AUDIO KITCHEN Fake Plastic Trees User manual
The Fake
Plastic
Trees
Owner’s Manual
Important safety instructions
A PLEASE read this instruction manual carefully before switching
on.
B ALWAYS use a 9VDC (Centre Negative) supply capable of
delivering at least 100mA.
C There are no user serviceable parts.
D Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any
way, such as when liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into
the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture,
does not operate normally or has been dropped.
E NEVER use this equipment in damp or wet conditions. No objects
filled with liquids should be placed on the apparatus.
F ALWAYS unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or if
unused for long periods of time.
G PROTECT the power supply from being walked on or pinched
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and at the point where
they exit from the apparatus.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
requirements of the EMC directive (Environments E1, E2 and E3 EN
55103-1/2) in the E.U.
Note: It is recommended that all audio cables used to connect to Fake
Plastic Trees are of a high quality screened type. These should not
exceed 10 Metres in length.
FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS
HEED ALL WARNINGS
KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS
2
What is the Fake Plastic Trees?
Honestly, I can't remember why the Fake Plastic Trees (FPT) project
started. Certainly, the idea of mimicking an EL84 output using a
transformer-coupled JFET got the cogs turning. At any rate, sometime
in 2018 I began to breadboard, and the circuit looked a little bit like
The Big Trees (TBT) with JFETs: I thought I was pretty close.
I was wrong.
Thus, I jumped down the rabbit hole of A/B-ing the circuit with TBT.
In the end, each stage of TBT was analysed and modelled very closely
with the EL84 grid-clipping (honourable mention here, for SPICE-
ninja Dr Damon McCartney’s help on this) also gaining its own stage.
This was crucial to sculpting just the right clipping profile and
compressive 'feel' to the circuit. It meant having almost 40V headroom
on the power supply and weeks of adjusting the time-constant or 'knee'
of the clipping circuit.
Another element which I had assumed would be simple was the output
transformer. This took months and months of trying different
laminations (we ended up with Mumetal) and winding patterns until
we got close. Again, A/B-ing transformers finally brough a Eureka
moment, only to find we couldn't get the laminations in any quantity.
Insert a few more months of wrangling here.
Throughout the development process, I have had TBT and various
prototypes on an A/B switcher in order better honestly to compare and
appraise how close to a genuine valve pedal 'feel' I had got.
Honestly, it’s as good as I can make it, in this moment.
And I think it's pretty good.
I hope you enjoy it too.
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How do I use the Fake Plastic Trees?
Unlike TBT, the FPT will NOT drive a speaker, and consequently it
functions solely as a pedal. Connect an instrument and amp to the In
and Out jacks respectively, adjust the Gain and Volume pots for the
desired break-up and output level, and away you go.
The Root and Branch controls tailor the Bass and Treble, but as
they're stationed before the break-up stages, varying the EQ will have
a huge bearing on the character of any break-up produced. Obviously,
your instrument's volume and tone controls also come into play, as, by
extension, does your picking dynamic, so please take time to
experiment!
It feels necessary here, to acknowledge the fact that all my Audio
Kitchen designs up to this point have been centred around valves;
purely because of the intrinsically wonderful characteristics they
impart to a signal. Although FPT may seem like a big departure from
that, in many significant ways it is not. The motive driving my designs
has always been the desire to inspire musicians to create and
communicate, and you will find that motive is alive and well at the
core of the FPT design. Rather than turning away from the source of
my inspiration, I'd say this feels more like my first solid-state homage
to the musical joy that I have found in valves over the past 20yrs.
All of us at AK trust you will find FPT to be a thoroughly fun and
inspirational tool which will bring many years of enjoyment and
creativity.
Thank-you!
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Gain – This controls the level of preamp signal presented to the
output stage and as such will control the degree of break-up.
Root – This controls the level of bass frequencies present in your
tone.
Branch – This controls the level of treble frequencies present in your
tone.
Volume – This controls the level of signal present at the Out jack
when the LED is lit.
Footswitch – This selects whether FPT is in circuit (LED on) or
bypassed (LED off).
9VDC Connector – Standard Boss type supply, centre negative,
100mA.
Out - for connecting to the input of another amplifier, pedal or
recording interface.
In – This is where you plug your musical instrument in. Yes, really.
Root Branch Gain
Buffer Output
Input Tone
Volume
Clipper
12 Impress House, Mansell Road
Acton, London W3 7QH
+44 (0)20 8735 0045
www.audiokitchen.co.uk
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