anyone built a synth?

[choklitlove]

awesome.  thanks!

[choklitlove]

last one hopefully: i can't find Non polarized capacitors.  i thought the other ones were nonpolarized.  what's goin on?

[DiyFreaque]

For some reason, I wasn't able to log in today until now - maybe it was my computer's way of telling me to get off my butt and do something.  So, I breadboarded the Wacky Generator for grins and giggles.  You ought to have a lot of fun with this one, Choklitlove.  I think I'm going to rig a Vactrol across the filter pot and control it with the Wackiness section - ought to be interesting.

Wow C6 is a listed as a non-polarized ceramic cap?  I didn't know such a thing existed.  I used a 1 uF metal film cap obtained from Electronic Goldmine, Part Number G14396 (in fact, I just used that for all the 1 uF's in the circuit). 

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/products.asp?dept=1027&pagenumber=2

Anybody contemplating a purchase from EG ought to snag some of these, pretty cheap and always very useful.  Came in handy today 

In any event, I bet a polarized one would work - if you look at the stripboard layout down the page, they have a polar 1 uF in place for C6.

Cheers,
Scott

[Dan N]

RDV ( a member here) was selling some 1uf film caps. I can recommend both the caps and the service.

[DiyFreaque]

OK, I put the Vactrol across the Cutoff pot - pretty cool!

I created a page for the filter control mod, containing samples (no schematic yet).

http://mypeoplepc.com/members/scottnoanh/birthofasynth/id16.html

Cheerio,
Scott

[choklitlove]

For some reason, I wasn't able to log in today until now - maybe it was my computer's way of telling me to get off my butt and do something.  So, I breadboarded the Wacky Generator for grins and giggles.  You ought to have a lot of fun with this one, Choklitlove.  I think I'm going to rig a Vactrol across the filter pot and control it with the Wackiness section - ought to be interesting.

Wow C6 is a listed as a non-polarized ceramic cap?  I didn't know such a thing existed.  I used a 1 uF metal film cap obtained from Electronic Goldmine, Part Number G14396 (in fact, I just used that for all the 1 uF's in the circuit). 

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/products.asp?dept=1027&pagenumber=2

Anybody contemplating a purchase from EG ought to snag some of these, pretty cheap and always very useful.  Came in handy today 

In any event, I bet a polarized one would work - if you look at the stripboard layout down the page, they have a polar 1 uF in place for C6.

Cheers,
Scott

(1) sorry if i wasn't specific enough.  i was talking about c10.  the parts list calls for 2 "1uF Non polarized capacitors".  of course, i'll be going more towards lorenzo's design which only calls for one.  any further help?
(2) i've been working on re-vamping lorenzo's board a little to make it smaller and to fit my needs more.  i'm not using surface mount switches, pots, or jack, so i think i can get rid of a lot of excess board.  like i said, i've been working on it a little, but maybe someone else could do better?  also, i'm having trouble scaling it.  i want to attach what i have so far, but i can't figure out how (is it possible?).  thanks again for everyone's help.

[Wild Zebra]

  Hey cool mod, Diyfreaque.  Sounds really nice.  Cloklitlove, I thought it would be nice to scale it down alittle,  too.  As of right now can't be of much assistance.  Don't have a comp at home and already spend too much time sneaking on the work comp on this forum

[DiyFreaque]

Thanks, Wild Zebra.  I held off posting a schematic of the mod because I was running the circuit from +15V last night.  I've got it running on 9V now, so I'll work up a schemo and post it on the page.  I also added a groovy 'twang' momentary switch.  It's all pretty simple stuff, keeping in spirit with the circuit, but it's surprisingly effective. 

Choklitlove - any nonpolarized 1 uF cap will work for what you want (I used the same one for all the 1 uF's in the circuit - the one from Electronic Goldmine).  RDV apparently has some, and Mouser sells a plethora of nonpolarized caps.  Voice of experience:  when ordering a cap, make sure you check the physical dimensions of the cap if at all possible.  I've ordered the right value before, only to find upon receipt that the damn this is big as a horse's head.

Cheerio,
Scott

[Wild Zebra]

  Looking forward to the schemo.

[choklitlove]

Choklitlove - any nonpolarized 1 uF cap will work for what you want (I used the same one for all the 1 uF's in the circuit - the one from Electronic Goldmine).  RDV apparently has some, and Mouser sells a plethora of nonpolarized caps.  Voice of experience:  when ordering a cap, make sure you check the physical dimensions of the cap if at all possible.  I've ordered the right value before, only to find upon receipt that the damn this is big as a horse's head.

Cheerio,
Scott

cool.  i already ordered everything.  hopefully, it will all work.  mouser has so many different types of everything, it's hard to freakin tell what you're buying (if you don't know what you're doing, that is.) 
here's what i bought:
-smallbear-
2 Pot Alpha Single-Gang Audio Taper 16mm  (100K) @ $1.25 = $2.50
1 9-Volt Battery Snap   @ $0.35 = $0.35
2 Switch - Slide Alpha DPDT   @ $1.50 = $3.00
1 Capacitor, CDE DME Series, 1 mf. 100 V   @ $0.70 = $0.70
1 LED T-1 3/4 5 mm Clear Tint  (Red) @ $0.25 = $0.25
4 Pot Alpha Single-Gang Audio Taper 16mm  (1Meg) @ $1.25 = $5.00
1 PC Board FR-4 Epoxy Glass 6 in. x 8 in.   @ $4.50 = $4.50
1 Press N' Peel Blue   @ $2.00 = $2.00
6 Black Fluted Silver Center, Small   @ $0.65 = $3.90
  Sub-Total: $22.20
  Shipping: $4.75 (USPS)
  Sales Tax: $0.00
  Invoice Total: $26.95
  Store Credit: -$0.00
TOTAL DUE: $26.95

-mouser-
STOCK NUMBER        ORDERED AVAILABILITY             PRICE  Ext. Price
======================================================================
512-1N914           1       1 Ships Immediately      0.050  0.050

512-2N3904_D10Z     1       1 Ships Immediately      0.080  0.080

140-HTRL16V100-TB   2       2 Ships Immediately      0.080  0.160

505-MKS21.0/63/10   1       1 Ships Immediately      1.050  1.050

512-LM741CM         1       1 Ships Immediately      0.340  0.340

581-08055C471K      2       2 Ships Immediately      0.100  0.200

512-CD40106BCM      1       1 Ships Immediately      0.350  0.350

140-100Z5-203Z      2       2 Ships Immediately      0.120  0.240

140-100Q9-104Z      1       1 Ships Immediately      0.280  0.280

291-100K-RC         1       1 Ships Immediately      0.070  0.070

291-10K-RC          1       1 Ships Immediately      0.070  0.070

291-10M-RC          1       1 Ships Immediately      0.070  0.070

291-1K-RC           2       2 Ships Immediately      0.070  0.140

291-1M-RC           4       4 Ships Immediately      0.070  0.280

291-4.7K-RC         4       4 Ships Immediately      0.070  0.280

291-2.2K-RC         1       1 Ships Immediately      0.070  0.070
Merchandise Amount: 3.730
Shipping: To Be Determined
=================================================================
TOTAL:?


is this all gonna be okay?  it better be.

[Wild Zebra]

  Haven't cross checked your order but, what I've done is used Fuzz Centrals parts lists, because he has taken the time to list the part numbers (for mouser).  Great projects too.  This will at least give you a good starting point.  Also on the Sound Lab page there is a Mouser/Digikey parts list (link).

[DiyFreaque]

Wild Zebra, I've got the mod schemo up at my site, along with samples of the added 'twang switch':

http://mypeoplepc.com/members/scottnoanh/birthofasynth/id16.html

Choklitlove - Looks OK at first glance.  I used linear taper pots on the BB, but audio taper will probably work out fine.

Cheers,
Scott

[toneless]

I've build a previous version of mini synth from music from outer space... Quite an easy project and very interesting. It hooked me to the synth world... Not very usefull for a guitar though...but it can be used as a stand alone instrument.