Watch Tower Overdrive (Palisades inspired)

Project overview

The Watchtower is the most complete and versatile overdrive ever made, based on Earthqueaker devices Palisades.

With roots in the legendary Ibanez Tube Screamer, it features 6 different clipping voices, 5 bandwidth settings, 2 gain channels, and an additional booster that takes the possibilities to the limit.

Introduction

The Watchtower has the skeleton of the classic TS-808, including almost every possible modification to achieve the tone you want.

Dual-Channel Gain, voice rotary to select in between the diodes, buffer toggle, bright switch, and band-switch to choose the capacitor and its response. All these mods take the roots of the classic tube screamer to the limits.

The booster acts as a volume boost after the main drive as in the original, but it won’t be difficult to add an order flipper switch if you want to reverse the order.

This project uses 2 3PDT for the on/off switches of the main drive and the booster. Also, a DPDT footswitch is required for the gain channel control.

Controls

•  Voice: The clipping voices determine how transparent and open or tight and crunchy the distortion is. Choose between 6 diodes configurations.
• Bandwidth: Sets the frequency response of the distortion and goes from thin, light, and clean through fat heavy, and crunchy.
• Buffer: Turns the input buffer on or off. ON is a tighter and brighter tone, while OFF is a warmer tone with more sag. The buffer is part of the drive circuit & is only available when the main effect is activated.
• Tone: Brighter clockwise, warmer counterclockwise.
• Booster: Foot switchable volume boost with adjustable level to take your leads over the top
• Gain Switch: Select between two different gain channels.
• Gain A: lower gain with a wider range of grit great for strumming open chords.
• Gain B: Higher gain with a tighter range, great for palm muting and/or shredding solos.

For further analysis on this circuit take a look at this thread on Free Stomp Boxes Forum.

For any technical questions regarding this build don’t forget to check out our Facebook Group and our forum at Free Stomp Boxes.

Watchtower 1v1 – Building Docs

Watchtower 1v0 – Building Docs

Watchtower – Drilling Template