Thinking of building a fuzz

[thisnameistaken]

I've never built a pedal before and I don't really understand electricity drawings either, but I love Big Muffs (and I cannot lie) and I've always thought it would be nice to have a Muff that can also go gated, and I've always fancied building something.

Anyone think this is a really bad idea? Chances of me actually dying I think are fairly slim, I suppose I could annoy myself to death.

[steve]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1016865' date='Nov 8 2010, 08:22 PM']I've never built a pedal before and I don't really understand electricity drawings either, but I love Big Muffs (and I cannot lie) and I've always thought it would be nice to have a Muff that can also go gated, and I've always fancied building something.

Anyone think this is a really bad idea? Chances of me actually dying I think are fairly slim, I suppose I could annoy myself to death.[/quote]

go for it, have a look at www.freestompboxes.org, they have loads of schematics using veroboard instead of pcbs, which makes things a lot easier and quicker. I can recommend trying a woolly mammoth type clone

[bobbass4k]

It's not too hard to be honest, circuit design is a completely different matter, but just assembling isn't too bad if you know the basics. A GGG kit would be easiest, literally just solder where the diagram says, very little thinking involved, adding a gate could be interesting though.

[thisnameistaken]

Yeah I sold my Woolly Mammoth this summer, I wasn't using it. I do miss my old NYC Muff though, I used to like to crank it and make Robert Sledge noises.

Cheers for the link, and encouragement.

[daz]

I should have a go at this. I have a big kit of electronics components and some 'thingy' board (cant remember what its called now, the board for soldering onto) I also have a soldering iron and some solder, so the only thing stopping me is the layout designs.

[paul_5]

Do it. It's loads of fun and really keeps the old grey matter going. Plus you can still tinker with stuff even when it's "finished"; you can pretty much guarantee that no-one else will sound like you too. Which is nice.
Also the skills that you develop will enable you to fix / mod shop bought stuff should you ever need to.
I used to have a book (came with a floppy demo 45rpm record thingy) called 'electronic projects for musicians' which was cool for loads of hobby/project stuff, which taught me a thing or two about circuit design.

If you fancy I've got a couple of circuit diagrams (Wooly mammoth and Russian Big Muff clones) if you fancy a fuzz project. Arguably this is the place to start, as they're generally not very complicated. Running on 9v also means that they're not going to kill you should you get something wrong (terminal annoyance aside).

[thisnameistaken]

Ooh the Muff might be handy, it was a green Russian I was thinking of building.

Actually do you think the Mammoth schematic might also be useful in working out which bit of the Muff to tweak to get it to do gated sounds?

[bobbass4k]

Circuit diagrams can be tricky to translate into strip/perf board, for a first project i'd definitley suggest using a verified stripboard layout or a pcb, that way if it doesnt work you know you've cocked up in building it and the problem is usually fixable.

[Bottle]

I'd certainly second (or third) the suggestions put forward already, and have a go at one of the Veroboard layouts first, and always get more components than you need (double up on all the cheap stuff like resistors, caps and stuff like that).

Also have some spare, clean stripboard to practice on first, especially if you've never used it. Sharp scalpel/craft knife or small drillbit is essential for making clean, complete track-breaks (practice those too, and check with a continuity tester to make absolutely sure you've broken the track). Some emory paper is really useful for cleaning up older stripboard which might have oxidised. A good soldering iron and good quality solder. Side-cutters and wire-strippers (I used to use my teeth to strip wire until my dentist told me to stop - smart man).

Maplins can sort you out with all the basic parts, tools and boxes you'll need.

My first stompbox was a Woolly Mammoth clone. Not difficult to build.

After that, and if you're happy with the results, you could look at building some clone stompboxes (try [url="http://diystompboxcom.1a-shops.eu/"]DIY Stompbox[/url] or [url="http://www.beavisaudio.com/"]Beavis Audio[/url])

HTH, Ian

[thisnameistaken]

I actually have used that board before where it's all rows of copper strips and holes. I did a GCSE in electronics, I got an F.

In my defense everybody in the class got an F, except Andrew Jackson, whose dad was an electrician.

[daz]

[quote name='paul_5' post='1016970' date='Nov 8 2010, 10:12 PM']Do it. It's loads of fun and really keeps the old grey matter going. Plus you can still tinker with stuff even when it's "finished"; you can pretty much guarantee that no-one else will sound like you too.

If you fancy I've got a couple of circuit diagrams (Wooly mammoth and Russian Big Muff clones) if you fancy a fuzz project. Arguably this is the place to start, as they're generally not very complicated. Running on 9v also means that they're not going to kill you should you get something wrong (terminal annoyance aside).[/quote]

That would be great, if you could wing them on over, what format are they in?

[GarethFlatlands]

Loads of veroboard layouts here:--

[url="http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/DRAGONFLY-LAYOUTS_0/"]http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php...NFLY-LAYOUTS_0/[/url]
Including a very simple bass fuzz on page 3 of fuzz > vero layouts. That should be good to start you off.

[daz]

do you mean the BAZZ FUSS ?

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dazgreen/5164901396/"][/url]

so this is all i need to build my first fuzz box, apart from an actual box of course But thats no prob, I have loads of sheet steel and aluminium in the shed.

Edited November 10, 2010 by daz

[GarethFlatlands]

That's the one, simple as it gets really. A more in-depth look at the pedal is [url="http://www.home-wrecker.com/bazz.html"]here,[/url] including a few variations and diode ideas.

[thisnameistaken]

Where do you lot usually buy components? Do you think Maplin will have everything I'll need?

[GarethFlatlands]

[url="http://www.bitsbox.co.uk"]www.bitsbox.co.uk[/url]
[url="http://uk.farnell.com/"]http://uk.farnell.com/[/url]

You should get most of what you need from these 2. E-ay for the more obscure stuff. [url="http://vibe-o-tronic.co.uk/"]http://vibe-o-tronic.co.uk/[/url] usually has some good stuff selected for guitar pedals too but it's pricy.

[nick]

As above, would recommend Bitsbox for as much as you can get from them.
Maplin's a last resort for me - bad service, overpriced & very little product knowledge.

Regarding, the 3PDT footswitch - Ebay's the best for those, & knobs IMO.

Edited November 10, 2010 by nick

[icastle]

[quote name='daz' post='1016947' date='Nov 8 2010, 09:42 PM']I should have a go at this. I have a big kit of electronics components and some 'thingy' board (cant remember what its called now, the board for soldering onto) I also have a soldering iron and some solder, so the only thing stopping me is the layout designs.[/quote]

<whispers> ...veroboard..?

[icastle]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1016865' date='Nov 8 2010, 08:22 PM']I've never built a pedal before and I don't really understand electricity drawings either, but I love Big Muffs (and I cannot lie) and I've always thought it would be nice to have a Muff that can also go gated, and I've always fancied building something.

Anyone think this is a really bad idea? Chances of me actually dying I think are fairly slim, I suppose I could annoy myself to death.[/quote]

Couple of things that might be useful to note for this and any other projects you might get tempted to do:

1) Make sure any breaks that are needed in the veroboard are done before you start soldering.
2) Make sure you don't bridge the gaps between the copper stripes with solder.
3) Make sure that electrolytic capacitors and diodes are the right way round (capacitors have a + marked on them and diodes have a stripe that is represented by the stripe on the diagram).
4) Make sure transistors are mounted the right way round - on a layout diagram imagine you are looking down on your veroboard - the transistor should look the same way round.
5) If you need a reminder of how to translate resistor colour codes this is a neat little site: [url="http://samengstrom.com/nxl/3660/4_band_resistor_color_code_page.en.html"]http://samengstrom.com/nxl/3660/4_band_res...de_page.en.html[/url]
6) Unpolarised capacitors have a number of different identification methods. If the marking isn't obvious then [url="http://www.csgnetwork.com/capcodeinfo.html"]http://www.csgnetwork.com/capcodeinfo.html[/url] is useful.
7) Semiconductors are heat intolerant (transistors, diodes, chips etc) - use your soldering iron as little as you can get away with. A good rule of thumb for beginners is to solder one "leg" of a semiconductor and then find something else to do for a minute before soldering the next one (stops too much heat building up).
8) A 1N914 diode is the same as a 1N4148 diode in this scenario.

If your project doesn't work when you plug it in and try it - don't panic.
Go back down the list above and make sure you've followed all the points and check the layout of your components on the board to ensure the leads go into exactly the right holes on your veroboard.

Had a quick look at bitsbox.co.uk and they sell all of the components needed for this - reckon on about £10 for the whole lot.

Have fun

[dannybuoy]

Big muff mods:

[url="http://rkerkhof.ruhosting.nl/Taas/Mods/Big%20Muff.htm"]http://rkerkhof.ruhosting.nl/Taas/Mods/Big%20Muff.htm[/url]

There's info on the noise gate mod in there and also the feedback mod comes highly recommended, same as what's in my Supercollider Beast!

[bartelby]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' post='1019382' date='Nov 10 2010, 09:35 PM'][url="http://www.bitsbox.co.uk"]www.bitsbox.co.uk[/url]
[url="http://uk.farnell.com/"]http://uk.farnell.com/[/url]

You should get most of what you need from these 2. E-ay for the more obscure stuff. [url="http://vibe-o-tronic.co.uk/"]http://vibe-o-tronic.co.uk/[/url] usually has some good stuff selected for guitar pedals too but it's pricy.[/quote]


I used [url="http://uk.mouser.com/"]Mouser Electronics[/url], but before they had a UK presence...

[icastle]

[quote name='bartelby' post='1023358' date='Nov 14 2010, 01:26 PM']I used [url="http://uk.mouser.com/"]Mouser Electronics[/url], but before they had a UK presence...[/quote]

Not come across them before.
Big range of components there but some of their components are twice the price of bitsbox unless you are buying 10 at a time.
I'd perhaps use them for the more obscure components that bitsbox don't supply.

[umph]

[quote name='icastle' post='1023458' date='Nov 14 2010, 02:54 PM']Not come across them before.
Big range of components there but some of their components are twice the price of bitsbox unless you are buying 10 at a time.
I'd perhaps use them for the more obscure components that bitsbox don't supply.[/quote]
give bob a message he can order stuff in

[bartelby]

[quote name='icastle' post='1023458' date='Nov 14 2010, 02:54 PM']Not come across them before.
Big range of components there but some of their components are twice the price of bitsbox unless you are buying 10 at a time.
I'd perhaps use them for the more obscure components that bitsbox don't supply.[/quote]


I used them when you had to order from the US, even with shipping they worked out cheaper than buying from UK suppliers.
I did order 20+ of each component at a time though.

Plus they send you a, telephone directory sized, catalogue each year for free. Which helps to quickly find part numbers.

Edited November 14, 2010 by bartelby

[icastle]

[quote name='umph' post='1023472' date='Nov 14 2010, 03:04 PM']give bob a message he can order stuff in[/quote]

I will.
I used them for the first time ever last week, stuff was here the following day and was exactly what I'd asked for... so 10x better than M*pl*n without even trying...