Help with Schematics

[fawkes89]

I am very new to making stomp boxes and have been comparing the schematics to many of the popular od pedals. I see many like qualitys between pedals but I really just need someone to point out with parts of the schematics represent the different functions. (sorry if any of my questions are ignorant) Take for example, the boss od-1. Right before the first opamp on this pedal there is a 4.7k resistor and a .047 cap going to ground. the circuit then goes directly into the IC. Is this the lowpass filter? I guess i just need some clues and tell tale signs of identifying which parts of the board determine low end, highend, disortion, where tone is controlled and where a pot would go to adjust this, etc. Really any piece of info that you found helpfull when starting out would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a ton!

[R.G.]

Try taking a look at the "Technology of the..." series of articles at http://www.geofex.com.

[fawkes89]

You sir are the man

[Electron Tornado]

Welcome to the forum and this addict...er, um, hobby.

R.G.'s articles are great, go read them. Here are some others as well:

http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/SchematicToReality/

http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/HIW/hiw1.gif

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/richardo/distortion/index.html

[LucifersTrip]

firstly, since you're new, I would suggest a smaller (< 20 components) project than the Boss OD-1

after you breadboard it, swap out every resistor for a pot one at a time and listen to the effect. swap out every cap for smaller & larger ones and listen to the effect.

you will also start to realize that some of the larger designs are made up of many of those smaller designs.

[fawkes89]

Ok now I know that the low pass filter comes after the gain stage and before the tone stage on a od-1. Thanks for all your help guys. I was psyched to find this forum and Im even more psyched now that I have seen how much help you all are. Thanks again. Oh and i totally agree about starting on something smaller first. I was thinking maybe a copy of the LPB-1 booster. There are much fewer parts in that pedal.

[Electron Tornado]

Here are some other very simple projects as well:

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/richardo/perfboard/index.html

http://www.forrestwhitesides.com/node/26