Black Ice

[jhadhar65]

Phsychonoodler posted something over in the Amps section that made me think.  It looks like I'm going to install something like Stew-Mac's Black Ice in a guitar soon.  I figure that must be some sort of diode clipper, and I'm not real crazy about that sound at low signal levels.  I had thought about using LEDs and I read Physcho's post about red clipping harder than green or blue, so...

... here are the questions:  Should I use both of them or just one?  If two, should they be one of each or should I pick a single color?  What's the difference between green and blue, if any?

Also, Stew-Mac says a 250k pot is better.  Should I swap out the stock 500k (humbuckers) since I'll be using LEDs?

Lastly... I've never used LEDs like this.  Do they light up when you play?  That might be something cool to make visible to the crowd.

I know, "try it and see".  I will, but I thought I'd check anyone's prior experience first.

[phsyconoodler]

That's something new for sure.It has to be diodes because with no power supply it has to clip somehow.
  Interesting to be sure.

[jhadhar65]

My idea is to use LEDs like you mentioned in the other post.  What are you thoughts on which ones I should use?  How would you do it?

[FYL]

I figure that must be some sort of diode clipper

It is. Check for instance http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/blackice.htm

[adamasd]

That's something new for sure.It has to be diodes because with no power supply it has to clip somehow.

Does not have to be a diode, could be a transistor. You can make a transistor act like a diode. Diodes are a single PN junction (not all), transistors are a a pair of junctions, either PNP or NPN, so we could short one of those PN junctions together to reduce the 3 terminal junction of the transistor down to 2 and a single PN junction, or we could go into the N of a PNP(or the P on a NPN) and tie the Ps together or use them separately as if they are two diodes tied at the cathode (or anode in the case of NPN). The two diodes you would get from this each will have different characteristics, how different no clue.

You can do similar things with the other types of transistors and even tube, but you need to heat the filament with tubes.

Just something else to consider and try for different sounds.

adam

[jhadhar65]

>Check for instance...

Hmmm... I wonder why they used Shottky?

Okay, I'll try it with different LED combinations and see what happens.  I don't have the guitar in hand yet and I'm not going to tell what guitar this is for fear of assassination by tone purists.  I'll get the details posted here for posterity, though.  Recording is such a pain in the rear for me these days, but I'll try and get some clips of it, too.