Mr.Ugly's Instruments

Movin'

2011-07-31T23:52:00.001-07:00

Movin' over to tumblr. http://mruglysinstruments.tumblr.com/

2011-07-29T22:27:00.000-07:00

Moonbase U.L.T.R.A.

2009-11-09T13:52:00.001-08:00

16 knobs that control 3 oscillators that feed into 4 NAND gates. 2 x 1/4" mono outputs, operates on a 9V power supply. Oh, and did I mention that there's a switch on the left hand side there that controls a motor that turns the big knob in the middle, the knob that's a master pitch/rate control for the entire thing? Did I mention that you can turn that big ol' master knob independently from the motor control, or in conjunction with the motor? I didn't? Oh, well, it's got a motor in it! Shit!

Here's a video.

Eyebeast

2009-10-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

I made this out of random things I had laying around. It's basically a two oscillator Fun Tuner, with an RCA patchbay and that weird long stemmed control dial replacing all the switches I might put in it otherwise. I actually don't have enough RCA cables to fully use it! HA!

Anyway, turn it on and it starts to squeal. Plug in a bunch of RCA cables and it starts to glitch and mutate. Flip a couple of switches, switch the one oscillator's control state from knob to eye, and it will pump out some great, grindy, all-seeing noise. Switch the tall dial around and switch over a couple of RCA cables and who knows....

Operates on a 9V power supply.

Here's another hi8 video!

Two Oscillators w/Ring Modulators

2009-10-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

Simple. Two oscillators feeding into a ring modulator. One oscillator acts as the main signal, the other as the carrier. The knob on the bottom left hand side is a voltage control knob that effects each oscillator. The bottom, right hand knob is a rate control for the ring mod. Runs on any 9 v, ground tipped power adapter.

Here's a video, shot on a super shitty hi8 handycam!

Distortion Modulating Distortion Flanger

2009-10-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

Alright. Either A-->B-->C-->Out or A-->C-->B-->Out where as A=Circuit bent DOD Grunge pedal that acts as either a through and through effect or a signal generator, B=Circuit bent DOD Flanger that has also been modded with the internal trim pots mounted for access, and C=Circuit bent Boss Overdrive/Distortion pedal. The DOD Grunge has been nicely mangled with 7 toggle switch, 2 push button and 1 knob w/toggle bends. The Flanger and Overdrive each have 4 toggle switch bends. Both the Flanger and Overdrive have on/off push buttons. A-->B-->C= nasty, heavily distorted drones, while A-->C-->B=spacier, swoopier drones and bleeeps. Nastynastynastynasty. Operates off a 9v pedal adapter and there's an on/off power toggle.

Here's some videos. ABC and ACB.

The Muscle Contaminater

2009-10-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

I found this guy in the alley near my house, thinking that I could pull it apart and reuse the case, or maybe the pots, however, when I got home I was pleasantly surprised to find out that actually still powered up! Moments later I found that each one of the 12 outputs gave me controllable oscillations.

Each output gives the same pitch and rate controllable oscillation, however, each one can also be filtered with the knob just above the output. And, there's a master filter/volume knob, too. Runs on a 9v positive tipped adapter.

Of course, not being one to let a perfectly good electronic instrument just sit there innocently being what it should be, I added more knobs and switches that make it squeak and grind. I don't suggest using this for it's original, medical intentions anymore. I think it was meant to control muscle contractions. If you used it now, your muscles might balloon up until you look like a freakish hulk. Like one of those guys that looks like a pile of grapes.

Video.

Ring Modulators!

2009-10-01T18:01:00.001-07:00

I had this little case that I found in an abandoned house that, I think, was a photo enlarger timer. I gutted it and now it has two simple ring modulators built in. RIND MODULATORS!!!

1/4" mono jacks, 9v power supply with on/off toggle. 4 pitch/rate knobs (two per ring mod).

I take the worst photos

2009-10-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Workworkwork

2009-09-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a few new Haunt Boxes I've made for folks while I've been working on something new and huge. It's got a fun tuner with 3 oscillators, 4 more oscillators that feed a giant RCA patchbay, 2 ring modulators and a million switches. It's a beast.

Fun Tuner v1.2

2009-07-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here's the third evolution of The Fun Tuner Project. I like to call this one The Screaming Baby generation of the project, because the high end tones that this can produce are nasty! Just creeps right into your brain and makes you wonder what the hell's wrong with you. Did you upset it?

The 1/4 mono output and 9v power jack are housed on the outside of the case on this one, as the body of this is so small, the cables would just get in your way. Unless you have freakishly small hands. Like a baby.

Video video video.

Fun Tuner v1.1

2009-07-21T09:07:00.001-07:00

Here's the second installment of The Fun Tuner Project, v1.1. I took my favorite settings from the first Fun Tuner and redesigned the PCB with those connections hardwired. Does that make sense? Anyway, it's got 3 oscillators, a modulation control dial, 2 x 3 position modulation glitch switches and 3 modulation on/off toggle switches. 1/4" mono output and 9v power. Housed in an old camera case I found at a local thrift shop.

The operation on this synth is pretty simple, but I like the dancey/grindy kind off drones and tones that come out here. Rich low end, for sure!

Videoeoeo!

The NO Machine

2009-07-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

I finally got the chance to make another synth in the housing of an old Traynor mixer! The last one was The Nothing Machine, but this one is The NO Machine. It's two oscillators with individual pitch controls added and an overall pitch control, 7 modulation glitch switches, a filter knob with on/off toggle, and, as a nice added effect, there's a Danelectro delay pedal wired in there for a little something extra. I kept the in and out jacks accessible in the front, so that if you want to have the oscillators running out to a mixer or amp or whatever, and use the effect pedal for something else, you can. Runs on a 9v power adapter, like a boss pedal adapter, like everything I make.

Here's a video!

3 New Haunt Boxes Made to Order!

2009-07-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

These little beasts are already sold, but I'll make one for you if you're nice...

Intergalactic Cricket Swarm

2009-06-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Business on the outside, chaos in the middle. 3 oscillators with 2 big fat 3 position modulation setting switches 7 pitch/modulation/rate/speed knobs. 2 knobs with on/off toggle switches. 2 1/4" mono output jacks (one primary/one secondary). Operates on 9V adapter. All housed in an old leather briefcase. Take that to court, you lawyer!

This thing sounds like a swarm!!! If ever I made an instrument that just sounds mean, it's this one. Aggressive! Runs really well in high end drones, but the mid and low hold their own, too.

Here's video!

Boo

2009-06-19T13:02:00.001-07:00

The Fun Tuner v1.0

2009-06-19T12:41:00.001-07:00

This synth is something that's part of an on-going project I'm working on. Build a synth using oscillators and logic chips (in this case NAND gates), find the combination of connections I like the sound of the most through turning switches on and off and design the next one based on those combinations. Turn on three switches, draw schematic. Build new synth with new connections hard wired, new connections, redesign, rebuild, repeat. I'm currently working on v1.1 and the result is a lot of very sweepy/swoopy drones. Each one I build is going to sound different than the last, hopefully, drastically.

This one's got 2 oscillators, 3 modulation dials with on/off switches, 5 modulation effect switches, 2 output (one primary/one secondary), and it operates on a 9V power supply (the same kind you'd use with a Boss Pedal. Ground on the center pin, signal on the outer ring.)

I named this after MR.FUN, who first put a soldering iron in my hand and taught me about circuit bending. Check out some video!

New Haunt!

2009-06-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Electric Dream Chest

2009-05-31T16:14:00.001-07:00

I had no idea I was going to like this synth as much as I do! When I started making it, I hated it, but by the time I finished, I decided it is one of the best I've ever made. Only two oscillators feeding into a jk flip flop and circuit bent back in on itself. And the best part is that there's a pitch control over the whole thing! It's got a whole bunch of modulation/glitch switches and 2 outputs with different signals. I even tried it out at a show with my band, Stamina Mantis.

Check out the video sample.

The Haunt Box

2009-05-31T16:00:00.001-07:00

This was the first time I've ever really used a spring reverb unit in an instrument. It's got three oscillators feeding through it with a variable voltage control. One 1/4" mono output, on/off toggle and it runs on a 9v power supply. Also, you can toggle the oscillator signal to the output on and off, so you can hear either just the creepy moans and wails or the wails with beeps and screeches. It's lightweight and pretty durable. I'm gonna build more of these!

Check out the video and sound samples!

The Nothing Machine

2009-05-18T13:46:00.000-07:00

This is The Nothing Machine. It's a single oscillator running through NAND and NOR gates, all housed in the body of an old Traynor mixer. This was my project to get me back into working on electronics after being gone on tour with Stamina Mantis for two weeks. It's probably the best thing I've ever made. The randomness that comes out of here is epic! Here's a video that doesn't really do it justice.

The Quintrigger

2009-05-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

This is probably my favorite instrument I've made in a long time! It's a quintoscillator feeding into a Hex-Schmitt Trigger that I fed back into itself. The first of many projects where I design something from scratch then circuit bend the shit out of it. The quintoscillator triggers the Schmitt Trigger, then the Schmitt Trigger feeds back into itself via all of those lovely switches! Each switch has 3 positions of modulation, so the number of drone combinations is amazing! And there's 4 separate outputs. I think that if each output was run through effects into a mixer, you could create some pretty intense walls of symphatic drone. And it all runs off a 9V adapter.

Here's some video of the Quintrigger in action! video

Low Hugs

2009-05-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

My friend Don L'Orange recently recorded some tracks using my gear. We play in bands together (Hepatidalwave, The Tom Hanx Explosion) and he's rad! http://donlorange.tumblr.com/

Custom Quintoscillator

2009-04-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

I built this quintoscillator for my pal Bill. He's playing it drenched in reverb!

Ring Modulating Oscillation Distorter

2009-04-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

Okay. It's got 5 Oscillators, a circuit bent Ibanez Distortion Pedal with body contact bends, and a passive ring modulator all housed in the body of an antique radio. All three things can be used separately, but in conjunction with one another they sound pretty rad! Beeps, tweeps, grinds and waves of things! The Oscillators and the pedal run off 9 v power supplies. Boss adapters with a daisy chain is what I use, but the pedal can run off a 9v battery if needed.

Check out the video and the sound files.

Eyeball!

2009-04-17T12:53:00.001-07:00

Here's something I built for a friend of mine. It has 3 oscillators of various speeds/pitches controlled by knobs and one controlled by a light sensitive resistor. That's the big eyeball at the top. It's Teddy Ruxpin's eye, by the way. 2009.

Dual Oscillator with Slide Control

2009-04-12T01:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a dual oscillator I made for simple two tone drones. One oscillator is controlled with sliders, the other with knob action. Knob action. Pretty easy going, but effective. 1/4" mono output, 9v power supply.

Here's a video!

Circuit Bent Behringer DD400 Delay Pedal

2009-04-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a circuit bent Behringer Delay Pedal I just sold on Ebay to someone down in the old Californias. These pedals, unbent, are halfway decent Boss DD-6 knock offs, but I couldn't resist and had to add some distortion, a little telephone bypass sounding switch and a glitch button to mess with the loop. Sounds better now.

The Don L'Orange Quintoscilllator

2009-04-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

I am now officially making custom built oscillators. Here's a 5 oscillator box that I made for Don L'orange. Each oscillator has an on/off toggle switch and can be controlled by 2 separate faders. It has a single 1/4" mono output jack in the back, and a main power switch and volume control on the left hand side. The knob I used for the volume pot came from L'Orange's first guitar, and you can't quite tell from this photo, but the box is super bright hazard orange!

Welcome!

2009-04-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

My name is Mr.Ugly, and I am the following:

-a circuit bender

-a musician

-a musical instrument builder

I am NOT the following:

-a messenger of God

-a robot

-a comedian

-a butter knife

-clean

Thank you. xoxo