the zone where flangers and chorus pedals overlap. That zone works very well for fast Leslie simulation.


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## Salokin (Nov 10, 2008)

What is the difference in between "surface mount part" and throught-hole components"? I' m not sure 
how to tell it?

Thanks


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

"Through-hole" components are those where the component sits on one side of the circuit board, and the leads for the components are soldered to traces on the other side of the board (i.e., the leads go *through* a hole in the board). Surface-mount are the ones like you see on computer motherboards, where the components are tiny things lying flat against the top of the board. These will use plated holes in the board to connect to traces on the other side to make the board smaller or provide other sorts of engineering advantages. While all traditional EHX pedals/effects used through-hole components, more recently, they have switched to surface-mount more and more. In some instances, such as stompswitches, LEDs that have to go right up to the chassis, or chips where there IS no surface-mount equivalent, EHX still uses through-hole methods. But the manner in which surface-mount components are installed at the factory reduces production costs considerably, so EHX, like so many other companies, uses it as much as is feasible. The Nano series pretty much all use surface mount. Dunlop uses it too.
Here is the current "Script" Phase 90: http://www.dirtyshoes.co.uk/script1.jpg and here is the original: http://www.tonetweakers.com/images/used/mxr_phase90.s.1_pics_web/w_mxr_phase90.s.1_g.jpg

Can mere mortals like us do modifications to pedals that use surface mount (SMT) techniques? Sometimes, yes. I recently picked up a Behringer PH9, and it uses SMT parts. I was able to make a few changes on it where the components were easily recognizable....but you need good hands and soldering technique.


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## Salokin (Nov 10, 2008)

Thanks Mhammer for infos on that. It looks like my SC is using "through-hole components" so mods are possible!
The only thing is that I never did mods on a pedal and I' m not sure where to begin? Do I need a good soldering technique?
I' m not sure about what parts I have to change? For me the schematic is hard to understand, I' m new with that. Is the capacitor that you told me that is beside that 4047 chip would be the only thing to change you think? Where do you take your parts too?

Thanks


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

If you are in Montreal, there should be no shortage of places to get parts.

And yes, you DO need a good soldering technique. Or at least good enough. The capacitor to change is the small light brown one beside the 4047 chip. You might want to look at this thread for a nice explanation of some useful mods:
Small clone chorus tremolo mods + more


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