Whats the Howard Davies mod to the DMM ?

[ollenorin]

Ive got a DMM....the vibrato/chorus switch has gone missing and the on/off switch os gone....

 

im thinking of sending it to Howard for repair and modding....what does he do to it ?

 

(insert no dirty jokes here).

 

[sense_of_henry]

MEMORY MAN MODS:

 

DELAY TIME INCREASE MOD

The Deluxe Memory Man was designed for a 550 msec. maximum delay. Some units, due to component tolerances and other manufacturing problems, do not have this long a delay time. A mod can be done that corrects this condition.

 

HOT PICKUP MOD

The reissue Deluxe Memory Man now comes from the factory with direct bypass, but with the input level control stage as it was originally when wired for buffered bypass. This is workable with many pickups, but a bypass/effect-on level matching problem - effect overdrive distortion at too low a level - can occur with hot pickups. This modification corrects this.

 

INPUT IMPEDANCE INCREASE MOD

Where total bypassing is not desired, a mod that increases the input impedance of the first stage can be almost as effective as total bypassing in eliminating tonal degradation due to pickup loading. If you use other pedals or long cables following the Memory Man, increasing the input impedance is preferable to total bypassing, as the benefits of buffering by the input stage are retained.

 

LED EFFECT-ON INDICATOR MOD

An LED can be added to indicate when the effect mode is activated.

 

NEED AN ALIGNMENT?

Electronic products containing analog delay ICs have internal trimpots for adjustment by a technician. For proper operation these must be correctly set, and this is done at the factory. In time - especially with the rough handling that guitar pedals are often subject to - these trimpots can become misadjusted, resulting in distortion, excessive noise, improper operation, or no operation at all.

 

It is impossible to correctly adjust all the trimpots - called "doing an alignment" - without using lab equipment and the proper procedure. An audio oscillator, oscilloscope, and the test and alignment procedure for that particular pedal are required, as well as technical training and experience. Attempting an alignment without these usually just makes the problem worse - and more costly for a technician to fix.

 

The most common symptom indicating a need for alignment in the Memory Man is overdrive distortion occuring at too low a signal level. Clock noise, a high-pitched sound heard at long delay settings, is another symptom.

 

Due to poor postal service, I recommend shipping by UPS, DHL, or Fed Ex - NOT the USPS. I can take no responsibility for shipment delays, loss, or damage, which occasionally occur, mostly with the USPS.

 

PLEASE ENCLOSE A NOTE with your full name and return shipping address, and describing the problem needing repair or the mods desired. A copy of your e-mail discussing this would be fine.

 

Please DO NOT SEND ELECTRO-HARMONIX PEDALS WITH THE WOODEN BOX. It provides little added protection but adds considerably to shipping weight. An additional $2 must be added to the return shipping charge if a wooden box is included.

 

WEBSITE: http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/

[ollenorin]

Thanks ! Im sending mine to Mr Davies then.

 

[threm]

Most is posted above but this is what I`ve gathered from various threads

 

 

DELAY TIME MOD

"Yes, I can extend the maximum delay even beyond 550 msec. This mod alone wouldbe $45, but it would be less if combined with other mods done at the same time. A trimpot alignment would be included.

 

Do you mean adding an effects loop before the delay effect? I've never done this, but I suppose it could be done. As 2 jacks and a switch would have to be added though, and some circuit design would be involved, it would be a pretty expensive job - mostly due to all the labor (drilling the box), etc..

 

 

MEMORY MAN MODS:

 

DELAY TIME INCREASE MOD

The Deluxe Memory Man was designed for a 550 msec. maximum delay. Some units, due to component tolerances and other manufacturing problems, do not have this long a delay time. A mod can be done that corrects this condition.

 

 

TOTAL BYPASS MOD

Most Memory Man pedals have an adjustable gain stage (drive level control) that introduces complications with total bypassing. This is because with total bypass, this variable gain can result in a volume mismatch between the dry (bypass) and effect-on signals when the footswitch is thrown.

 

The level control can be set so the dry and effect-on volumes are equal, but this level setting may not be optimum for signal to noise ratio, which requires as high a drive level as possible without causing objectionable distortion - unless such distortion is desired. So you CAN have a total bypass mod done on such a Memory Man, but you then lose the ability to adjust the drive

level exactly as you might want it and also keep the balance between bypass and effect-on volume levels.

 

 

HOT PICKUP MOD

The reissue Deluxe Memory Man now comes from the factory with direct bypass, but with the input level control stage as it was originally when wired for buffered bypass. This is workable with many pickups, but a bypass/effect-on level matching problem - effect overdrive distortion at too low a level - can occur with hot pickups. This modification corrects this.

 

 

INPUT IMPEDANCE INCREASE MOD

Where total bypassing is not desired, a mod that increases the input impedance of the first stage can be almost as effective as total bypassing in eliminating tonal degradation due to pickup loading. If you use other pedals or long cables following the Memory Man, increasing the input impedance is preferable to total bypassing, as the benefits of buffering by the input stage are retained.

 

 

LED EFFECT-ON INDICATOR MOD

An LED can be added to indicate when the effect mode is activated.

 

 

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? MOD

Tell me your idea. If it can be done, I'll do it! Contact me: howard.davis2@att.net[/email]

 

 

NEED AN ALIGNMENT?

Electronic products containing analog delay ICs have internal trimpots for adjustment by a technician. For proper operation these must be correctly set, and this is done at the factory. In time - especially with the rough handling that guitar pedals are often subject to - these trimpots can become misadjusted, resulting in distortion, excessive noise, improper operation, or no operation at all.

 

It is impossible to correctly adjust all the trimpots - called "doing an alignment" - without using lab equip-ment and the proper procedure. An audio oscillator, oscilloscope, and the test and alignment procedure for that particular pedal are required, as well as technical training and experience.Attempting an alignment without these usually just makes the problem worse - and more costly for a technician to fix.

 

The most common symptom indicating a need for alignment in the Memory Man is overdrive distortion occuring at too low a signal level. Clock noise, a high-pitched sound heard at long delay settings, is another symptom.

 

 

DELUXE MEMORY MAN "LESLIE" EMULATION UPGRADE

not just a simple mod but a whole new range of effects, plus an expanded range of the effects the Deluxe Memory Man already delivers.

 

Who does not love that lush, liquid, rotating speaker effect? It is a complex combination of phase and amplitude modulation, hard to produce without mechanically rotating speakers. With this new upgrade you can now get it from your Deluxe Memory Man. You can set it for whatever rotational speed you want, and vary it from very subtle to so heavy it sounds like a rich tremolo. You can blend it with dry signal if you wish, and you can enhance it with feedback to get some indescribable, unique psychedelic and surf effects.

 

As it comes from the factory, the Deluxe Memory Man has only two modulation speeds - very slow for producing the chorus effect, and one faster speed for vibrato. This new "Leslie" modification upgrades the modulation oscillator with an added MODULATION RATE control pot. In addition it changes the chorus/vibrato switch to be chorus/vibrato at one setting, and the new LESLIE ROTARY EFFECT at the other.

 

Nothing is lost. Your Deluxe Memory Man will still be able to do everything it now does, and it will sound the same. What is ADDED is the ability to vary the modulation rate of the chorus and vibrato effects, and the amazing new Leslie rotating speaker emulation."

 

Added later

"The Leslie mod does not result in an exact reproduction of the rotating speaker effect - nothing can do that but rotating speakers! With the controls properly set however it does give a fairly decent emulation.

This mod adds a modulation rate control that can be used for variable chorus and vibrato effects. As the PCB must be removed and the box must be drilled for an additional pot, and parts must be added, this is not a cheap mod and I do not heavily promote it. Everyone that has had it done though has been haopy with it."

---------------------------

One guy who had the Leslie mod done

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?threadid=98462

 

 

 

SHIPPING:

Due to poor postal service, I recommend shipping by UPS, DHL, or Fed Ex

-

NOT the USPS. I can take no responsibility for shipment delays, loss, or damage, which occasionally occur, mostly with the USPS.

 

PLEASE ENCLOSE A NOTE with your full name and return shipping address, and describing the problem needing repair or the mods desired. A copy of your e-mail discussing this would be fine.

 

Please DO NOT SEND ELECTRO-HARMONIX PEDALS WITH THE WOODEN BOX. It provides little added protection but adds considerably to shipping weight. An additional $2 must be added to the return shipping charge if a wooden box is included.

 

WEBSITE: http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/

E-mail: howard.davis2@att.net

[threm]

Two other questions answered on the forums recently

 

1

 

"Originally posted by gil1

I was thinking about a jack so you could put the DMM top of your amp, and use a remote footswitch to turn it on and off."

 

Analogman writes

"We can do that mod for any of the new 2006 DMM pedals that have the relay inside. See my FAQ for how to determine which one you have and more info on DMM mods.

 

For calibration and headroom mods Howard can't be beat."

 

 

2

 

"And of course he could put in the Texas Inst. TL072 chips for a clearer Echo sound. "

 

"It does not produce an audible improvement to change any but the input stage opamp to a TL072. The bandwidth of the delayed signal is too limited by the filters to take advantage of the superior performance of this opamp. The improvement is subtle, is heard in the dry signal only, and will not be heard at all if there is a loss of high frequencies due to pickup loading (tone sucking). Mods that reduce or eliminate loading effects should be done with the opamp upgrade for best results."

 

 

"Originally posted by analogmike

Memory Man IC chip upgrades

 

There are a few web sites and posts about improving the sound of an EH deluxe memory man, by replacing the normal 4558 op amps with some high tech chips. The noise and tone in a memory man comes from the BBD chips, not the op amps. The BBD chips have about 10,000 times more noise, and very low fidelity. That is normal in an analog delay and nothing can be done about that, it's why people love their sounds. So replacing the op amps will have little benefit, or so I thought.

 

After writing the above I got some new DMM pedals, they are now using ST electronics MC4558CN dual op amp chips. I replaced all five of these chips while I was in there (those knobs are a pain to remove) with new Texas Instruments TL072 chips.

 

Dry sound when playing clean - it is improved. Put the mix to pure DRY (no echo) and the tone when playing clean is a little purer. I was surprised.

 

ECHO SOUND: also clearer when you listen to 100% delayed sound, much clearer and closer to a digital delay sort of tone. Seems to be more difference at lower delay times.

 

When I turn up the MIX for about 50% delay I tested for noise by playing a low string gently. The modified pedal is a bit noisier, may be a unit to unit discrepancy or could be the TL072 chips allow more high end through which contains the noise.

 

OVERDRIVEN sound : running a good OD pedal into the DMMs, with the gain knob set for unity gain (LED just glowing) the sound of the stock one seems a little warmer to me, both dry and echo sounds. But the modified one is clearer again.

 

DISTORTION : Running a good distortion pedal into the units, the modified one is clearer, the repeats are almost too clear. The stock one has repeats which are darker and more in the background. At this point in the test I brought out a '59 reissue Les Paul with burstbuckers 1 and 2 and played through the Maxon SD9/808/silver, into the DMM into a '66 blackface Deluxe Reverb plugged into a '73 Marshall 4x12 cabinet and just played for 45 minutes as it was a MAGIC combination! Gilmour, Hackett, Page sounds were flowing... best tones I ever got for leads.

 

Anyway, the difference with changing the op amps is more than I thought it would be. But not sure whether I like it enough to go through the hassle of pulling the board out... depends on what you want, clarity or a warm background echo. Most people will prefer the upgraded op amps I think. Also the new pedals may not be using sockets so the chips might need to be desoldered.

analogmike

Senior Member "

More about chips here

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=113739&highlight=MC4558CN

 

Analaogman Long Delay Time mod

He can do the long delay time mod by changing the four MN3008 chips found on newer DMM`s (about 400ms) to four NOS MN3005 chips (about 800ms).

 

----------------------

 

 

 

 

 

More Howard Davis` TERMS OF SERVICE

 

REPAIRS AND CUSTOM MODIFICATIONS:

 

COST ESTIMATES:

"No serviceperson can quote you a fair price for a repair without first finding out exactly what is wrong, what parts will be needed, and how much labor will be required. Any estimate given without this information being known is a "guesstimate" - and often is higher than necessary. If you are given an estimate without any pre-liminary diagnostic work, should the actual repair only take five minutes, many service people will still charge you the full guesstimated amount. Some will give you a "lowball" guesstimate to get your business, then charge more than you expected when the work is done. By doing diagnostic work prior to giving an estimate,

I protect you from such nasty surprises.

 

 

A BENCH FEE is normally charged for the diagnostic work required to determine what is wrong. This is faircompensation for that work, and is credited towards the total parts and labor cost if you decide to go ahead with the repair. If desired, I can give you a free estimate based on the problem as it is described to me, but it must be understood that without any diagnostic work this estimate may not be accurate. For custom redesign/modification work on most Electro-Harmonix pedals in good working condition, I can quote a price for the job.

 

 

DAMAGED, ATTEMPTED REPAIR, AND TAMPERED-WITH UNITS:

DAMAGE may be physical, or electrical, as from the application of excessive voltage. TAMPERING includes a previous unsuccessful repair attempt, or any undocumented modification whether successful or not. Pedals with these conditions require far more time and labor for test and diagnosis, and I must charge accordingly. In some cases such units are damaged so badly that it would cost more to fix them than they are worth. In cases of damage or tampering the diagnostic bench fee is higher than otherwise, but of course is fully credited towards the total parts and labor cost if you decide to proceed with repair. This charge applies however even if repair is not feasible, and must be paid in advance in certain cases.

 

 

NON-REPAIRABLE UNITS:

I do not service digital pedals, analog only.

 

Some manufacturers use construction methods that make repair or modification difficult or impossible. In general, units with double-sided PC boards, surface-mount components, and/or board-mounted switches or jacks are among these. If sent a unit on which repair or modification is impractical, I charge only a basic bench fee plus return shipping/handling cost.

 

There are a few Electro-Harmonix products I do not service for various reasons. Either I did not design them and the technical documentation is poor, parts are unavailable, or they are difficult to work on and the labor charge would be more than the unit is worth. These include: Microsynth, Bass Microsynth, 16 Second Delay, Holy Grail and all other digital pedals, the Russian-made reissues, and most vacuum tube-based pedals.

 

 

INTERMITTENT OR NON-EXISTENT PROBLEMS:

Occasionally I am sent a unit that has nothing wrong with it, the problem actually being in other equipment it was being used with. Sometimes a problem is intermittent, and cannot be detected until it shows up again. In such cases, a bench fee plus shipping/handling is charged, and the unit is returned as is. The bench fee is FULLY DEDUCTABLE from the parts and labor charge for any repairs done on the same unit for the same problem within 30 days from the date of return shipping.

 

 

RECONDITIONING:

If needed and desired, I can cosmetically recondition (clean, touch up paint scratches, and relacquer) the box of any Electro-Harmonix product so it looks almost like new when you get it back. Deep scratches, dented or bent steel boxes, and rust stains cannot be completely restored. Reconditioning, like custom mods, can raise the resale value of a pedal considerably.

 

 

PAYMENT AND TURNAROUND TIME:

My turnaround time is short. The work is usually completed within a few days of receiving your pedal. Unless agreed otherwise beforehand (as for a diagnosis and estimate), receiving the pedal will be considered consent to proceed with the work. Most jobs are shipped back to the customer within a day or two of receiving payment for the work by US postal money order, Western Union money transfer, certified check, or cash. Personal or company checks or money orders REQUIRE A DELAY of from ONE TO THREE WEEKS until they clear the bank. Return shipping is delayed for that period of time. Sorry, no paypal or credit cards. Unless requested otherwise, please send no payment until you are billed after the work is completed.

 

 

WARRANTEE:

I warrantee all repair work, parts and labor, for 30 days from the date of shipment to you. This warrantee is VOID if any damage, tampering, attempted repair, or modification has occurred subsequent to shipping.

 

On custom redesign/modification work, I GUARANTEE SATISFACTION. I am one engineer that is proud of his reputation, and will live up to what you have a right to expect of me. If your custom-modded unit does not sound or operate as you wanted it to, you get one FREE service return. Return it within 30 days of my shipping date and I will redo the job, FREE. All you'll pay is a shipping/handling charge.

 

 

Please contact me prior to sending any pedal to be certain I can fix or mod it. Enclose a detailed description of the problem needing repair or of the mods desired, your full name and return shipping address, and e-mail address. I will notify you by e-mail the day I receive your pedal, when the work is completed, and upon shipping it back to you."

 

"Feel free to e-mail me for a list and description of the custom mods available for your EH pedal."

[Teahead]

I'd advise sending cash or something with the pedal, unless you can get a US Money Order or something. The only method open to me when Howard repaired an old AD-80 a few years ago was Western Union and the fees are obscene to say the least!

 

 

PAYMENT AND TURNAROUND TIME: My turnaround time is short. The work is usually completed within a few days of receiving your pedal. Unless agreed otherwise beforehand (as for a diagnosis and estimate), receiving the pedal will be considered consent to proceed with the work. Most jobs are shipped back to the customer within a day or two of receiving payment for the work by US postal money order, Western Union money transfer, certified check, or cash. Personal or company checks or money orders REQUIRE A DELAY of from ONE TO THREE WEEKS until they clear the bank. Return shipping is delayed for that period of time. Sorry, no paypal or credit cards. Unless requested otherwise, please send no payment until you are billed after the work is completed.

 

[ollenorin]

damn this will cost me like 150 bucks with shipping back and forth...not worth it.

 

ill see if anyone in sweden can fix it for me.

[andreas]

Shoot me an e-mail if you like - I'll take a look at it.

 

/Andreas

[ollenorin]

Originally posted by andreas Shoot me an e-mail if you like - I'll take a look at it. /Andreas

 

YAY !

 

Thats the perfect reply to this thread. Mr Stinksocka strikes back !

 

[Nico de Roode]

Hey Olle

What delay pedals do you own right now.

(And have you sold your Hayseed?)

[ollenorin]

Originally posted by Nico de Roode Hey Olle What delay pedals do you own right now. (And have you sold your Hayseed?)

 

Hi !

 

I have the Echoczar with angelbaby + exp.pedal. And ive paid 50% of the echolution, should be ready in december according to pigtronix. Then ive got the DMM which is a bit broken....

 

Yeah i sold my old hayseed cause i wanted other features in it + that he has a different mod to them now than when i bought mine, which makes them better now. Mine should have been ready for about a month ago but it seems he is busy building other amps than mine.