PROJECT NAME

LUMITRON
BASED ON BUILD DIFFICULTY
Mu-tron® III Intermediate
EFFECT TYPE DOCUMENT VERSION
Envelope filter / auto-wah 1.0.2 (2023-12-15)
PROJECT SUMMARY
The very first commercial envelope filter effect, first released in 1972. Famously used by Bootsy Collins,
Jerry Garcia and Stevie Wonder among many others.

Actual size is 2.3” x 2.42” (main board) and 1.78” x 0.86” (bypass board).

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

INTRODUCTION
The Lumitron Resonant Filter is an adaptation of the Musitronics Mu-tron III, designed by Mike Biegel
and originally released in 1972.

The Mu-tron III was the very first commercial envelope filter pedal, also called an autowah, using
optocouplers to dynamically control a series of frequency filters based on the level of the input signal.
The vocal-like effect was quickly embraced by musicians and soon became a characteristic effect of
entire genres, particularly funk. Notable Mu-tron III users include Bootsy Collins on bass, Jerry Garcia
on guitar, and even Stevie Wonder, who used it on a Clavinet.

Musitronics was sold to ARP in 1979, who produced the pedals until 1980. Mike Biegel later contracted
with Electro-Harmonix to release an updated version of the circuit in 1995, called the Q-Tron, as well as
the Bi-Filter rack unit with expanded features. The original Q-Tron was later adapted as the Mini Q-Tron,
Micro Q-Tron, and Q-Tron+, the latter two of which are still in production.

In 2019, the Mu-tron brand was resurrected with Mike Biegel once again designing new effects. The
Micro-Tron IV is an updated version of the Mu-tron III, with modernized circuitry, CV input and output,
and swappable optical modules for different reaction times and filter characteristics.

The Lovetone Meatball (available as our Spectron project) was based on the Mu-tron III with a greatly
expanded feature set. If you wish the Lumitron had a lot more knobs and switches, it’s well worth a look.

USAGE
The Lumitron has three knobs and three switches:

• Gain boosts the signal level at the input, which drives the envelope detector as well as the main
audio signal path.
• Peak is a feedback control that sets the sharpness or intensity of the filter.
• Volume is the output volume of the effect, which compensates for high input gain levels.
• Filter (toggle switch) selects the filter type. LP (lowpass) accentuates lows. BP (bandpass) cuts lows
and highs while accentuating the peak frequency. HP (highpass) accentuates highs.
• Drive (toggle switch) selects the direction of the sweep. “Up” starts with a hi-cut and adds highs
with the intensity of the signal. “Down” starts with a low-cut and adds lows with the intensity.
• Range (toggle switch) sets the input frequency of the envelope detector. “Lo” is more sensitive to
bass signals while “Hi” is more sensitive to treble signals.

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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—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 3k3 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R2 120k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R3 120k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R4 4k7 Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R5 12k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R6 390k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R7 22k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R8 22k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R9 220k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R10 220k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R11 560R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R12 22k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R13 12k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R14 1M Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R15 1M Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R16 330R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R17 47k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R18 120k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R19 180k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R20 120k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R21 120k Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R22 330R Metal film resistor, 1/4W

R23 1k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Used for envelope indicator LED.

R24 1k Metal film resistor, 1/4W Used for envelope indicator LED.

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

LEDR 10k Metal film resistor, 1/4W LED current-limiting resistor. Adjust value to change LED brightness.

C1 1uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 3.5mm

C2 10pF MLCC capacitor, NP0/C0G

C3 100n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C4 2n2 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C5 1n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C6 1n8 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

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PARTS LIST, CONT.
PART VALUE TYPE NOTES
C7 2n2 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C8 1n Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C9 1n8 Film capacitor, 7.2 x 2.5mm

C10 1uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 3.5mm

C11 2.2uF Film capacitor, 7.2 x 5mm

C12 4.7uF Electrolytic capacitor, 4mm

C13 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm

C14 10uF Electrolytic capacitor, 5mm Power supply filter capacitor.

C15 470n MLCC capacitor, X7R Power supply filter capacitor.

C16 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm Power supply filter capacitor.

C17 100uF Electrolytic capacitor, 6.3mm Power supply filter capacitor.

C18 100n MLCC capacitor, X7R Power supply filter capacitor.

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

D1 1N5817 Schottky diode, DO-41

D2 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35

D3 1N914 Fast-switching diode, DO-35

IC1 RC4558P Operational amplifier, dual, DIP8

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

IC2 RC4558P Operational amplifier, dual, DIP8

IC2-S DIP-8 socket IC socket, DIP-8

IC3 RC4558P Operational amplifier, dual, DIP8

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

IC4 LT1054CP Charge pump, DIP8 Can also use TC1044SCPA.

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

SWEEP 5k trimmer Trimmer, 10%, 1/4" Bourns 3362P

OPTO1 VTL5C3 Vactrol, fast on/fast off Available from Aion FX. See build notes.

OPTO2 VTL5C3 Vactrol, fast on/fast off Available from Aion FX. See build notes.

GAIN 1MC 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

PEAK 250kA 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

VOL. 100kA 16mm right-angle PCB mount pot

DRIVE DPDT on-on Toggle switch, DPDT on-on

FILTER DPDT on-on-on Toggle switch, DPDT on-on-on

RANGE DPDT on-off-on Toggle switch, DPDT center off

LUMITRON RESONANT FILTER 4

PARTS LIST, CONT.
PART VALUE TYPE NOTES
LED 5mm LED, 5mm, red diffused

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.

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

FSW 3PDT Stomp switch, 3PDT

ENC 125B Enclosure, die-cast aluminum Can also use a Hammond 1590N1.

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BUILD NOTES

Vactrol selection
The original Mu-tron III used a dual-element optocoupler from Hamamatsu, marked with the part
number 805A, which had a single LED and two fully independent LDRs in one package.

There is no record of the 805A part number in Hamamatsu’s catalogs or datasheets. However, the Mu-
tron III service manual from after the ARP acquisition (1979) lists it as the P873-13, which is a standard
Hamamatsu part with the same dual-LDR configuration and the same physical appearance.

It’s not known whether the 805A is just an internal part number or if Hamamatsu may have produced
it specially for Mu-tron, either a custom specification or selected for certain characteristics. It’s known
that they had Hamamatsu manufacture custom optocouplers for the Phasor II, so they did have a direct
relationship with the company that went beyond just ordering from a catalog.

Regardless, there is nothing particularly notable about the specifications of the P873-13 other than the
dual LDR. Most Mu-tron III clones just use two fully separate optocouplers with the LEDs in parallel,
which makes no difference to the operation.

It’s recommended to use the VTL5C3 here, as it’s been used successfully for years in DIY adaptations.
This is also the type used in the EHX Q-Tron, a variant of the Mu-tron III that was designed by Mike
Biegel for EHX in the 1990s. Other types such as the NSL-32 can be made to work, but you may have to
modify some of the surrounding circuitry since the “on” resistance is much lower.

Setting the Sweep trimmer

The Sweep trimmer is designed to be a sort of bias control for the optocouplers. In the original units, the
resistor in this position varied based on the specs of the optocoupler, but Mu-tron’s process for selecting
a resistor value is not known. In the Lumitron, as with many other DIY clones, we’ve made this a trimmer
so that the resistance value can be adjusted to preference. Start with the trimmer in the middle and turn
it to the left and right to see how it changes the sound, then leave it where it sounds best.

Some Mu-tron clones make this an external control, and you’re welcome to wire it offboard if you like,
but there is generally a sweet spot and on-the-fly adjustment isn’t nearly as useful once it’s been set.

Peak potentiometer value

In the original units, the Peak control was a 150kA (log/audio taper) potentiometer. This value is very
difficult to find today, so it’s recommended to use 250kA with a 390k resistor in parallel (R6), which
approximates a 150kA pot. If you do manage to find a 150kA potentiometer, you can omit R6 entirely.

Envelope indicator LED

The footswitch PCB includes a second LED that shows the envelope. This correlates closely to the
optocoupler LEDs that drive the filter, so it’s a good way of seeing the action directly. Note that if the
“Drive” switch is set to DOWN (in other words, it starts high and sweeps low with the envelope), the LED
will be on by default and will turn off when the envelope detector engages.

If you want to omit this LED, you can just leave the LED unpopulated as well as R23 and R24 on the
footswitch board. No jumpers are necessary.

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BUILD NOTES, CONT.
DPDT switches
The Lumitron uses three DPDT switches and each of them is a different type. Be very careful that you
have the correct switch in the correct position before soldering!

The Drive switch is an on-on type, selecting between two positions, “up” and “down”.

The Range switch is an on-off-on type with three positions. This is a modification to the original Mu-tron
III circuit, adding a 3rd capacitor setting for an in-between Medium mode in addition to Lo and Hi.

The Filter switch is a DPDT on-on-on toggle, selecting between lowpass, bandpass and highpass. (In the
original unit, this was a 3-position rotary switch.)

For this type of on-on-on switch, there are two different types of configurations for the center position
depending on the manufacturer, which are as follows:

TYPE 1 TYPE 2

The Lumitron requires the Type 2 configuration, which is used by most major manufacturers such as
Taiway. If you’re considering a different brand, make sure you know the configuration of the center
position. Many of the off-brand on-on-on switches such as the ones sold by Tayda Electronics are Type 1
and will not work in this circuit.

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SCHEMATIC
+9V VA

D1

1N5817 IC4

1N4742A
C18 C17 1 8 C16

Z1
2 7
100n 100uF 3 6 100uF
4 5

10uF
LT1054CP

C13
GND GND GND C14 C15 PWR
PWR -VA GND
GND 470n
10uF

PWR PWR
GND GND

R6

390k
PEAK
250kA
1 3
2

LOW A1 RANGE A LOW B1 RANGE B

C2 10pF A2 B2
R8 HIGH (CENTER) A3 HIGH (CENTER) B3

R2 22k MEDIUM MEDIUM

120k R7 VA
C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9
VA
12k

22k R9 R10
R5

2n2 1n 1n8 2n2 1n 1n8

GAIN 220k 220k

8
1uF

1MC 6 2 6
C1

R1
8

2 7 1 7
IN R4
3 1 1 5 3 5
3k3
2 3
4k7 IC1B IC2A IC2B
IC1A RC4558P RC4558P

4
RC4558P
2M2
RPD

C3 RC4558P
4

OPTO1B GND OPTO2B GND BP A3

120k
R3

100n -VA A2

C10
A1 B1

1uF
-VA LP
B2 R11
GND HP B3
560R

3
GND GND FILTER

VOLUME
R15

100kA
OUT

2
1M

1
D2
C11

2.2uF 1N914
R12 VA GND
R21
22k
DOWN 120k
R13
8

A1 2
A2 D3 R16 R18
1 6
A3 12k R23
3 7
DRIVE A 1N914 330R VA 120k
UP
IC3A 5
1k

OPTO1A

OPTO2A
RC4558P C12
4

IC3B
R17

SENSE
47k

5MM
RC4558P
R14

R24
1M

1k
4.7uF
180k

-VA
R19

B3
B2

3
GND B1
GND -VA GND GND

SWEEP
DRIVE B

5kB

2
120k
R20

1
330R
R22

GND

GND

LUMITRON RESONANT FILTER 8

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.

Top jack layout assumes the use of closed-frame jacks like the Switchcraft 111X. Open-frame jacks will
not fit in layouts with 3 knobs along the top row due to the placement of the DC jack.

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
125B

0.385”

0 1 0.625” 0.625”

ø3/8” ø3/8”
ø1/2”
CM
OUT DC IN

0 1 2

VOLUME PEAK GAIN

x: -0.775, y: +1.71 x: -0.775, y: +1.71 x: +0.775, y: +1.71

ø9/32” ø9/32” ø9/32”

DRIVE FILTER RANGE

DOWN UP LP BP HP LO HI MED
x: -0.85, y: +0.41 x: 0, y: +0.41, ø1/4” x: +0.85, y: +0.41
ø1/4” ø1/4”
CENTER (0,0)

LED FOOTSWITCH ENV.

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

ø5/16” ø15/32” ø5/16”

LUMITRON RESONANT FILTER 9

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

125B

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WIRING DIAGRAM

IN GND +V SNS PGND OUT

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

IN IN OUT OUT

125B

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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 cannotbe 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
1.0.2 (2023-12-15)
Added switch position labels to the drill template.

1.0.1 (2023-09-11)
Added more info about the DPDT switches.

1.0.0 (2023-09-08)
Initial release.

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