What tools and materials do we need to modify modules?

[guitarslim]

I've been reading up on all the various modifications to the modules, and checked out the links to the Grail.com website. These mods are often described as pretty simple to do, if you have the right parts.

So, other than the right capacitors, what else would one need? Will any soldering gun do? And is a certain type of solder better? Sorry, I have no experience here.

 

[Scooter]

Aside from a good soldering iron, you might want to get a solder-sucker. It's a neat tool to suck out excess solder.

 

[bduersch]

You'll also probably want to have a pair of needlenose pilers handy for holding components in place while you're soldering.

--B

 

[Altanon]

Well, as far as soldering irons, I've heard that the low-wattage, pencil type are best for working on PCB boards, whereas the high-wattage, gun type are better for doing pickups, volume pots, etc. (the gun-type melts adjacent components on a PCB! )

 

[jmgman70]

You don't need a large iron 15 to 25 watts and get soldier from an electronics place like radio shack not home depot .

 

[GtrGeorge!]

fwiw: its to easy to damage components with high wattage soldering guns. If it looks like a gun, chances are its wattage is to high. Sure, its a quick tool...but if you accidentally linger to long your part is TOAST.
Use a low wattage soldering iron, pre-tin the tip with some solder (in other words..let the thing heat up until it can melt some solder..once its there..coat the tip with a little solder..let the excess drip off) and off ya go.
I used to do this stuff for a living. And yes I have fried a few things.

 

[GtrGeorge!]

fwiw part2:
RadioS used to sell a soldering kit that had an iron in it, a holder and a sponge that was treated to wipe the tip on. It was $20 and it was really worth it, espiecially the tip wiper. Get one of those and you've got a really good start.

 

[Steel City Psycho]

I have changed capacitors and LEDs on most of my modules.

Don't know how your soldering skills are, but seems really easy to burn/melt the board so I used a module that I wasn't crazy about as a "guinnea pig", that way if I fried it I wouldn't be TOO upset.

My advice is go with Sprague 716 series Orange Drop Capacitors. I changed all my modules to the .001 value for really tight bass. It made a HUGE difference, especially on my Rectified, the difference in clarity is amazing.

I tried Mallory capacitors (they're yellow in color) and thought they sounded worse than the stock Xicon.

I have a RShack 15 watt pencil type iron.

To tell you the truth I was able to simply un-solder the old cap and just replace it. I didn't use a solder sucker or even any solder. (Sure most people on here will frown at that, but it worked for me and took literally seconds).

I just heated the solder points enough to release the cap I wanted to replace, then I trimmed the leads on the new cap to the same length as the one I removed, heated the solder points again and slid the leads of the new cap in. I heated one lead/solder point at a time when I did this.

I would say most importantly if you're not comfortable doing things like this yourself just find someone who has experience doing this kind of thing and pay them a few bucks, it'll be cheaper than replacing a module.

Hope this helps.

 

[maximus1]

soldering on the mods is easy anyone who can solder can doit , i just wish the guys who can change the way the mods sound would tell us what they change and what componets to use, for example to do a tone stack mod what are we changing and where is the the componet to change, the physical work is easy its just the know how of the module most people don't have. anyone who can change the way the mods sound please document how it was done. i've done plenty of bass cap switches but how to do other things beside that and led changes would be nice to know.i think it would be much more beneficial to the community if more mod info was documented.

 

[okstrat]

I can certainly see the point of view of those that would want every mod Friedman, I and Jeff among others fully documented here with instructions... but we all had to work hard to figure this stuff out.

In my case, I've been building and modding pedals and amps for well over a decade... I actually built my first scratch-built pedal back in 1987 from studying a Craig Anderton book and using parts from Radio Shack as I didn't have an internet around to order parts or look up info with. And it even worked!

I also test my mods extensively, at home and at gigs. Sometimes I'll be at a gig with a module, and think "ya know, it's close, but if I could just get a little more lower mids in there and maybe a tiny bit of high end, I'd be happier..." and then I try to do that when I get home. My 'orange' mod to the Recto modules came from that - I wanted a good lead voice that was throaty and very vintage sounding, kinda like a cranked plexi from hell. I played out this friday and saturday - two totally different venues. One was a small poolhall/bar where I couldn't crank my amp as much, other was outdoors where I had my RM4-RT2/50 setup absolutely SLAMMING loud. I used a recto module for rhythms, but used different bass cap settings with my switch mod - had it set tighter for the outdoor gig because the cab was louder. Had it set looser for more bass at the pool hall gig. I wouldn't have been happy with a fixed bass cap at both gigs.

One of the things that I've used the $ I charge for mods on has been other modules (and I've traded several times mod work for modules) , where I learn how to modify THOSE. It's nothing for me to spend dozens of hours on one module, looking for improved tones... and the $ I charge for modules helps that R&D effort also.

I know my LED and takeapart pages aren't every secret you want to know about these modules, but it's a start, and hopefully gives some of you a little bit of help doing small things with these modules. I may post more stuff later as time allows, but it's doubtful I'll ever have a full suite of every mod I do available. Plus some of the mods I do that involve a drill have a real high chance of 'screw up your module' and I don't want the blame for that either.

Pete

 

[maximus1]

anything would be great

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Pete. I have been at this for over 20 years under the guidance of Bruce Egnater. There are things that I mod that are my preference. I am of the same vein as Bruce. We will allow the kids in the lunch line to see the menu and choose the foods they want but we really dont want to devulge our whole recipe. I mean I learned from just doing it. Change out parts.

Take a Egnater amp build class and watch your ability go sky high!

Here is a great website www.duncanamps.com/tsc

This site lets you see the traditional tone stack for a Marshall, Fender and Vox...you then simply change the values in the tone stack and watch the eq curve move. Either the way you want it to or not...this will provide you with the necessary skills to change out the various items in the tone stack of the modules.

Jeff

 

[maximus1]

i'd like to know how to take the mid shift off my ultra xl, but thats been too much to ask for i guess. between the money on my recto mods and ultra mods i could have bought the grail an xl and had it all.

 

[okstrat]

i'd like to know how to take the mid shift off my ultra xl, but thats been too much to ask for i guess. between the money on my recto mods and ultra mods i could have bought the grail an xl and had it all.

I can help with that, you're just going to have to be a bit patient with me. email me at [email protected]. Probably won't get a reply until tomorrow evening at the earliest, as I don't have the same web access at my new job that I did have in the past. It's also nearly 2am here in oklahoma, and I have to get up in 5 hours to go to work.

I do occasionally drop the ball on PMs and such (especially PMs) because I don't have a habit of checking them again until I get another one. Plus the PM box fills up too fast.

Send me an email (okstrat*at*cox.net) , relax and we'll get it changed back. I seem to recall mentioning the switch mod (where you could go back to stock with the flick of a switch) would be a good idea when you wanted your Ultra modded, and you wanted it completely changed over and said you didn't want the switch. I can only do what you tell me.

Pete

 

[turbolx5oh]

You don't really need anything that fancy to work on these preamps but the most important thing you need is a good low wattage soldering iron. That's where you need to spend most of your money on. I have a Weller Soldering Station similar to this but you don't need one that good. Just one with a good sharp point iron on it for the little parts like this Weller WM120 for $34.95

Desoldering braid
Thin solder
This isn't necessary but it is nice (and cheap) - Desoldering tool kit
Small wire cutters - preferrably with a flat base on one side.
Needle nose pliers

 

[MrScary]

you need a blow torch, a case of gauze, and a box of 30 wt ball berings..
its all ball beiings these days guys..

 

[SacredGroove]

you need a blow torch, a case of gauze, and a box of 30 wt ball berings..
its all ball beiings these days guys..

"...and a gallon of Prestone anti-freeze--no, make that Quaker State."

Scott

 

[user 926]

...

 

[MrScary]

im just impressed someone got it@@

 

[Ugg]

"Maybe you need a refresher course... AAAEEYYY!" LOL, I love that movie.

Back on topic, where do you guys get your parts (resistor, caps, etc.)?