Author Topic: Please let me know if you have built this project (Read 374693 times)

vanhansen · « **Reply #80 on:** September 07, 2004, 09:31:27 AM »

Hey aron,

I put this project together yesterday and have a few questions.

Just so you know, I'm using the 2n2222 transistor, I plan on trying a few others. Any recommendations?

Can a potentiometer other than 5k, say 250k be used? What difference will it make?

Mine seems to be taking away some of the highs when engaged. Why is that? It feels more like a compressor than a boost. I'm not getting much of a boost at all. Any ideas? If you need the tranny voltages I'll post them later.

aron · « **Reply #81 on:** September 07, 2004, 03:28:36 PM »

Very strange. Did you check your battery voltage?

As far as taking away highs, if anything it should be adding. I suspect a miswiring around the 100K, 10K, 47K junction.

I don't think a 250K pot would work at all. It would misbias the transistor. You can try any type of NPN transistor, although I liked the metal can 2n2222 the best for what I had lying around.

vanhansen · « **Reply #82 on:** September 07, 2004, 03:50:57 PM »

Thanks. I'll check the circuit around those resistors. Would a backwards resistor cause this (I can't remember if resistors have to go in a certain direction or not). When I checked the battery voltage coming in to the circuit once it was complete, it was 9.49 volts on my meter. Brand new battery.

I'll let you know my findings. I plan on checking the transistor values too just to be sure they are in the right ranges.

vanhansen · « **Reply #83 on:** September 07, 2004, 10:48:45 PM »

Hey Aron,

I double checked the wiring around the 100K, 10K, 47K junction. All checked out OK. I then remembered something. When I first got everything together, I wasn't getting any signal and thought the transistor was in backwards so I flipped it. Turned out that wasn't the problem though. I had miswired the pot at the board. I got that situated and got sound. Well, I forgot to flip the transistor back around. Once I did that, BOOST!!!!! Wow this is a cool circuit. Can't wait to try out some other transistors in it just to see what they sound like. Now I just have to get the scratchy pot taken care of. But hey, it's boosting now.

aron · « **Reply #84 on:** September 08, 2004, 03:28:42 AM »

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright!!!! Hmmm.... I thought your pinout was correct - I took a look at your picture but I guess I was incorrect.

vanhansen · « **Reply #85 on:** September 08, 2004, 09:32:21 AM »

Picture? I didn't post a picture. I saw several who did, though. Easy confusion. Next up, add the 3PDT switch and box it up. I'll add an LED later.

remmelt · « **Reply #86 on:** September 08, 2004, 09:37:01 AM »

remember: half the fun is in the boxing! make a good one out of it!

lots of inspiration to be had from this forum!

vanhansen · « **Reply #87 on:** September 08, 2004, 09:46:09 AM »

I actually have a box. A few years back I acquired an empty MXR Dynacomp box and I wired it up as a footswitch for my Marshall. I plan on taking that box and repainting it. It's the perfect size and will look good next to my Phase 90.

vanhansen · « **Reply #88 on:** September 10, 2004, 11:06:52 AM »

Well, can't use the old MXR box. Won't fit so I ordered a few from small bear along with a few pots and stuff.

jayp5150 · « **Reply #89 on:** September 19, 2004, 10:33:35 PM »

I just did this Saturday morning. It was my second build. I decided to go ahead and add a distortion channel to it from the start. I used 4 diodes (1N914) to try to keep the level from dropping too much, and to not be so nasty.

I also wired in one of Orman's satuartion controls, but I need to put it on a dpdt mini switch. Since you have a lead to the pot, then one back from it, the switch is only cutting off the input to the saturation control, so the diodes are still kind of in the loop. Because of this, I haven't heard the clean side of it yet, but I'm going to fix it tomorrow, probably.

I also picked up some 1N279 diodes the other day. Are these Ge? I swapped them into my Muffer (the 1st build) when I was boxing it up, and they were quieter than the 1N914, and didn't seem to distort as much. They are also considerably larger (higher voltage capacity?). I figured that since a 1N270 was Ge, that these may be a derivative of those.

Sounds pretty sweet into a tube amp (it was a Peavey Classic 30).

Thanks to everyone for this awesome forum--I'm learning a ton about my new obsession.

aron · « **Reply #90 on:** September 20, 2004, 03:51:03 AM »

Very COOL! I think they are Ge diodes.

Congratulations!

jayp5150 · « **Reply #91 on:** September 20, 2004, 10:57:13 AM »

Thanks!

I found out that they are Ge diodes, but it said that they are high voltage. Does this mean that they break up (distort) less or more?

aron · « **Reply #92 on:** September 20, 2004, 03:54:08 PM »

I have never used these. I couldn't find any info on them.

Try using your meter on the diode function and see if you get anything.

jayp5150 · « **Reply #93 on:** September 20, 2004, 04:20:57 PM »

As a beginner, I am meter-less. Maybe when I get paid...

Thanks for all you help.

siaoguitar · « **Reply #94 on:** October 03, 2004, 08:22:40 PM »

Hi to Aron & all who heard my groaning the last few days about not getting the booster to work, guess what? i've made the NPN booster work!!!! Wow, so happy as a beginner, my confidence has indeed been BOOSTED!
Thank you for all who tried to help, it was my mistake of wiring the battery(-) to the wrong contact, rather it should go to the sleeve, viola! the circuit boosted!

check out the box-up booster, i copied another guy's idea in using a food metal box.The sound is superb, using my neck humbucker, i can do some jazz riffs which was warm and tight!

http://community.webshots.com/album/193638340ZprfOx

Crackpot · « **Reply #95 on:** October 10, 2004, 11:37:18 PM »

Aron,

Built it about a month ago.

I'd been struggling with an AMZ mini-boost and an Orange Squeezer for about 3 months -- first builds and I couldn't get either to work. So, having been beaten to the admission that I actually am a beginner, I decided to try the beginners' project. I spent about two days on it -- making every possible mistake at least twice. Every time I turn the board over I immediately forget what it looks like on the other side -- even with diagrams. But I got it working. And I got a good idea of the kinds of mistakes I'm prone to.

I then perfed an LPB1 -- the simplest circuit I could find at GGG. Got that working and made another -- just to see if it was a fluke. It wasn't. Tried a Fetzer from ROG -- another very simple circuit -- and that worked. Made a signal tracer, went back through the abandoned Orange Squeezer and got it working. Same with the mini-boost. Built another Orange Squeezer with tantalum caps (saw them mentioned somewhere) and moved the trim to the top (I was boxing all of these as I went along -- that's where all the 3PDTs are going). Got a Rebote2 PCB on the For Sale/Trade forum -- soldered it together in an evening and it worked right off. It's easy when you don't have to draw your own layout -- and the PCBs are MUCH smaller than my perfs. A Fetzer PCB was thrown in with the Rebote2 and I'm waiting for my Small Bear order to put that together -- and a Mosfet Boost (another PCB from Sale/Trade). I've given some of the doubles to friends.

I have a handle on the basic skills, now. Thanks -- THANKS -- for walking me through. I'm having a terrific time.

And I'm waiting for the second beginners' project.

rubberabbit · « **Reply #96 on:** October 11, 2004, 10:19:33 AM »

Quote from: jayp5150

As a beginner, I am meter-less. Maybe when I get paid...

Thanks for all you help.

im afraid at my country its gonna cost me more than 50 ringgit malaysia...and even worse if i lose interest in this... :?

pbrommer · « **Reply #97 on:** October 14, 2004, 11:44:35 PM »

WOOOOOOOHOOO. After struggling with my damned Rangemaster a few weeks ago, I somehow got this project and the Rangemaster up and running. Quite a nice little boost. It'll be fun to play with against the Rangemaster - and they both seem like different beasts. Thanks again Aron.

Patrick

KORGULL · « **Reply #98 on:** October 16, 2004, 11:50:16 PM »

Hi,
I finally got around to putting one of these together. It Didn't work at first. I spent at least an hour checking everything over...and over.

Finally found one of the 100K resistors connected to - instead of +. I had checked every connection like 6 times already. It's so easy to keep missing an obvious mistake.

I like an LED indicator and DC Power jack, so I added them into the circuit. I have some DPDT stomp switches - so I tried the bypass circuit that uses a 3906 PNP as shown on Jack Orman's site (didn't have any MOSFETs at the time).It Worked o.k. with battery pwr. but had some trouble getting the LED to turn off when using DC pwr. from a pedalboard (had to add very large series resistor).
After getting the MOSFETs I ordered I changed it to the millennium II which is much better - more stable.

Probably gonna do an octave fuzz next. After that, the "Hornet" - I already have the transistors for it from Smallbear. Can't wait!

.....THANKS for all the great info here. Without this and the other GTR FX 'sites it would be a much longer process to learn to build your own stompboxes.

tambek · « **Reply #99 on:** November 23, 2004, 04:48:07 AM »

sorry, what does this effect do anyhow.. clean boost?

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Author Topic: Please let me know if you have built this project (Read 374693 times)