Any DIY pedal builders on TB? Strut your stuff!

[Mark Reccord]

I can't believe I have missed this thread until now and since I have no time, it's taken me 2 weeks to read it all.
There are so many awesome projects in here that I couldn't possibly like or comment on all of them. This has been on the shelf for a few months now. I've been doing a bunch of repair work for local studios and such on top of my actual job and family commitments. I'm picking back up with it this week, though now that I have most of the other crap off my plate. This is a first prototype of a variable studio grade high and low pass filter pedal. 4th order HPF and 2nd order LPF with a ±15VDC power supply that can be connected to anything from 8-15V. Knobs are HPF frequency (30Hz-150Hz), LPF frequency (1kHz-20kHz) gain (-∞ to +4dB). Switches are input Z (1M or 10M), HPF slope (12dB/octave or 24dB/octave) and bypass mode (true or buffered). You'd use the 12dB/octave HPF slope if you were say more interested in emulating an Ampeg 810 than in brick wall excess LF management. Circuit works as intended and is super quiet. I don't like the box so I'm going to switch to a 1590BB instead of the 1590S I'm using here. That will change the PCB a bit but that's not a big deal. I just used knobs I had lying around for the prototype but I'll go with a smaller diameter knob for the real thing. In the CAD package I used smaller knobs and it doesn't look as crowded, not going to be an issue on the new box. I'm also going to ditch the battery option altogether. It draws like 60mA at 9V with TL072 opamps so batteries wouldn't last long.

 

[dunwichamps]

i finally finished all three of the Dunwich DIY Bass OD's:

View attachment 4265789

Legendary

 

[dunwichamps]

Here kitty kitty, lol. Finally done. Had issues with the LTC1144. Couldn’t get it to stop having a high pitch whistle so I decided to keep it 9v only. Got tired of messing with it and I’m not a very patient person. Thus the brushed look instead of polished. I buy blem boxes at a little lower price. They are meant more to paint. But again I don’t like waiting for paint to dry, lol.
View attachment 4265971

Did you attach Boost to Vin?

If you attach Boost to V+ the Osc frequency increases by a factor of 10. Depending on parasitic capacitance on pin 7 you can increase the OSC above audio band to avoid noise.

Additionally you can also raise the Osc frequency using a cap from Pin 7 to Pin 2

 

[Mark Reccord]

i built a varioboost a while ago by etching my own pcb and enclosure for it, and i agree, it's a great pedal:
View attachment 4264033

i also just finished building an OshPark Dunwich DIY Bass overdrive:
View attachment 4264035

I just love the enclosures and artwork. Amazing!

 

[Passinwind]

First test builds yesterday with the DKRed PCBs from DigiKey:

As you can see, I'm playing around a lot with hybrid SMD/through hole combinations these days. Hand soldering SMD film caps can be dodgy and in some cases they don't really save a whole lot of room anyway. The OSHpark build in the middle could be an entree to relatively easy SMT building for DIYers, but my main motivation was having eleventy bazillion 1/4 watt through hole resistors on hand, and also wanting a few test mule boards for repeated modding facility.

 

[Mark Reccord]

I think I'll give Digikey a go for the PCBs next iteration. I order like 80% of my parts from them anyway. I'm like you, I have chests full of 1/4W PTH resistors in my workshop that I feel like using. I think I will generally stick with PTH parts for audio circuits at least for a while but as you can see above, I'm using all SMD stuff for the power conversion circuits, at least partly because the chips aren't available in DIPs any more but also because a lot of them are very sensitive to layout and it's easier to manage ground planes with SMD bits.

 

[mdalamond]

Did you attach Boost to Vin?

View attachment 4266581

If you attach Boost to V+ the Osc frequency increases by a factor of 10. Depending on parasitic capacitance on pin 7 you can increase the OSC above audio band to avoid noise.

Additionally you can also raise the Osc frequency using a cap from Pin 7 to Pin 2

View attachment 4266588

@dunwichamps You will have to excuse me , Im on the learning curve. On the vero layout I used pin 1 ( Boost) isnt used and nothing connected to pin 7. There is an 2u2 electrolytic from pin 2 to pin 4. This is using the LTC1144.
If I use a 7660s and bridge pin 1 ( boost) and Pin 8 ( v+) I dont here any whine/ whistle. Would it be safe to bridge pin 1 and pin 8 on the LTC1144?
Strangely enough , if I put a buffer in front of the pedal I dont hear any odd noises. My wife, who hears like a dog swears she can hear it faintly. My old damaged ears cant. Thank you for your insight.
I did notice the original uses the LTC1144IN8 and Im using a LTC1144CN8. Is there that much of a difference?
Thank you,
Matt

 

[AudioTaper]

Dumb question.... how do you all store your (completed) pedals that are not on a pedalboard? Mine are just kind of stacked up everywhere. Just looking for ideas.

 

[mdalamond]

Dumb question.... how do you all store your (completed) pedals that are not on a pedalboard? Mine are just kind of stacked up everywhere. Just looking for ideas.

Pretty much the same way , lol. Stacked in boxes, on the amp on the bench. Any open space is fair game, lol

 

[AudioTaper]

Pretty much the same way , lol. Stacked in boxes, on the amp on the bench. Any open space is fair game, lol

Thanks. Thats... not help at all. Ha!
Every flat surface in my work/music area already has something sitting on it.

 

[johnk_10]

Dumb question.... how do you all store your (completed) pedals that are not on a pedalboard? Mine are just kind of stacked up everywhere. Just looking for ideas.

mine are in wall shelving units with glass doors. each wall unit holds about 300-350 pedals (and mine are FULL!)

 

[AudioTaper]

mine are in wall shelving units with glass doors. each wall unit holds about 300-350 pedals (and mine are FULL!)

Pics?

 

[G.Bisson]

I have a cedar chest for storing music gear that is filled with pedal boxes and cables. I'm always running out of storage space. Most of my pedals were lined up on the floor in front of my amp. A few weeks ago I cut a scrap 1x6 board down into four pedalboards, spray painted them and covered them in Velcro. Those are all full now. My next idea is to build a wall bracket that I can mount the pedalboards to, kinda like a katana rack.

 

[dunwichamps]

@dunwichamps You will have to excuse me , Im on the learning curve. On the vero layout I used pin 1 ( Boost) isnt used and nothing connected to pin 7. There is an 2u2 electrolytic from pin 2 to pin 4. This is using the LTC1144.
If I use a 7660s and bridge pin 1 ( boost) and Pin 8 ( v+) I dont here any whine/ whistle. Would it be safe to bridge pin 1 and pin 8 on the LTC1144?
Strangely enough , if I put a buffer in front of the pedal I dont hear any odd noises. My wife, who hears like a dog swears she can hear it faintly. My old damaged ears cant. Thank you for your insight.
I did notice the original uses the LTC1144IN8 and Im using a LTC1144CN8. Is there that much of a difference?
Thank you,
Matt

Bridge pin 1 and 8.

The only difference is there operating temp ranges. C version is commercial, I version is industrial. Not applicable at all for pedals.

 

[mdalamond]

Bridge pin 1 and 8.

The only difference is there operating temp ranges. C version is commercial, I version is industrial. Not applicable at all for pedals.

Thank you .

 

[Feral Feline]

@dunwichamps Very cool having you join the thread!

Here kitty kitty, lol. Finally done. Had issues with the LTC1144. Couldn’t get it to stop having a high pitch whistle so I decided to keep it 9v only. Got tired of messing with it and I’m not a very patient person. Thus the brushed look instead of polished. I buy blem boxes at a little lower price. They are meant more to paint. But again I don’t like waiting for paint to dry, lol.
View attachment 4265971

Mew?
PURRR!
I was right, verrry interrresting...
Cool you're getting some help with it from Mr Dunwich himself!

I love blem boxes, the natural-relicing has already been started for you.
I cried when I dropped my The Elements and put a chip in one corner of the white with silver graphics...

I can't believe I have missed this thread until now and since I have no time, it's taken me 2 weeks to read it all.
There are so many awesome projects in here that I couldn't possibly like or comment on all of them. This has been on the shelf for a few months now. I've been doing a bunch of repair work for local studios and such on top of my actual job and family commitments. I'm picking back up with it this week, though now that I have most of the other crap off my plate. This is a first prototype of a variable studio grade high and low pass filter pedal. 4th order HPF and 2nd order LPF with a ±15VDC power supply that can be connected to anything from 8-15V. Knobs are HPF frequency (30Hz-150Hz), LPF frequency (1kHz-20kHz) gain (-∞ to +4dB). Switches are input Z (1M or 10M), HPF slope (12dB/octave or 24dB/octave) and bypass mode (true or buffered). You'd use the 12dB/octave HPF slope if you were say more interested in emulating an Ampeg 810 than in brick wall excess LF management. Circuit works as intended and is super quiet. I don't like the box so I'm going to switch to a 1590BB instead of the 1590S I'm using here. That will change the PCB a bit but that's not a big deal. I just used knobs I had lying around for the prototype but I'll go with a smaller diameter knob for the real thing. In the CAD package I used smaller knobs and it doesn't look as crowded, not going to be an issue on the new box. I'm also going to ditch the battery option altogether. It draws like 60mA at 9V with TL072 opamps so batteries wouldn't last long.

View attachment 4266439

View attachment 4266440

View attachment 4266442

View attachment 4266443

'Tis a bit early for mummering, but here you are. Welcome!
Are you by chance going to drop this gandy for our puddocks at some point?

Dumb question.... how do you all store your (completed) pedals that are not on a pedalboard? Mine are just kind of stacked up everywhere. Just looking for ideas.

Not a potty ponderation at all...
What with piles of completed pedals not on the pedalboard. A rather pertinent pontification of a problem prevalent with you people particularly given the plethora of pedals you all proceed to pump out.

Yes, I said "you people", as I'm positively not as productive, not even in the same proximity as the pack of you, but I am progressing and the prospect of speeding up the process is appealing. Shall I pummel you with a peck more plosives?
No, I shan't.

I've got a narrow & tall plastic chest of drawers. It's full (commercial-production pedals included). After I finally move (Bog willing), I intend on buying a set of map/plans drawers (as used by architects and cartographers).

It'll be like having a filing cabinet for pedals:

Red, silver and black is certainly better than the majority of boring beige out there, but you can always paint them.
Casters as above would be a bonus, but I think the following vintage unit would be classier (or you can find plans to carpenter your own, stain it whatever colour, add casters too etc continuing the spirit of DIY)...

Lots more great variations online of the above themes, but I probably shouldn't post all the ones I like; I did find one that has enough storage space under it to store a couple of DIY amps...

i finally finished all three of the Dunwich DIY Bass OD's:

View attachment 4265789

mine are in wall shelving units with glass doors. each wall unit holds about 300-350 pedals (and mine are FULL!)

Just how many wall units are we talking about, though? I'm guessing between four and eight.

Your DIYunwich triplets look great together. Almost a shame to split them up!

 

[mdalamond]

You never disappoint in your responses. Always good for a smile and a laugh. It is great having the big dogs joining in on here. The fact that they are willing to share knowledge is icing on the cake. I love the TB community but have never really joined in any discussions or threads until this one. This is by far my all time favorite thread.

 

[AudioTaper]

Not a potty ponderation at all...
What with piles of completed pedals not on the pedalboard. A rather pertinent pontification of a problem prevalent with you people particularly given the plethora of pedals you all proceed to pump out.

Yes, I said "you people", as I'm positively not as productive, not even in the same proximity as the pack of you, but I am progressing and the prospect of speeding up the process is appealing. Shall I pummel you with a peck more plosives?
No, I shan't.

I've got a narrow & tall plastic chest of drawers. It's full (commercial-production pedals included). After I finally move (Bog willing), I intend on buying a set of map/plans drawers (as used by architects and cartographers).

It'll be like having a filing cabinet for pedals:

View attachment 4267720

Red, silver and black is certainly better than the majority of boring beige out there, but you can always paint them.
Casters as above would be a bonus, but I think the following vintage unit would be classier (or you can find plans to carpenter your own, stain it whatever colour, add casters too etc continuing the spirit of DIY)...

View attachment 4267721

Lots more great variations online of the above themes, but I probably shouldn't post all the ones I like; I did find one that has enough storage space under it to store a couple of DIY amps...

I'm getting Peter Percival Patterson vibes here...

I have 2 nice tool cabinets, but they are full of, well, tools. I didnt think of the D-size document cabinet before. That might work for some, but not all of what I have. Thanks for sharing the idea though.

That wood one looks great.

 

[johnk_10]

Just how many wall units are we talking about, though? :eyebrow: I'm guessing between four and eight.

Your DIYunwich triplets look great together. Almost a shame to split them up! :laugh:

[USER=225414]

just two wall units, but they're completely full.[/user]

 

[mdalamond]

Thank you for t

Did you attach Boost to Vin?

View attachment 4266581

If you attach Boost to V+ the Osc frequency increases by a factor of 10. Depending on parasitic capacitance on pin 7 you can increase the OSC above audio band to avoid noise.

Additionally you can also raise the Osc frequency using a cap from Pin 7 to Pin 2

View attachment 4266588

Thank you for this. It solved the issue AND I learned something.