DIY Effects

[cheddatom]

[quote name='escholl' post='841636' date='May 19 2010, 03:43 AM']This started out as a DIY effect, an Ampeg Scrambler clone about....2 years ago?



But I never had much use for it, because while it sounds really fantastic on my bass, I found it had to be driven quite hard to really sound good, ie I basically needed a preamp or even better another fuzz before it to really make it sing. So, it sat unused, then it sort of got added to another project...




I'm trying to think of a way to incorporate this into my bass sound now [/quote]

WTF is going on there?!?

[danny-79]

Hi all !
Just been reading through this thread, building my own effect is something Ive thought about but never gone any further than just thinking about it.
Not knowing ware to start I'm just having an ask.
So ware do i start ? Ive got plenty of scrap effects lying about (possibly enough to make a start at a simple A/B box) but what else is out there ?
Don't think I'm any ware near ready to start etching my own boards just yet so what I'm looking for is a "all in kit" (everything that i need with wiring diagram etc), an envelope filter is high on my wish list along with an octave divider but can imagen that the circuitry is fairly complicated with those (not that I'm afraid of a challenge) or if you think I'm better off starting with something more simple, your advice is much appreciated.
So ware do i start looking for a COMPLETE kit (thats if they exist)
Thanks in advance.
Dan.

[Al Heeley]

musikding.de does complete kits, link a few posts up. Other kits available from US retailers like tonepad.com
start with a simple fuzz circuit on veroboard then go from there!
visit [url="http://www.diystompboxes.com/"]http://www.diystompboxes.com/[/url] for a wealth of advice and info

[escholl]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='842051' date='May 19 2010, 01:50 PM']WTF is going on there?!?[/quote]

I built the effect into a synth in the end. I don't know if it still counts as a DIY effect, but I thought I'd post it anyways in case anyone was interested.

[cheddatom]

Of course it counts! It's when you said "i'm going to see if I can incorporate this with my bass sound" I thought maybe you'd turned the whole thing into a pedal for bass!

[escholl]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='842786' date='May 20 2010, 08:18 AM']Of course it counts! It's when you said "i'm going to see if I can incorporate this with my bass sound" I thought maybe you'd turned the whole thing into a pedal for bass![/quote]

haha good

Not a pedal as i would need very nimble feet! but I am trying to think of a use for it, it is small and can sound quite amazing for certain stuff. I am working on a box for splitting and routing multiple effect streams in parallel, I was thinking I could just add it into that, but I'm still not sure that I could bring the sounds all together or that it would even have a purpose lol.

[HollyDTVGE]

i'm currently building a mr grassi by ciat lombarde and a wooly mammoth clone. the grassi works but it is possible i've used too many sub-bub capacitors cos i'm just getting a low pulse, i'm going to hook it up and get some pictures up soon though.

apart from circuit bending a dd6 drum machine this is my first electronics project, pretty happy so far.

[Al Heeley]

Current project: Small Clone Chorus + mods

Excellent pcb bought for this project from Tonepad.com, really great quality and makes soldering up this crowded little circuit a lot easier. this is a complex build, just waiting for the delay chip to arrive from ebay (Hong Kong).
Mods to the standard pedal will include:
1) Depth switch replaced by 100k pot
2) Delay cap to be replaced by 4W3P rotary switch to switch in 4 different capacitance values
3) LED indicator fed off clock chip to pulse in time with rate pot setting.

[Al Heeley]

[quote name='JackLondon' post='785200' date='Mar 24 2010, 10:38 PM']Had a long play with it now and the sound is very very good, very clear across all the range and when on full whack it changes into amazing vibratto. I'm well pleased with it and can really recommend this for anyone wanting a good clean chorus, with all the mods that are available it can be really good competitor for some of the mass market units but at a fraction of the cost![/quote]
Just finished putting together my Small Clone and it sounds like I have the same issue, no depth at all to the Chorus. i can't tell if its on or off. I will check trim pot first and see how we go. Did u mod yours at all or left as stock circuit?
Anything need doing to make it better for bass?

[JackLondon]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='855162' date='Jun 2 2010, 06:09 PM']Just finished putting together my Small Clone and it sounds like I have the same issue, no depth at all to the Chorus. i can't tell if its on or off. I will check trim pot first and see how we go. Did u mod yours at all or left as stock circuit?
Anything need doing to make it better for bass?[/quote]

I've done all the mods that were listed on the layout pdf plus I've changed the output cap to 2,2uF due to a lack of 1uF. Have a fidle with your trim pot because when I was adjusting it I found that it alters the sound a lot on mine.

[Al Heeley]

The LFO is working, seems there's no wet signal coming in from the 4047 chip, twiddling the trim pot has no effect. Only thing I can think of is one of my transistors is a different make and the legsa are wrong way round??

[badgerific]

Quick question, I'm quite new to this, I produced a MXR distortion for part of my electrical engineering module in university and now I'm building this kit [url="http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php/info/p2511_The-SuperOver---Overdrive-kit.html"]http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php/i...rdrive-kit.html[/url] which is very similar to this kit. [url="http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php/info/p1618_The-Screamer---Overdrive-kit.html"]http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php/i...rdrive-kit.html[/url]

Just wondering if I could add the toggle switch shown in the screamer kit to the super over kit to make it symmetrical/asymmetrical?


EDIT:
After looking at my board, i dont think it would be possible because c3 is empty, would it be ok if just put a jumper across it or would i need the capacitor with the value shown in the screamer kit.

Edited June 4, 2010 by badgerific

[Al Heeley]

solder 2 wires to where one of the diodes should go, then add ytour togle switch to the 2 wires, adding 2 more diodes direct to the switch, hen u can have the assym clipping

[badgerific]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='857463' date='Jun 4 2010, 05:10 PM']solder 2 wires to where one of the diodes should go, then add ytour togle switch to the 2 wires, adding 2 more diodes direct to the switch, hen u can have the assym clipping[/quote]

Cool, I might do this later if my friend wants it then. Might not be possible though because it's going to be super cramped in the case as it is, thanks for the help.

[escholl]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='855455' date='Jun 2 2010, 09:55 PM']Only thing I can think of is one of my transistors is a different make and the legsa are wrong way round??[/quote]

What did you use, and what was the original?

[url="http://www.alldatasheet.com"]alldatasheet.com[/url] should sort you out.

[Finbar]

Okay, slightly different line of questions. What do people use for their lettering if they want it to look professional? I don't really like the look of the shiny bit you get around waterslide transfers, and I only want to put some words onto a finish, not print off a whole top with graphics and everything. Silk screening would be ace, but I think a bit expensive for a one off.

[Al Heeley]

[quote name='escholl' post='857546' date='Jun 4 2010, 06:35 PM']What did you use, and what was the original?

[url="http://www.alldatasheet.com"]alldatasheet.com[/url] should sort you out.[/quote]
I guess my problem is I don't know the manufacturer, they are just online ebay purchases.
The case says:

2n
5088
-H19

[escholl]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='857642' date='Jun 4 2010, 08:18 PM']I guess my problem is I don't know the manufacturer, they are just online ebay purchases.
The case says:

2n
5088
-H19[/quote]

the manufacturer doesn't really matter, to be honest. you've got 2n5088 transistors, data sheets here:

[url="http://www.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/pdf/50028/FAIRCHILD/2N5088.html"]Alldatasheet.com[/url]

all the manufacturer's data sheet's should all more or less be in line, Fairchild's has the pin-out listed right at the top. hope it helps.

[Al Heeley]

if u say the manufacturer doesn't matter, that implies that all pins for all makes are same, but I don't think that is always the case, so unless you know manufacturer, you can't be sure. I would assume a lot of the main types like J201's, n23904's, 3906, 5488, 5088 may all be the same but that's my assumption - i don't know.
Debugging continues with an audioprobe, I'm also not ruling out a duff MN3007 chip at this stage.

[escholl]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='857844' date='Jun 4 2010, 11:47 PM']if u say the manufacturer doesn't matter, that implies that all pins for all makes are same[/quote]

all pinouts for the same model number are always the same, regardless of who makes it. a 2n5088, for example, will have the same pin assignments across manufacturers.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='Finbar' post='857600' date='Jun 4 2010, 07:35 PM']Okay, slightly different line of questions. What do people use for their lettering if they want it to look professional? I don't really like the look of the shiny bit you get around waterslide transfers, and I only want to put some words onto a finish, not print off a whole top with graphics and everything. Silk screening would be ace, but I think a bit expensive for a one off.[/quote]

Mask and sandblast it, that would be cool.

[Al Heeley]

[quote name='escholl' post='857850' date='Jun 4 2010, 11:55 PM']all pinouts for the same model number are always the same, regardless of who makes it. a 2n5088, for example, will have the same pin assignments across manufacturers.[/quote]
ok thanks, thats one area i can rule out then, the 3 transistors should all be fine.

[JackLondon]

[quote name='Finbar' post='857600' date='Jun 4 2010, 07:35 PM']Okay, slightly different line of questions. What do people use for their lettering if they want it to look professional? I don't really like the look of the shiny bit you get around waterslide transfers, and I only want to put some words onto a finish, not print off a whole top with graphics and everything. Silk screening would be ace, but I think a bit expensive for a one off.[/quote]

Well you can etch your lettering on for which there are some good tutorials, you can find someone with a CNC machine and they can do it fo you, you can paint the lettering with stencils and cover with matt clearcoat, there's loads of options really, it's when you want those flashy graphics it gets a bit tricky

[Daquifsta]

Just finished my first DIY pedal build and though I'd share it with you fine people. Pedal is a clone of the Catalinbread SFT. Cost in parts: about £30, cost in time: best not mentioned

I am a 3D CAD monkey by day, so I had a go at planning the thing on the computer first:
[attachment=51540:Catalinb...FT_small.JPG]

The finished item
[attachment=51541:Love_Pump_small.JPG]

I am a happy bunny

[Al Heeley]

What a great looking pedal! How did u do the top graphics?
How does it sound?