Aion EMBER Manuel utilisateur

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 1

PROJECT NAME

EMBER

BASED ON

EFFECT TYPE

PROJECT SUMMARY

DOCUMENT VERSION

Amptweaker Tight Metal / Tight Rock

A high-gain metal & hard rock distortion pedal by James Brown, formerly of Peavey where he designed

Eddie Van Halen’s 5150 and Joe Satriani’s JSX amps.

Distortion 1.0.0 (2022-11-25)

BUILD DIFFICULTY

Advanced

Actual size is 3.44” x 2.42” (main board) and 3.44” x 0.97” (bypass board).

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1Project Overview 11 Drill Template

2Introduction 12 Enclosure Layout

3Usage 13 Wiring Diagram

4-7 Parts List 14 Licensing

8-9 Build Notes 14 Document Revisions

10 Schematic

INTRODUCTION

The Ember Metal Distortion is based on the Amptweaker Tight Metal. From 2009 to 2019, Amptweaker

was the creative outlet of James Brown, the designer of several legendary Peavey amplifiers such as the

5150 and JSX as well as others for companies such as Kustom and Bad Cat.

In 2020, James Brown sold the Amptweaker company and took a job with Fender as the lead designer of

their EVH-branded amplifiers. The Amptweaker lineup was fully redesigned under the new ownership,

with a different enclosure style and artwork.

The Tight Metal gets its namesake “tightness” from a low-cut filter that comes before the distortion

stages, a trick also used by the Friedman BE-OD / Dirty Shirley pedals and a number of classic high-gain

amplifiers. Bass frequencies often have a flabby or boomy character especially when palm-muting, so by

dampening these frequencies, the tone is more percussive and cutting.

The Tight Metal is very similar to another Amptweaker circuit, the Tight Rock, with only a few

differences. The Ember project incorporates these changes as toggle switches, so with a little bit of

tweaking, you can have all of the tones of both pedals as well as several new combinations. The only

features omitted from this version are the two effects loops: one that was engaged when the pedal was

on, and a second that is engaged in bypass mode).

The Ember project is based on the final version of the original Tight Metal (called the “ST”) and Tight

Rock before the company changed hands. We also added an optional charge pump so it can be run at

either 18V or 9V, with an internal slide switch to select the voltage. The noise gate functionality has also

been modified slightly, which is described in the build notes.

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 3

USAGE

The Ember Distortion has the following controls:

• Tight cuts low frequencies before the first gain stage.

• Gain controls the amount of gain in the first stage, before the EQ and drive section.

• Gain Boost (toggle switch) increases the gain when in the “Down” position.

• Gate sets the threshold of the noise gate, or disables it when turned all the way down.

• Tone is a Big Muff-style balance control that pans between a bass emphasis on the left and a treble

emphasis to the right, with the 12:00 position being roughly flat.

• Style (toggle) switches between Rock and Metal modes.

• Mids (toggle) engages a midrange scoop mode that depends on the position of the Style switch.

Metal mode has a steeper scoop is called “Thrash”. Rock mode has a milder scoop is called “PlexEQ”.

• Volume sets the output volume of the effect.

• Cut (toggle) cuts the highs slightly after the volume control.

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 4

PARTS LIST

This parts list is also available in a spreadsheet format which can be imported directly into Mouser for

easy parts ordering. Mouser doesn’t carry all the parts (most notably potentiometers) so the second tab

lists all the non-Mouser parts as well as sources for each.

View parts list spreadsheet →

PART VALUE TYPE NOTES

R1 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R2 330k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R3 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R4 1M Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R5 470k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R6 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R7 15k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R8 1k5 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R9 220k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R10 475k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R11 22k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R12 10k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R13 10k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R14 10k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R15 470k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R16 3k3 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R17 4k7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R18 1k5 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R19 3k3 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R20 3k3 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R21 3k3 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R22 330R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R23 3k3 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R24 220k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R25 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R26 470k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R27 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R28 1k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R29 33k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R30 100R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 5

PARTS LIST, CONT.

PART VALUE TYPE NOTES

R31 100R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R32 100R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R33 6k8 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R34 18k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R35 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R36 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R37 150k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

RPD 1M Metal film resistor, 1/4W Input pulldown resistor.

LEDR 10k Metal film resistor, 1/4W LED current-limiting resistor. Adjust value to change LED brightness.

C1 470pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G

C2 33n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C3 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C4 4n7 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C5 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C6 100pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G

C7 33n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C8 47n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C9 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C10 3n3 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C11 220n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C12 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C13 22uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C14 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C15 22n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C16 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C17 47n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C18 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C19 22n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C20 220n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C21 1n2 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C22 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C23 220n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C24 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C25 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C26 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 6

PARTS LIST, CONT.

PART VALUE TYPE NOTES

C27 22uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C28 22uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C29 22uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C30 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C31 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C32 470n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C33 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C34 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C35 470n MLCC capacitor, X7R

Z1 1N4742A Zener diode, 12V, DO-41

D1 1N5817 Schottky diode, DO-41

D2 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35

D3 1N4733A Zener diode, 5.1V, DO-41

D4 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35

D5 1N4733A Zener diode, 5.1V, DO-41

D6 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35

D7 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35

D8 1N4733A Zener diode, 5.1V, DO-41

D9 1N5817 Schottky diode, DO-41

D10 1N5817 Schottky diode, DO-41

IC1 TL072 Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC1-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC2 TL072 Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC2-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC3 TL072 Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC3-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC4 LT1054CP Charge pump / voltage converter, DIP-8

IC4-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

VOLTAGE DPDT slide Slide switch, DPDT E-Switch EG2207

GAIN 500kA 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

TIGHT 100kC 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

TONE 10kB 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

GATE 500kA 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

VOLUME 10kA 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

STYLE DPDT Toggle switch, DPDT on-on

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 7

PARTS LIST, CONT.

PART VALUE TYPE NOTES

CUT SPDT Toggle switch, SPDT on-on

GAIN BOOST SPDT Toggle switch, SPDT on-on

MIDS SPDT Toggle switch, SPDT on-on

LED 5mm LED, 5mm, red diffused

DC 2.1mm DC jack, 2.1mm panel mount Mouser 163-4302-E or equivalent.

IN 1/4" mono 1/4" phone jack, closed frame Switchcraft 111X or equivalent.

OUT 1/4" mono 1/4" phone jack, closed frame Switchcraft 111X or equivalent.

BYPASS 3PDT Stomp switch, 3PDT

ENCLOSURE 1590BBS Enclosure, die-cast aluminum

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 8

BUILD NOTES

Tight Rock / Tight Metal modes

The Tight Rock and Tight Metal are very closely related, with only a few small changes between the

two. The Tight Rock came after the original Tight Metal, but some of its features such as the gain boost

switch were back-ported into the Tight Metal for its next revision, which makes a unified version a lot

more straightforward.

Comparing the final revisions of the Tight Rock and Tight Metal, there are only two real differences:

• The mids section after the tone control has different values between the two circuits, both the

Bridged-T mid-scoop and the capacitor value of the mids switch (called “Thrash” or “PlexEQ” when

engaged, depending on the circuit).

• The Tight Rock removes the hi-cut at the end of the circuit and adjusts the gain of this stage slightly.

We’ve included a “Style” switch to go between Tight Rock and Tight Metal midrange modes. Note that

the “Cut” control also switches between the Tight Rock and Tight Metal settings—so both of these

switches will need to be in the same position for it to be identical to either of the original circuits.

However, the effect of the Cut switch is minimal compared to the Style switch.

Gate design

In the original pedal, the noise gate was tied to the drive control. A dual potentiometer controlled both

the gain level and the gate threshold, so as the gain was turned up the gating was more aggressive.

Separate from this, the gate could be disabled entirely with a slide switch.

In this project, we split out the gate and gain controls, which improves the flexibility as well as

simplifying the control scheme. To mimic the original, just set the gate to the same position as the gain

control. And by turning the gate control to zero, it’s identical to the gate bypass switch in the original.

9V/18V operation

The Ember Distortion includes a charge pump for 18V operation as well as an internal slide switch to go

between 9V and 18V mode. If you want to hard-wire it at either 9V or 18V, you can omit the switch by

jumpering the pads as shown:

9V MODE 18V MODE

If you do decide to hardwire it to 9V mode, you can leave out IC4, D9-10, and C34-35. They can just be

omitted entirely—nothing else needs to be jumpered except the slide switch pads.

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 9

BUILD NOTES, CONT.

Enclosure size

This project was designed for the Hammond 1590BBS enclosure, which has the same height as the

125B or 1590N1. If you don’t use the Hammond brand, be careful—not all 1590BBS enclosures are the

same. For example, Love My Switches sells two different types, and the CNC Pro version is correct while

the standard one is too short.

The 1590BB2 seems like a close equivalent, but it’s about 4mm shorter. It may be possible to fit this

circuit in a 1590BB2, but we have not tested it, so you’re on your own!

Another alternative is the 1590C (also available from Tayda and Love My Switches). It’s about 10mm

taller than necessary, but if that’s all you can find then it will definitely work.

SCHEMATIC

EMBER METAL DISTORTION 10

OUT

5.1v zener

1N5817

+9V

500kA

100kC

10kB

500kA

GND

100uF

1N4742A

GND GND GND

GND

GND GND

LT1054CP

1N5817 1N5817

470n 470n

10uF

GND

100uF

470pF

GND

100k

6k8

22uF

GND

18k47k

22uF

GND GND

100k150k

22uF

GND GND

33n

1N914

TL072P

TL072P TL072P

TL072P

GND GND

GND

100n

330k

GND

4n7

47k

1N4733A

100n

470k

1N914

47k

100pF

33n

15k

GND

47n

1k5

GND

220k

3n3

475k

22k

100n

1N4733A

10k

220n

1N914

10k

470k

1N4733A

3k3

100n

4k7

1k5

22uF

GND

3k3

100n

GND

GND GND

3k3

330R

47n 100n

22n 100n

3k3 3k3

22n

220n

10kA

220k

100k

1n2

470k

100n

47k

GND

220n

33k

GND

100R

100n

GND

100R

100n

GND

100R

100n

GND

VA VB VC

VD VE

VD VD

VE VE

VA VB

GATE

TIGHT

TONE

GAIN

RPD

C30

GAIN SW.

MIDS

CUT

STYLE A

STYLE B

4 5

IC4 D9 D10

C32 C35

C33

C34C31

R33

C27

R34R35

C28

R36R37

C29

IC1A

1 6

IC1B

IC2A

IC2B

IC3A

IC3B

C10

R10

R11

R12

C11

R13

R14

R15

R16

C12

R17

R18

C13

R19

C14

R21

R22

C17 C18

C15 C16

R20 R23

C19

C20

VOLUME

R24

R25

C21

R26

C22

R27

R28

C23

R29

R30

C24

R31

C25

R32

C26

SW1A

SW1B

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