Hi there ....great forum here. I am a novice at building stompboxes etc. but do have experience soldering electric components. I want a footswitch Stratoblaster and am thinking about buying one of the Stratoblaster kits you can get from GGG. How long should I aniticipate it taking to building one of these ....and are there recommendations for improvements in components. I have a vintage Stratoblaster in my old Strat ...love it and do not want to pull it out.....so a floor based one for my other guitars is of interest. I see these for sale by some already built but if I can do it, learn something, save some $$ and maybe improve on it I am interested ....as long as it doesn't take me two days to build LOL. Thx everyone.
I generally take the extra 20 minutes to test the circuit board.
I have a testjig with wire/clips for Gnd. in and output.
Put the heavy offboard stuff on last, testing the circuit board outside the box IMO saves time if averaging effects, ie it tends to prevent the mounting of a problem inside.
Otherwise, if every orientation and polarity is correct using one of JD's verified circuits in kit form, chances are very good it will fire right up.
Assembling could be a little over an hour [for experienced builder], but if it's a 'firsty', I would say savor any pains taken to the extent it is studied closely the
entire way.
Being as this is my first ...and who knows possibly last of DIY projects.... besides a good soldering gun .....any other tools that I should definitley have to do something like the blaster kit?
Solder, solder sucker, third hand, tweezers, something to cut wires & stuff, light, time, patience. ;)
An audio probe , a DMM , a magnifying glass is also pretty useful.
make sure you have a pencil tip for your solder iron
Quote from: headrc on September 22, 2010, 01:51:01 PM
Hi there ....great forum here. I am a novice at building stompboxes etc. but do have experience soldering electric components. I want a footswitch Stratoblaster and am thinking about buying one of the Stratoblaster kits you can get from GGG.
just curious...is this the one?
(http://www.freeinfosociety.com/electronics/schematics/audio/pictures/alembicstratoblaster.gif)
? Don't see a link
Quote from: headrc on September 24, 2010, 12:04:06 PM
? Don't see a link
sorry, it must've been blocked or they disallowed outside linking (but it's weird, as I reload the image appears & disappears randomly).
here it is:
(http://www.demonsdisks.com/pics/alembicstratoblaster.gif)
I built one a few weeks ago. Not to bad. Works great. The 3PDT switch was popping through the amp. So I pulled it out and built a Wicked Switch that the Tone God designed. Works great!...makes no noise. That being said, it's definitely a pretty straightforward build.