Author Topic: Please let me know if you have built this project (Read 374589 times)

Phiredog · « **Reply #40 on:** November 20, 2003, 09:19:15 AM »

Hey Aron,

I fiddled around with the transistor a little and now the hiss is gone (well, mostly but a little bit is OK with me). I may not have had it seated well in the socket. Oh, it sounds great by the way!

Thanks for all the help,

Bill

aron · « **Reply #41 on:** November 20, 2003, 12:31:34 PM »

COOL!

smoguzbenjamin · « **Reply #42 on:** November 21, 2003, 11:30:14 AM »

Yay! I built the NPN boost for the second time (first time round I screwed it up) but now it works great! excellent aron, I love it! It sounds a little bassy though, but I haven't implemented the range control yet... :mrgreen:

I was thinking... If you used two diodes (asymettrical to ground) before the output cap, would that give a distortion? 'Cause I have one dud of spare parts lying around here, and I'm thinking of making a distortion out of that. Could I do that?

aron · « **Reply #43 on:** November 21, 2003, 02:10:12 PM »

COol and wow learning already.

Yes, put back to back diode and get a distortion pedal. Put them after the output cap to block DC from hitting the diodes.

smoguzbenjamin · « **Reply #44 on:** November 21, 2003, 05:01:05 PM »

yeah I'm learning, but I got confused back there :oops:

by two diodes back to back do you mean this:
http://scorpius.spaceports.com/~ubermaus/guitar/diodes1.html

or do you mean this:
http://scorpius.spaceports.com/~ubermaus/guitar/diodes2.html

The second example doesn't seem logical to me, but I'm asking just in case. :mrgreen:

aron · « **Reply #45 on:** November 21, 2003, 05:27:13 PM »

Yep, (first one) like this:

Please don't forget my simple mods page:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/cnews/mods.html

smoguzbenjamin · « **Reply #46 on:** November 22, 2003, 04:26:23 AM »

If I wanted to create soft clipping in the PNP boost circuit (I just read richardo X's cook your own distortion), would I put the diodes & cap between the Base and Emitter, or between Base and Collector..?

My brain's saying Base & Collector, because the collector is connected to the output directly... but the Emitter is connected to ground, and there's the 100k resistor from ground to out... I'm confuzzled :?

Oh btw, my new multimeter has a tranny test, and it gives a value that it calls hFE. What does that number tell me?

Kleber AG · « **Reply #47 on:** November 22, 2003, 06:48:42 AM »

Nice, your multimeter will be your best friend with electronis

HFE on the multimeter is suposed to measure the transistors gain, but it's also suposed to be a poor, non accurately measurement, well it works most of the times for me

But it's nice to have a multimeter.
About your question on diodes take a look at this article for some ideas
http://www.smallbearelec.com/Projects/TweakO/TweakO.htm

I'm not the one to answer you onthe diode question, sorry.

Hope you're having fun! Welcome to "StompBoxHollics"

Kleber AG

Lonestarjohnny · « **Reply #48 on:** January 02, 2004, 08:58:40 AM »

Sorry I'm so late in makin a post, But hope you all had a Great Holiday season, I did, My first pedal was Like when the first Son was Born, Back then we did'nt know what it was gonna be, so My first pedal gave me sweaty palms not knowing what to expext, I built my Breadboard tray first, this way I could experiment a little with different transistor's,I got a lot of Great Idea's from Old Post's from the Forum Here, Wow, What a Treasure Trove of a place, My hat's off to Aron and all you Guy's out there doin " Your Thang "
The Boost did Work Right off the getgo, had a few transistor's that were somewhat a problem, mostly just getting the proper Bais, It got me so excited that I went out to my shop and dug out a couple of boxes of Old Military Surplus Transistor's I had been collecting for quite a few year's, more on this later, also a good source for great old transistors can be found in early Japanese Transistor radio's, they were loaded with 5088's,
My next step will be mounting My New Build in a Hammond box and a paint job to give it that " My Pedal " touch.
Thank's Aron, Your a Great guy to share all this great info with all here,
Was fun and I'll be posting a Pic or 2 of the finished project.
Thank's,
JD

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If You don't Dig the Blues, You gotta Hole in Your Soul "

Japy · « **Reply #49 on:** February 25, 2004, 07:47:43 PM »

Hey!

Thanks a lot Aron for leading beginers in the great world of home made stomp boxes

I've built the booster tonight and it worked for the 1st time

I've tried it on cheap ibanez guitar and the sound was really great. There was some noise but I think it'll ok when I'll box the stuff. I'll try it deeper tomorow with a telecaster

I used a 2n2222 transistor and I feel it sounds a bit fuzzy when I crank up the pot! Will another transistor give a warmer sound while having a some distorsion whith the pot @ maximum? Or does it comes from the I/O caps?

List of troubles I had during the building process :

- I forgot to buy the two 100k resistors

I found one on a old unused device but I only found a 120K instead of the 2nd 100k... I put it instead of the 100k resistor wich is between the output and the GND on your scheme. I guess it lowers the output level, nope??
- My input cap isn't a flat green one but a very small orange/yellow one, does that matters??
- The pot is very noisy!! It was the cheaper at the store... I'll buy a better one!

Next step is puting a range control and the upsidedow diodes to make it overdrive. Then bypass and box

BTW, should I change some components to plug my Washburn 5-strings active bass in that booster? The output level of this bass is very high!

Bye

aron · « **Reply #50 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:06:05 PM »

>I've built the booster tonight and it worked for the 1st time

COOL!

>I used a 2n2222 transistor and I feel it sounds a bit fuzzy when I crank up the pot! Will another transistor give a warmer sound while having a some distorsion whith the pot @ maximum? Or does it comes from the I/O caps?

Yes, the 2N2222 gets fuzzy, but I kind of like it. Yes, other transistors will give different tones especially when cranked.

> only found a 120K instead of the 2nd 100k

If it's the output resistor, that's fine.

>My input cap isn't a flat green one but a very small orange/yellow one, does that matters??

Not at all.

>The pot is very noisy!! It was the cheaper at the store... I'll buy a better one!

hehehehe

>Next step is puting a range control and the upsidedow diodes to make it overdrive. Then bypass and box

The range control is very useful. If you make the diodes switchable, that will be even more flexible.

Aron

Japy · « **Reply #51 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:52:51 PM »

> If you make the diodes switchable, that will be even more flexible.
I'd love to!!! Any tips??

Thanks again Aron

aron · « **Reply #52 on:** February 26, 2004, 02:50:29 AM »

You can either put a SPST switch to disconnect the diodes from ground which will remove them from the circuit or use a switch to switch in different diodes.

I would just use a switch to toggle them in and out of the circuit.

sonofdirt · « **Reply #53 on:** April 05, 2004, 04:46:18 AM »

whats up i built this pedal in preparation for building the Maestro Brass Master clone. Hooked it up on the breadboard at it worked the first time, now it's on a perf mounted in an electrical box i picked up @ home depot. All I'm waiting for now is my 3pdt switches to come in the mail and I'll be able to finish this sucker off with all the hardware and a nice finish. This was a great excercise and i'm very happy with the results! So simple yet so cool. It really breaks up nicely in the upper ranges of the pot for a lo-fi distortion; although at the moment I'm getting some interesting RF interference with the pot cranked; it's something i'll have to work on.

I've got a question though about this boost. It is very cool but there is quite a dramatic change in mine when switching the efect on and off even when the pot is at the smallest value. My question is... in this circuit, is the boost supposed to be gradual from original tone to superboost over the range of the pot; or am i supposed to be hearing a major boost like i am even with the knob at the smallest value?

Also, i am a bass player so i am especially interested in DIY bass pedals. The only one i've found so far is the Maestro Brass Master @ generalguitargadgets.com; can anyone reccommend any other links? thanks.

- Brian

smoguzbenjamin · « **Reply #54 on:** April 05, 2004, 10:59:58 AM »

In my build the volume went below unity gain on low pot settings. I belive the 9 o'clock mark was about unity for me. Strange. Did you change any resistor values at all?

lightningfingers · « **Reply #55 on:** April 10, 2004, 03:39:01 PM »

hey aron,
probably too late now, but i just finished mine today.
its great, put it in front of a fuzz or a wah and it really changes what you can do.
recommendation: swap the electrlytics out for tantalums of the same value
and it makes it a helluva lot smoother.
i ended up using a 2n3904, i tried,
2n5088, too much gain drove amp to distortion whaen boost was at max
some germaniums, sounded great but i needed them for something else
i also tried a MPSA13 but it didnt work right (maybe because that ones a darlinton....DUH!!)

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can anyone reccommend any other links? thanks.

try the bass fuzz at runoffgroove. cant recommend this one enough

sonofdirt · « **Reply #56 on:** April 23, 2004, 05:55:19 PM »

whats up, i took some photos of the boost pedal i'm building, check it out:

the enclosure is an electrical box i got @ home depot for two dollars; it has a few predrilled holes but i plan on filling them in with steel epoxy and then painting w/ an enamel finish. all i'm waiting on now is the damn footswitch I got on ebay from some guy that lives in israel, doh!

el mariachi · « **Reply #57 on:** May 03, 2004, 07:02:22 PM »

I just finished the project and it turned out great. Thanks a lot for all the help, I found this site a little late but it was extremely helpful. Looking forward to doing the next beginner project as well.

SlyN · « **Reply #58 on:** May 16, 2004, 05:59:17 PM »

Wow, I am amazed. Even a complete beginner like me can make this pedal. The instructions are remarkable. The help available on this site is great. Thanks for a great pedal.

Now what shall I make next ? A multi-face I think .

Sly

aron · « **Reply #59 on:** May 20, 2004, 03:49:01 PM »

THANK YOU!!!!!

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Author Topic: Please let me know if you have built this project (Read 374589 times)