aion PHOTON User manual

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 1
PROJECT NAME
PHOTON
BASED ON
EFFECT TYPE
PROJECT SUMMARY
DOCUMENT VERSION
Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster
A Class-A amplifier capable of up to 25dB of clean gain, this pedal also has a unique Resonance feature
that enables a single-coil pickup to sound like a vintage or modern humbucker.
Booster & pickup enhancer 1.0.0 (2019-10-18)
BUILD DIFFICULTY
Easy
Actual size is 2.3” x 1.86” (main board) and 1.78” x 0.86” (bypass board).

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1Project Overview 7Enclosure Layout
2Introduction & Usage 8Wiring Diagram
3-4 Parts List 9Licensing
5Schematic 9Document Revisions
6Drill Template
INTRODUCTION
The Photon Booster / Line Driver is an adaptation of the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster (version 2,
2015, traced by Aion FX in 2019).
The V2 update of the Pickup Booster added a true class-A output stage. The first version was traced in
2007, but the new version had not yet been dissected by the DIY community.
The Pickup Booster is designed to provide 25dB of crystal-clean Class A boost. It also has a resonant
peak switch that makes a single-coil pickup sound more like a vintage or high-output humbucker
depending on the setting.
Because of the direct interaction with the pickups, it’s recommended to use the pedal as the first effect
in the signal chain, otherwise the Resonance switch will not work as advertised and will just act as a
slight treble cut.
The Photon is a direct clone of the Pickup Booster with no modifications other than some additional
power supply filtering.
USAGE
The Photon has the following controls:
• Boost sets the overall signal level, from unity gain at minimum all the way to +25dB at maximum.
• Resonance sets the resonant peak at the input of the effect. The center position leaves the resonant
peak untouched, while the up & down positions can allow a single-coil pickup to sound more like
either a vintage humbucker or a modern high-output humbucker.

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 3
PARTS LIST
This parts list is also available in a spreadsheet format which can be imported directly into Mouser for
easy parts ordering. Mouser doesn’t carry all the parts—most notably potentiometers—so the second
tab lists all the non-Mouser parts as well as sources for each.
View parts list spreadsheet →
PART VALUE TYPE NOTES
R1 4M7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W Anti-pop resistor for Resonance switch.
R2 4M7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W Anti-pop resistor for Resonance switch.
R3 1k Metal film resistor, 1/4W
R4 475k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 470k.
R5 30k1 Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 30k.
R6 549R Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 560R.
R7 100R Metal film resistor, 1/4W
R8 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W
R9 30k1 Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 30k.
R10 294R Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 300R.
R11 3k83 Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 3.9k.
R12 49.9R Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 51R.
R13 49.9R Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 51R.
R14 182k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 180k.
R15 162k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Can substitute 160k.
RPD 1M Metal film resistor, 1/4W Input pulldown resistor.
LEDR 4k7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W LED current-limiting resistor. Adjust value to change LED brightness.
C1 3n3 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm
C2 820pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G
C3 47n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm
C4 120pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G
C5 47pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G
C6 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm
C7 1uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 3.5mm
C8 120pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G
C9 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm Power supply filter capacitor.
C10 47uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm Voltage reference filter capacitor.
C11 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R Power supply filter capacitor.

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 4
PARTS LIST, CONT.
PART VALUE TYPE NOTES
D1 1N5817 Schottky diode, DO-41
D2 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35
D3 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35
Q1 2N5089 BJT transistor, NPN, TO-92
Q2 2N5089 BJT transistor, NPN, TO-92
Q3 2N5087 BJT transistor, PNP, TO-92
Q4 2N3904 BJT transistor, NPN, TO-92
Q5 2N3906 BJT transistor, PNP, TO-92
BOOST 10kC 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot
RES. SPDT cntr off Toggle switch, SPDT on-off-on
LED 5mm LED, 5mm, red diffused
IN 1/4" stereo 1/4" phone jack, closed frame Switchcraft 112BX or equivalent.
OUT 1/4" mono 1/4" phone jack, closed frame Switchcraft 111X or equivalent.
DC 2.1mm DC jack, 2.1mm panel mount Mouser 163-4302-E or equivalent.
BATT Battery snap 9V battery snap Optional. Use the soft plastic type—the hard-shell type will not fit.
FSW 3PDT Stomp switch, 3PDT
ENC 125B Enclosure, die-cast aluminum Can also use a Hammond 1590N1.

SCHEMATIC
PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 5
GND
1M
1N5817
100uF
10kC
GND
+9V
100n
VA
4M7 4M7
182k
162k
GND
47uF
GND
3n3 820pF
GND GND
47n
1k
475k
120pF
VB
VB
GND
2N5089
30k1
GND
VA
2N5087
120pF
VA
30k1
VA
294R
2N3906
3k83
GND
VA
GND
49.9R49.9R
100R
1uF
100k
GND
47pF
549R
10uF
GND
2N3904
RPD
D1
C9
BOOST
1
2
3
1B-3
3B-1
C11
2
3 1
RESONANCE
R1 R2
R14
R15
C10
C1 C2
C3
R3
R4
C4
Q1 Q2
R5
Q3
C8
R9
R10 D2 D3
Q5
R11 R12R13
R7
C7
R8
C5
R6
C6
Q4
GND

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 6
DRILL TEMPLATE
Cut out this drill template, fold the edges and tape it to the enclosure. Before drilling, it’s recommended
to first use a center punch for each of the holes to help guide the drill bit.
Ensure that this template is printed at 100% or “Actual Size”. You can double-check this by measuring
the scale on the printed page.
Top jack layout requires the use of closed-frame jacks like the Switchcraft 111X.
LED hole drill size assumes the use of a 5mm LED bezel, available from several parts suppliers. Adjust
size accordingly if using something different, such as a 3mm bezel, a plastic bezel, or just a plain LED.
0 1 2
CM
0 1
INCH
x: 0, y: +1.71
ø9/32”
x: 0, y: +0.41
ø1/4”
x: 0, y: -1.20
ø15/32”
x: -0.775, y: -1.20
ø5/16”
CENTER (0,0)
125B
BOOST
RESONANCE
FOOTSWITCHLED
ø3/8” ø1/2”
0.385”
0.625” 0.625”
ø3/8”
OUT DC IN

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 7
ENCLOSURE LAYOUT
Enclosure is shown without jacks. See next page for jack layout and wiring.
125B

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 8
WIRING DIAGRAM
125B
IN +VGND N.C. N.C. OUT
PCB
IN
GND +V +V JACK GND JACK
OUTIN
GND GND PCB
OUT

PHOTON BOOSTER / LINE DRIVER 9
LICENSE & USAGE
No direct support is offered for these projects beyond the provided documentation. It’s assumed
that you have at least some experience building pedals before starting one of these. Replacements and
refunds cannot be offered unless it can be shown that the circuit or documentation are in error.
All of these circuits have been tested in good faith in their base configurations. However, not all the
modifications or variations have necessarily been tested. These are offered only as suggestions based
on the experience and opinions of others.
Projects may be used for commercial endeavors in any quantity unless specifically noted. No
attribution is necessary, though a link back is always greatly appreciated. The only usage restrictions
are that (1) you cannot resell the PCB as part of a kit without prior arrangement, and (2) you cannot
“goop” the circuit, scratch off the screenprint, or otherwise obfuscate the circuit to disguise its source.
(In other words: you don’t have to go out of your way to advertise the fact that you use these PCBs, but
please don’t go out of your way to hide it. The guitar effects industry needs more transparency, not less!)
DOCUMENT REVISIONS
1.0.0 (2019-10-18)
Initial release.