Interested in seeing around the curve as to where guitar effects might be headed?
Why not learn a bit about how clipping helps shape the overdrive/gain tones that we all know and love while you're at it. It's a long watch but shows the first practical use EVER of a new generation of electronics: molecular electronics.
This groundbreaking prototype built by Dr. Scientist with technology from Canada's National Institute for Nanotechnology, demonstrates "molecular junctions" used in place of clipping diodes in three different overdrive circuits. The circuits also include conventional diodes for comparison.
The molecular junctions use quantum behavior of atoms and electrons to create clipping that is softer and potentially more tube-like than traditional diodes. This video demonstrates the op amp, NPN transistor and FET-based circuits using both conventional diodes and two different "flavors" of quantum clipping molecular junctions. The video also explains the tech in detail and explores the possibilities of this new tone-shaping tool which can be tailored for different tones in ways that traditional diodes cannot. Cutting edge tech in a dirtbox!
Demo by Just Nick
Prototype build by Dr. Scientist
For more info visit Ryan's story about the project on the I Love fuzz forums.
