Boss MT-2 in Jerry Rig? [correction: HM-2] (edit)

[tigerstrat]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but does anyone know if Jer really did use an mt-2? I can't see waldo's pic if that is his rack or something.
I got one of these years ago after reading that Jer used it, but have never been able to get anything but metal tones out of it. am i out of luck only having single coils?

It was an HM-2, only briefly (like less that 2 years? still unclear), and in addition to (not replacing) his trusty MXR Distortion+.

[JamminJommy]

So even in the 89-90 period, is it the MXR we are hearing on tunes like Samson?

[waldo041]

So even in the 89-90 period, is it the MXR we are hearing on tunes like Samson?

no, by 89 the HM-2 is replaced with the Boss Turbo OverDrive OD-2R and the MXR Dist+ was replaced with the Boss Over Drive OD-1.

peace,
waldo

[bdhact1]

I'm pretty sure that for the 80's it was the MXR Distortion+ since I always see it in his rack in the 80's. I think he tweaked with the knobs for different songs too. He must have had a good one because the 2 or 3 I've tried (all vintage) sound a little different from each other.

I know he used some other Boss pedals in the 90's but I don't really care about that.

He could have been using something else in the later 80's but I'm not sure. For the late 70's and early 80's the MXR for sure.

Jim

After making a vintage distortion + from schematics and PCB photos, I've found when breadboarding all the components that the biggest difference in sound on the vintage Dist + was the tantalum capacitors. The 25v volt tantalum had a thinner sound than the 35v. The 35v was a little more beefier. According to photos of vintage distortion Plus PCBs, MXR seemed to use both types from one box to another. A point of reference I used for Jerry's Dist + sound was the instrumental bonus track of "Peggy O" from Terrapin Station. That sound was duplicated with the 25v tantalum capacitors. I decided to install a switch to go from one type to another.

[bdhact1]

So even in the 89-90 period, is it the MXR we are hearing on tunes like Samson?

I also made a OD-1 pedal from Boss's techsheet schematic. It is an awesome sounding pedal. I found that when the OD-1 and the OD-2 are on at the same time you get that loud, distorted sustain used on his 89-95 Sampson and Delila, slipknot, and a few others.

[waldo041]

After making a vintage distortion + from schematics and PCB photos, I've found when breadboarding all the components that the biggest difference in sound on the vintage Dist + was the tantalum capacitors. The 25v volt tantalum had a thinner sound than the 35v. The 35v was a little more beefier. According to photos of vintage distortion Plus PCBs, MXR seemed to use both types from one box to another. A point of reference I used for Jerry's Dist + sound was the instrumental bonus track of "Peggy O" from Terrapin Station. That sound was duplicated with the 25v tantalum capacitors. I decided to install a switch to go from one type to another.

what other types of swaps did you try besides the tantalums?

peace,
waldo

[bdhact1]

After making a vintage distortion + from schematics and PCB photos, I've found when breadboarding all the components that the biggest difference in sound on the vintage Dist + was the tantalum capacitors. The 25v volt tantalum had a thinner sound than the 35v. The 35v was a little more beefier. According to photos of vintage distortion Plus PCBs, MXR seemed to use both types from one box to another. A point of reference I used for Jerry's Dist + sound was the instrumental bonus track of "Peggy O" from Terrapin Station. That sound was duplicated with the 25v tantalum capacitors. I decided to install a switch to go from one type to another.

what other types of swaps did you try besides the tantalums?

peace,
waldo

[jahozer]

I have one. An HM-2. I use it for that 80s over the top distortion sound. It does it quite well for like the end of Deal, and especially that distorted delay sound in space. Its a bit finicky though. Sometimes just a hair up, and Im feeding back. Others I stomp on it and its too low. I use it with a tube screamer and that rounds it out, but it gets too crazy at times. Sometimes Im thinking it sounds great, but then others I just like the sound of my overdrive. I dont try to completely cop Jerrys tone, but I like to be in the ball park. For as cheap as you can get them, its a very cost effective way to dial in a certain jerry sound. Or sound like 80s swedish medal.

[bdhact1]

After making a vintage distortion + from schematics and PCB photos, I've found when breadboarding all the components that the biggest difference in sound on the vintage Dist + was the tantalum capacitors. The 25v volt tantalum had a thinner sound than the 35v. The 35v was a little more beefier. According to photos of vintage distortion Plus PCBs, MXR seemed to use both types from one box to another. A point of reference I used for Jerry's Dist + sound was the instrumental bonus track of "Peggy O" from Terrapin Station. That sound was duplicated with the 25v tantalum capacitors. I decided to install a switch to go from one type to another.

what other types of swaps did you try besides the tantalums?

peace,
waldo

Thanks for asking Waldo,
I studied all the schematics and photos I could find on the vintage Distortion Plus. Naturally 1n270 diodes are a definate prerequisite; And I wanted to sound as authentic as possible. I was lucky right off the bat finding a period C741CP opamp, a couple of .050 ceramic capacitors, and a a few vintage ceramic capacitors from old 60s and 70s flea market stereos. I was curious as to how other types of capacitors would sound. So I tried box metal film, regular metal film, polypropylene film, electrolytic, and even Orange Drop. They all were just too smooth or dull sounding They just didn't have the "byte" of ceramic, or the tight grit of tantalum. The 2 tantalums made the most difference, especially between the 1uf 25v and the 1uf 35v. All the schematics and PCB photos showed both voltages were used. One schematic had them both listed an the same unit. I had read that they were hand made at the time and they used what ever stock available to them.
The ceramic .050 made a slight, distinct difference in the clipping stage, but nothing dramatically different. Carbon comp resistors made too little difference so I stuck with metal film.