Advice for someone looking to get into circuitry/understanding the insides of pedals??

[AinsleyWalker 69]

Hey! 
I've recently considered getting into understanding the insides of pedals (and circuits in general) and was wondering if anyone had any advice? Good places to start, sources of information, people to speak to etc. 
Something I might aim to take more seriously in the future, depending on work etc, but looking to get to grips with the fundamentals as a starting point. 

Thanks!

[Dad3353 8,186]

Have a look here ...

Amazon.co.uk : Electronics for musicians ...

Start off with some simple stuff, soldering components to 'breadboards', maybe 3D-printing cases and knobs..? Have a look at Raspberry Pi and Arduino for more complex circuits..? Don't try valve stuff until you're up to speed on working with higher voltages and big capacitors (so safety precautions to dig deep into...). Have a lot of fun; make a lot of noise, become popular with your musician buddies and unpopular with your neighbours.
Hope this helps... 

[3below 347]

These online resources are a pretty good starting point (and as a bonus are free).  There are some mistakes in them, I do not know if these have been corrected, likewise I do not know if the answers are available online. (I finally retired from teaching last year and am now out of the loop).

https://resources.eduqas.co.uk/Pages/ResourceSingle.aspx?rIid=937

https://resources.eduqas.co.uk/Pages/ResourceSingle.aspx?rIid=1179

 

and a 'real' paper book which I think is also a pretty good book.  It appears now and then s/h at sane prices, it also appears at bonkers prices!.

A Level Electronics Explained M W Brimicombe 
ISBN-10: 9780174483038
ISBN-13: 978-0174483038
ASIN: 0174483031

Finally, an A level website:  https://reviseomatic.org/rOmV4/

HTH.

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by 3below

[paul_5 1,272]

Brian Wampler (Wampler pedals) wrote a book which explains what the components do, and then has a couple of hundred pages of instructions on how to modify popular pedals (mostly Boss stuff). It’s well worth a read if you fancy getting your iron hot and having a go. 
I think I’ve got it as a pdf somewhere.

[3below 347]

There are also countless schematics available for pedals.  Once you have a grasp of the basics, the schematics become highly educational.

[simon88wilson 211]

It all depends on how much you already know really. I started out using prefab pcb to get into actually building them. Then I started making veroboard ones, I found online of fuzz pedals and noticed they followed certain patterns. From this I started looking at common modifications done to pedals which taught me what certain components are used for in different circuits. 
 

I found electrosmash.com helped witv understanding the different stages in pedals. 

[neepheid 59]

Might be instructive to build a kit. Look for FuzzDog online. https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/ I put together one of their Wooly Mammoth clone pedals (full kit with enclosure) and despite several cockups (like soldering the pots the wrong way round and having to desolder and redo and I seem to remember a ballsup with the foot switch too) it worked!