Any DIY pedal builders on TB? Strut your stuff!

[AudioTaper]

So I've been searching for a specific sound, and I've finally found the sound and how to get it.it starts around 7:10


Hes using a compressor to an OC-2 to a Wooley Mammoth.

So now I need to buy or build an Octave pedal and a Wooley Mammoth. I hope my compressor is good enough

 

[Feral Feline]

Fantastic, I haven't watched/listened-to that in ages...

Sounds great with the compression, have to crank mine after the Meatbox.


@12:32 "...helps out with those [*makes noise with mouth] kind of sounds..."

I was thinking about adding in switches to take them in and out quickly to A/B the caps.

Are you suggesting only swapping two caps? Which two? First and last?

I think what G.Bisson was saying is: if you're running directly from the Hyperion through a 220n output cap straight into the Silver Crank's input cap of 220n, then you'll effectively have a 110n cap between the two circuits. You only need one coupler-cap between the circuits.

Also, something new to me, is that capacitors in series sum voltage. So two 25v-rated 47µ caps in series should collectively yield 50v capacity of 23µ5... to the best of my understanding.

Just learned that yesterday in Beans-on-Toast's B15N build thread.



I'm horrible with math, so I use this online parallel-resistor calc to also check capacitance in series:
PARALLEL RESISTOR CALCULATOR

 

[bassbrad]

The GGG Stratoblaster and Moody Sounds Hjart Muller Overdrive kits are here soon my building courage & patience will arrive too.

 

[AudioTaper]

Fantastic, I haven't watched/listened-to that in ages...

Sounds great with the compression, have to crank mine after the Meatbox.


@12:32 "...helps out with those [*makes noise with mouth] kind of sounds..."




I think what G.Bisson was saying is: if you're running directly from the Hyperion through a 220n output cap straight into the Silver Crank's input cap of 220n, then you'll effectively have a 110n cap between the two circuits. You only need one coupler-cap between the circuits.

Also, something new to me, is that capacitors in series sum voltage. So two 25v-rated 47µ caps in series should collectively yield 50v capacity of 23µ5... to the best of my understanding.

Just learned that yesterday in Beans-on-Toast's B15N build thread.



I'm horrible with math, so I use this online parallel-resistor calc to also check capacitance in series:
PARALLEL RESISTOR CALCULATOR

Ah, I just caught that. Now I feel dumb for not catching the two caps in series if the switch is removed...
Thanks for pointing that out.

Yes, caps in parallel add like resistors in series. Caps in series 'add' (read: values) like resistors in parallel.

If I had enough 100nF caps (which I dont at the moment) I could put them in parallel with one on a SPST switch. Close switch, cap is in the circuit to double the capacitance. Easier than unplugging everything and swapping out caps.

 

[G.Bisson]

The output cap of the Dark Boost module and the input cap of the Silver Crank module are redundant in a Hyperion. Key difference with the Hyperion 2 is it removes the redundant cap, which also increases bass. Two series .22uF caps (~.1uF) achieves similiar results.
If your leaving out the toggle switch the redundant cap can also be removed by using a single .1uF from collector of DB module to base of SC module.

 

[cosmicevan]

Anything you wish someone told you before your first build? I am still a few months away from giving it a go but would love to hear your collective thoughts on the question?

 

[davelowell2]

Anything you wish someone told you before your first build? I am still a few months away from giving it a go but would love to hear your collective thoughts on the question?

It rarely works the first time until you’re a few in. I hang my failures up on my bench to keep me humble.

Get a good iron, like the kind that plugs into a power supply then into the wall. I set mine for 700f, in and out, changed my life, lolz.

Order extra parts. Allows for failures, if not, you can make one for a friend.

 

[ezra1]

Anyone building items for sale ?

 

[AudioTaper]

It rarely works the first time until you’re a few in. I hang my failures up on my bench to keep me humble.

Get a good iron, like the kind that plugs into a power supply then into the wall. I set mine for 700f, in and out, changed my life, lolz.

Order extra parts. Allows for failures, if not, you can make one for a friend.

All great advice.
I would add use quality parts and solder. I like the Kester '44' 60/40 or 63/37. Diameter is your preference (I like 0.031")
Dont forget some kind of flux cleaner.

Get some good tools. Pliers (needlenose and rounded for component lead bending) small cutters. Are you drilling your own enclosures?

Keep a notebook for notes - document what you do. I have mine from 2001 when I planned on making pedals to sell. That plan fell through but I still have the notes to refer back to.

 

[Feral Feline]

In addition to the excellent advice already given...

Anything you wish someone told you before your first build? I am still a few months away from giving it a go but would love to hear your collective thoughts on the question?

From one novice to another, #1 advice I can give is to: heed advice given.

"Rock-it before you box it" — 'tis bandied about freely and often, but for good reason.

My first pedal was multi-PCB affair, and all the individual bits worked out of the box, but not together in the box. Still need to raise that Phoenix...

I dove in the deep end and nearly drowned, but it made me learn to swim faster. Other people might drown or just get out of the pool, never to wade in again. Follow the path you need to. Nonetheless, I'll impart this final titbit, based on my experience:


Start small.


Small can be awesome, if I'd realised that starting out I would've started with the BazzFuss; a somewhat complex (for a novice) kit can be very satisfying to build, but taking a small one-transistor circuit and experimenting with it will edify faster than a few successful paint-by-number kits (and there is NOTHING wrong with paint-by-numbers). With knowledge gleaned from a simple, easy-to-problem-solve circuit, you can then mod the kits to taste, try out from scratch bonker-ideas you may have etc.

Based on your posts in other threads, cosmicevan, I think you'd really dig the Bazz Fuss.




PS: What AudioTaper said — DOCUMENT! Can't tell you how many times I thought I'd had everything logged well-enough only to come back to it later when the missing part finally gets delivered only to discover ... WTFudgsicle was I thinking? WRITE IT DOWN, EVEN THE BITS THAT MAKE SENSE THAT YOU THINK "I'll remember that, how could I forget that, based on this and this being like so..."


Okay, off to mine some salt from a recalcitrant Tone control on a 5F2-A, wish me luck.

 

[Feral Feline]

Back from the amp-atelier.

Swapped the volume outer wires, which made me realise I probably had the tone cap going to the wrong lug of the Vol pot. Well I was partially right.

The tone cap was supposed to go from the Tone-control wiper to ground (ie Lug 1 of the Vol Pot goes to ground). I don't remember doing this, maybe my Amp Sifu is messing with me to see if I'm paying attention or what, but that cap was going to the volume pot's MIDDLE FRICKIN LUG!

Yeesh.

So, rewired that, tidied up and added the wiring to the "ON"-LED, fired it up and...

It worked great, but the Volume pot did nothing. Tone worked. Spin the volume, no change. What?

Unplugged tubes, flipped it upside down and did continuity testing, had my Amp-Sifu check everything — all good. Flipped it upright, plugged the tubes back in (swapped out the preamp for another just 'cuz) and everything worked beautifully. Plugged the original preamp tube back in and ...

Worked perfectly. Zero noise, clear good tone even with cheapo tubes (the original kit's output transformer was junk, so I've got one of Sifu's custom jobbies in the build). Sat the rest of the evening playing, trying to recollect some chord voicings on Sifu's Strat.


Next up, rewire a new preamp-tube socket. Still need a proper rectifier tube, as I was still using some "tone" wood balanced on top of the current rectumfire to make it work — but work it does and how! Voltages, still need to do a complete voltage check. Progress in dribs and drabs.

But wait, there's more... picked up the Tele body (guitar) a friend gifted to me, left at the atelier, brought it home and the neck kickin' around ol' Feral's scratchpad fits like a glove. So that's another project, for another forum and thread.


Dug out the box for the HPF non-pedal build. Will pick out the pieces for that tomorrow.

 

[mdalamond]

Anyone building items for sale ?

I have tried but haven’t really found a market. Seems most people frown on clones and want to pay nothing. They don’t understand parts cost money and knowledge and research don’t come free either.

 

[mdalamond]

Had a rain day yesterday. Decided to give the MXR Modded BlueBox a shot. It was an unverified layout so there was one small hiccup when I fired it up for the first time. It’s all worked out now.
From the 12th fret up it tracks great but below that and it’s not so good. Mods include a switch for 1 oct or 2 oct below. Switch for a treble boost. I may box it up and give it to my guitar player to play with.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

I have tried but haven’t really found a market. Seems most people frown on clones and want to pay nothing. They don’t understand parts cost money and knowledge and research don’t come free either.

I've sold a few that I haven't taken to, but barely covered the cost of parts... although my builds are without graphics which probably puts a lot of people off.

 

[Fuzzonaut]

This is EVA, the Deadend FX take of the Gemini IV: a silicon and a germanium fuzz in parallel, each side with its own gain and filter. You can mix them to taste with a blend knob going smoothly from all GE to all SI. There are a lot of very cool sounds in there. One of my favorite so far is with around 2/3 of rather dark GE growl and 1/3 of cutting SI attack.

It didn't work when firing up, but with the audio probe I quickly found out that the signal wasn't even leaving the input jack ... then I remembered how those closed jacks, that I rarely used, need to be wired up. After fixing that it, still no sound .... it was just yet another classic in/out jack mix up when having the pedal face down in front of you, but it took me a hot minute to realize that.
Well, it works now.



Front pic is here, as this is TB.

 

[JKos]

Front pic is here, as this is TB.

You could at least give a NSFW warning.

 

[Feral Feline]

Well, it was hinted at, JKos, but yeah if I was breezing through the thread at work I may well have clicked through.

I found the graphic to be very Film Noir, Fuzzonaut ... though the switch placement...

.
Wonder what the censors here would do with a pedal that had Mich's David on it, or other renowned nekkid art; or something from Japan's Kanamara Matsuri or Hōnensai festivals. Then there's Fuzzrocious' Broke Dick Peanut Gallery pedal. Was that banned? IDK



@mdalamond Thanks for the pics!

I need to up my "pic-posting game"...

 

[ezra1]

I have tried but haven’t really found a market. Seems most people frown on clones and want to pay nothing. They don’t understand parts cost money and knowledge and research don’t come free either.

I don't mind an accurate neat clone fairly priced.

 

[cosmicevan]

You could at least give a NSFW warning.

Haha, that's so funny, when I first looked at it, I thought it was some demon head and those were the eyes...then saw your post and looked back and realized.

 

[AudioTaper]

"Rock-it before you box it"

+1 on this