HGE Contraptions TWA SC-01 Source Code Overdrive handmade clone

Please ask me for an accurate shipping cost to your region prior to buying! I need to specifically calculate first. EU will be Courier or Post, outside of the EU is Post only. No returns.

HGE Contraptions 181st circuit built, a clone of the TWA Totally Wycked Audio - Source Code Overdrive.

This is basically a "Tubescreamer 2.0" designed by the original father of the Tubescreamer, Susumu Tamura. You can search for this original pedal to see exactly what it is and what is the idea behind it.

I am still playing with the IC-s for it since the original has the "magic IC"(haha) shaved off in one IC spot-> I used a hifi CMOS OPA1656 IC for that.
Very nice sounding, definitely not as boring as a classic TS808, the Bite gives quite some grit and fatness to it.

Specs:

 Circuit Topology: A faithful recreation of the TWA Source Code circuit, which features an active +6dB output boost compared to standard TS-style drives.

 Op-Amp Pairing & Transistors: Features a high-fidelity OPA1656 (via SOIC8-to-DIP8 adapter) paired with a classic JRC4558DD, balancing clean headroom with traditional mid-range character. The standard 2N5088 transistors were swapped for vintage Japanese 2SC525s (measuring a lower gain of 220-230 hFE), with leads carefully formed to adapt their non-standard pinout to the board.

 18V Internal Operation: Runs on a standard 9V power supply, utilizing an internal TC1044S charge pump to operate at 18V for increased dynamic range and lower compression.

 Active Output Stage: True to the original schematic, the Level control is part of an active non-inverting boost stage. This means the volume floor at '0' is unity gain, rather than complete silence.

 Premium Sockets: ICs are seated in high-quality Harwin SIL8 beryllium copper pins for secure, reliable connections and easy chip swapping.

 Build Quality & Wiring: Assembled on a factory pre-tinned veroboard to prevent copper oxidation. Wired with PVDF silver-plated copper wire and soldered exclusively with Kester 63/37 eutectic solder for clean, durable joints.

Tone Control Sweep: Uses a B20K linear tone pot. Due to the circuit's EQ filters, the most noticeable tone shifts occur at the extremes of the dial (below 9 o'clock and above 3 o'clock), leaving a wide, subtle fine-tuning range across the center.