DeArmond Thunderbolt Wah

[elektrovac]

Back in the early 90s I was the bass player of a far-out residents-meets-butthole-surfers crazy noise outfit, and one of the guitar players had this wah that sounded like nothing else. Really thick and growly and powerful and strange - nothing like my cry baby.
I wasn't into gear back then and never noticed what it was. Hung out with the guy and his family today, and the pedal was sitting there in his living room. It turns out it is a 1970's DeArmond Thunderbolt. Apparently very rare. Googling it, I found out Flaming Lips loves it. Now I NEED one... Probably have to clone my old pal's...

- Has any of you guys some insight into this thing - or any experience with it?

[thepastrecedes]

I have no info on it but if you decide to clone it please post a schematic! Measure the inductance & resistance of the inductor too!

[elektrovac]

I have no info on it but if you decide to clone it please post a schematic! Measure the inductance & resistance of the inducer too!

Sure! There's no inducer... It's a completely different type of circuit from a traditional wah - which makes it even cooler. Quite a few IC chips in there, it seems... Found this on the interwebs - but no schematic:

[thepastrecedes]

Interesting I'm kinda curious into how it works now. I assume it has some opamp filters and you pan across them? If I read one of the chips correctly it was a cd4001... I wonder what that's for in the circuit. I've found a few more gut shots but not in high enough resolution to do anything with. I hope you can borrow your friends!

[elektrovac]

It's been a looooong time, but I actually have a working prototype of the Thunderbolt clone now :-)

Sounds awesome.

I posted a short video of the first try at the Reuss Musical Instruments facebook page. Let's see if I can link to it...

https://www.facebook.com/Reuss-Musical- ... 350119905/

[electric12]

Hard to really tell from the short clip how different it is to a regular wah, but I do think it sounds very good. No hint of shrillness.
Congratulations on getting there!

[Kent]

This reminds me of the Tychobrahe Parapedal as it lacked an inductor, utilised opamps and sounded wonderful. I wish that mine hadn't been stolen in the '80s.

[elektrovac]

Hard to really tell from the short clip how different it is to a regular wah, but I do think it sounds very good. No hint of shrillness.
Congratulations on getting there!

Thanks - I am recording some studio audio with a friend on Sunday.

I'd say, in real life it is clearly different from all the traditional Cry Baby/Vox/etc. type wahs. The highs is sweeter and the lows has a great growly charcter that I really like. It also has a 'distortion' mode utilising a pair of silicon clipping diodes.

[elektrovac]

This reminds me of the Tychobrahe Parapedal as it lacked an inductor, utilised opamps and sounded wonderful. I wish that mine hadn't been stolen in the '80s.

I have read some internet sources which claims they are similar kinds of circuits - but I've never had the opportunity to examin a Tychobrahe.

[elektrovac]

Some audio of the prototype here (played by my friend Fzat):

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0224/ ... 1442511258
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0224/ ... 1442511258

[elektrovac]

Getting closer...



I had to get a custom wah pot manufactured for it, because the vintage value and taper is not currently available - which delayed the whole thing (and made it a whole lot more expensive)

My webshop news blog is updated with a few news. I am also updating my Instragram (reusseffects) frequently, if you wish to follow me. I am sorry, I have gotten too busy to post a lot here at OSG these days.

http://www.reusseffects.com/blogs/news/ ... e-pipeline

- The blog story features the sound clips of the prototype and a vintage recording of the actual Thunderbolt, that was cloned for the Silver Balloon. It's a demo from 1990 of a song called 'Crampdown' by my old band Death Tothe. The guitar player, using the Thunderbolt very prominently, is my friend 'The Great Nalna', who is today playing guitar with the brilliant surf outfit The Tremolo Beer Gut (he replaced Sune Rose Wagner in the band, when The Raveonettes took off).

Btw. The Tremolo Beer Gut just released a limited edition 'box set' of their current live album featuring a smoke machine

[HorseyBoy]

I'll be keeping an eye (and ear!) on the Thunderbolt clone. Looking good.

[elektrovac]

I'll be keeping an eye (and ear!) on the Thunderbolt clone. Looking good.

Thanks. It's up at the webshop now with new pics and fresh sound samples.

Ships from Monday June 27th :-)

http://www.reusseffects.com/products/silverballoon

[HorseyBoy]

^ Looks really great. Love the work you out into this. And getting Joe Gagan's input on a wah is always a wise move.

[elektrovac]

The Reuss Silver Balloon (DeArmond Thunderbolt clone) is in stock now. Finally :-)

I see from my original post, that is was exactly three years since I posted it. Boy, this project have been a long time in the making. But now it's here, and sounding fantastic. And I'm off to the Roskilde Festival to enjoy Tame Impala and Neil Young. Looks like a good day

http://www.reusseffects.com/products/silverballoon