PROJECT NAME

BETA PREAMP
BASED ON BUILD DIFFICULTY
Sunn® Beta Lead / Bass Advanced
EFFECT TYPE DOCUMENT VERSION
Preamp & high-gain drive 1.2.0 (2024-11-29)
PROJECT SUMMARY
A single-channel pedal recreation of the Sunn® Beta Lead and Beta Bass amplifiers, unique in using
overdriven CMOS stages for their drive tone.

Actual size is 3.44” x 2.42” (main board) and 1.77” x 0.87” (bypass board).

BETA PREAMP 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Project Overview 9 Drill Template
2 Introduction & Usage 10 Enclosure Layout
3-6 Parts List 11 Wiring Diagram
5-6 Usage 12 Licensing
7-8 Build Notes 12 Document Revisions
8 Schematic

INTRODUCTION
The Beta Preamp is based on the Sunn® Beta Bass and Beta Lead amplifiers, first released in 1979.
The guitar and bass models were identical except for a handful value changes that made the EQ more
suitable for the frequency range of each instrument.

The Beta amps were unique in that they used overdriven CMOS gain stages for their drive tone. This
had been previously pioneered by Craig Anderton for his Tube Sound Fuzz circuit in 1977, and Electro-
Harmonix released their Hot Tubes pedal in 1978 with a similar topology, but the Beta was the first time
this method had been used in an amplifier.

The Beta Preamp is a single-channel adaptation of the original amplifier. It can be built in either Bass or
Lead configurations by swapping out a few components. While it can be used as a drive pedal, it works
best as a true preamp driving a power amp directly.

The original Beta amplifiers ran on +/-15V, but in this adaptation the supply voltage has been reduced to
+/-9V so it can be powered conveniently by a standard 9V supply. In the original amp, the drive tone is
generated by CMOS hex inverters run on a reduced 8V single-supply, so the heart of the distortion tone
remains exactly like in the original amplifier. All of the other active components will perform the same on
the slightly reduced voltage since there is a great deal of of headroom either way.

USAGE
The Beta Preamp has five controls:

• Drive controls the amount of gain going into the overdriven CMOS stages.
• Treble, Mid and Bass form a 3-band active tone stack. The Lead and Bass amplifiers have different
resistor & capacitor values in this section to optimize the tone stack for the frequencies of the
namesake instruments.
• Level sets the overall output of the preamp.

BETA PREAMP 2
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.

View parts list spreadsheet →

PART VALUE TYPE NOTES

R1 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R2 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R3 2M2 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R4 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R5 120k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R6 1M Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R7 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R8 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R9 330k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R10 22k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R11 68k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R12 22k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R13 68k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R14 10k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R15 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R16 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R17 470k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R18 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R19 120k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R20 15k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R21 4k7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R22 10k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Lead value. Use 15k for Bass version.

R23 12k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Lead value. Use 27k for Bass version.

R24 22k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Lead value. Use 12k for Bass version.

R25 100k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R26 4k7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R27 91k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Lead value. Use 180k for Bass version.

R28 12k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R29 8k2 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R30 12k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

BETA PREAMP 3
PARTS LIST, CONT.
PART VALUE TYPE NOTES
R31 3k3 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R32 220k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R33 150R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R34 100R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

RPD 2M2 Metal film resistor, 1/4W Input pulldown resistor. Can be as low as 1M.

LEDR 4k7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W LED current-limiting resistor. Adjust value to change LED brightness.

C1 200pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G Can also use 220pF.

C2 2.2uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 5mm

C3 33pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G

C4 2.2uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 5mm

C5 5pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G

C6 47n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C7 2n2 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C8 82pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G

C9 2.2uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 5mm

C10 2.2uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 5mm

C11 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C12 33pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G

C13 2.2uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 5mm

C14 22n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm Lead value. Use 56n for Bass version.

C15 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C16 10n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C17 10n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C18 4n7 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm Lead value. Use 10n for Bass version.

C19 27n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm Lead value. Use 47n for Bass version.

C20 2.2uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 5mm

C21 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C22 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C23 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C24 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C25 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C26 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C27 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C28 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C29 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

BETA PREAMP 4
PARTS LIST, CONT.
PART VALUE TYPE NOTES
C30 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C31 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C32 470n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C33 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C34 220uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C35 220uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C36 220uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C37 220uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm

C38 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C39 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

C40 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R

Z1 1N4742A Zener diode, 12V, DO-41

D1 1N5817 Schottky diode, DO-41

D2 1N458A Rectifier diode, DO-35 Can also use 1N4001.

D3 1N458A Rectifier diode, DO-35 Can also use 1N4001.

IC1 RC4558P Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC1-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC2 CD4069UBE CMOS hex inverter, 6 circuit, DIP14

IC2-S DIP14 socket IC socket, DIP-14

IC3 RC4558P Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC3-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC4 RC4558P Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC4-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC5 LT1054CP Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC5-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC6 RC4558P Operational amplifier, DIP8

IC6-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

DRIVE 1MB dual 16mm dual pot, right angle

BASS 100kB 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

MID 100kB 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

TREBLE 100kB 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

LEVEL 100kA 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot Original uses linear taper (B), but audio taper works better.

BETA PREAMP 5
PARTS LIST, CONT.
PART VALUE TYPE NOTES
TREBLE LIMIT 20k trimmer Trimmer, 10%, 1/4” Bourns 3362P or similar. Can sub 22k or 25k.

LED 5mm LED, 5mm, red diffused

DC 2.1mm DC jack, 2.1mm panel mount Mouser 163-4302-E or equivalent.

IN 1/4" mono 1/4" phone jack, closed frame Switchcraft 111X or equivalent.

OUT 1/4" mono 1/4" phone jack, closed frame Switchcraft 111X or equivalent.

BYPASS 3PDT Stomp switch, 3PDT

ENCLOSURE 1590BBS Enclosure, die-cast aluminum

BETA PREAMP 6
BUILD NOTES

Treble knob and Treble Limit trimmer

This project contains the exact same audio path as the original Sunn amplifier, but due to the pedal
adaptation, the power supply is different, using a charge pump to generate the split-rail supply rather
than an internal transformer like you would see in an amplifier.

As a result, depending on the 9V supply and other factors in the signal chain, the treble control might
oscillate near the upper end of the range if the gain is maxed out. This is most easily solved by just not
turning up the treble to 10, which is a fringe use case anyway. The only other solution is to modify the
audio path in some way, which we do not recommend, especially since it doesn’t happen for most builds.

In version 1.2, we added a trimmer called “Treble Limit”. This is a variable resistor in series with the
treble control that essentially reduces the upper range of the knob, and can be used to eliminate any
possibility for oscillation across any of the knob settings.

Start with the trimmer turned all the way up. Set the volume to zero and then turn treble and gain to
max. Slowly turn up the volume. If you hear any oscillation or feedback with these control settings, turn
the trimmer down until it goes away. If the trimmer is turned all the way up, it’s out of the circuit and the
treble knob is full-range.

If you don’t want to install the trimmer, you can omit it from the PCB and jumper the outer pins.

Series & parallel operation

While the original Beta Lead and Beta Bass amps each had two channels, the channels were identical
with the same internal circuitry and external controls. This would normally only be useful for effectively
switching between two presets, except for the unique feature that the channels could be run in parallel
and blended together.

We are planning to release a full dual-channel Beta at some point, but in the mean time, you can run two
of these single-channel units in parallel using a passive splitter and mixer to get the same sound.

You can also try running two of these units in series, which is a trick mentioned in the owner’s manual of
the original amplifier that is accomplished by patching the preamp output of “A” into the input of “B”.

Enclosure size
This project was designed for the Hammond 1590BBS enclosure, which has the same height as the
125B or 1590N1. If you don’t use the Hammond brand, be careful—not all 1590BBS enclosures are the
same. For example, Love My Switches sells two different types, and the CNC Pro version is correct while
the standard one is too short.

The 1590BB2 seems like a close equivalent, but it’s about 4mm shorter. It may be possible to fit this
circuit in a 1590BB2, but we have not tested it, so you’re on your own!

The 1590C has almost the same dimensions around the base, but due to the increased height and the
draft angle of the walls, the dimensions inside the enclosure are a bit too small and the PCB won’t fit.

BETA PREAMP 7
BUILD NOTES, CONT.

Version 1.0 CMOS supply fix

The initial release of the Beta Preamp disabled the unused CMOS stages by tying them to the positive
supply, which is typically recommended as best practice. The original two-channel Sunn Beta tied one of
the chips to ground and the other to +V, so either way is “correct” per the original unit.

However, in version 1, the gates were tied to VA (the main positive supply) rather than VB (the slightly
lower CMOS supply), meaning they were very slightly higher than the chip’s supply voltage. In some
cases, this caused the CMOS chip to draw excessive current, and while it didn’t overheat or fail, it would
get pretty hot.

Starting with version 1.1, this has been fixed by tying the gates to ground. This version began shipping
on September 8, 2022 and can be identified by “v1.1” in the bottom left corner, as shown in the diagram
on page 1. The first version has no version number.
We recommend doing this fix to any v1.0 builds. It’s very quick and does not require disassembly.

First, remove IC2 (CD4069) from the socket. Bend pins 9 and 11 straight out so that they do not make
contact with the socket when it is re-inserted, as shown in the following diagram:

Next, with the IC back in the socket, solder a jumper wire between pins 9 and 11 (you can use a clipped
resistor lead for this) and then another wire between that point and any ground pad on the board. The
nearest one is pin 7, if you feel comfortable soldering directly to an IC pin and can do it quickly:

Otherwise, the right-most pin of the Mid pot farther down is also grounded and is a much larger target.

Thanks to Brad from Nerd Knuckle Effects for diagnosing the issue and running noise tests to determine
the optimal way to disable the CMOS gates. At max volume & gain with all tone controls at noon, the
noise was measured at -36.1dBV when gates were tied to ground and -34.1dBV when tied to VB, so we
opted for ground in version 1.1.

BETA PREAMP 8
SCHEMATIC

+9V VA VB VA

D1 R34
IC5 C39
1N5817 C29 C33 100R C34 C35 C36 C37
C38 1 8

1N4742A
2 7 100n

Z1
100n 100uF 3 6 100uF 220uF 220uF 220uF 220uF
4 5
C40

10uF
LT1054CP

C30
GND GND C31 C32 GND GND GND GND GND GND
GND GND 100n
-VA
100uF 470n

IC2D
-VA 9 8
GND GND
CD4069
DRIVE B
1MB IC2E
R15
11 10
DRIVE A 100k 1 3
R4 1MB R5 R6 2 CD4069
C10
VB C9 GND
1 3
100k 120k 1M
2 2.2uF

2n2
2.2uF

C7
C5 5pF R8 R9 R11 C8 82pF R14
C4

100k
R16
47k 330k 68k 10k
2.2uF LEVEL

14
R3 IC2A IC2B

47n
6 100kA

C6
R7 R10 R12 R13 R17
7 1 2 3 4

IC2P
2M2
5 1 3
100k 22k 22k 68k 470k
C3 33pF IC1B CD4069 CD4069 2

7
IC2C IC2F R32
VA GND 5 6 13 12
GND 220k
10uF

VA VA
C21

CD4069 CD4069
R18
2.2uF
C2

R1 R2 100k

C11
10uF
8

1N458A
2
IN

D2

2.2uF
1
47k 47k C12 33pF

C20
C1 3 6
R33
IC1A 7
2M2
RPD

OUT
200pF
4

5
R19 150R

1N458A
R22 R24 IC6B
GND

100kB
BASS

D3
4
120k
C22
10uF

C27

2
VA 10k 22k GND
C15
GND GND GND 100n
-VA

1
R23

12k

C16

10n
100n
C14

22n -VA

C28

100n
GND VA
2.2uF

GND GND
8

C13

6
R20 IC3A GND
7 3 -VA
R25
5 1
15k
IC3B C23 2
100k
4

R21

4k7

R28 R29

8
100n 6 2
100n

GND R26 R27

100kB
C24

7 1

MID
12k 8k2
5 3

2
4k7 91k
IC4B IC6A
C25 C17

4
1
GND
GND 10n GND
-VA 100n

R30

12k
GND

C26

100n
SHOWN WITH
GND BETA LEAD VALUES
-VA GND

BETA BASS:

3
TREBLE
LIMIT
3 IC4A C14: 22n → 56n

20k

2
1 C18: 4n7 → 10n
C18 2
C19: 27n 47n
→

1
4n7 R22: 10k → 15k
R23: 12k → 27k
R24: 22k → 12k
R27: 91k → 180k

3
GND

C19

27n

TREBLE
100kB
2
1
R31

3k3
GND

GND

BETA PREAMP 9
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.

LED hole drill size assumes the use of a 5mm LED bezel, available from several parts suppliers. Adjust
size accordingly if using something different, such as a 3mm bezel, a plastic bezel, or just a plain LED.
INCH

1590BBS
0 1

0.385”
CM
0.9” 0.9”

ø3/8” ø3/8”
ø1/2”
OUT DC IN
0 1 2

LEVEL DRIVE

x: -1.05, y: +1.71 x: +1.05, y: +1.71

ø9/32” ø9/32”

BASS MID TREBLE

x: 0, y: +0.31
ø9/32”

x: -1.05, y: +0.31 x: +1.05, y: +0.31

ø9/32” ø9/32”
CENTER (0,0)

LED FOOTSWITCH

x: -0.775, y: -1.775 x: 0, y: -1.775

ø5/16” ø15/32”

BETA PREAMP 10
ENCLOSURE LAYOUT
Enclosure is shown without jacks. See next page for jack layout and wiring.

1590BBS

BETA PREAMP 11
WIRING DIAGRAM

IN GND +V PGND NC OUT

PCB GND +V +V JACK GND JACK GND GND PCB

IN IN OUT OUT

BETA PREAMP 12
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. However, not all the
modifications or variations have necessarily been tested. These are offered only as suggestions based
on the experience and opinions of others.

Projects may be used for commercial endeavors in any quantity unless specifically noted. No
attribution is necessary, though a link back is always greatly appreciated. The only usage restrictions
are that (1) you cannot resell the PCB as part of a kit without prior arrangement, and (2) you cannot
“goop” the circuit, scratch off the screenprint, or otherwise obfuscate the circuit to disguise its source.
(In other words: you don’t have to go out of your way to advertise the fact that you use these PCBs, but
please don’t go out of your way to hide it. The guitar effects industry needs more transparency, not less!)

DOCUMENT REVISIONS
1.2.0 (2024-11-29)
Added Treble Limit trimmer and slightly improved power filtering. See build notes for more info.

1.1.0 (2022-09-08)
Minor layout change, tying the unused CMOS gates to ground instead of +V. See page 8 for instructions
on retrofitting this fix to version 1.0.

1.0.1 (2022-06-06)
Added note about enclosure size. Corrected link to Mouser parts spreadsheet.

1.0.0 (2022-06-03)
Initial release.

BETA PREAMP 13