BOSS GE-10 100V usable in north america?

Kapo_Polenton · Sep 23, 2023

I'm looking for a GE-10.. see quite a few 100V out of Japan or on Ebay. These safe to work with our voltages or is a step down transformer of some type needed? I like my GE-7 with my Plexi clone but it's a tad sterile. Hoping for that GE-10 "warmth" ( from what I have read anyway) But that said, I don't feel like having more shit to plug in like a transformer off of a power bar to the GE-10. They caution that 120 into 100 could pooch it but does it or does it give it more billy bladez style balls!?

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

I got one off Reverb last year (circa 1979)

All you have to do is make one wiring change off the power transformer to change from 100V (Japan) to 117V:

Kapo_Polenton · Sep 23, 2023

No Shit! Amazing..that's easy as hell. You just cut it flush and use shrink wrap on the end just like the green to black joint?

How do you like it the EQ overall. Has it lived up to the hype?

psychodave · Sep 23, 2023

Like PLX said. Super easy to change for the correct voltage.

It's a great EQ...super quiet as well. I own two of them. lol

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

psychodave said:
Like PLX said. Super easy to change for the correct voltage.

It's a great EQ...super quiet as well. I own two of them. lol

Correct.

They are very quiet. I used to run this one in front of my JCM-800 along with an EchoPlex preamp pedal, chasing ye olde EVH tonez

Dave M · Sep 23, 2023

PLX said:
..... along with an EchoPlex preamp pedal, chasing ye olde EVH tonez

Derail: You mean an EP-type preamp pedal? If so, which one, or what did you build?

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

Dave M said:
Derail: You mean an EP-type preamp pedal? If so, which one, or what did you build?

I built a clone of the Clinch EP-Pre, but with an additional 3-way switch for different "modes" of operation.

I was very fortunate to have some talks with Peter Clinch, many years ago on the old MetroAmp forum, and he gave me a lot of insight into the circuit.

Dave M · Sep 23, 2023

PLX said:
I built a clone of the Clinch EP-Pre, but with an additional 3-way switch for different "modes" of operation.

I was very fortunate to have some talks with Peter Clinch, many years ago on the old MetroAmp forum, and he gave me a lot of insight into the circuit.

Nice. Tag board, Aion PCB, or something else?

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

Dave M said:
Nice. Tag board, Aion PCB, or something else?

I think I used the AionFX board for that one.

I started off with one I built based on talks with Robert from Badger Effects. He actually sent me a couple of unobtanium TIS-58 transistors to try.

Clinch uses the 2N5484 for the original circuit, and then the 2N5485 for the output buffer - which in reality, functions as a clean boost.

Kapo_Polenton · Sep 23, 2023

How close did you get to a decent VH tone? I don't feel like doing the variac thing and often and opened up superlead circuit with an EQ with the right pup does it well enough to my ears. I've always wanted an echoplex preamp that had more options. Sometimes I don't like the fatness that it imparts. I recently saw a video where someone mentioned that there was a dyna comp circuit built into some of the echo plex units. If that's the case, a comp can also be a boost of sorts and a comp boosting a Marshall also does that squishy variac thing to a degree but with less splattiness.

Anyway, I'm picking one of these GE-10's up.

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

Kapo_Polenton said:
How close did you get to a decent VH tone?

Depends on who you ask.

Kapo_Polenton · Sep 23, 2023

PLX said:
Depends on who you ask.

Good answer..... I have a follow up question though. These amps in Europe that are wired for 220/230. Is that a matter of just swapping the tap in the amp for 120 as well? Or are they sporting a different transformer?

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

Kapo_Polenton said:
I recently saw a video where someone mentioned that there was a dyna comp circuit built into some of the echo plex units. If that's the case, a comp can also be a boost of sorts and a comp boosting a Marshall also does that squishy variac thing to a degree but with less splattiness.

Yeah, some of the Echoplex units had the compressor board in them.

FWIW, I never heard anyone say it was an MXR DynaComp circuit.

Echoplex owners had a habit of clipping those out and removing them (see exhibit A)

psychodave · Sep 23, 2023

I own a real echoplex and tried most of the popular echoplex preamp pedals and the one I felt was best is the Badgerplex Pre. It adds the right compression and gain.

I own a script dyna comp and I can see how some people would think it sounds like an EP preamp.

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

psychodave said:
I own a real echoplex and tried most of the popular echoplex preamp pedals and the one I felt was best is the Badgerplex Pre. It adds the right compression and gain.

I own a script dyna comp and I can see how some people would think it sounds like an EP preamp.

Yeah.

I have the original BadgerPlex Pre AC.

It's the sort of pedal you just leave on all the time.

psychodave · Sep 23, 2023

PLX said:
Yeah.

I have the original BadgerPlex Pre AC.

It's the sort of pedal you just leave on all the time.

I have one from the first day he offered them (I bought it used). I had an AC one as well.

I emailed Robert one day and he sent me updated parts along with a few different TIS58 transistors. He is a really cool guy. Too bad he stopped making pedals. I've been looking for a Badgerplex plural for years...

psychodave · Sep 23, 2023

PLX said:
Yeah, some of the Echoplex units had the compressor board in them.

FWIW, I never heard anyone say it was an MXR DynaComp circuit.

Echoplex owners had a habit of clipping those out and removing them (see exhibit A)

I think the compression board was in the EP4?

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

psychodave said:
I think the compression board was in the EP4?

I don't recall. Been a long time since I was looking into all that..

I had an MXR compressor - the one from the custom shop that used the original chipset & circuit.

In my humble opinion, that had nothing to do with the early VH tone.

Ben Waylin · Sep 23, 2023

psychodave said:
I have one from the first day he offered them (I bought it used). I had an AC one as well.

I emailed Robert one day and he sent me updated parts along with a few different TIS58 transistors. He is a really cool guy. Too bad he stopped making pedals. I've been looking for a Badgerplex plural for years...

I used to live right down the road from Robert.

psychodave · Sep 23, 2023

PLX said:
I don't recall. Been a long time since I was looking into all that..

I had an MXR compressor - the one from the custom shop that used the original chipset & circuit.

In my humble opinion, that had nothing to do with the early VH tone.

I don’t think the dyna comp has anything to do with EVH either.

The custom shop dyna comp was cool, but doesn’t sound like an original 76. It’s like 90% there, but nope. Same with the custom shop 74 phase 90. It’s close, but again, nope.