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Whats your favorite take on the HP circuit? I'm considering building one but I'm trying to find out what version/interpretation is the one I should choose.

Collins Interfax is my only experience with the circuit and I think it sounds great throughout most of its range but I tend to play it with both controls dimed.

I have a Jupiter FX Harmonic Fragilator (bought it from phanta), it seems to sound pretty close to the Collins going from the clips I heard.
The no clipping option is definitely a great addition to put it more into a rocking distortion type territory which I really dig as well.
As far as transistors go I prefer the germanium, only with the germanium you get the specific Harmonic Percolator sound / freq / response, the silicon makes it sound a bit more generic.
I'd go for the traditional noisier setup too, there's workarounds but in my opinion it doesn't sound right, there's a video from Fredric Effects comparing the original circuit with another that has got some tweaks to take away the noise.
The Jupiter FX doesn't seem that noisy to me anyway.
CatalInbread has got the Karma Suture which is an interesting take on the circuit as well.

i have a clone from some guy on etsy (full nelson?)? i like it a lot, it's pretty much an always on pedal, controls usually all the way...

it's not particularly noisy, seems kind of like an awesome boost, really. i kind of wish it was crazier.

don't have any experience with other versions...

Some youtube clips:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dWid1XtA9Q[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-ZNPMhOZYY[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u_Ed1x-aqc[/youtube]

1. Interesting vid with different Harmonic Percolator clones by Joe Gore, more info on:
http://tonefiend.com/guitar/museum-lost ... ercolator/.
2. My Jupiter FX Harmonic Fragilator sounds a little like this (and like the first pedal in Joe Gore's vid).
3. Fredric Effects comparison vid.

As far as I know the circuit is a bit similar to f.ex. the fuzz face in that it is relatively simple but even small changes go a long way. So if you are comfortable with building one for yourself I'd think you should breadboard it and experiment with different components until you find a sound that works for you. Afaik you could replace the transistor with a lot of different ones that would all bring something else to the table.

And no Percolator thread would be complete without Albini on stilts:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5GKgLTVkpQ[/youtube]

My experience is with the Fredric clones. I've had three because every time I trade or sell it away, I regret it. He says his is "Built to the most recent 'general consensus' schematic, only with the addition of a switch to offer three different clipping options which adds to the versatility of the effect." I'd say that's a good place to start if you're looking to DIY.

If you're going to diy, then this is required reading. All 16 pages.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/i ... ic=99596.0

As well as this;

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/i ... ic=68649.0

digi2t wrote:If you're going to diy, then this is required reading. All 16 pages.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/i ... ic=99596.0

As well as this;

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/i ... ic=68649.0

thanks! I'll read into these.

The HP is one of my faves. I have a CBC Pedals version and it. Slays. Not as expensive as the others and the dude builds to the most common schematic. It has that high noise floor, crazy harmonics and the awesome feedback. Mine doesn't pick up the radio but I live too far out of town to pick up radio stations anyway. Mine just get the sound of a vintage radio between stations which I love.

Uncle Grandfather wrote:Collins Interfax is my only experience with the circuit and I think it sounds great throughout most of its range but I tend to play it with both controls dimed.

KaosCill8r wrote:The HP is one of my faves. I have a CBC Pedals version and it. Slays. Not as expensive as the others and the dude builds to the most common schematic. It has that high noise floor, crazy harmonics and the awesome feedback. Mine doesn't pick up the radio but I live too far out of town to pick up radio stations anyway. Mine just get the sound of a vintage radio between stations which I love.

+1....er, 2.

I have one of the early Chuck Collins clones (no labeling, he didn't yet own the trademark).
Apparently some (possibly many) of these early units are built from the very leftover/NOS parts as the originals, snatched up from an *Interfax estate sale*
Another owner brought his CC HP to Electrical Audio and compared it with Albini's original, the conclusion being that it's legit. All the same character & behavior.
High noise floor, oscillating feedback at max settings when you unmute strings, exceptional volume knob interaction.

It's a special pedal, for sure. The way it changes the feel/response of your strings and makes everything so immediate and full of nervous energy is something I have not encountered in any similar fuzz/distortion box. Mine doesn't pick up radio either but it does pick up every single little bit of EMF and hum from any equipment in proximity. Output transformers, monitors, computers, even light bulbs of any type. Especially with single coils. Who knows, if any of my pedals could pick up those signals...it's that one. And what a keeper it is

Here's my vero version,



See the schematic for the pot connections. Basically "input" on the vero connects to lugs 2 of the "harmonics" pot, and vero "output" connects to lug 3 of the "balance" pot. "Balance" pot lug 2 goes to output jack, lug 1 on both pots go to ground.

and my breadboard test, done a while back,

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K1bDddgl5Y[/youtube]

I made this a couple of years ago. My first build, made from a BYOC kit, with a couple of tweaks. Printed the graphic on a shipping label I stole from work.

I had one from Bukowski, and loved it. It wasn't noisy though. I want to build myself a noisy one

skullservant wrote:I had one from Bukowski, and loved it. It wasn't noisy though. I want to build myself a noisy one

Yeah the noise is one of the best part parts of the circuit. I wouldn't dig mine as much without it. If it doesn't make hiss and static and other weird noisy artifacts it's not a Harmonic Percolator. If I starve mine of a few volts it does clean the noise up somewhat. Don't know if I'm just tripping but you fx circuit gurus might know more about why that is. And I found if you starve some fuzz circuits of ground you can get oscillation happening. Would this work with HP? Works awesome on my Meathead clone I built.