Henretta Engineering Big Zapper User manual

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Copyright!2014!Henretta!Engineering!LLC!!!!!www.henrettaengineering.com![e-mail]!
BIG ZAPPER
FILTER SWEEPER
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OPERATION!
The$Big$Zapper$is$a$warm$and$musical$effect$pedal$that$will$add$movement$and$dynamics$to$your$playing.$$The$
pedal$uses$a$band;pass$filter$that$sweeps$through$a$frequency$range$as$you$play.$$You$can$configure$the$circuit$to$
sweep$at$a$specified$speed,$based$on$the$attack$of$your$playing,$or$a$combination$of$both.$
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The$Big$Zapper$is$housed$in$a$rugged$cast$aluminum$enclosure.$$The$input$jack$is$on$the$top$side$of$the$pedal$near$
the$right.$$The$output$jack$is$on$the$top$side$of$the$pedal$near$the$left,$and$the$power$jack$is$on$the$top$side$near$
the$middle.$$Step$on$the$ON/OFF$foot$switch$to$turn$the$pedal$on$and$off.$$The$green$LED$near$the$top$of$the$pedal$
lights$up$to$indicate$that$the$circuit$is$active.$$The$powered$circuit$is$completely$removed$(true$bypass)$from$you$
signal$chain$when$the$pedal$is$off.$$
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Controls$
Some$of$the$Big$Zapper’s$controls$are$interactive.$$Please$read$through$this$entire$section$before$experimenting$
with$the$many$sounds$that$are$possible$with$this$effect$circuit.$
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The$Big$Zapper$is$a$versatile$band;pass$
filter$sweeping$circuit$for$electric$guitar$
and$other$electronic$musical$instruments.!

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Copyright!2014!Henretta!Engineering!LLC!!!!!www.henrettaengineering.com![e-mail]!
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TRIGGER$–$green%toggle%switch.$$This$switch$determines$the$mode$in$which$the$filter$sweeping$circuit$operates,$
with$three$options$as$described$below.$
ATTACK$–$This$mode$operates$as$an$envelope$filter.$$The$initial$attack$of$your$playing$pushes$the$filter$up$
into$high$frequencies,$and$then$it$sweeps$back$down$to$low$frequencies$as$the$notes$decay.$$The$harder$
you$play,$the$higher$the$frequencies$go$before$coming$back$down.$$The$effect$is$like$a$wah;wah$pedal$that$
tracks$your$playing$dynamics.$
CLOCK$–$This$mode$uses$an$internal$clock$to$sweep$the$frequency$up$and$down$at$a$specified$speed.$
COMBO$–$This$mode$uses$both$the$internal$clock$and$your$playing$attack$to$manipulate$the$frequency$
sweep.$$Different$settings$on$the$SENSITIVITY$control$(described$below)$will$determine$how$much$the$
clock$sweeping$is$disrupted$by$your$playing$attack.$$In$general$this$mode$provides$a$continued$clock;
controlled$filter$sweeping$effect$that$fades$in$as$the$sweep$from$your$playing$attack$is$working$it’s$way$
back$down$or$fading$out.$
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SMOOTH/CHOPPY$–$foot%switch%near%the%bottom%left.$$This$foot$switch$provides$easy$access$to$two$separately$
configured$clock;driven$filter$sweeping$effects$and$two$different$modes$of$attack;driven$envelope$filter$effects.$$
When$the$red$LED$is$on,$the$pedal$is$in$Choppy$mode,$and$when$the$blue$LED$is$on,$the$pedal$is$in$Smooth$mode.$$
Even$when$the$effect$is$bypassed,$these$LED’s$remain$lit$to$let$you$know$where$you’ll$be$when$you$activate$the$
effect.$
SMOOTH$–$This$is$best$suited$for$slower$sweeping$speeds$when$in$Clock$mode,$as$it$slowly$moves$through$
the$determined$frequency$range.$$At$faster$speeds,$the$effect$becomes$less$pronounced.$$In$Attack$mode,$
this$setting$gives$the$envelope$filter$slower$response$and$decay.$
CHOPPY$–$This$is$best$suited$for$faster$sweeping$speeds$when$in$Clock$mode,$as$it$quickly$moves$through$
the$determined$frequency$range.$$The$Choppy$setting$is$good$for$fast$rotating$speaker$simulations$or$
tremolo;like$sounds.$$At$slower$speeds,$the$effect$has$long$gaps$between$quick$blasts$of$frequency$
sweeping.$$In$Attack$mode,$this$setting$gives$the$envelope$filter$faster$response$and$decay.$
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SPEED$–$The$Big$Zapper$features$two$Speed$controls,$one$for$the$Smooth$setting$and$one$for$the$Choppy$setting.$$
These$controls$determine$the$speed$at$which$the$frequency$sweep$cycles$when$in$the$Clock$and$Combo$trigger$
modes.$
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HF$SETPOINT$–$The$Big$Zapper$features$two$HF$Setpoint$controls,$one$for$the$Smooth$setting$and$one$for$the$
Choppy$setting.$$These$controls$determine$the$upper$frequency$that$the$sweep$will$reach$before$falling$back$down$
into$lower$frequencies$when$in$Clock$and$Combo$trigger$modes.$$This$control$is$somewhat$interactive$with$the$LF$
Setpoint$and$Speed$controls$(as$is$the$nature$of$analog$tone$circuits),$so$experimentation$is$encouraged.$
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LF$SETPOINT$–$The$Big$Zapper$features$two$LF$Setpoint$controls,$one$for$the$Smooth$setting$and$one$for$the$
Choppy$setting.$$These$controls$determine$the$lower$frequency$that$the$sweep$will$reach$before$climbing$back$up$
into$higher$frequencies$when$in$all!trigger!modes.$$This$control$is$somewhat$interactive$with$the$HF$Setpoint$and$
Speed$controls$(as$is$the$nature$of$analog$tone$circuits),$so$experimentation$is$encouraged.$$
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SENSITIVITY$–$This$control$is$only$active$in$Attack$and$Combo$trigger$modes.$$It$determines$how$the$envelope$filter$
circuit$responds$to$your$playing$attack.$$The$further$clockwise$you$roll$this$control,$the$easier$it$is$to$push$the$
frequency$range$up$with$your$playing.$$Humbuckers$and$other$high$output$guitar$pickups$will$work$best$at$relatively$
low$Sensitivity$settings.$$Vintage;style$single$coil$pickups$will$require$settings$up$near$3:00$on$the$dial.$
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SPECIFICATIONS!
POWER$;$You$can$power$the$Big$Zapper$with$either$an$external$power$supply$(9$VDC)$with$the$commonly$used$
center;negative$barrel$connector$or$an$internal$battery.$$The$maximum$current$draw$is$20mA.$
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CIRCUIT$;$The$Big$Zapper$circuit$uses$a$TL072$dual$op$amp.$$This$component$is$positioned$in$a$socket$to$allow$
swapping$with$other$op$amps$for$sonic$experimentation.$$Be$sure$to$only$swap$with$op$amps$that$have$the$same$
pin$configuration$as$the$TL072.$$If$you$have$questions$about$acceptable$replacement$op$amps,$please$contact$
Henretta$Engineering.$