[DropKick74]

I Just ordered one and I am totally stoked to build it.
It will be my first build ever and I hope to do a few and then learn to mod some amps
I'm excited and I just wanted CGR to know

Any one have some first timer experience for me to learn from or any general advice at all?

[Griffin]

Have you ever soldered before? The best advice I can give you is to take your time and make sure each solder joint is good (not a cold solder joint and/or there isn't a solder bridge) before moving on to the next. It will take a little longer this way but the pedal will work when you are done as long as you wire it right and don't fry any components. It's better than going through everything trying to figure out where you went wrong.

I've built hundreds of pedals. Trust me. I know.

[metropolis4]

It's a good kit. I built a double one using the GGG PCB that I still use as my overdrive. I'm not sure what kind of advice you're looking for, but here's a few random snippets from different categories

- on the PCB put the lowest profile parts on first

- socket the IC if possible

- Socket the clipping diodes

- Getting the jacks hot enough to attach solder is a PAIN. sometimes scuffing the metal a bit with something like sandpaper can help

- Solid core wire is WAY easier to work with

- Burr Brown IC

- MOSFET is a bit overrated

- The expensive boutique mods are worth it


Hope that helps

[Stratopastor]

3 pieces of advice:

(a) smoke when soldering is normal

(b) smoke when using the finished project is not good

(c) don't inhale the smoke.

[DropKick74]

Cool, thanks guys. The advice your giving is what i'm looking for. just little things that the instructions aren't going to tell me.

What is the IC and what do you mean by socketing it and the diodes

[Griffin]

The op-amp is the 8 legged black box thing. Putting it in a socket allows you to swap out to try different ones but more importantly, it keeps you from overheating it and destroying it.

They make SIL sockets for the diodes that you can snap off a few sockets. This is mainly just to swap out to try different ones/combinations.

I put links on some things so you can see what we are talking about.

[LWatford]

Go slow, follow the directions. Go ahead and print them out and be reading them. JD's a good guy and will answer most any questions you have. The "general build instructions" pdf has lots of good tips.

Here's a good link on the BYOC site with pictures for wiring:
Build Your Own Clone Message Board • View topic - Stephen's tips for a successful build

The PCB assembly will go pretty quickly, the off board wiring is the most tedious part. Take your time and make sure you get good connections. Try to keep things neat. Nothing is worse than trying to troubleshoot a messy build. Tin everything, some sandpaper or a little file will make soldering jacks and pots much easier.

This is one of those kits that has seemingly thousands of options. I'd recommend building it to stock specs first, then seeing what you like and don't like and work from there. If you build it neatly and take your time, you should have no problem changing things around when you're done.

I personally didn't care for the "expensive" mods, and returned mine to the stock values. The second one I built I built without the clipping switch, but added it later.

Oh, and since it's your first build, I'd go with the bigger enclosure. The 125 gets a little tight, the 1590 will give you plenty of room to work.

[DropKick74]

cool, I already ordered it but i got the bigger enclosure thinking it would make it a bit easier with a bit more room to work with.

[LWatford]

Originally Posted by DropKick74

cool, I already ordered it but i got the bigger enclosure thinking it would make it a bit easier with a bit more room to work with.

that's good, the 125 is nice for space, but it gets cramped pretty quick!

[S.B.Nichols]

The 2 best ts mods I know of:
1. Replace the 500k drive pot with a 1m pot
2. Replace the .047uf cap with a .1 uf cap.

[DropKick74]

what does this do for me?

[S.B.Nichols]

The larger pot will increase the gain, the larger cap will reduce (but not remove) the mid hump in the tone.

[metropolis4]

Couple other things I forgot to mention:

- Wire stripping tool is your friend

- Keep your leads as short and neat as possible

- clip everything as short as possible after its soldered (meaning the ends of wires and the legs of components on the board