Greenchild Trbus Drive

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greenm01

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Joined 2011
#1
Hi Folks,

I've been working on a multi-functional DIY guitar pedal for awhile, and last year I decided to take the plunge and start my own small business. The primary purpose of this endeavor is to serve as a creative outlet and enable me to keep building more gear and playing guitar, although I don't plan on quitting my day job any time soon. Can't get enough of that soldering iron!

Here are some of my build photos.

Anyway, as a means to attract visitors to my site and interest in my pedal, we decided to try a holiday giveaway contest. Details are on our website if anyone wants to check it out.

Tribus Drive is a three channel, random access, multi-effects pedal with three uniquely voiced circuits.

Greenchild - Greenchild Home

I've also thought about offering DIY kits for this pedal, although I'm not sure if there would even be any interest.

Regards,
MAG

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
 
#2
Nice looking pedal. I too make pedals. But mine are based on 60's vintage pedals and use vintage Selenium transistors. Stacking three circuits in one pedal is cool. I like the look of your pedal. How much do these sell for? Are they discrete transistor or do they use IC opamps? Myself, I shy away from kits because there is always the builder's ****-up factor to deal with. I especially like your metal plate with the nice looking silk screening. Makes the pedal look real professionally built.
 
#4
Basically anywhere I can. Israel, Germany and Russia are the most common places to find them. They are no longer made so I scour the world for any I can find in the types I need. Ones with enough gain are generally expensive. Usually $5.00 or more per transistor, depending on type and make.
 
#8
Yep, it's painful, but at least I am getting better day by day. Prior to the operation I was so bad that I could hardly walk for more then about 50 yards without having to sit down due to the pain. Could not stand for more then a minute and the final nail in the coffin was when I could no longer lay flat on my back with out having to deal with the pain. The issue was a badly pinched sciatic nerve. Real bad news.

Are your pedals built using IC's or discrete transistor circuitry? Just curious. I have seen a few 80's vintage fuzz tones that used IC opamps. Seems most of today's stuff uses DSP's. They are not bad, but don't sound like the old transistor fuzz tones. The other circuit I use is called a Garnet Herzog. That one is all tube. My version is a little different. But the sound is very similar. The Garnet unit is basically a Fender Champ run into a bank of resistors. The idea is to push the amp such that the 6V6 output tube produces the distortion. It offers up a very powerful, growling type of distortion. The other thing people do with the circuit is to run it into a tube amp, like a Fender Bandmaster, and overdrive the amp's first gain stage. This offers up the creamy gain stage overdrive sound along with the signature Herzog distortion. A band called Grady uses the Herzog. The Guess Who also used one.
 
#9
Backpains can be hell-ish. When they're really bad it's not just the spine, the nerves radiate the pain all over your body: You can't walk or lay down without severe pains, you can't urinate or take a dump normally, and basically you just try to "manage" in that condition eating painkillers to the point where they no longer work but only make you sick. Few weeks of mild doses of opiates and muscle relaxants means its no longer just aches everywhere, you also start to feel physically and mentally sick because of the side effects of the drugs. I hope you get better soon. Been there myself too.
 
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#10
Hi MAG,
From what I've seen from your build pics and sound samples, you are using quality parts, very good sound and for a 3 in one pedal you are offering at a very reasonable price IMO. If this has been on market only for a year or so, is succesful sales wise, maybe you want to keep it ''your own"..and develop or offer something simpler for diy community that wouldn't necessarily ''compete'' with your Tribus. Sharing is fine, but you have control on your own build quality etc. Support for both your own product and then a diy version (which may prove to be more demanding) could end up being a lot of work. And if it's non-paid work, may eat into whatever profit you make.
 
#11
The other issue with kits is that you end up with people trying to make the kits who don't have the requisite skills needed. I see this all to often. In most cases, the people just chalk it up to their not understanding electronics. But there are always the ones who will drive you nuts with questions.. A situation where they have you building the kit for them via email. Big thing is that your pedal looks cool and is innovative, having three units in one pedal the player can select between is nice. The sound files sound great. It's a nice pedal. Considering it's three pedals in one, the price is quite reasonable.
 
#12
teemuk said:
Backpains can be hell-ish. When they're really bad it's not just the spine, the nerves radiate the pain all over your body: You can't walk or lay down without severe pains, you can't urinate or take a dump normally, and basically you just try to "manage" in that condition eating painkillers to the point where they no longer work but only make you sick. Few weeks of mild doses of opiates and muscle relaxants means its no longer just aches everywhere, you also start to feel physically and mentally sick because of the side effects of the drugs. I hope you get better soon. Been there myself too.
Click to expand...

Yep, That's the situation I'm dealing with to a "T". People tend to think that one will be ready to rock right after surgery. Such is not the case. Yes, the pain killers are bad news. That is why I use them sparingly. Too easy to become addicted to them. Anyway, I am just finishing up my third week after surgery. Normal recovery time is, at best 6 weeks or up to 3 -4 months. Considering my age, I'm figuring on the latter.
 
#13
seta1 said:
The other issue with kits is that you end up with people trying to make the kits who don't have the requisite skills needed. I see this all to often. In most cases, the people just chalk it up to their not understanding electronics. But there are always the ones who will drive you nuts with questions.. A situation where they have you building the kit for them via email. Big thing is that your pedal looks cool and is innovative, having three units in one pedal the player can select between is nice. The sound files sound great. It's a nice pedal. Considering it's three pedals in one, the price is quite reasonable.
Click to expand...

Well, I would like to offer folks a DIT kit, although Tribus Drive is relatively complicated (for a dirt box) with a high component count and I don't have time/resources to provide much support. I had to cram three separate guitar pedals onto a two layer PCB, all with random access loop switching and low noise. The cost and time/labor required to build each unit is quite high...

I've gotten a lot of good feedback from folks over the last several months that I will more than likely incorporate into future design revisions. I may move away from through-hole components and consider SMD, or mixed through-hole-SMD, as the component cost and labor to build each pedal by hand require me to charge a premium/boutique price...

If I go this route I would be open to offering the old boards as a DIY kit. It seems like all the good pedals eventually get cloned /reverse-engineered anyway, although as you mentioned, I'm not certain it's worth the trouble...
 
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#16
MAG can confirm about not using germanium on his builds, I think Tribus is FET based. SETA posted that they use germanium. FWIW some people like fuzz face pedals with germanium, but the earlier ones with Ge were apparently very inconsistent from one to another. BTW Nice demo on the product !
 
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