Since you build them, do you still buy stompboxes?

[AL]

Hey sometimes it's too good a deal to pass up - a few years ago Musicians Friend was selling Snarling Dogs distortions for $20 a pop. That's less than I can build one for - DPDT switch, nice box, jacks - That alone would cost me $20. Most of the time I build but occasionally I just can't help myself.

AL

[Thomas P.]

I bought one since I started building. I avoid buying since I think that pedals are too expensive.
Anyway I guess for long delays times you'll have to buy...

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Yes.
The last effect I bought was an RNC1773 which is not within the reach of DIY.

Hey, you are being too modest Peter, you could do it!!

[StephenGiles]

No. The last pedal I bought was a Univox Microphase back in the mid 70s. I previously tried one out in a guitar shop in London and curiously enough the circuit diagram was inside the box. I remember the day because I bought a couple of Yardbirds bootlegs nearby. When I got home, I found the circuit diagram in my pocket, so I photocopied it before posting it back to the shop and had a go at building the beast. I would not work and I couldn't figure out why, so I saved up the money to buy the pedal and checked the board to the circuit which turned out to be wrong!

The only pedal I have considered buying since is the Boss PH3 for the Barberpole phasing, which is an impossible DIY. I thought I may get it cheaper in Equador, but didn't see it.
Stephen

[puretube]

not impossible...

[MartyB]

Last new pedal I bought was Joe Gagan's Bronto Jr.  Half of my pedals are commercial, but I bought em used - one was a present from my wife.  The rest are diy - these are my favorites.

[jimbob]

Hey sometimes it's too good a deal to pass up - a few years ago Musicians Friend was selling Snarling Dogs distortions for $20 a pop. That's less than I can build one for - DPDT switch, nice box, jacks - That alone would cost me $20. Most of the time I build but occasionally I just can't help myself.

Thats funny cause about the same time i bought 2 of these(Black Dogs) from MF for 5$ a pop--they only had 2 and neither worked due to bad slider switches.. I got them both going and realized its the worst distitortion ive ever heard--and ive heard a lot..So i gutted one and gutted the other a year later..

Turnes out these things have a nice Fulltone 3pdt switch, great enclosure, 2 led's, 3 pots, xtra wire, and lots of xtra things that can be re-used...my jacks werent that great though--cheapo plasic ones...

[mat]

Hi!

Building all the time but last two I've bought was:

http://www.custom-sounds.com/epages/customsounds.filereader?4155ecd90354af7e27410a00090305b6+EN/products/12011

Which is just lovely (only commercial pedal on my board) and

http://www.banzaieffects.com/products/fireball2.htm

which was (sold by now) also great until I figured out the ROG          

mat

[jimbob]

An example--is today i bought a used/broken EH synth and a jeckyl/Hyde overdrive/dist. total i spent but both broken is 20.00. U cant pass that up--btw--this is a true example as of today..I just have to see how broken--but i ussually get'em going..

Still though--tonight its back to building.

[Mike Burgundy]

Sure I stil buy. Guys like Zach, Joe, etc (you know who you are) deserve the kudos for design, effort and general coolness. Some builds are just not worth the effort, compared to list price, or second-hand (lot of Boss stuff). Some stuff is just too much effort (like I'm going to build a digital tuner that does regular tuning and chromatic, both regular "dial" style and strobe style - right) or plain not fun to do. Mucking about with caps and transistor types is fun. Spending three afternoons biasing a (known) circuit/getting it to work is not, IMHO.
Yes I still buy. Yes I do often tinker with what I buy, though
Just bought a JH wah (no flames, I don't like it either) which is going to hold a new wah entirely.

[STOMPmole]

I just bought a Peterson StroboStomp...that build seemed a little bit too complex for DIY IMHO!

The last pedal I purchased before the 'Strobo was an MXR phase 90 reissue...that one was purchased YEARS ago and was one of the 1st reissues made like the old pedals (no jacks directly soldered to the PCB).

Before the MXR I bought a JimmyHendrix wah...that pedal HAD to be one of the worst I've ever heard (no flames intended Mike) and was promptly sent back to MF for a refund.  That started my search for the 'ultimate wah' at which time I purchased a Roger Mayer wah retrofit, Classic Fuzz, and Axis Fuzz.  

Now I'm just getting into building effects as a hobby.  I figured I might as well put my electronics degree to work someplace other than "work".   I'll probably build quite a few more effects before I start buying them again.

[Gilles C]

A proof of what I wrote before... yesterday, I bought a brand new MIC200 preamp from Behringer.  

I ordered one over 2 months ago from a first store who never received it.

They gave me back my money, and after checking with many other stores where they all told me it was hard to order from Behringer  :shock: , I went to a place where they had many in stock  :? and bought one there.

The guy there told me that the problem is that when Behringer announce a new product, they are not ready to ship to every stores who ordered because everybody order at the same time, etc...

So only the first ones who ordered get what they want.

Anyway, that was just to say that I already built a Shaka Tube that was humming and not sounding very good. So it was one time where I decided to buy something that would work well, and check it later against what I will build, when I feel like it  :roll:

For now, I am just thinking about opening the case and taking a look inside...

Gilles

[Alex C]

I still buy them, but only when I can get them very cheap.  This usually means Ebay- I just got a Digitech X-series Hyperphase for $14(US).  Not the greatest pedal, but quite nice for the price.   I also got my DS-1 (for modding purposes) on Ebay for $19.  

I couldn't bring myself to pay full price for most pedals, especially the boutiques, because most are very feasible with the help (advice, schematics, layouts, step-by-step instructions) that is available here (especially the endless boutique FF/TS variations).  I saw no reason to shell out over a hundred to get the Univibe sound when I could build the Neovibe in a $2 surplus box with my own mods and component changes, and everything the way I want.  

So in short, I'll only buy if it's a "must-have" or near impossible to DIY- I'm the same as most others here.

Alex

[jmusser]

Up until about 2000, I had never heard of a stompbox in my life! I had always wondered how the guitar players made their guitars sound like that. I had heard the term "fuzz box" before, but never knew what it meant. I have played bluegrass banjo and dobro for over 20 years, but alway secretly wanted to be a rock guitar player. I learned about pedals, when my friend brought over his vintage Ross Phaser (AC plug model). I wanted a fuzz pedal, (like my hero Randy Bachman), so he suggested I check out Musician's Friend. I bought a Russian Big Muff because it said it had fuzz and sustain (which made me think Randy again), and when I went to put the battery in, I saw a little circuit board with about 12 components on it. I thought, "I paid $65.00 for that"? I had electronics in high school during the 70s and had been in telecomunications for 11 years, so I knew I could build that, if I could find a schematic. I go to the web, and there's Aron's site. the rest as they say, is history. I buy and build, because I'm still learning about effects, and what they are capable of. I will tell you, that when I first brought the Bobtavia alive, that it's a thrill I'll never forget! You can't get that from buying. I am going to by a pedal today as a matter of fact. Muscian's Friend has an Arion Stereo Phaser on sale for $18.00. I'd be out that much for a switch, jacks and pots! Once I get that, I'll eventually build a phaser to see how they compare to each other. After that, I'll move on to the jet phaser. What a sickness this has become, and I still can't play guitar worth a nickel! My next dream, is to build a Tychobrahe, and have Tobias teach me to play it like he did on the sample. I'd give my left nut to play half as well as you guys play on the samples. There's a lot of talent here!

[troubledtom]

i bought a vg-88 v2 last year. diy i don't think so. it has sounds to die for,
at least i think so.
     - tom

[gorohon]

I've bought one since I got into the DIY stuff: Foxrox Paradox TZF (my wallet a-sploded).  If I was gifted I'd like to build my own TZF, but I am not a stompbox god.  I once had an itch to build a Boss Dimension C, but now would just fork over the cash for something like that--saved time and money.

[Ansil]

ibuy when the price is right. or i need to look at how someone did something or i just dont' want to fool with making my own.  for instance afuzz unit.  i freakin hate fuzz but if the song called for it i would rather spend a few minutes modding somehting that already worked than build a fuzz unit i freakin hate transistors cause they are so tiny.

but for the most part i build all my own stuff.

[smoguzbenjamin]

I buy em cheap 2nd hand. If its a bargain I'll buy it :mrgreen: I got a DS-1 for â,¬20 and I love it, and since good enclosures are hard to find in my area, it was cheaper than building one. I might just get another cheapo DS-1 for the pure purpose of the enclosure etc. :mrgreen:

[Torchy]

I just bought a Korg Ampworks G(uitar) model. Only £85 and sounds fantastic thru the amp or the pc. 11 amps and 11 cabs (fx are a bit cheesy though). No way could I get those sounds diy in one box. The AC30 sound blew me away ....

http://www.clicklive.com/korgUSA/sniffer/ampworks_guitar/platform.html

[MartyMart]

Hey Torchy I've had one for a few months, its a very clever design, that REMS technology is very good, the clean amps are better than any other moddeler i've tried and you're right the AC30 is spot-on !

Marty.