My Take on Tom Sholz's Rockman Guitar Effect V3

My Take on Tom Sholz's Rockman Guitar Effect V3
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In this video you see my 3rd attempt at recreating the "Rockman" Guitar Headphone Amp designed by Tom Scholz. This is the '"sound of the 80's" as heard on all of Boston's albums and Hysteria by Def Leppard.
The sound comes from a mixture of compression, gain, reverb, echo, and delay. Ive used a TL072 op amp for gain and a PT2399 for just about everything else. There is no compression added.
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[@m2svirtual384]

I have used the Rockman X100 since it first came out, and I also have a Rockman Sustainer rack mount unit. Both are so old... they are noisy and need refurbishing. I cannot figure out how to open my X100!! Anyways, I started using Amplitube 4 through my Focusrite and it had a Rockman version. It was CLOSE... very close, but.. no cigar in the end. The true Rockman sound is embedded in my head. I recently switched to Amplitube 5 and their Rockman and speaker setup is SPOT-ON. It is THE EXACT sound. Scary accurate. The compression hiss, the chorus swirling... and then you hit a power chord... heaven. So rich in overtones and sustains forever. I'll hold onto my Rockmans because they are practically museum pieces any more. But the Rockman inside Amplitube 5 is just awesome. Plus you get hundreds of more preset sounds, from Gary Moore to Gilmour, and they are no slouches either. Happy to have my Rockman sound back and in pristine condition!

[@eliasgeorge8534]

Boston is one of my favorite bands of all time, and that first album is amazing. I didn't know that Def Leppard also used the Rockman. Love the bonus learning that your channel gives!

[@learnelectronics]

Thanks buddy! Yep both guitarists used Rockmans on the Hysteria album. I love the sound.

[@bblod4896]

Agree. $899 for a box🤯🤯🤯.

[@LitesLAB]

This was fantastic Paul, great take on the build! Look forward to a future update :)

[@RiffMusic1970]

Just to be clear, Boston didn’t use the Rockman on the first two albums because they didn’t exist. That was all amps, EQ’s, wahs and studio magic. The first album with a Rockman was Third Stage.

[@3dsmaxrocks699]

I had the rack mounted version of Sholz's distortion unit. Bought it back in 1988 I believe. Tom always said his guitar tone was the kind you could take to church.

[@Sarahbuildsstepsequencers]

That’s hella good, sir!! Well done!

[@bigpickles]

Awesome vid. Hysteria is one of my all time fav albums

[@kevinsturges6957]

Great job! What an interesting person you are. Subscribed.

[@TheCleaner6969]

Def Leppard also used the Ross Rock Box along with the Rockman

[@capitanschetttino8745]

This is incredible cool!! Thats why I love this channel so much!!

[@99davinci]

cool video man boston is my fav band and i would like to follow in Tom's footsteps

[@richardchandler9734]

Great rig

[@Sarahbuildsstepsequencers]

I have those 1/4” jacks and they *are* difficult to solder!

[@bblod4896]

Hi 👋

[@garyr.8116]

Cool!

[@peterferguson2344]

You do all these repairs AND you've got good taste in music 🤓👌 I like my rock and metal ( and lots in between) and i've become a bit of Buckethead fan too

[@paulperano9236]

Very nice Paul. Your old High School Music Dept might like some of those.

[@Psychlist1972]

I still have my Rockman soloist. I worked in a music store in the late 80s and early 90s, so I could get things for cheap, especially when they came in used. I always wanted the rack units, but they were too rich for me at the time. Boston was always one of my favorite bands (plus, I was in Massachusetts), but I couldn't get tickets to their Third Stage tour. They sold out way too quickly. (Oh, and I saw Def Leppard in concert for their Hysteria tour :) ) The board is great. Need to get some humbuckers piped into it to really get that Boston sound.

[@MarsHottentot]

Love this project - this is sounding pretty close. Honestly, it might even be cooler if it's not exactly the same but "ballparked".

[@charleskile3769]

Well done Paul.

[@tenlittleindians]

My foggy memory seems to remember them being just over a hundred bucks when they first came out? Back then I didn't have a hundred dollars to buy one. You probably couldn't buy an original ad for one today for a hundred bucks.

[@learnelectronics]

Originals are 900 bucks right now

[@tenlittleindians]

@@learnelectronics That's why I figured they are probably wanting $100 bucks just for a printed original advertisement out of the first magazine they were featured in. People are nuts to pay that. Tom's 75 years old now so I doubt he's ever going to jump in and make a batch again even though if he did they would sell like hot cakes. He could certainly charge a lot more for them today than he sold them for when he first released them.

[@robertwebb5586]

ROLMAO..!!!!!!!! gotta love blu-tac.......

[@michaelmarchei8539]

Cool would like info on the actual effects...ie time of delays and chorus etc HOSS1!1!1!!

[@BobMellor1954]

Nice one Paul, looking forwards to any follow up you might have in mind, thank you P.S. love Def Leppard

[@hanutabube]

Holy shit that is exactly the sound iam looking for, had some attemps myself to recreate the clean channel of he rockman but onl got the distortion one close xd ur genius

[@ExilesGate]

Great video man! Great advice to!:)

[@daytonpyro]

i like it. i cant play but i like this.. you should play more for us

[@tenlittleindians]

The Teensy is a great little board. Have you seen the Electro Technique TSYNTH, A $99 Teensy-Based Open Source Polyphonic Synthesizer? That's a project I could really develop into something!

[@learnelectronics]

No, I'll have to check that out

[@davesworkplace1616]

Another great video. I am planning to make some guitar pedals in the future and have some guitars (that I have to learn how to play). I just joined the Patreon as I realized I always come back for more of Paul's videos. And I encourage others to join his Patreon group. As Paul McWhorter would say, "help a brother out". 😉

[@learnelectronics]

Thanks!

[@craign8ca]

I have the Peavey version of the EVH Wolfgang guitar. I couldn't tell from your video which one you have.

[@learnelectronics]

Mine is the EVH (Fender) exotic. It is the best feeling guitar I've ever played.

[@yummyklown9226]

Awesome. I might build one. I have a Jaguar and a mustang.

[@learnelectronics]

That would be cool!

[@michael_caz_nyc]

If someone could re-create that Rockman Rack XPR-100 ( in a a pedal ) . . . it would Sell like hotcakes. Not only the Distortion sounds, but those Acoustic-like "Cleans" were amazing.

[@RiffMusic1970]

It’s actually the X100 they are recreating but still.

[@christophermarchand320]

Friggin A brotha that sounds fantastic. It sounds a little bit too watery but regardless that is amazing and has motivated me to dick around with making one.

[@edcollins9377]

I have a Rockman X100 and several years ago, I took a peak inside. (I didn't have a schematic or anything to guide me.) The X100 is loaded with TL072 dual op amps and has 2 or 3 BBD chips in it including a rather rare multi-tap delay chip for the rather elaborate delay/reverb effect. (That delay chip was almost impossible to find several years ago. Hopefully someone is remaking it now.). I don't remember seeing any digital PT2399 echo chip in it. What's up with that? Is that a substitute for the analog BBD chips? The sound you made at the end of the video sounds a bit like a doubler, but it doesn't sound like the rockman echo/reverb effect which combined delay times of 300ms and 500ms to create the lush reverb echo effect. PS: I think a lot of those op amps were used in filter/eq circuits because both the clean and distorted sounds were heavily eq'd in the original rockman x100. The X100 had a complicated circuit especially for its time.

[@Johadart]

Hi Paul, great job on the video, seems like you got the whole idea worked out mate, be good to see the end result, oh by the way where can I get a glimpse of the band practicing also, I’d be interested in watching you’s.. 🤙🏼🇦🇺

[@learnelectronics]

You can see a clip in the portable PA system video.

[@Johadart]

@@learnelectronics seen that mate, it was awesome 🤙🏼🇦🇺

[@bblod4896]

Perhaps change the 1uf caps to 10uf for more bass.

[@bblod4896]

I wonder if a schematic of the original is available 🤔 Great build Paul. ☮️

[@learnelectronics]

It is, but what fun would that be

[@ShawnShipstad]

Please make these

[@sciencemansandera]

you might want to try switch craft plugs I used to build speaker amplifier equipment I bought out a guy that built for a Yamaha and use them I think they're the best. I am not a fan of anything from China if you know what I mean whatever they're making for Metal just doesn't get it

[@jameswalshjr]

I wonder how that might sound with a bass running through it. Hmm...

[@arvetemecha]

Hi Paul, I'm wondering about the schematic, isn't the middle of the voltage divider supposed to be the virtual ground of the TL072 opamp? Or I might be missing sthg and asking a stupid question. Thanks for your interesting videos, as always. Greetings from France!

[@alanmurdock4319]

I had one of these that I bought brand new. Many years ago I sold all my guitar stuff, my first child was on the way and I needed money.

[@learnelectronics]

Mine leaves for college in 4 days. I sold my Gibson Les Paul Classic for some additional funding. I know the feeling.

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

It’s impossible to get through life without music, After all, even the points between life and death, make a sound. One Lifetime Hz. We still have time to adjust our signal, tone, amplitude, output, and just about anything else we can fit in the box. These are just my opinions Life’s a circuit God Bless

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

I was also wondering how I’d like to implement all these echo chips I have. I now know where 2 are going. One for me, and one to give away. Thanks Paul I always enjoy my coffee with your lessons.

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

I also noticed that about the cheap amazon 1/4” jacks.

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

I too am impressed with that chip. I like that ring modulation it adds. At least I think it’s ringing.

[@donhiscock6933]

Grate video Paul sounds really cool. Tell Blake not to worry he will do fine in college. All the best to you and your son. I am out peace man.

[@kc6671]

Have an x100 since 80’s. Have rack unit as well I picked up cheap in the 90’s when grunge was the rage. No one wanted a rockman then. Silly people…

[@harryshector]

Chinesium has noted solderability problems.

[@WatchesTrainsAndRockets]

Good luck to your Blake in his first semester. Ask him if he knows who Clyde Cowan was. He was one of my physics professors before I wandered off into the dark side and wound up as a computer scientist instead of a physicist.

[@learnelectronics]

I will.

[@JetFixxxer]

Love the Bake Maple on the Wolfgang!

[@learnelectronics]

Love that neck!

[@waynegram8907]

Did the Rockman use the PT2399 IC Chip in the original Rockman 80s design ?

[@learnelectronics]

No. You can view the schematics on line, Scholz used opamps and analog components. That's why I'm doing my own version

[@davesworkplace1616]

I am a noob at anything with OPAMPs, but on the TL072 I realize you are only using one of the two amps, but don't you have to hook up the voltage and the ground?? I only see 3 connections on the schematic and 3 on the circuit board. Thanks. 🙃

[@learnelectronics]

Its just the symbol in Easyeda, the footprints have the connections.

[@davesworkplace1616]

@@learnelectronics Ok, thanks for clearing that up. Keep up the good work. We appreciate people like you, maybe more than you know.

[@robertwebb5586]

serious question: Paul what do you use to determine the type cap to use? Disc ,poly dip, Mylar... I always had a problem with that.

[@learnelectronics]

That's more than I can answer here. That probably needs it's own video.

[@RockRumRacingFootbal]

Gotta spell Scholz correctly!

[@t1d100]

Kewl

[@markgreco1962]

Thought he also used a echoplex??

[@learnelectronics]

He made all of his own effects for the first album, after that I am not sure.

[@markgreco1962]

@@learnelectronics so far so good! keep it up.

[@clayjeffries3901]

Nice vids.. my comments are not posting for some reason

[@learnelectronics]

I see this

[@clayjeffries3901]

@@learnelectronics Keep the vids Flowing Mr. Paul thanx

[@faisal5370526]

Hello My youtobe Friend's good information sharing video i like and subscribers channel 👉💓💓🙏🙏🌹🌹❤❤

[@jameskidd7906]

Bécasse it s like if the soûle of musicien is talking to ur soule...anyway Nice schematic lesson

[@martinwalters1954]

Hey, if you want to improve your understanding of music by 1000% in 3 months, and how to apply it to guitar, you should investigate the 60 chord system. If you want, I can turn you on to it, just email me. This is Rick Fitzpatrick. I played pro guitar over 50 yrs, and this system made me into a musician instead of a guitarist just playing licks..

[@learnelectronics]

Yes, Im interested. email me [e-mail]