Any DIY pedal builders on TB? Strut your stuff!

[JoeDaddio]

Does anyone know where to find 5v relay bypass pcbs. Something that doesn’t require a programmable chip. I have a bunch of 5v relays collecting dust. TQ25v and A5W-K

I know I push PedalPCB a lot but it's only because I really appreciate them - I'm not affiliated at all. They sell a few bypass boards, but I think this may be what you're looking for (I've never used one, so be sure to check it out and make sure I'm not recommending the wrong thing): Intelligent Relay Bypass Module - PedalPCB.com

It also comes with the pre-programmed chip.


joe

 

[mdalamond]

I know I push PedalPCB a lot but it's only because I really appreciate them - I'm not affiliated at all. They sell a few bypass boards, but I think this may be what you're looking for (I've never used one, so be sure to check it out and make sure I'm not recommending the wrong thing): Intelligent Relay Bypass Module - PedalPCB.com

It also comes with the pre-programmed chip.


joe

Thanks for the direction. Not exactly the one I was looking for but I did find the one I need. Waiting for them to upload the build docs. Once I know all the other components I will be ready to order. Till then I will browse around and see what else I can fit in my cart.

 

[G.Bisson]

Musikding HM2 kit. Stealth box.

 

[Feral Feline]

Very Vader, G.Bisson, the Dark Side iw Sith you... (< danm lysdexia).

View attachment 4214902View attachment 4214903

Just finished this one up yesterday and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I got it as a kit from musikding which definitely had it’s pluses and minuses. The plus is that it's acomplete kit, so no sourcing parts other than knobs. The main issue was that the pre-drilled enclosure had the led holes not only drilled in the wrong place (had to use wire leads), but they were also too small. Thankfully I had a step drill bit set so crisis averted. The led for the boost footswitch doesn’t work, but not a big deal.

I copper sulphate saline etched the enclosure which for my first try, I’m quite happy with it. The Sunn logo wraps around the sides and slightly onto the back. For the black I used alcohol ink then clear-coated to give it more of a worn, uneven look.

Guts-wise it’s ok. I’ve done a couple other pedal kits and several mechanical keyboards, so I’m fairly ok with soldering, but with components so close together on this one, it was definitely a bit challenging. I did screw up and installed the leds backwards, but thankfully I noticed that before soldering all the pots in place. This is why the led on the board is a clear pink led instead of the standard solid red.

So far I’m really liking the pedal. It has quite a range of possible tones and of course when it gets really dirty and grindy, it’s amazing.

Looks even better on your board, I saw it in one of the PYB threads, great work!

Y'all have been busy, so many cool builds!



Dope Priest and Bluebeard are my favorite Muff variants that I own. I stilll have a Muff Project Board PCB laid out to match the Kit Rae diagram that I need to get to.
Plan is to socket components and then add cap, diode and maybe even transistor switches.



Again, . I really want to try a Depth Charge. There doesn't seem to be a PCB out there. Stripboard still makes me bit dizzy, so far I have only made a LPB1 on strip board to make something else louder. This one would be too much for now, I think. But I have started my second stripboard build, hoping that will go well.



Very nice!



Looks great! Although I can't handle 2 foot switches on a 125B - but that's just clumsy me.

***
I also boxed up a few, from left to right:
Armageddon (on a Moonn PCB), pretty cool sounds here. A bit unruly, but hey, it's DBA! 7 transistors. I had to improvise to get the bi color led for the filter working.
Evil Fuzz (Moonn PCB). Another cool one-knobber. Screams at you. The wave switch is nice to change flavor.
Nezumi Drive, PCB from Effects Layout. Basically a rat, starting point was the 1981 DRV, has a 3-way clipping switch and a 2-way to change bass response. Very versatile.
Destructor (Moonn PCB): can do just fuzz, but is also a crazy oscillating chaos machine. Based on the Great Destroyer.

View attachment 4215534

And the (obligatory) gut shots.

View attachment 4215535 View attachment 4215539 View attachment 4215540 View attachment 4215541

What a treasure trove of a post!

I've always wanted to do a Muff with the schematic etched or printed on the face of the pedal, with that Muff Project Board, I just need to flip the enclosure and sub in a perspex cover plate. Love it! Hope it ships to Canada, looks like shipping to HK won't happen.

Moonn PCB is new to me, another great find.

For the Depth Charge, I'm planning on just adapting a Univox Super Fuzz PCB, which you can readily find. I've got a JMK Super Duper Fuzz PCB that matches up to the Depth Charge quite nicely.

Aion Rift
BYOC Leeds
Eat Your Guitar's Ibanez Standard Fuzz
ELS Grumble Skuzz
JMK Super Duper as mentioned, but also
JMK Standard 1
JMK Standard 2
Lectric-FX Pork Rind (Ibby Standard Fuzz).

I included the Ibanez Standard Fuzz clones above because it's close enough as well that making a Depth Charge on one is possible. The Super Fuzz is closer though, and there'd be minimum fuss to get maximum Fuzz.

Check out their schematics, see what you think.

Hello TB pedal builders.
Ive been watching all your builds from the onset and am really impressed with your work. Over the years I have evolved from a no pedal guy to an almost full blown pedal junkie. Im rebuilding with a two level board and to save space Im going all top jacks.

So for my first foray into pedal building I decide to modify two inexpensive pedals to top jack configuration.

My humble contributions:

Joyo american sound
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The next one Danelectro Chorus was more challenging. Ivolved adding true bypass, discovering and bypassing the flipflop chip and cutting down the SMD boards.

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Next up is something much more ambitious, a Viva Analogue 360. Wish me luck!

Man that's clean! How did you get rid of the side-jack holes so well on the Joyo?
I should send you my Diamond Comp, no way I'd ever be able to hide the side-holes after converting it to Top Jacks... That's why I bought a clone PCB, so I can have a top-jack Diamond!

Does anyone know where to find 5v relay bypass pcbs. Something that doesn’t require a programmable chip. I have a bunch of 5v relays collecting dust. TQ25v and A5W-K

I have been trying to find A5W-K and haven't been able to source any. I don't want to have to mess with programming chips, so I too am always on the lookout for relay-style solutions avoiding enlisting my programmer friend's help.

INCANDENZA BYPASS – Effects Layouts
And there's a few other perf relayted solutions in Storyboardist's blog: Perf and PCB Effects Layouts: Search results for bypass

 

[Roxbororob]

Im realizing there are so many resources in this thread, thanks guys you are pulling me in!

Man that's clean! How did you get rid of the side-jack holes so well on the Joyo?
I should send you my Diamond Comp, no way I'd ever be able to hide the side-holes after converting it to Top Jacks... That's why I bought a clone PCB, so I can have a top-jack Diamond!

Thanks. I filled the holes with epoxy and luckily had a good match of Rust-Oleum paint on hand.

 

[mdalamond]

Very Vader, G.Bisson, the Dark Side iw Sith you... (< danm lysdexia).
Very nice. Time to buy some 555 chips. I like that Incadenza



Looks even better on your board, I saw it in one of the PYB threads, great work!






What a treasure trove of a post!

I've always wanted to do a Muff with the schematic etched or printed on the face of the pedal, with that Muff Project Board, I just need to flip the enclosure and sub in a perspex cover plate. Love it! Hope it ships to Canada, looks like shipping to HK won't happen.

Moonn PCB is new to me, another great find.

For the Depth Charge, I'm planning on just adapting a Univox Super Fuzz PCB, which you can readily find. I've got a JMK Super Duper Fuzz PCB that matches up to the Depth Charge quite nicely.

Aion Rift
BYOC Leeds
Eat Your Guitar's Ibanez Standard Fuzz
ELS Grumble Skuzz
JMK Super Duper as mentioned, but also
JMK Standard 1
JMK Standard 2
Lectric-FX Pork Rind (Ibby Standard Fuzz).

I included the Ibanez Standard Fuzz clones above because it's close enough as well that making a Depth Charge on one is possible. The Super Fuzz is closer though, and there'd be minimum fuss to get maximum Fuzz.

Check out their schematics, see what you think.






Man that's clean! How did you get rid of the side-jack holes so well on the Joyo?
I should send you my Diamond Comp, no way I'd ever be able to hide the side-holes after converting it to Top Jacks... That's why I bought a clone PCB, so I can have a top-jack Diamond!






I have been trying to find A5W-K and haven't been able to source any. I don't want to have to mess with programming chips, so I too am always on the lookout for relay-style solutions avoiding enlisting my programmer friend's help.

INCANDENZA BYPASS – Effects Layouts
And there's a few other perf relayted solutions in Storyboardist's blog: Perf and PCB Effects Layouts: Search results for bypass

 

[G.Bisson]

Very Vader, G.Bisson, the Dark Side iw Sith you... (< danm lysdexia).

Now I can't un-see those big knobs on a little pedal looking like Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet. May the schwartz be with you!

As for the Depth Charge, if I were to build another I would use a Univox Superfuzz pcb. Depth Charge only adds one resistor and a blend pot. These could be offboarded between Gain 1 & Tone 2 legs. Then send the output of Blend 2 into the Volume 1 leg. This might require bending the Tone 2 & Vol 1 legs or cutting a trace on the pcb.

 

[Fuzzonaut]

Thanks @Feral Feline and @G.Bisson for the Depth Charge hints and recommendations. I'll look into that.

 

[JoeDaddio]

I finished this one up today, it's an EQD Arrows clone from PedalPCB.

I didn't have the proper transistor so I used a lower gain PNP, but it still sounds great - a subtle boost with a little heft. I'll switch out the transistor one of these days when I order from a place that has them.

This is the first time I tried etching my own enclosure and I think it came out pretty decent. The paint came up on the E when sanding, but I just decided to go with it since I'm keeping. The color is actually neon yellow but doesn't photograph well. It also glows under black light, so that's fun!

joe

 

[Roxbororob]

I finished this one up today, it's an EQD Arrows clone from PedalPCB.

I didn't have the proper transistor so I used a lower gain PNP, but it still sounds great - a subtle boost with a little heft. I'll switch out the transistor one of these days when I order from a place that has them.

This is the first time I tried etching my own enclosure and I think it came out pretty decent. The paint came up on the E when sanding, but I just decided to go with it since I'm keeping. The color is actually neon yellow but doesn't photograph well. It also glows under black light, so that's fun!

View attachment 4217497

View attachment 4217498


joe

Nice Joe.
Where do you guys get those connectors? They look more compact than the Switchcrafts I used. I first seen them in a Sushi-Box pedal I recently bought.

 

[JoeDaddio]

Nice Joe.
Where do you guys get those connectors? They look more compact than the Switchcrafts I used. I first seen them in a Sushi-Box pedal I recently bought.

Thanks!

They are Lumberg jacks and I get them Love My Switches. They are definitely more compact than Switchcraft and they hold nice and tight but without a death-grip. The solder tabs stick out the side like my ears when I was a kid, but I bend them in with the end of a screwdriver and it keeps them out of the way. I forgot the shrink-wrap or else I wouldn't have had to turn them like they are : 1/4" Mono Jack - Lumberg KLBM 3

I get most of my knobs, switches, and jacks from there. They usually ship same or next day, which is really nice since everything gts here within just a few days.

 

[davelowell2]

@JoeDaddio I’ve got an Arrows in line, glad you think it’s worthwhile. Nice work!

Also, I heart Love My Switches.

 

[JoeDaddio]

@JoeDaddio I’ve got an Arrows in line, glad you think it’s worthwhile. Nice work!

Also, I heart Love My Switches.

I'm looking forward to trying it with other transistors. It definitely needs more gain but it's still has a lot of body and is pretty warm.

Be sure to post it here when you're done, I'd love to see it.


joe

 

[JoeDaddio]

Yesterday I tried a new method of labeling pedals and I feel like it came out pretty well. I junked up the corners a bit, but this is from using no-film water slide paper with my lasterjet printer. It is pretty durable and looks very similar to a silkscreen. I followed a tutorial on the PedalPCB forum. These are for a couple of Systech Harmonic Energizer clones I've got in the works:

joe

 

[bass-shy]

This is the latest one I finished. It's a BYOC Envelope Filter/Fixed Wah that I built from their kit.

 

[mdalamond]

I'll be posting an open source simple two channel mixer board share on OSHpark pretty soon, along with a very basic opamp gain stage/buffer one. My application is wet/dry blending for time based DSP effects, but even if you don't want to implement a variable blend function it would probably work fine for your needs. As with most of what I'm doing these days, it'll use mostly SMD parts though:

View attachment 4192693

@Passinwind Any update on this?

 

[Feral Feline]

Yesterday I tried a new method of labeling pedals and I feel like it came out pretty well. I junked up the corners a bit, but this is from using no-film water slide paper with my lasterjet printer. It is pretty durable and looks very similar to a silkscreen. I followed a tutorial on the PedalPCB forum. These are for a couple of Systech Harmonic Energizer clones I've got in the works:

View attachment 4220408



joe

Well done! Love it clean and simple; seems so bleedin' obvious a name now that I see it but it didn't occur to me at all, wish I'd thought of it first.

View attachment 4220990

This is the latest one I finished. It's a BYOC Envelope Filter/Fixed Wah that I built from their kit.

Another great name, and pedal. Bravo!

What colour is that enclosure? Aubergine? — great, looks hue-j.

 

[Passinwind]

@Passinwind Any update on this?

I have all the parts for the gain stage on hand now and should get to the test build this week, which should only take an hour tops. I found a minor layout error that also impacts the mixer module, so I’m holding off on ordering that board until I thoroughly vet performance of the gain stage. I need both to finish up the DSP pedal I’m doing so I’m pretty motivated to keep things moving.

 

[JoeDaddio]

Well done! Love it clean and simple; seems so bleedin' obvious a name now that I see it but it didn't occur to me at all, wish I'd thought of it first.

It's kind of a perfect name, right?

I can't claim credit for it, though - I was reading the Joe Gore page on it a while back and he called it the S.H.E. on there when talking about it. Not sure what he actually labeled the one(s) he built as, though.

Museum of Lost Effects:The Systech Harmonic Energizer - tonefiend.com


joe

 

[bass-shy]

Another great name, and pedal. Bravo!

What colour is that enclosure? Aubergine? — great, looks hue-j.

Thanks! That one was pretty easy and fun to put together. Probably better suited for guitar though.

The color is "Purple-Licious". It's a little rattle can from Testors and it's very much metallic purple. I'm just a crappy photographer.