talkbox in stombox?

[thomasds]

Hello

I'm really new to DIY-Stompbox making... I've build a couple of OD-pedals but I'm really interested in building myself a Talkbox-in-Stompbox. I've been reading up on the topic "Help with talkbox internal amp?" but I still have questions about making a stompbox model.

the out of the Ruby amp mentioned in the other topic goes to the speaker-in. Is it then simply a matter of connecting the speaker out with the out-jack of a stompbox? I guess that one should go to ground...

And then there is the plastic tube. how en where should it be connected to the speaker?

Thx

[spud]

I've considered doing this and found a few sources for info on it:

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=198


JD is a great guy and has great projects as well as tech info on stompbox stuff in general.  Lots of plans and ideas even if you don't buy any of his kits, but they are so reasonable, it's hard not to.  Here are some others:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-A-Talkbox/


This one talks about talk boxes in general but at the end has some cool ideas on making your own.

http://www.blamepro.com/talkbox.htm

This one is cool - it's for a synth but it's the same. 

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/05/22/build-a-ghetto-talk-box/

Another - similar:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Talk-box-inside-a-Toilet-Plunger/

Here's one with just text - no pics:

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Talk-Box

Jim

[thomasds]

Thx for the info.
Got me a bit further (like how to attacht the tube to the driver) but unless I'm misreading those sites, the talkboxes mentioned there use the power of your guitar amp for creating the sound and should therefore be connected between the speaker and the amp, like the Heil Talkbox?

I'm really looking to build a stompbox model that I can insert in my fx-chain (or easily put between the guitar and amp like any other stompox). I believe the Rocktron Banshee works this way, so as a stompbox with a "guitar-in" and an "amp-out" instead of an "amp-in" and a "speaker-out".

With a box like that, I don't have to connect the talkbox to the speaker of my amp (I use a Peavey Classic 30 combo and that amp has a wire running straight to the speaker, no jacks to use there unless I start using and external speaker) and that way I also have the possibility to use other FX that would be behind the talkbox in my fx-chain on its sound, like modulations, delays,...

To make one that works this way, does this simply mean: make one with a built in low-power amp and horn-driver in the stompbox and my guitar amp then takes control over the final volume? And how do I internally connect the driver to the stompbox-out? the same way as explained on http://www.blamepro.com/talkboxG.htm ?
I'd try to make one with a 9V ruby LM386 as mentioned on this forum's topic "Help with talkbox internal amp?" (http://www.ssguitar.com/index.php?topic=449.msg3243#msg3243). But which horn drivers are appropriate for that one? I can't quite make out what power this amp has?

Yeah, lotsa questions...

[J M Fahey]

The Talkbox is not "an effects pedal" and has no business in a loop.
It's a speaker which generally gets connected *replacing*your amp speaker (so it gets muted by definition) and the *acoustic* sound coming through a plastic hose gets into your mouth, gets picked up by your vocal mic and gets amplified by the main PA system.
For a bedroom setup, the "guitar amp" *may* be a Ruby or similar, and the vocal microphone can be connected to your guitar amp input, if you have no PA available.
But this is sort of a "toy" setup, although maybe it's enough to record a couple tracks at your home PC.

[thomasds]

Yes, I know that's the original concept but apparently the banshee does make it possible to use it as an ordinary stomp box (with a tube of course)...

"You simply plug into the Banshee like you would any common stomp box, and run the provided "tubing" up the mic stand and into your mouth" (http://www.rocktron.com/products/stompboxes/talkbox_series/bansheetalkbox/)

[J M Fahey]

It looks similar to what I called a "toy" setup.
It probably has an LM386 driving a small horn driver (or even a 2" speaker glued to a funnel) coupled to a plastic tube which goes to a mic stand.
Probably mutes the combo power amp so you can hear it through the PA (and monitors, if any).
It does not get back into the loop (as an effect)
You choose between no effect through your combo *or* with effect, through your PA, combo muted.
In fact, If I were to build one, I would add an XLR mic in, a mic preamp, and a line level output to send it back into the amp, but that's me 

[thomasds]

yeah, was also thinking it might've worked that way... still, gonna ask the guy from the other topic

[spud]

I didn't realize there was a "real" vs "toy" type setup - I just thought that the Heil Talk box used a compression driver with a mic inside and was run into you amp that way.  I guess it makes sense in that it has to use the PA mic as well so I wasn't thinking all the way through.  To be fair most of the plans I'd seen characterize it as "ghetto" talk-box setups - here's some youttube vids I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EIQxwotn3k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhO7mmz3XYo



Jim

[J M Fahey]

thought that the Heil Talk box used a compression driver with a mic inside and was run into you amp that way.

Used a compression driver: yes.
with a mic inside: no.
The whole system uses the regular vocal mic, into the main PA.
Was run into your amp: no, it was run *from* your amp (which drove the compression driver)