DIY Effects

[paul_5]

I tend to go for the path of least resistance (if you'll pardon the pun) and browse tagboard sites, particularly this one:

[url="http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk"]http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk[/url]

I'd particularly recommend the Coloursound Bass Fuzz layout.

doctortweek.co.uk carries a good range of quality components - especially JFET and germanium trannies (for lovely tube-y tones) at very reasonable prices.

Hope this helps.

Edited June 18, 2014 by paul_5

[KingBollock]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1403073762' post='2479373']
I tend to go for the path of least resistance (if you'll pardon the pun) and browse tagboard sites, particularly this one:

[url="http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk"]http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk[/url]

I'd particularly recommend the Coloursound Bass Fuzz layout.

doctortweek.co.uk carries a good range of quality components - especially JFET and germanium trannies (for lovely tube-y tones) at very reasonable prices.

Hope this helps.
[/quote]
Thanks.

I actually put in an order for a bunch of stuff with DoctorTweek last night. Damn am I looking forward to that parcel turning up!

[NoirBass]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1403073762' post='2479373']
I tend to go for the path of least resistance (if you'll pardon the pun) and browse tagboard sites, particularly this one:

[url="http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk"]http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk[/url]

I'd particularly recommend the Coloursound Bass Fuzz layout.

doctortweek.co.uk carries a good range of quality components - especially JFET and germanium trannies (for lovely tube-y tones) at very reasonable prices.

Hope this helps.
[/quote]

I built the bass fuzz from the above layout and found it a little quiet. Adding a simple booster circuit solved the problem.

Just my two peneth.

[NoirBass]

Oh and I do have an original CS Bass Fuzz to compare.

With the exception of the volume issue the sound was virtually identical.

[KingBollock]

Someone mentioned Bitsbox in a different thread, I hadn't heard of them before but they seem to stock a lot of cool stuff at really good prices, with cheap postage, too. Has anyone had any experience with them? How are they on delivery times and reliability?

[Sibob]

I've only made one small order with Bitsbox, seems fine, nothing untoward, nothing exciting.

On another note, here's a cheeky 1590a FX Loop pedal I made this weekend for my main board, it's my 'get out of jail free card' to I can switch back to my amp if something on my board goes wrong. Again, just more covering eventualities rather than solving a problem .
Its a Red Sparkle enclosure, shame it doesn't really show up in a photo, Orange LED.

[IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/29bfzsx.jpg[/IMG]

Si

[KingBollock]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1404122786' post='2489400']
I've only made one small order with Bitsbox, seems fine, nothing untoward, nothing exciting.

On another note, here's a cheeky 1590a FX Loop pedal I made this weekend for my main board, it's my 'get out of jail free card' to I can switch back to my amp if something on my board goes wrong. Again, just more covering eventualities rather than solving a problem .
Its a Red Sparkle enclosure, shame it doesn't really show up in a photo, Orange LED.

[/quote]
Cool, thanks. I shall know what I need to order once I have been to Maplins to get some cut cable.

I accidentally ordered a metal box that size, I thought I was ordering something bigger but I can be remarkably stupid sometimes. My plan had been to put an order switcher in it, but it's not big enough. My plan for another box that I bought (which was the size I was expecting but so much bigger than I need I would feel guilty using it for that, so I will keep it for another project...) was a double loop pedal. I only really need one loop pedal at the moment and it looks like that box would do the job if I did only build it with one loop. But I have been thinking of using it as an A/B box to board/tuner, which would act as a kill switch and allow for silent tuning.

Still tossing ideas around in my head. I had a large component order come in yesterday, so I am still going through that, and I have more stuff on its way. I shall wait to see what I have all together before I decide for sure, I think.

[Thor]

I guess this isn't strictly the right place to post this query, however knowing how helpful the BC community can be... I've got a Grey Stache and the main on/off (latching) switch has packed in (so replacing it will be a bit of DIY project), I was wondering if some kind soul may post a link to the type of switch I need to order/replace it with?

Thanks in advance!

[NoirBass]

[quote name='Thor' timestamp='1404138434' post='2489621']
I guess this isn't strictly the right place to post this query, however knowing how helpful the BC community can be... I've got a Grey Stache and the main on/off (latching) switch has packed in (so replacing it will be a bit of DIY project), I was wondering if some kind soul may post a link to the type of switch I need to order/replace it with?

Thanks in advance!
[/quote]

I'm guessing, but I would imagine it a standard 3PDT footswitch:

http://www.doctortweek.co.uk/shop/article_21/Foot-Switch-3PDT-(Genuine-Tiawan-Blue%2C-Red-Epoxy).html?sessid=43ylgcb3Un3BsvdnYOGqeTJezXXsJkhweNqhTrR7Aq0GZkA9ScnKjISxDdS1cMU6&shop_param=cid%3D1%26aid%3D21%26

If you post a photo we can confirm.

[Sibob]

Yup, any old 3PDT will do really, however if you want something a bit better quality than the standard 'Blue' switch (listed above), checkout these:

http://www.banzaimusic.com/Alpha-3PDT.html

Only really worth the postage if you can order other stuff from them at the same time, but good to have the choice

Si

[Protium]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1403907604' post='2487734']
Someone mentioned Bitsbox in a different thread, I hadn't heard of them before but they seem to stock a lot of cool stuff at really good prices, with cheap postage, too. Has anyone had any experience with them? How are they on delivery times and reliability?
[/quote]

I get a lot of stuff from them, always had fast delivery and no problems.

[Protium]

[quote name='Thor' timestamp='1404138434' post='2489621']
I guess this isn't strictly the right place to post this query, however knowing how helpful the BC community can be... I've got a Grey Stache and the main on/off (latching) switch has packed in (so replacing it will be a bit of DIY project), I was wondering if some kind soul may post a link to the type of switch I need to order/replace it with?

Thanks in advance!
[/quote]

If it's a 3PDT you need I've got loads of the blue type. I can post you one for a couple of quid if you need one, cheaper than buying a single from somewhere

Edited June 30, 2014 by Protium

[Thor]

Thanks for the help so far guys - much obliged! I've just got home and taken the back off to find it is indeed a blue switch with 9 pins on it - thing is it now looks a bit of a daunting job to change it....I guess I'd be better making a rough sketch as to what wire goes where and maybe to unscrew the fixing on the front of the enclosure/switch to gain a bit better access to the switch inside the enclosure (IYKWIM)? Although then the switch be floating around in space? Any advice for a bit of a noob to this sort of repair?

I hasten to add I'm not too bad with the soldering iron and have soldered in pick ups/preamps before now - just this looks a little bit fiddly and all the wires (8 of the little buggers) are green!

Regarding the quality of the switch - what would you guys recommend?


Edited for typo

Edited June 30, 2014 by Thor

[paul_5]

This is precisely the sort of job that mobile phone cameras were invented for. If you can unfasten and remove the old switch, then screw the new one in place and replace one wire at a time that's what I'd recommend, if you're not terribly confident about wiring 3PDT.

Edited June 30, 2014 by paul_5

[Thor]

That sounds like a plan - cheers! How about switch quality? - I'm quite tempted to take Protium up on his offer a blue switch for a few quid if they're reliable? (I have to say this is the first time I've had a switch pack up on any of my effects pedals so i guess they're reasonably reliable? Just didn't want to be faced with replacing it again in the near future).

[paul_5]

The blue ones will run for [i]ages[/i] provided that your iron isn't too hot when you solder the wires onto it - you'll notice the resin insulator bubbles a bit when if you .

[Thor]

Cool! I'll send Protium a pm - need to fix this as it's probably my fave fuzz pedal ever - and i have a few!

Once again, thanks to everyone who's offered advice - much appreciated!

[Protium]

And replied thanks. I've never had a dud one out of the packet and not heard of one failing in any of my builds As above just be careful not to overheat the lugs when soldering,

[Sibob]

There's loads of 3PDT true-bypass wiring diagrams online. Each of the wires going to the switch will either go to a jack, ground, the PCB, or the LED. Once you take a look at a diagram (baring in mind there's more than one way to wire a 3PDT), and compare that to what you've got, you should hopefully have a better understanding of what you need to do

Oh and Ryan at Fuzzrocious is super nice and helpful, if you want a wiring diagram of exactly what he's done, just ask

Si

[KingBollock]

I've never had to solder a 4PDT switch before, bloomin' fiddly, ain't they? Perhaps not the wisest choice to use 2mm thick wire... The stuff that I got from Doctor Tweek is really thin, is it really ok to use that stuff? The only other stuff I've got, that isn't either too thick or really thin, is all blue, which could get confusing.

I haven't actually boxed it up yet, I am going to wait until a box I have ordered gets here before I decide what to put it in. Because there are no knobs, it's just an order switcher, it seems a waste to put it in a big box. Because I have no experience wiring pedals I ran into the problem where I didn't know how long to cut the wires, but doing them in situ seems like it'll be even more fiddly and I seem to have developed some kind of palsy (I'm not even kidding, I rather suspect it's all the meds I am on. My hands aren't just shaky, it's more like a constant twitch or tick, rather worrying really). But still, something I did actually worked, which is nice.

After this I will be doing a loop pedal and a switch pedal for my amp. Then a Big Muff. The stuff for the Muff is on it's way, I am doing it on vero board. Will be on the look out for lots of mods for it, too.

[Sibob]

I cut all my wire with the various parts of the pedal in-situ within the enclosure, just means you can cut to the correct lengths and shapes really.
I really hate standard multi-core cable, horrible and super fiddly, get some solid-core cable. But easier to work with and allows you to shape it within the enclosure, makes it much neater (see my gold Trooper Boost build on the previous page for an example).

Si

[KingBollock]

Gonna require the pedal and put it in a box tomorrow. However, I have been struggling to get my measurements right and it has knocked my confidence a bit. Turns out that even the bigger boxes I have won't take four jack sockets and a DC socket on one edge, especially of I plan on using pancake plugs, which I do.

I could do with some advice as to drilling boxes. I have stepped drill bits that go to the size I need and a drill powerful enough. I have covered the box in masking tape to make sure I get all my marks correct. But I am worried I will miss something obvious and cock it up, and these things ain't cheap. So all advice would be welcome, layouts and techniques, that sort of stuff, even if it seems obvious.

For this a pedal I am trying to get 6 jack sockets and a DC socket, 1 footswitch and 2 LEDs, in a box 120x95x32mm. I think it is going to have to be the DC socket and the main in and out jacks on a short end with 2 jacks on each long side. This seems to leave plenty of room but all that space feels wasteful.

[mattyb]

I have an idea for a pedal to build, basically a 1590A mini enclosure with a momentary switch that would simulate an expression pedal fully down then when pressed fully up. Thought behind it would be for a non latching octave up paired into a line 6 M5. Is this possible at all? I tried to just use a tap tempo pedal I built but sadly it didn't work! Any help would be great

[elephantgrey]

[quote name='mattyb' timestamp='1404562662' post='2493755']
I have an idea for a pedal to build, basically a 1590A mini enclosure with a momentary switch that would simulate an expression pedal fully down then when pressed fully up. Thought behind it would be for a non latching octave up paired into a line 6 M5. Is this possible at all? I tried to just use a tap tempo pedal I built but sadly it didn't work! Any help would be great
[/quote]

Im not to sure about what input the M9 takes for expression (as in mono or stereo) so you might have to adapt for that, but an expression pedal works basicaly like a pot, so you could use a momentary switch, in/out on the middle conection, and a pot wired to each end conection, so you are switching between two pots. That way you could set the value when the switch is pressed or not.

[KingBollock]

Well, I've boxed up my first pedal. It's only a footswitch for my amp and I haven't painted it yet, but I was quite nervous about mucking it up, so I am pleased it turned out OK.


There's an EQ On'Off, Amp Channel (Tube/Solid State) and an FX Loop On/Off switch.

Dead simple, but it was the boxing up that I was worrying about, this has got me past that. Turns out that even my dremel and my cordless drill-driver is enough to get through these boxes, which is handy.

The socket on the side is a D-Sub type, which are more secure than using DIN plugs because of being able to screw them in place once I have added the threaded jack posts. It is the same kind of plug that computer VGA monitors use. The amp end of the lead for it has a 7 pin DIN ( which was a massive pain in the bum to fit, reason enough on its own to use D-Subs at the other end).

When I have built all the pedals that I am planning on making, I will make a pedal board. This will include a dedicated send and receive box, which will have:
In/Out jack sockets.

A 25 way D-Sub for receiving DC power from a supply built into the back of my rack, and will connect to phono plugs to distribute the power on the board. It will also contain the voltage regulator and filtering end of each DC output. This way I can send a higher voltage from the rack end and not have to worry about voltage drop in the connecting cable, or any interference it might pick up along the way (though it will be shielded, too). The main reason for doing it this way is so that I won't have AC power running alongside the audio leads in the connecting snake. Also, because I will be using individual transformers for each supply to minimise hum (Though I might use transformers with two secondaries, halving the amount of transformers I need), the unit will be quite large and heavy.

Two 9 way sockets for the amp pedal, one to take the lead from the amp and another to go to the pedal.

I will then make a snake, which I can leave permanently attached at the rack end, making it a quick job to uncoil it and attach the four plugs to the pedal board.

Some of it might seem a bit overboard or pointless, but most of the fun, for me, is in designing and building. If I didn't enjoy that part then I might consider it more hassle than it is worth and not bother. I am not even in a band, so it might never even leave the house.

Edited July 6, 2014 by KingBollock