Mod Kits DIY Review: The Piledriver

The Short, Short Version

If you like building things - anything, really - you should look at these pedals or even their amp if you have a bit more time and space to work. The instructions are easy to follow and because they're easy to follow the build is fun. And they're cheap. If you've ever been interested in the inner workings of gear, want to have something a little unique or you just plain want to build something guitar-related, this should be among the first places you look at.

The Much Longer Version

I’ve always loved the idea of building things. I started out building Legos, moving to models, making stools and CD shelves and even tried to build an amp and it was with the amp that I stopped. The reason I stopped building is because the amp was a traumatic experience. It was a kit amp and I bought it, even though it was WAY over the price range of similar kit amps from other companies because I heard the instructions were superior. Just like how you need a good map to get where you’re going (even with GPS – outdated info’s no good), you need good instructions to build a quality product ESPECIALLY if you aren’t the most experienced person in the world.

After I had assembled the amp head I plugged it in and turned it on only to hear a high whine. I called the company who advised I do this or that and afterward there was no whine. There was no sound at all actually. I could hear the power but no guitar. I gave up on the company and brought it to an amp tech who made it work but it didn’t sound good and I traded it for a Fender Blues Jr.

I hated that amp. It took me years to save up for the kit little by little and the amount of time I spent with it was so traumatic that I lost all will to build anything. As much as I WANTED to get into the building world, I would just sigh and say it was for someone else. Obviously not me because I couldn’t even build the “simplest” amp circuit.

One day I woke up and there was a spring in my step and I thought why COULDN’T I build something? Who made the world’s best amp on their first attempt? I’m not stupid, just lacking in practice and I went looking for amp kits – from a different company of course. I found the amp kit from Mod Kits DIY which features 60 watts of power and 32 different wiring configurations to get it closest to what you want (and everything is included for all 32 configurations). Still a little leery, I looked at their PEDAL kits and those looked more interesting and far more sane choice for another build.

Mod Kits DIY donated a pedal to me to build and see how it goes and write about it and write about I will (right now). They sent their simplest pedal, called the Piledriver, which is a clean boost with 32 decibels of extra volume inside it. When I opened the box there was a brochure for Jensen Speakers (more on them in another post), the instructions for the build and the pedal. Every component you would need is screwed into the pedal and what more secure way to ship something then to screw it into a metal box and then wrap it in bubble wrap and paper?

I set up shop on the dining room table and needed wire strippers, needle-nose pliers, a ruler, solder and a soldering iron (and of course a damp towel to clean the soldering iron – not a good towel, but more of a rag). With a deep breath I opened up the instructions and it detailed how to solder and de-solder, the parts list to inventory and written colors of the lines on the cathodes/diodes (handy considering the instructions are in black and white).

The instructions themselves for putting the pedal together were great. It started out very easy with installing the input and output jacks, then moved on to mounting the terminal strip which is merely screwing it in place, then making your very first connection. Then another, then another, then a few more and pretty soon you're on to actually wiring it.

I only had one moment when I was hesitant. When something new comes up in the instructions, there are instructions on what to do with it and how to do it right. Yet in the first part of the instructions it says to mount a 2" jumper wire and I thought "what are they talking about?" I FIGURED they meant use the three feet of wire included but it's on the NEXT page that they deal with stripping, twisting and tinning wire, so why would they just throw in such an instruction without going into how to do it?

So I cut off two inches of wire, looked at the instructions on the next page, stripped the end of the wire shield off, twisted the wires together and "tinned" it (putting some solder on it to hold the twisted wire together and prevent fraying) and moved right along.

In the end it took me three hours to build the pedal and 2.5 of those hours included me working during commercial breaks of whatever train-wreck reality show my wife was watching. All in all it didn't take long and it was fun to do. Mine was ugly with more metal ends than Pinhead's face sticking out, looking like a minefield for fingertips should the need to fix anything ever arise, but it was complete.

Here's a picture of Mod Kit's:

And here's mine:

No matter how easy the instructions are to follow, no matter how easy and fun the build, a pedal kit is completely worthless if the pedal doesn't actually work. Once I was done wiring the pedal and boxing it back up, I held it in my hand and looked at it. One more tool in the tone toolbox or world's most complex paperweight? I went to the Phoenix Studios and plugged my Squier Telecaster into my Vox AC15 with only the pedal separating the two.

Intermission

When I was a kid my brother and I shared a room and in this room was a TV and VCR. The plug for the VCR always came loose and my brother was always climbing under the bed to plug it back in (that's where the outlet was). One day I was talking to my mom in the living room and we heard a giant pop.

The pop was my brother getting electrocuted.

Don't worry, it only fried the part of the brain that deals with intelligence (heh heh). He screamed like a banshee though and I pulled him out from under the bed and you could see where the electricity entered his hand via the tip of his thumb, to where it came out at the base of his palm. The doctor said that if the electricity had decided to take an alternate route, he'd probably be dead.

I think because of this I'm more than a little cautious with electricity. Growing up, I messed around with fire, water, firecrackers, climbed tall trees and did stupid, crazy things but I never messed around with electricity. It seemed (still seems) so... final.

And Now, Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program...

I have two amps, the Vox AC15 and a Shanghai 64/1. The Vox is cheaper and in far greater supply on the market and wasn't custom made for me.

I also have four guitars, three electrics and one acoustic and the cheapest and most... road worn is my Squier Telecaster which takes more of a beating than most guitars.

Armed with a feeling of nervousness about plugging a new pedal that I built and considering I don't really trust my hands in the first place, for all I know, I just assembled an electronic weapon that with simultaneously destroy my guitar, my amp, and me (me last so I know for a fact that I really messed up the build), I turned off the Standby switch and the guitar was audible.

OK. First step, hearing the guitar through the amp with the pedal blocking the way? Check.

Now, to step on it. An inhaled deep breath and a move of the foot and *click*.

I held that deep breath as I strummed the first chord.

It was way louder than it was with the pedal off. I had assembled a WORKING clean boost. It sounded good too. I could picture using it on stage to take a solo or just to cut through the mix.

So let's run down the list of pro's here: All the parts were included and safe in delivery, the instructions were crystal clear with one small exception, the build was easy and fun, the pedal worked and then there's the price which we'll get to in just a little bit.

That's a pretty sweet list in my opinion.

So, how much does the Piledriver cost? $25.00.

Yup, that's all. $25.00 gets you an awesome boost pedal and a fun evening or afternoon with your soldering iron.

The reason these pedals are so cheap is because a lot of corners were cut in the effort to keep the price down. The paint on the pedal is a little thin, a little scratched and not showboat-ey at all. The artwork consists of a silver sticker that was cut with the words more to one side than the other on my pedal. the knob is light and plastic feeling. There are no rubber grommets to keep it from sliding on your pedal board.

But my opinion of this is that it's a GOOD thing that they did this. There's already a risk of buying something you have to build not working when you put it together because you gave up or wired it incorrectly. Why would you want to increase the gamble by paying a ton of money for top-notch parts too? That's only going to add more pressure and worst of all, keep people who are just looking to have some fun or save some money out of the club of building their own stuff.

So I say kudos, Mod Kits DIY! Your low prices enable everyday folks like me to have the opportunity to try our hands at building something new, experiencing something we may end up loving to do, and not breaking the bank or upsetting spouses or significant others. Low prices make this hobby anyone's game and the pedal sounds great too, so it's got everything going for it.

And even if you're building it and somehow get stuck, even after reading the instructions and looking at the included illustrations, you can always email the company and they'll be more than willing to help out.

In Summary

Do you like to build things? Are you interested in seeing the inner workings of the gear you know and love? Are you just bored and looking for something to occupy a couple of hours of your time? Then this is something you should consider. In this case, the pedal may be cheap in cost, but it's rich in fun and tone.

You can find out more here: http://www.modkitsdiy.com/

-Pappy