Please give me some reccomendations for my next build!

[jasonled75]

So far I have built an A/B box, a Stratoblaster clean boost, and now a Foxx Tone machine. All of these are from Gen. Guitar Gadgets.
These are great "build by number" kits. I know Im probably not learning as much as if I was perfboarding, but they are great practice and so far have been easy to troubleshoot. So does anyone have any reccomendations for me as a next build? I eventually want to do a tremolo and a delay, but Im not quite sure if Im ready for that. I have a buddy that wants me to build him the ITS8 from ggg with the fat switch and boutique mod but I want a little more experience before I do something for someone else. So hit me with your suggestions i will probably try them all eventually!

Thanks in advance
J 

[philbinator1]

So far I have built an A/B box, a Stratoblaster clean boost, and now a Foxx Tone machine. All of these are from Gen. Guitar Gadgets.
These are great "build by number" kits. I know Im probably not learning as much as if I was perfboarding, but they are great practice and so far have been easy to troubleshoot. So does anyone have any reccomendations for me as a next build? I eventually want to do a tremolo and a delay, but Im not quite sure if Im ready for that. I have a buddy that wants me to build him the ITS8 from ggg with the fat switch and boutique mod but I want a little more experience before I do something for someone else. So hit me with your suggestions i will probably try them all eventually!

Thanks in advance
J 

I just finished a Fuzz face vero recently, and i tried it at band practice tonight on a big rig and it sounded amazing.  but i spose you don't want a fuzz; the Foxx is one right?  so how about a good practical, all-purpose dirt box like the MXR Distortion III, that's gonna be my next build (would've started tonight but i can't find the vero for it anywhere).  If i can't find it i'll do the + with tone knob.  great for when your amps dirt channels shit themselves (like mine did last gig)   

have fun   

[Tonemonger]

I thought it was compulsory to build a Fuzzface ? (And then spend 20 years trying to make a better one !).
Seriously, a Fuzzface is great choice as there is literally volumes of information out there (and right here ) on How they work.
Other great options are the very cool Electra or Trotsky type circuits where You have a single transistor driving a pair of clipping diodes -Just socket everything and You can have hours of fun.

[MikeH]

I eventually want to do a tremolo and a delay, but Im not quite sure if Im ready for that.

Delays can be tricky, but tremolos are probably much easier than you think.  Believe it or not, one of the coolest most versatile trems out there, is also the most bug free.  The tremulus lune works great and even though it has a couple or few more pots to wire up than some other designs, it is actually a rather simple build.  Since the LFO uses opamps instead of transistors like many tremolos, it tends to have fewer problems getting it to work right.  And there's TONs of info on it.  Maybe not for your next build per se, but you're not as far off from that tremolo as you might think.  There's a project file at tonepad.  The only problem is; because it is so awesome, it might be the last trem you build. 

And as far as learning more working with perf vs. pcb, I don't think that's true.  Most learning is done on the breadboard, IMO.

[petemoore]

  Clippers gave me near infinite novelty for a while.
  The tremolo's and phases...hard designs and topologies here, follow the schematic or mod, find the 'one, or two..lol, that you think'll phase you out.
  Yupp, the tones in the middle and of course the ultimate, on the edge but not over, voiced to the rest of the chain fuzz-distorter is something you can make any kind of masterpiece you want out of. It can have 10knobs, or more, it could be a Fuzz Face that gives you a sponge-tone for digging into in various ways which gives the long term kicks.
  You have:
  Jfets, 1 clean 2 ampey 3 dirtness 4 grinderbox 5 Jfets probably has knobs to help tune/tame it.
  CMOS: Does the amp-tone thing quite convincingly, 5v supply and perhaps something driving it [Jfet? Bipolar?]
  Of course the booster can easy be boosters, there's room for 2 pretty easy, right here is a one or other 1rst stage, which of course is a great place to test voicing, with all else, since small changes at this sensative point make sometimes larger changes when say a disto is on down the line.
  Opamps are nice cause they're mostly very precise/clean, then you can have lots of 'easy' gain to work with.
  Supply voltages, divider pots [volume like], permanent voicing and tone controls, cut bass early [or late], let the treble grow and trim it near the end [or tame it early],
  Deal with the oscillations, things you'd like different after changing things, effects order...then try a different speaker or amp...all those careful settings and tweeks go right out with the other gear.
  Speaker and cabinet are 'effects. 
 

[WGTP]

http://www.diystompboxes.com/analogalchemy/sch/vulcan.html

Very Cool distortion.  Lay it out like the schematic.  Also Jfet version.  

[newfish]

Or a Dist + ?

They're very much the fashionable item on this forum right now (  ), and are a simple introduction to working with op-amps.

Simple circuit.  low parts-count.  Great sound - and it's a confidence builder if you're at all put off by 8-pin packages (as I was initially - it looked beyond what could be done).

If you had a breadboard to build one on, you could learn *lots* just changing components to see what does what.

Once you've got into the 'op-amp' frame of mind, your friend's TS8 isn't really that big a leap...

Whatever you decide, I hope it works out for you.

[oldrocker]

I agree a tremolo isn't that hard.  Even a Pulsar is super easy.  Try the Easy Drive or Howie's Metal Simplex for some easy to perf builds.  While I agree that a bread board is a great way to learn and experiment.  Perf boarding will teach you much more than PCB kits.  I bought PCB kits at first but when I started perf building I understood the circuit much better than any kit.  When doing perf you can layout the circuit just like the schematic which makes modifications easier.  Of coarse bread boarding is the best way to mod and experiment since there's no soldering.  But a bread board is set up different.  IC's have to be centered.  Some vertical holes are connected and split into sections.  And power for ground and plus voltage are horizontal and off to the sides at the top and or bottom of the bread board and split into sections also.  So laying out a circuit on a bread board is a different experience from say pad per hole perf building but I highly recommend buying one and learning to use it.  Vero is easy but unless you can make your own layouts your still soldering by numbers IMHO.  I've seen many who won't build a project on vero unless they can find a ready made verified layout. I admit a few of my perf builds I found and used pre-made layouts.  Hey if you can find one use it.  Now making your own PCB's is another great learning experience in itself.  Mine were all hand drawn but they worked out great.  There's many tutorials on making your own PCB'S.  Happy building.

[philbinator1]

I agree a tremolo isn't that hard.  Even a Pulsar is super easy.  Try the Easy Drive or Howie's Metal Simplex for some easy to perf builds.  While I agree that a bread board is a great way to learn and experiment.  Perf boarding will teach you much more than PCB kits.  I bought PCB kits at first but when I started perf building I understood the circuit much better than any kit.  When doing perf you can layout the circuit just like the schematic which makes modifications easier.  Of coarse bread boarding is the best way to mod and experiment since there's no soldering.  But a bread board is set up different.  IC's have to be centered.  Some vertical holes are connected and split into sections.  And power for ground and plus voltage are horizontal and off to the sides at the top and or bottom of the bread board and split into sections also.  So laying out a circuit on a bread board is a different experience from say pad per hole perf building but I highly recommend buying one and learning to use it.  Vero is easy but unless you can make your own layouts your still soldering by numbers IMHO.  I've seen many who won't build a project on vero unless they can find a ready made verified layout. I admit a few of my perf builds I found and used pre-made layouts.  Hey if you can find one use it.  Now making your own PCB's is another great learning experience in itself.  Mine were all hand drawn but they worked out great.  There's many tutorials on making your own PCB'S.  Happy building.

I had some failed builds on perf which shook my confidence, but i never tried perfing straight from the schematic like you said...maybe i'll give that a go.  Cheers for the idea!   

[jasonled75]

Thanks for all the ideas and tips guys! like I said I will probably build them all eventaully.
I think I have decided on my next 2 projects though. Im going with a distortion plus from GGG and even though I just built a fuzz small bear electronics has the learn how to bread board the fuzz face kit. So Im gonna buy a bread board from him and that kit. My buddy who plays is wanting a fuzz so I will probably give him which ever one I like least. To me its not just about getting new pedals for me its more the satisfaction and fun of building something. Besides I work nights so it keeps me from getting bored when Im off and everyone else is asleep.
Thanks again
J

[oldrocker]

Yes Philbinator you're welcome I hope that works for you.  It makes it much easier.
A Distortion Plus is a great pedal to start with.  It's not a fuzz and has nice distortion characteristics that I think you'll like.  Buying a bread board is a necessity and when trying pedal circuits and mods before you commit to soldering is essential.  Good luck on those builds.  P.S. I heard the Fox Tone Machine rocks.  Keep that one.

[jasonled75]

Yeah it sounds good. To me it has a very Hendrixy sound. I let my buddy take it and the clean boost home he is going to do some videos for me for you tube. I will post the addresses when he gets done with them. Well Im off to dream land I got my stuff ordered and it was a long night.
Thanks
J