Any DIY pedal builders on TB? Strut your stuff!

[disssa]

Here's an example of how some ideas can be implemented more easily by using SMD components.
I built my version of the Gallien-Krueger 800RB preamp some time ago:

However, I wanted to fit the circuit into a smaller 125B package. Despite a very high packing density and the use of smaller component dimensions, I wasn't able to fit everything on one board and in a 125B enclosure. Sometimes, I even considered distributing the components across two PCBs, which would then be "stacked" on top of each other in a smaller enclosure.

Now I've designed an SMD version (and had one PCB populated):

 

[crguti]

^ @disssa What smd size did you use? Is it a 4 layer pcb?

 

[disssa]

^ @disssa What smd size did you use? Is it a 4 layer pcb?

I used 1206 components. And it is a 2-Layer PCB.

 

[Passinwind]

I used 1206 components. And it is a 2-Layer PCB.

I can solder 1206 resistors by hand completely painlessly by now. I've even gotten to the point where I can swap them out without pulling the PCB out of a pedal or bass in many cases. Sometimes I have to pull a through-hole film cap or two to get access, but I can generally do that pretty easily too.

 

[Luke the Fluke]

the black component I guess is to get bipolar power? or is it a relay?
How have you done the switching? it looks like two poles of a 3pdt?

 

[disssa]

the black component I guess is to get bipolar power? or is it a relay?
How have you done the switching? it looks like two poles of a 3pdt?

Yes, it is a Traco DC/DC converter. Boost requires only a DPDT switch. I didn't have one in stock...

 

[davelowell2]

I finished another Steddi Go!
This one has Unagi transformer but a TAD au7. I think it sounds the best. I guess it’s the lower gain tube?

 

[G.Bisson]

Finishing off my latest Parasit Studio group with the C82 Micro Synth. This pedal has a steep learning curve with all the push buttons. Getting a hang of all the short press and long press modes and how they interact is dizzying. I was getting a lot of good sounds out of it and especially liked the sequencer modes. I included the optional blend control, but would probably leave it out if I were to build another because it's mostly redundant with the Select footswitch.

Completing this last group of 5 brings my total Parasit Studio collection up to 20 pedals.

Outer ring clockwise starting from 12 o'clock position:
1. Ladder to the Moon guitar synth
2. Liberation Frequency Fuzz
3. C82 Micro Synth
4. Bat Ear Fuzz
5. Beverly Bitcrusher
6. Theremin Fuzz
7. Xor'cist ring mod & stutter fuzz
8. New Wave CV Generator
9. Into The Unknown PLL synth
10. 0415 PLL synth **top pick**
11. 1985 Attiny85 synth
12. Multiwave guitar synth
13. Sidescroller gated fuzz, octaver & modulator **top pick**
14. Arcadiator gate fuzz, octaver & modulator **top pick**

Inner ring clockwise starting from 3 o'clock position:
15. Darkadiator gated fuzz, octaver & modulator
16. U-235 PLL octaver **top pick**
17. 8-Bitar gated fuzz
18. The Corrupter ring mod **worse pick**
19. Thundering Mantis octaver
20. Sonic Reducer bitcrusher

 

[Fuzzonaut]

I had these 2 DBA boards from Moonn for a while now and finally tackled my idea to put them into one box, with an order switch.

It's a reverb and a delay, supposed to recreate the Echo DREAM 2 and the Reverberation MACHINE --> DREAM MACHINE.

I've built this DBA/Moonn reverb before and really like it. Of the mods Nils offers, I made feedback always on and use the feedback knob to kick it up a notch ... or two.
The "dry kill" is on a momentary footswitch.

On the delay, Echo Dream side, there are also extras offered. I opted for "maximum feedback" on a momentary and left out the "put fuzz on zero by footswitch" option, because, come on, "fuzz on zero"? No thanks. Also, I didn't want more than 4 foot switches.

Then, I got reminded why there are normally open and normally closed momentary footswitches the hard way and had to replace one of them.

Soundwise, I really dig it. The delay has some great, spaced out, warbly, pitch shifting sounds ... and more.

Together it's a shoegazers dream (machine).

 

[2saddleslab]

Not a DYI build but rather a stripped, tarred, & feathered TC Spark.

 

[johnk_10]

i bought a GGG Bassmaster kit years ago (like 10 years!) but never got around to buiding it so i finally completed it today. i modded it for more low end on the clean control and it sounds great.

Now I'm thinking about drilling one more hole and adding a master volume pot.

 

[darev]

i bought a GGG Bassmaster kit years ago (like 10 years!) but never got around to buiding it so i finally completed it today. i modded it for more low end on the clean control and it sounds great.

View attachment 7259754View attachment 7259768

Now I'm thinking about drilling one more hole and adding a master volume pot.

That is very neat and pretty looking inside @johnk_10

 

[johnk_10]

just finished a couple more:
Funny Little boxes Dirt clone. This one is never clean (goes from distortion to heavy distortion but it does work pretty well on both guitar and bass:

Sovtek Mig 50 in a pedal (sounds great with both guitar and bass) both clean and dirty:

 

[G.Bisson]

Two 1590A sized Big Muffs built on FuzzDog Mini Fluff pcbs. Green pedal is built to Bass Big Muff specs. Silver pedal is built to NYC specs.

 

[johnk_10]

Just finished another one from Dirt Monger Instruments that sounds great with a bass:

 

[mdalamond]

Thought I’d try making a replica for the fun of it.

 

[johnk_10]

just finished this one ( a fairfield 900 4 knob fuzz clone):

 

[Fuzzonaut]

Made another one of these, PPCB Hyped Fuzz, aka FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz.

With the "secret mode", that lets you run both fuzzes together in parallel, on a switch.

 

[Jezzer69]

my latest goof up. i built a 3 knob Cthulu clone for myself in a 125B a few months ago (it's my favorite Dunwich pedal), but a friend of mine just had to have it so i sold it to him. i went to build another one for myself to replace it but since it's such a small circuit, i mistakenly thought i was in a 1590B so i etched an enclosure and PCB for it and when i went to mount the PCB i realized that the pcb wouldn't fit in a 1590B, so i etched a new 125B enclosure for the PCB. not letting a pretty nicely etched 1590B enclosure to go to waste, i redesigned a slightly smaller pcb for it so now i have the two of them:

View attachment 4886946

i also sold my personal Transboost and had to make another one of those too (this one has all top jacks):

View attachment 4886951

and here's my clone of a Earthquaker Plumes modified for bass:

View attachment 4886959

You're etching is sooo good. How are you doing it?

 

[johnk_10]

i make a mask on a laserjet printer on polaroid photo paper and iron it onto a polished enclosure and then use acid magic to etch it.