My Pignose is now a Vibro-Pig -any other mods out there?

[Tres Mellow]

I love my Pignose and, being a tremolo junkie, I had the idea of modding it to add tremolo. I couldn't find a precedent anywhere, so I thought I should post what I did.

I rehoused a Danelectro Coolcat tremolo in the case of the Pignose. The CoolCat is independent from the amp in both power and signal. Now I just run a short patch cable from the out of the Coolcat to the input.

It's not the cleanest looking mod, but it works great and sounds fantastic (if you like the Pignose sound). Let me know what you think. Any other Pignose mods out there?

Here are the pics:
http://api.ning.com/files/ilpbOv7UkmJ0x8BfSliCvs1CjPPVy4r7QAaZFXSGarSrTdhf3h IDwDtGJ3bkYZkd/VibroPig1.JPGhttp://api.ning.com/files/ilpbOv7UkmJm2JzfxbGr44xhoH7S2mqPyfi2cxMX2XC4ozfHHh di46rRfDgiy0ww/VibroPig2.JPGhttp://api.ning.com/files/ilpbOv7UkmJQXjDWdBEwmo8CfZXhQniuhiyC3EGQt8IcF1R8Jp Kr7F5gn7BGnNrp/VibroPig3.JPGhttp://api.ning.com/files/ilpbOv7UkmJvhHGZoyox5LfzrMxRvvzIxbpgbdmfNVJcu2TALT Xy7WDgrTHSTXNH/VibroPigwithpatchcable.JPG

[VanR]

I love it.

[Tres Mellow]

For some reason, I can't get this gutshot pic to load in, but you should be able to see it here:

http://api.ning.com/files/EpMUcWkb1LYcmsEIuUEeNopmpNI-SJcsWIF9GD9PTnl*okSHdM15L3KK7DYGfOMf/CIMG2812.JPG

[Tres Mellow]

no other Pignose mods out there?

[CitizenCain]

That doesn't look that bad. Besides, Vibro-Pig is such a cool name!!

[ReginaldBisquet]

I had switched out the speaker for a Jensen Mod. It fit perfectly but sounded terrible when turned up. The distortion when down but the speaker farted out too much.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3593/3388533411_6d602c5482.jpg

I put the original back in. I also made a quick modification to the external speaker output jack.

I moved the wire from the triangular point on the pcb to the round node as shown below.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WxLfCCnkMtg/SuuxSnidV7I/AAAAAAAABJg/kuUWx5nanmo/s640/DSCF1653.JPG

Now I can power an extension cabinet with the amp for more of that Pignose tone.

A project I would like to undertake is finding an older (pre 1979) version and comparing the tone and components to the newer versions.

Also, what's the difference between the regular Pignose and the "Tweed" version?

[EricPeterson]

Also, what's the difference between the regular Pignose and the "Tweed" version?


I think just the covering.


To the OP, Love this idea, I bet that would make for a nice little blues machine. Would have been cool if you could have found a way to make an external footswitch.

[Tres Mellow]

To the OP, Love this idea, I bet that would make for a nice little blues machine. Would have been cool if you could have found a way to make an external footswitch.

It really does sound great. You can also use the level on the Coolcat to control some of the gain of the amp. As for an external footswitch, I couldn't figure out how to control the 3pdt without some kind of relay, and there are too many wires to account for in any standard cable I know of. Does anybody have any ideas? I'd love to wire it with a 1/4" jack so that without a switch plugged in, the tremolo would be on. With the switch plugged in it would have to be able to turn it on and off and engage the bypass.

[Tres Mellow]

I also made a quick modification to the external speaker output jack.

I moved the wire from the triangular point on the pcb to the round node as shown below.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WxLfCCnkMtg/SuuxSnidV7I/AAAAAAAABJg/kuUWx5nanmo/s640/DSCF1653.JPG

Now I can power an extension cabinet with the amp for more of that Pignose tone.

So that converts the line out to a speaker out? What kind of cab do you use, ohm rating, etc.? Does it mute the internal speaker? Pretty slick.

[ReginaldBisquet]

The stock speaker is 5 watts / 4 ohms while the Jensen was 30 watts / 8 ohms. The converted Pre-Amp out jack is also 4 ohms. The sound integrity and output levels are the same after the mod. Nice full sound and slightly cleaner that running the Pignose alone.

I tested it with a 16 ohm 2x12 and an 8 ohm 4x12. Just awesome to hear a big loud Pignose sound.

I should note that the Jensen was not a problem for the Pignose to power... it just sounded very odd. The Pignose (with the Jensen) had a more articulate sound but farted out when pushed with volume... more so than the stock speaker. I opened the cabinet and that helped out a little with the overly farty speaker... but in the end, it was just a loud mess.

I'm sure there's a way to convert the 3PDT switch for the tremolo into an open socket for a foot switch... maybe ask on the amp technical forum of TGP or on BYOC's forum?

[Tres Mellow]

I'm going to have to try that mod. I have found the line out pretty anemic, and it would be nice to hear the Pignose sound open up a little with a larger speaker. My friend has a Univox 4 ohm 15" speaker cab...hmmm...

I'll have to see if any of the tech gurus have an idea how to convert a 3pdt to an open footswitch jack.

[Tres Mellow]

any other mods to the venerable little pigs?

[kevinhifi]

For making the integrated tremolo footswitchable, this is what I'd do...

Swap the footswitch for a relay. 3PDT relays that activate with 9VDC can be found if you dig around. DPDT are much easier to find, but those won't allow you to have the status LED for the effect (old Fender amps didn't have status lights for the tremolo, and everyone got along just fine).

Install a mono 1/4" jack that has an integrated normally closed switch. This will have a third lug that is connected to the tip when there's no plug inserted and disconnected when the plug is in.

Tap off the Pignose's 9VDC power and run the positive to one side of the relay's coil. Run the negative to the tip lug on the 1/4" jack. Run both the sleeve and the third (switched) lug to the other side of the relay's coil. Use a basic footswitch that simply closes the circuit between the tip and sleeve when you stomp on it and disconnects when you stomp again...you can easily make something like this.

When there is no plug in the jack, the normally closed switch completes the circuit and activates the relay, so it's important that you make the "active" state of the relay the state that has the effect OFF. Then when you insert the jack, that connection is broken and replaced with the footswtich, which will let you toggle back and forth.

Hope this makes sense.

[Tres Mellow]

kevinhifi,
That sounds like it will work nicely. However, in the few cases where I wanted to even go without the footswitch for more mobility, could I use a dummy plug to keep the tremolo always on and just dial back the level? Or maybe install a small toggle switch to bypass the jack and turn the effect on and off?

[kevinhifi]

kevinhifi,
That sounds like it will work nicely. However, in the few cases where I wanted to even go without the footswitch for more mobility, could I use a dummy plug to keep the tremolo always on and just dial back the level? Or maybe install a small toggle switch to bypass the jack and turn the effect on and off?

It depends how simple you want it to be to operate and/or how many more holes you're willing to drill. As is, it would be off with no plug in the jack and on with the dummy plug in. So you could just insert or remove a dummy plug to turn the effect on and off.

If you want something slicker. You can (as you suggest) install a switch near the jack that disconnects the line running from the third lug to the relay. That would work as an effect on/off switch when there's no plug in the jack. It would do nothing when the footswitch plug is in the jack. When you pull the plug back out, the effect will either be on or off based on where the switch is.

[kevinhifi]

Hey, have you done anything more with this?

[Bobby D]

i have done BAD BAD things to my pignose :roll

luNdoSerRJc

[Tres Mellow]

That's one way to add reverb to your Pignose...

Kevinhifi, I haven't done anything more with this yet. I've been occupied with my less portable amps lately--a '65 Ampeg Gemini I and a '67 Ampeg Reverberocket II. I really do want to try out your footswitch relay idea for the VibroPig, though.

[2kool4skool]

Loving the OP's mod! I have a Pignose travel guitar PGG-100 (http://cooldiscountinstruments.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1012) . It has a headphone jack already so it could probably be useful to look inside to see how Pignose does it. I've been wanting to add an onboard reverb or even delay and if possible a tone control. Any ideas out there? My first thought was to get a little on-board unit like the MODboards from guitarfetish http://store.guitarfetish.com/modboards.html or something like that. haven't seen any for reverb. I would want to insert it after the instrument output but before the amp circuit so that when I did go direct out of the guitar, it wouldn't distort the reverb or effect. I guess it wouldn't matter that much since i could just turn off the effect if i was using the guitar like a normal guitar. Would love to hear some feedback.
Steve

[Catmouth]

I love my Pignose. LOVE it.