building pedals

Chups01098 · 03-08-2010, 06:20 PM

hey guys im kinda interested in starting to build my own pedals. i dont know muh about electronics, but i have a soldering gun and can kinda use it. does this seem like a good first build if i can get all the parts and stuff?

AMZ Mosfet Booster Guitar Effect

thanks,
Nathan

i know nothing about building though! do i need a "pcb board" or whatever its called, or do i just hook a bunch of wires up?

any help or links to where a beginner could learn about building?

S.B.Nichols · 03-08-2010, 07:15 PM

For a project like this you'd need some strip board and parts. My suggestion is go to generalguitargadgets.com....they have an MXR microamp kit that comes with everything you'd need. It's not an AMZ boost, but it'll give you a nice boost and an introduction into pedal building. Also, BYOC has a confidence boost kit for 15 dollars, but it doesn't come with an enclosure or switch, It's designed to give you a quick overview of building.

Chups01098 · 03-08-2010, 09:35 PM

could i just buy a case, a 3pdt switch, some jacks, a led, some pots, and whatever else from Pedal Parts Plus, Inc. and then just buy a PcB or whatever its called board from like tonepad or GGG? Atleast for my first one? Because thats cheaper that way then buying a kit.

But i want to learn how to make the board itself, and not buy the kits. I want to learn how I would make a pedal from scratch if I had all the parts, with no "premade" parts like the boards made for certain projects

**thesteve** · 03-08-2010, 09:50 PM

Wanting to learn is good, but I think one great way to do that is to start with the kits (or at least with the instructions from kits) and study them so that you get an understanding of how/why each of the components works.

On top of that, if you've never soldered pedal components, kits are a great place to start because if you do them right they will work.

Chups01098 · 03-08-2010, 09:56 PM

Is there a cheaper way though? Because those kits get kinda expensive, so i'll atleast want something that might be usable for the money haha.

What all parts would I need for this one?

AMZ Mosfet Booster Guitar Effect

Or would it not even be worth it to buy the parts seperately?

Because I could buy the board for that for like 12 bucks,
then parts seperately on that pedal parts site.

Your opinion?

or what about something like this?

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/...ulldrive_2.jpg

**thesteve** · 03-09-2010, 02:11 AM

Parts are dirt cheap. If that's the route you decide to go, you could probably order all of the parts for that AMZ Mosfet Booster for less than $30. That's factoring in the fact that you'll pay $12 for the board and somewhere in the $5-$7 range for the case (which you could also purchase through Pedal Parts Plus). Of course, you'd need to do some modification of that circuit if you wanted the effect to have an indicator LED. I would probably just do it with a 3PDT and try to adapt a true bypass design to the circuit instead of the existing buffered bypass.

I'm not sure how the AMZ Mosfet Booster compares, but if you're looking for a starter kit to work on and don't want to shell out a ton of money, I would check out the CB1 kit at General Guitar Gadgets. Also note that you can do the same thing with GGG as you would with AMZ, that is, buy the PCB and order the parts separately (I've considering doing this with a couple GGG pedals). At $38 I don't feel like you're paying a substantial increase for the GGG CB1 as you would for the PCB and an individual parts order for the AMZ pedal.

pooleman0 · 03-09-2010, 07:55 AM

I would start with a simple True-Bypass A/B switch. It is the easiest pedal to build and a great place to start. Check this out Tech, Tips, and Answers. Then click on "Build your own A/B box." All you need to do is buy 1 enclosure, 3 1/4 inch jacks, 1 9V power jack, 2 LEDs and 2 resistors. You can get all this stuff at Radio Shack or order it online. It's super easy.

Chups01098 · 03-09-2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

Parts are dirt cheap. If that's the route you decide to go, you could probably order all of the parts for that AMZ Mosfet Booster for less than $30. That's factoring in the fact that you'll pay $12 for the board and somewhere in the $5-$7 range for the case (which you could also purchase through Pedal Parts Plus). Of course, you'd need to do some modification of that circuit if you wanted the effect to have an indicator LED. I would probably just do it with a 3PDT and try to adapt a true bypass design to the circuit instead of the existing buffered bypass.

I'm not sure how the AMZ Mosfet Booster compares, but if you're looking for a starter kit to work on and don't want to shell out a ton of money, I would check out the CB1 kit at General Guitar Gadgets. Also note that you can do the same thing with GGG as you would with AMZ, that is, buy the PCB and order the parts separately (I've considering doing this with a couple GGG pedals). At $38 I don't feel like you're paying a substantial increase for the GGG CB1 as you would for the PCB and an individual parts order for the AMZ pedal.

Ok hows this plan sound. First I buy that confidence boost thing of BYOC, just to get a feel, then I buy the parts for the mosfet booster, but with a 3dpt switch instead right?

I get all my stuff, I do the confidence boost first to test ma skills, then I start on the booster. Once I get the stuff for the booster, could you or someone else give me an idea of how to add a led, and how to true bypassalize it?

Thanks

Dangit the confidence boost is out of stock. I might just get all the parts for that a/b switch as a first thing, then try the mosfet boost

And with the fulltone a/b box thing, how would i set it up to use an battery instead of an adapter?

Ok how is this shopping list for my first a/b pedal

Code Product Quantity Price/Ea. Total
1009 Enclosure 1290 {similar to Hammond 1590B} UNFINISHED $5.75 $5.75
5512 Yellow LED's (3mm) $0.40 $0.40
5007 Yellow LED's (5mm) $0.40 $0.40
5504 Red LED's (3mm) $0.40 $0.40
5004 Red LED's (5mm) $0.40 $0.40
6001 Neutrik Stereo Jack 1/4 in. open frame (All Metal) $1.25 $1.25
6000 Neutrik Mono Jack 1/4" open frame (All Metal) $1.15 $2.30
9000 (CLIFF) 3PDT True Bypass Switch $4.00 $4.00
2001 9 Volt Battery Snap $0.35 $0.70
2020 #24/7 Orange Wire per ft. $0.15 $1.05
2003 #24/7 Black Wire per ft. $0.15 $1.05

Comes out to about 17.70. I just ordered it. You think this is all i'll need for the first one?

pooleman0 · 03-09-2010, 11:56 AM

The two wires that go to the power adapter would instead go to the battery. You can buy one of those little 9V battery connectors and Radio Shack for like a dollar. the problem is that it will alway be on. So you will have to put an on/off toggle switch between the negative terminal on the battery and the 3PDT.

Chups01098 · 03-09-2010, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pooleman0

The two wires that go to the power adapter would instead go to the battery. You can buy one of those little 9V battery connectors and Radio Shack for like a dollar. the problem is that it will alway be on. So you will have to put an on/off toggle switch between the negative terminal on the battery and the 3PDT.

DANGIT! I thought I ordered everything I needed. Now im not just gonna order a cheap switch and pay five bucks shipping so i guess im headed to radioshack soon haha.

Any help on how I would wire this switch?

pooleman0 · 03-09-2010, 12:04 PM

OK forget that last post. I think you can wire that battery to the stereo input jack so it only comes on when a cable is plugged in. But I would steer away from this. SO actually, you can follow the post above. I used only mono jacks on my A/B. And it is powered my my Voodoo Labs Pedal Power. What I like about this is that the A/B can work in one of two ways, you can have one guitar plugged in and route the signal to two different destinations or you can have two guitar plugged in and have them routed to the same place. Then you can just switch between them with the stomp switch. Of course I guess that can work with the Stereo jack. I just found it easier to build it with the DC jack instead of the battery. You could build it with the DC jack, and then just take a battery and wire it to a 2.1mm plug. Then you can just plug in the battery to the DC jack.

Chups01098 · 03-09-2010, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pooleman0

OK forget that last post. I think you can wire that battery to the stereo input jack so it only comes on when a cable is plugged in. But I would steer away from this. SO actually, you can follow the post above. I used only mono jacks on my A/B. And it is powered my my Voodoo Labs Pedal Power. What I like about this is that the A/B can work in one of two ways, you can have one guitar plugged in and route the signal to two different destinations or you can have two guitar plugged in and have them routed to the same place. Then you can just switch between them with the stomp switch. Of course I guess that can work with the Stereo jack. I just found it easier to build it with the DC jack instead of the battery. You could build it with the DC jack, and then just take a battery and wire it to a 2.1mm plug. Then you can just plug in the battery to the DC jack.

how would I wire it to the stereo jack?

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/...bc35a68d4e7b6d

this is the build im going off of.

And I dont want to just have a battery sticking out the side plugged into a dc jack. I'm wanting to skip the dc jack thing altoghether and just have it battery powered.

**thesteve** · 03-09-2010, 12:08 PM

I noticed you ordered 4 LEDs and no resistors.

Chups01098 · 03-09-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

I noticed you ordered 4 LEDs and no resistors.

I ordered 4 because I didnt know whether 3mm or 5mm so i got both. Leds always come in handy for stuff anyway. And i've got a big mixed pile of resistors in my room, full of different measurements or however they work. Huge pile like 500 various ones. I just download a calculator online and do it to use them.

Ok so I went to the radioshack, and got a new solder tip cuz mine is bad. I also some some little pcb boards that are blank. They say "printed" i dont know what that means. Is this how you start to make a pedal from scratch? The pcboard? Then what else is needed in it? Caps, resistors, what else? I mean for the inside, not talking enclosure and jacks and switches. but for the guts of the pedal, what all goes on the board? And could you use just a blank board like this for making pedals?

sorry lots of questions but i need help

pooleman0 · 03-09-2010, 01:56 PM

You can use a board. But for that A/B switch no board is needed. I solder the resistors directly to the LED leads. Then I solder wire directly from the 3PDT to the jacks and LEDs. You can solder the end of a wire right to the resistor. On the A/B I made I soldered the resistors right from the DC jack to the LEDs. No board, no wire. The board just keeps a lot of components neatly organized. With a build this easy don't even wast time with the PCB, unless you just want the practice.