Fuzzbox, Distortion, Phaser, Chorus, Echo and other Guitar Effects Info

Okay, maybe “good” is subjective, but they are FREE!

I have updated the band names page. Check it out!

AMZ Free Band Names Page

I encourage everyone to pronounce the names on the list out loud… especially if you are reading them in a public place!

The semiconductor maker Asahi Kasei Microsystems (AKM) had a massive fire at its factory that essentially wiped it out.

How does this impact fx pedals? AKM audio codec chips are widely used in high-end digital effects pedals. The AK4556 is one such chip.

https://www.prosoundnetwork.com/business/akm-factory-fire-shakes-up-pro-audio-industry

I never knew this was a thing until I saw a forum post about it this week. Apparently it is the anti-boost, which means that the output can only be attenuated. Sounds easy enough… a potentiometer and switch in a box will do the job but can lead to loading problems and tone loss, so I quickly designed this circuit:

I have a paper copy of the 1st edition of the CMOS Cookbook that I used so often that the pages started to come loose from the binding. It is an essential resource for anyone who wants to work with CMOS chips.

The author, Don Lancaster, has made the 4th edition of CMOS Cookbook available for free download from his site. Get it immediately. Thanks Don!

Several vintage CA3080 chips that I plan on using for some new projects, including a Ross/Dynacomp clone for testing purposes.

This month marks 25 years of continuous publication of the AMZ web site, though in the first few years it was called DMZ.

Another free download, this time from Hans Camenzin who invented the 555 timer chip! The book is called Designing Analog Chips and is available as a free download from the author.

The Tweed Stack and SSM2166 compressor circuit boards are back in stock and available for immediate ordering. Check it out!

It is possible to make an overdrive on the SoS pcb that has most of the important characteristics of the Ibanez MT-10 Mostortion. It will not be an exact duplicate but the essential characteristics are present.

I have added the parts list and instructions to the support page for the AMZ SoS pcb.