Pedal Builder Beginner

[camiam]

I'm starting to get addicted to all this small electronics soldering work, and just now decided I want need to build a pedal. I can solder decently, but having no experience building circuts of any kind (well, i built a pair of small speakers from a kit once) I was wondering what kind of pedal to build. I'm looking for (a) pedal(s) that aren't too ungodly difficult, and fufill any of the following requirements:

Either a dist/OD pedal (whichever is easier) or a footswitch pedal for my footswitchable amp (Ibanez 25R) (or both, who knows?)

A vol boost pedal? (run amp on OD channel with gain low and low guitar volume, hit pedal for gain?)

A compressor/sustain pedal

A fuzz pedal for distortion texture


Those are the different pedals I am considering building. Which ones do you think are the easiest/least expensive to build? I'm not quite sure how I want to rank them from most wanted needed to least, but they're what i'm considering. Should I look at building different pedals?

Question about pedal cases too: Is it worth the $ to buy an aluminum housing? I was thinking about maybe fashoning my own from plywood or particle board for the "homemade" look, but it's kind of hard (read: impossible) to ground a wood box.

Sorry for the plethora of questions! I really hope none of these boxes require a PhD in electrical engineering, and won't take more than a few days to complete. If my suggestions seem too intense for a beginner, don't hesitate to offer some suggestions. And don't worry, I'll have PLENTY more questions once I start construction.

[pkv]

I too have been bitten by the DIY bug. I've done a great deal of research - haven't built a damn thing yet ;D - but the advice I have received so far is start simple; a booster is a low parts count, easy build as far as I can tell. There are several to choose from, and there are also fairly simple distortions to build as well. Check out the following:

generalguitargadgets.com/
www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/schematics.html
www.muzique.com/schem/projects.htm

Take it from there...there are plenty of links as well - happy hunting!

[spitfire23bc]

This is a very useful page about wah circuits - my number 1 resource at the moment!

[ranchtooth]

As long as you can read a schematic, know ohms law and kirchoffs law and the like, you can handle pretty much anything. I second the sites PKV posted.

My first project was the TycoBrahe Octavia... Not quite the simplest circuit out there but far from difficult, and I've been hooked ever since.

[eljib]

My only project so far has been the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer. It's an out of production, sought-after compressor. It was an easy build, and it sounds great. For the housing I used one of those steel boxes used in construction for light-switch housings. I can't think of the name right now, but it was cheap. Easily less than $3 with the matching cover at Home Depot. The steel is a little hard to drill, but I think it's a good tradeoff.

For components, everything you need can be purchased from Small Bear Electronics in NY. Google it - everybody uses these guys for parts. He ships fast and carries EVERYTHING.

[pkv]

those would be Raco boxes

[The Doctor]

Ohm's Law[/u]

Voltage (V) = Current (I) x Resistance (R)
I = V / R
R = V / I
This only applies to DC circuits (batteries, etc) not the mains power, AC (230V~ 50Hz)

AC power has "Impedance" rather than "Resistance" but works in the same way.... kinda, but it gets too complicated from there-on-in.

BELIEVE ME. you don't want a shock from the mains.... I know...

spitfire23bc said:

This is a very useful page about wah circuits - my number 1 resource at the moment!

I can't understand why that website is measuring resistors in 'K' (whatever 'K' stands for ) rather than Ohms, the actual measuremnt of resistance.

[spitfire23bc]

dyolf said:

spitfire23bc said:

This is a very useful page about wah circuits - my number 1 resource at the moment!

I can't understand why that website is measuring resistors in 'K' (whatever 'K' stands for ) rather than Ohms, the actual measuremnt of resistance.

kilo-Ohms presumably

[johan]

pkv said:

www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/schematics.html
www.muzique.com/schem/projects.htm

Take it from there...there are plenty of links as well - happy hunting!

double agreement here, once bitten you never look back again. Fulltone ripped the Fat Boost from Jack Orman's Minibooster and wants over 200 EUR for what you can make yourself for 30 EUR or less.

a personalised version of jack orman's fat boostered I did for a friends birthday.

[slideguy123]

I did a lot of "thinking about it", then built a simple booster (the original Fetzer Valve from RunOffGroove - www.runoffgroove.com. The hardest part was getting the wiring to fit in the box -- it's easy to wire these things up on your bench or table, but there are, I'm sure, tricks of the trade to make fitting them into the package go more smoothly.

Anyway, it sounds great for solos, and I have the satisfaction of doing it myself -- I didn't even need a booster, cuz I already had one, but this was jsut a fun thing to do. Here's what it looks like:



and inside:


Try a simple booster, like a Stratoblaster or LPB-1 and have fun with it!

[JohnH]

That Fetzer is a good little circuit. Thats a nice paint job you have there.

I currently have a 'Fetzer valve' built into my ToneMonster2 Strat. It gives it a nice warm boost that stays almost clean on its own, but crunches nicely into the input stage of my amp when turned up

John

[juan]

here is a great page on diy effects www.pisotones.com. In spanish but great

[sharpgt]

a booster like the fetzer valve is a good simple project; a simple fuzz circuit would be pretty easy and has a lot of room for experimentation and learning about componants; or an O.D. like the Dunlop MXR distortion +, it's pretty simple and opens up a bit of room for experimenting with the diodes and I.C. chip.

you can find some good stuff at fuzz central, from simple to verrrry complex -> fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/

[sumgai]

sharpie,

Good find, that Fuzzy joint! You might wanna post this link as a suggestion in the LINKS thread of the Reference Articles forum, found here.


sumgai