Friday, November 22, 2024
GuitarGuitar Amps

Build Yourself a BOUTIQUE Overdrive for under $70


Get 20% off the International House of Overdrive at Stewmac – https://stewmac.sjv.io/g1vmDg
In this video I am unboxing and building the StewMac International House of Overdrive pedal kit, a unique DIY kit based on the Crowther Hotcake!

The Tools:
Optivisor – https://stewmac.sjv.io/y2qGDb
Pliers and Cutters – https://stewmac.sjv.io/5gXWZ1
PCB Holder – https://stewmac.sjv.io/LXzjmo
Solder Iron – https://stewmac.sjv.io/1raXZa
Multimeter – https://stewmac.sjv.io/oqjxVn
Pedal Building Tool Set – https://stewmac.sjv.io/baW65P

This video isn’t just a review; it’s a step-by-step journey into the build process, with tons of tips on making sure everything goes smoothly. I’ll show you each component, from resistors to capacitors, and explain the build process, including a couple of handy tips for beginners. This kit comes with two IC chips, offering options for a classic Hotcake vibe or a cleaner, more open tone with plenty of headroom. You’ll get to hear both and see how they transform your sound.

By the end of this, you’ll have a sense of whether this kit is right for you – it’s accessible enough for hobbyists but rewarding enough for pros looking for a unique, hands-on experience. If you’ve ever wanted to dive into DIY pedal-building or just love hearing about gear, this is for you. Plus, I’ll share links to the gear and tools I used for anyone who wants to try this at home. Enjoy the build, and let me know what you think of this fuzzy, unique overdrive!

00:00 What’s in the IHOO box?
03:27 How to build your own Hot (Pan)Cake
07:42 How does the IHOO Sound?
19:00 My Review – Should you buy it?

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#TheGuitarGeek #stewmac #diypedal #hotcake #overdrive

#Build #BOUTIQUE #Overdrive

Originally posted by UCI5i6aBbINMIEkYW3b6olHg at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSSqjXzENo

30 thoughts on “Build Yourself a BOUTIQUE Overdrive for under $70

  • Great review.
    Thank you.
    I bought the Stew-Mac Centaur kit and it’s the best pedal I own. A major step up to my overdrive game.

    I have 1 piece of advice for you and that is that you should clean the flux off every fitting with alcohol and swabs. Flux is moderately conductive and it can often connect solder points on your board.

    I love your attitude about building too and I share that same attitude.
    I’ve built 4 very nice mics, a Marshall and a 2-ch. mic pre.
    I love building and the subsequent use of everything I’ve built and I could NEVER afford to buy the factory versions of everything I’ve built. Which is fine. I’m a user and abuser, not a collector.

    Reply
  • I’ve built almost all the StewMac kits. I like most of them. This one has more dynamics than most. It’s definitely going in the chain. But a word of caution: don’t follow the wire length instructions, especially running from the breakout board to the PCB. Their specs (1.5”) are too short. 2” is a much better fit.

    My 2 favorite StewMac pedals are the Ghost Drive and EC Expander. They pair extremely well together.

    Reply
  • Oh man… don’t grab IC’s like that. It’s too easy to create static damage. I’ve killed a bunch of chips over the years by forgetting and picking up the chip without my earthing strap on and giving it the zap of death.

    Edit: Just a note… I was an electronics test and service engineer and yet I always zapped my own stuff because I would relax when I came home and make mistakes like picking up chips with no protection.

    Reply
  • 70 USD….up around 100cad…plus shipping…maybe extra import fees…plus incidental fees for the equip you need….not worth it

    Reply
  • I always enjoy your videos on the StewMac pedal kits. I just got mine in the mail yesterday and am excited to finish the build. Thank you for inspiring me to build more of these.

    Reply
  • The Hotcake was cool in its heyday but is outclassed by even budget cheapies these days. It just has a really fizzy and unpleasant clipping sound. Harmonic content is almost non-existent. Depending on your preferred flavor, the Rat, Bluesbreaker, and TS9 are tried and true circuits and the Boss OD3 or Klon are probably the best sounding unique circuits for more modern builds.

    Reply
  • "boutique" with about 5 dollars in parts. Unless you're using premium components, rare germanium trannies and/or diodes, and utilizing point to point techniques you really can't say anything is boutique. These kits are just paint by numbers and are a ripoff. Zero resale value to boot.

    Reply
  • You have for sure already noticed that the numbering scheme of the ceramic capacitors is exactly the same as for the resistors: the last number gives the number of zero digits to add to the other numbers to get the capacity in picofarads.
    470 pf is in digits '4' , '7' and 1 times '0'. -> 471
    0.082uF is 82 nF or 82000pF (1 micro is 1000 nano is 1 million pico), so: digit '8' . digit '2' and 3 zeros '0' -> 823
    Seriously, I find that way easier than finding some app to do that calculation.

    Reply
  • The build looks super fun as always! The IHOO (Hot Cake) sounds almost like a refined version of the RAT. Me likey… Definitely prefer the older chip to the newer one, tho. Must be slower Slew Rate mumbo jumbo. (There's a Hot Cake model in your Fractal FM3, btw ????)

    Reply
  • Sorting the parts… I did a BYOC Leeds Fuzz (Univox Superfuzz) which had several dozen of those little blue metal film resistors… sorting all of those took a lot and it was less have tea and more, "yeah, I'm building this tomorrow, good night."????

    Reply
  • I would have decorated it up!

    Edit: What is that big black Fender in offset you got that looks like a Jazzmaster? That thing sounds badass!

    Reply
  • Apparently the Hot Cake is particularly well known for pairing great with an AC30 style amp.

    Reply
  • Riigght, just when i thought variations in OD/Dist pedals were a bit Meh, an honest surprise! The Crowther design uses no diodes, blasts an already dirty opamp into clipping, then LPFs the fuzzed up results – seems weird but sounds real interesting and the kit is cute!
    If i had spare pennies, I'd get one, prob just gonna play with teasing the design into something a bit different for a little surprise I'm making… Thanks for Sharing!
    Pete G, Gas Electronics, London

    PS Anyone else who wants to experiment; one type uses a 741, the 2008 vers uses a TL071, with a 1 transistor wave shaper pulling current into the Offset pin (the 'Bluesberry' mod) now that IS kinda voodoo!!

    2:15 Capacitor codes DO correspond with the values, you've just gotta think like the resistor color code: Digit, Digit, No of Zeros (in pF)
    so, like .47uF is "474"=470000pF=470nf=.47uF, dig? You don't really need an app 😉

    Reply
  • Andy, great video! Whole kit coverage! That visor looks like I could really use it. Any regrets?

    I keep wishing for a Whammy project…. Pitch shifting is interesting for me.

    Reply
  • Sounds good. I love DIY pedal kits! I've got the Third Man "Fuzz-a-tron" to build. Just haven't had the time to get it done. Well done ????

    Reply
  • It’s about this point where I have to shout FIIIIRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! ????????????????????????????????????

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  • Not an electrickery geek … but wouldnt it be neat if you could have both chips and flip a switch…

    Reply
  • Great pedal, I just made a Hot Cake myself. The Kit I used is not as detailed as the stew-mac kit. If you do know a bit about soldering and pedal building you could get the same experience and sound at a certain German shop for about 1/3 the price 😉

    Reply

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