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PROJECT NAME
GAIA MK. I
BASED ON
Catalinbread
®
EFFECT TYPE
Overdrive / Amp Emulation
PROJECT SUMMARY
An adaptation of the Vox
of the 60s and 70s. It uses cascaded mu-amp stages in place of tubes for amp-like tone in a small box.
Actual size is 2.3" x 2.42" (main board) and 1.78" x 0.87" (bypass board).
This documentation is for the Mk. I version of the project. There is also a
the Galileo. While the name is similar, the circuit and part numbering are different. Please be sure
your PCB is labeled "Gaia Mk. I" before proceeding with this build document.
GAIA PREAMP DRIVE MK. I
CB30
AC30, a legendary British amplifier responsible for the signature guitar tones
®
BUILD DIFFICULTY
Intermediate
DOCUMENT VERSION
1.0.0 (2021-05-28)
IMPORTANT NOTE
Mk. II
version, based on
1
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Related Manuals for aion GAIA MK. I
Summary of Contents for aion GAIA MK. I
- Page 1 Mk. II version, based on the Galileo. While the name is similar, the circuit and part numbering are different. Please be sure your PCB is labeled “Gaia Mk. I” before proceeding with this build document. GAIA PREAMP DRIVE MK. I...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
This is available from Aion FX as the Gaia Mk. The Gaia Mk. I can be run at 18V for increased volume and clarity, but it is not compatible with the Voltage Doubler / Bypass module due to the larger format of the PCB. -
Page 3: Parts List
PARTS LIST This parts list is also available in a spreadsheet format which can be imported directly into Mouser for easy parts ordering. Mouser doesn’t carry all the parts (most notably potentiometers) so the second tab lists all the non-Mouser parts as well as sources for each. →... - Page 4 PARTS LIST, CONT. PART VALUE TYPE NOTES 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm 470pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G 2.2uF Electrolytic capacitor, 4mm Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm 470pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G 470pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G 47pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G 680n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 4.5mm 2.2uF Electrolytic capacitor, 4mm 10uF...
- Page 5 PARTS LIST, CONT. PART VALUE TYPE NOTES MMBF5457 JFET, N-channel, SOT-23 Substitute for 2N5457 (TO-92). See build notes. MMBF5457 JFET, N-channel, SOT-23 Substitute for 2N5457 (TO-92). See build notes. GAIN 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot BASS 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot TREBLE 1MA 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot VOL.
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Page 6: Build Notes
However, always check the datasheet if you’re uncertain—they’re difficult to desolder if you make a mistake. Using through-hole adapters If you’re not confident in your ability to work with surface-mount parts, Aion FX offers 2N5457 (MMBF5457) JFETs that come pre-soldered to adapters for use in through-hole designs. These are from the same manufacturer as those used in the original Catalinbread pedals and will perform identically. -
Page 7: Schematic
SCHEMATIC 100R 1N5817 100uF 100n 2N5457 2N5457 2N5457 2N5457 2.2uF 2.2uF 470pF 470pF 470pF 470pF 2.2uF 2.2uF 2.2uF 47pF 2N5457 2N5457 2N5457 2N5457 100k 100k 2.2uF 10uF 47uF 22uF GND GND GND GND GND GND GND GND GAIA PREAMP DRIVE MK. I... -
Page 8: Drill Template
DRILL TEMPLATE Cut out this drill template, fold the edges and tape it to the enclosure. Before drilling, it’s recommended to first use a center punch for each of the holes to help guide the drill bit. Ensure that this template is printed at 100% or “Actual Size”. You can double-check this by measuring the scale on the printed page. -
Page 9: Enclosure Layout
ENCLOSURE LAYOUT Enclosure is shown without jacks. See next page for jack layout and wiring. 125B GAIA PREAMP DRIVE MK. I... -
Page 10: Wiring Diagram
WIRING DIAGRAM NC OUT GND +V +V JACK GND JACK GND GND PCB 125B GAIA PREAMP DRIVE MK. I... -
Page 11: Document Revisions
LICENSE & USAGE No direct support is offered for these projects beyond the provided documentation. It’s assumed that you have at least some experience building pedals before starting one of these. Replacements and refunds cannot be offered unless it can be shown that the circuit or documentation are in error. All of these circuits have been tested in good faith in their base configurations.
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