Frogg Compu-Sound Documentation

Compu-Sound Digital Filtering Device by Frogg.


NOTE: If you have one of these, or HAD one of these, and have anything to add, or just want to comment, PLEASE email me at emailtom@fmoaudio.com I would love to compile as much info about this device as I can.

Including the Compu-Sound, here is a site with other vintage effects: http://filters.muziq.be/model/frogg/compusound



I am going to document a device I have. The reason is that its old, and I suspect not many of them are around any more, and secondly, there is VERY little information available on this unit.

I do know (according to research):
Only 100 were made.
They originally sold for $500
Its not REALLY a digital device (electrically, its analog, but the 'digital' was a hot topic phrase of the day, and the company used it to describe the product.
It was used for the making of the 'Saturday Night Fever' sound track.
(These facts are noted in the book: The Stompbox By Art Thompson (ISBN 087930479)
Basically, there is a small paragraph about the Compu-Sound, as told by someone who was part of the company who designed/made them.

I am going to try to make this as comprehensive as I can without taking it apart. I hope someone finds this of some use.

Here are some pictures of it. Click on the picture to see a higher resolution picture.





Remeber back in the old days when it was semi-standard to etch your social security number on things? That is the reason I blacked out that vertical line - a previous owner of this etched his SS# on it... just watching out for his own good.





Features:
The Front Display Panel
(from left to right)
Input Level (A single LED to denote clipping)
Pedal control (A single LED. I've never had a pedal connected to it)
Oscillation Rate (A single LED that pulsates in time with the rate)
Panel Control (A single LED to denote if the panel is active for making changes, as opposed to the foot switch)
Effect Mode (A 2 digit read out which displays the current chosen effect bank)
Bypass On (A single LED to denote if the input is bypassed or not)

Front Controls
(from left to right)
Input Level Sensitivity (A knob labeled 0 to 10 for.. well.. to adjust the input level)
Oscillation Rate (A knob labeled 0 to 10 for.. again, to adjust the oscillation rate)
Keypad (0 through . (9, * and # (just like a telephone) to select the effect bank)

On the Back
(from upper left to lower right)
Input (shouldn't need explaining)
Pedal (where you connect the pedal, obviously)
high output (for a stronger 'send' signal)
low output (for a weaker 'send' signal)
Power (A simple metal on/off rocker switch)
Fuse (standard fuse - 1A, 250V.. looks like a slo-blo amp to me)
Power cord (WAY obvious)

Sound Directory:


Envelope Follower:
Super Low - Up Drive - 01 Thru 03
Super Low - Dn Drive - 04 Thru 08
Midrange - Dn Drive - 09 Thru 11
Midrange - Up Drive - 12 Thru 15
Brite - Up Drive - 16 Thru 18
Low Range - Up Drive - 19 Thru 22
Low Range - Dn Drive - 23 Thru 26
Brite - Dn Drive - 27 Thru 30

Arpeggio:
Low Range - Falling - 31 Thru 34
High Range - Falling - 35 Thru 37
Low Range - Rising - 38 Thru 40
High Range - Rising - 41 Thru 43

Notch Flanging, Automatic:
Broad Range - Automatic - 44 Thru 47

Automatic Wa-Wa:
Mellow - High Range - 48 Thru 51
Standard Range - 52 Thru 55
Bright Range - 56 Thru 59
Mellow - Low Range - 60 Thru 63

High Bite Manual Wa-Wa:
High Frequency - 64 Thru 66
Low Frequency - 67 Thru 69
Ultra Bright - High - 70 Thru 72
Ultra Bright - Low - 73 Thru 75

Notch Flanging, Manual:
High Range - 76 Thru 79
Low Range - 80 Thru 83

Vowel Sound Manual Wa-Wa:
Low Range - 84 Thru 87
Super Low - 88 Thru 91
High Range - 92 Thru 95
Mid Range - 96 Thru 99

Notes regarding the 'Sound Directory':
First, setting 00 is essentially a bypass for the effects. Also, yes, they did write it as "Wa-Wa" not your traditional way of spelling it as "Wah-Wah". The sound directory is printed on a sticker which is a-fixed to the top of the unit. Mine is starting to fade and look 'old' - I'm really thankful that its completely in tact.



OK folks, here are a few Sound Samples. Sorry for the clipping on track 3. I do hope that in the future I can provide some better quality samples.

compu-sound-01.mp3 (710K - 30 sec. long)
compu-sound-02.mp3 (611K - 26 sec. long)
(The above files were recorded using the internal mic on a pooly placed (my fault) iRiver H320, using an les paul through a fender hotrod deluxe). The envelope filter is the 'wettest' sound I've ever heard come from a guitar. I have yet to capture the sound that I hear in person, but these samples should give you an idea.


Here is some info from a Spanish website which I translated from an online translator:
The most it recognized pedal of Ridinger was the Foxx Tone Machine. Was a mixture of a fuzz and an octavador with sustain. Peter Frampton was a faithful user of this pedal. It said that recalled a lot to the sound of Jimi Hendrix in themes as 'Stone Free' or 'Purple Haze'. In 1972 an edition limited of 50 units of the Foxx was done Tone Machine with the chassis painted as if was an American flag. When Ridinger & associates closed its doors in 1975, Dick Norse created a new company with the name of Frogg. Along with Doug Talley, old technician of Ridinger, they created new effects. One of them, the Frogg Compu-Sound 99, was a species of multiefectos with 99 sounds preprogramados that you could select with a rudimentary keyboard. Curiously it was utilized to record the soundtrack of 'Saturday Night Fever'. As curiosity to say that Steve Ridinger is the current boss of Danelectro.