Diode Selections for the Algal Bloom

[Ice Ape]

The Algal Bloom comes with a standard silicon diode selection and can be modded for other diodes to give different flavors of fuzz beyond the standard silicon. It seems fairly common to add the germanium choke mod, which gives the option of switching to germanium diodes to give a very different texture compared to the standard silicon. I have a modded Algal Bloom that has eight different diode selections to choose from, each of which has its own unique feel. The diode selections I have are:

1. standard silicon
2. germanium choke
3. asymmetrical silicon + germanium
4. symmetrical silicon (double silicon?)
5. LED + germanium
6. red LED
7. blue LED
8. white LED + silicon

Each has its own unique feel and qualities but I find myself using a few more than the others. Numbers 1, 4, 5, and 8 are my most used diode selections although they all have their own very usable feel. The standard (#1) is great for crunchy rhythms. Symmetrical silicon (#4) gives the most aggressive fuzz and is great for singing lead lines too. LED + germaium (#5) is close to the germanium choke (#2) but to my ears is a little more crunchy/crumbly in character and is my go to choice for dying amp sputter sounds. The white LED + silicon gives a smooth tone with a papery edge (the other LEDs, #6 AND #7, are smooth too but no paper) great for blues and mellow playing and is perhaps my favorite of all. It depends on what I am trying to play and will switch up selections for different songs.

My question is what other diode options are out there and what are your opinions/favorites? I know there are many types of LEDs (green, purple, bright, dim) out there for example and many other different diodes of different types and values. I am quite pleased with my diode choices but am curious to hear what other people like and why. What has been tested and what works "best" ??

[FuzzHugger]

You have pretty much every worthwhile mix of diodes I could throw at it... ...some diodes are going to be so close in fV that they wouldn't differ much tonally. I don't think anyone else has a wider variety of diodes in their Bloom. I'm pretty sure there are only two rotary Algal Blooms out there.

Also, I'm sorry if this pulls the rug from under this thread, but 1) with the v2, there's not much room for big rotaries, so I'm not taking custom rotary requests. And 2) with the v2's reimagined Choke control, I don't think it'd be good to lower the fV, ruling out some clipping options. But there are so many added tones in Choke/HAB mode, I don't think there's a reason to play much with diodes.

Switching to an LED, red diffused or high brightness, could be cool, as it'd raise headroom, but there's another way to raise headroom on any Algal Bloom--use a 12V adapter!

I think if you're curious about adding tones, you should have me add the new Choke toggle to your Bloom.

[goroth]

The Schottkys in my Gnomeratron have a really interesting sound, but yeah, super low fv so maybe no.

[Philippe Elskens]

The Algal Bloom comes with a standard silicon diode selection and can be modded for other diodes to give different flavors of fuzz beyond the standard silicon. It seems fairly common to add the germanium choke mod, which gives the option of switching to germanium diodes to give a very different texture compared to the standard silicon. I have a modded Algal Bloom that has eight different diode selections to choose from, each of which has its own unique feel. The diode selections I have are:

1. standard silicon
2. germanium choke
3. asymmetrical silicon + germanium
4. symmetrical silicon (double silicon?)
5. LED + germanium
6. red LED
7. blue LED
8. white LED + silicon

Each has its own unique feel and qualities but I find myself using a few more than the others. Numbers 1, 4, 5, and 8 are my most used diode selections although they all have their own very usable feel. The standard (#1) is great for crunchy rhythms. Symmetrical silicon (#4) gives the most aggressive fuzz and is great for singing lead lines too. LED + germaium (#5) is close to the germanium choke (#2) but to my ears is a little more crunchy/crumbly in character and is my go to choice for dying amp sputter sounds. The white LED + silicon gives a smooth tone with a papery edge (the other LEDs, #6 AND #7, are smooth too but no paper) great for blues and mellow playing and is perhaps my favorite of all. It depends on what I am trying to play and will switch up selections for different songs.

My question is what other diode options are out there and what are your opinions/favorites? I know there are many types of LEDs (green, purple, bright, dim) out there for example and many other different diodes of different types and values. I am quite pleased with my diode choices but am curious to hear what other people like and why. What has been tested and what works "best" ??

Seems great to have these options!!! Could you please make a demo? Very interested:-)

[oldangelmidnight]

there's another way to raise headroom on any Algal Bloom--use a 12V adapter!

Will try.

[UglyCasanova]

Seems great to have these options!!! Could you please make a demo? Very interested:-)

Might differ a bit from his, but it's modded to death by Tom. Spectacular fuzz. I should use it more.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxkNNqvuHDg[/youtube]

and Eivind August making sweet love to it's oscillations

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LPAFJi4CSE[/youtube]

[JuJo]

I'd have to dig way back in my emails to find out exactly what I've had in mine, but I think mine has a blue LED + silicon which is by far my favourite. Opens it up just the right amount and has some very nice harmonics. I think I had the diffused red one Tom mentioned in my first Bloom, which was nice, too. Higher headroom and very smooth, but my favourite part of the Algal Bloom is the harmonics and the blue + silicon combo is just fantastic for it.

I really need to find some gear money - I can't believe I don't have a V2 yet - or the Doom Bloom.

[goroth]

Jujo!!!

[sylnau]

Jujo!!!

[Chankgeez]

I don't have an Algal Bloom, but I kinda wanna try a purple LED for clipping.