2: The Schematic and parts list

[X_unknown13_X]

Resistors:10k x2, 100k x2, 47k
Caps: .1uf(non-polarized), 10, 22, & 42uf(polarized)
Pot: 5K
Trans:NPN

Check this pcb and tell me if its right.
I wanted to try and make a pcb out of it.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=U8MNX44U

[12milluz]

try uploading it to imageshack.us or flickr or photobuck...its easier than having to download it!

[X_unknown13_X]

try uploading it to imageshack.us or flickr or photobuck...its easier than having to download it!

Exporting an image on Express PCB doesn't show  the wires

[12milluz]

oh sorry i thought it was an image file

[X_unknown13_X]

oh sorry i thought it was an image file

naw, PCB express. so you can modify it and send it back.

[james9]

are the 22 uF capacitor and the 10k resitor connected or does the diagram just make it look like the 100k the 10k the 47k and the 22uF are connected

[aron]

>100k the 10k the 47k and the 22uF

All are connected.

[red5ive]

I have learned so much from this thread in the last week. Thanks guys.  Everyone here is awesome.

Is any NPN transistor okay or do I need a specific wattage? The one offered on Radio Shack .com is a 600mW. Is amperage or resistance a concern also?

[macaroni]

Hey guys, i'm new here and i'm going to do this build as a starting point but i got a question.

For the Capacitors, there are 22uF 400v, 22uF 500v and so on, which one do i get? or does the voltages dont really matter?

thanks

[12milluz]

I have learned so much from this thread in the last week. Thanks guys.  Everyone here is awesome.

Is any NPN transistor okay or do I need a specific wattage? The one offered on Radio Shack .com is a 600mW. Is amperage or resistance a concern also?

Those should work fine. I used these: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062586&cp=2032058.2032230.2032279&allCount=27&fbn=Type%2FTransistor&f=PAD%2FProduct+Type%2FTransistor&fbc=1&parentPage=family

Happy building!

[GravityRobert]

Is there any way I could use a dc jack instead of a 9v battery? Does the pedal use a lot of energy or is it ok to run it for a while on a battery alone? My only other effects pedal eats 9 volts for breakfast 

[12milluz]

I refer to this: http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/StompboxWiring/

[missing_dave]

carbon comp,metal film??  (im using small bear)

also (and was asked earlier by someone)  has anyone found a low gain transistor?? would like this to be as clean of a boost as possible...



  also a big thanks to aron and all of you for this wonderful thread and help

[aron]

Any type - try metal film. I think the distortion that you hear is more of a function of the voltage limits if you use 9V.

[missing_dave]

Any type - try metal film. I think the distortion that you hear is more of a function of the voltage limits if you use 9V.

thank you for the response aron...well i havent heard anything yet..parts are on order was just reading alot and the boost has some grit to it?? not a bad thing at all but was just thinking ahead as far as trying to order all the possible parts in the one order. but reading your post gets me thinking that if i use higher rated (voltage) parts  i could potentially run the pedal at a higher voltage say 12 or 18 to get more headroom???or does the dc jack get a treatment the opposite as say the step down for leds?or am i way ahead of myself? i have a feeling i am and its not that easy.. thanks

[adam11]

Hi

starting to build this project. Getting all my parts at the mo.
I have a few (nooooooob) questions though. most fairly general.

Is there a particular reason you favour the .1uF Film cap? (over ceramic(?))

What exactly does the battery power? Leds resistors etc?

Would it be easy to wire up a power socket for standard ac/dc transformer thingy to replace the battery?

5K linear pot - are you better with a logarithmic pot? are they much harder to find/more expensive?

The only difference between switches is the number of terminals they have? In theory you could use an SPDT or DPDT in place of a 3PDT or even 4PDT, but it would just be more crowded?

What ther hell is a transistor (ie what does it do?)

Thaaaaanks

[12milluz]

Hi

starting to build this project. Getting all my parts at the mo.
I have a few (nooooooob) questions though. most fairly general.

Is there a particular reason you favour the .1uF Film cap? (over ceramic(?))

What exactly does the battery power? Leds resistors etc?

Would it be easy to wire up a power socket for standard ac/dc transformer thingy to replace the battery?

5K linear pot - are you better with a logarithmic pot? are they much harder to find/more expensive?

The only difference between switches is the number of terminals they have? In theory you could use an SPDT or DPDT in place of a 3PDT or even 4PDT, but it would just be more crowded?

What ther hell is a transistor (ie what does it do?)

Thaaaaanks

Hi! Welcome to FX building!

Generally, film caps have a smoother sound than ceramic, although they are interchangeable.
The  battery powers the actual circuit as well as the LED. The battery is essential to make the boost happen. A passive circuit would not boost at all. As for the transformer, it would take up a lot of room. Most people create a power "brick" which they use to power all of their effects. Putting a transformer and such in each pedal would not be piratical. I would go with just the linear, although I don't know much about pots. As far as switches, the 3DPT is the easiest for bypass with a status LED. You could use a DPDT which a circuit that would enable use of the LED, but the 3PDT switch is much easier. Crowding the lugs of the switch and substituting in lugs for the others will not work. A Transistor actually  makes the boost. It adds the power to the circuit and deals with that sort of thing. It is essential in this circuit. Hope this helps!

Anthony

[rocknrollrob]

**WARNING** - NOOB incoming...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh (splat)

Allrite guys hows it going?
Got a few noobish questions to ask if that is OK?

1.  I always thought electrons flowed from the negative of a battery (- charge means they flow from + to - ?)  So that would mean that the power in this circuit would be coming from the ground?  But many circuits have diodes in them on the way to the ground...

Please explain

2.  Why do you put the pot right before the ground?  Doesn't this make it so that the signal would not be affected between the input and output?  Heck why are any of the resistors that go to the ground there?

3.  What's the capacitor doing in series with the pot?  Is this to preserve tonal quality of some kind?  How does it do this?

4.  When you tell me you can't answer 2 / 3, what book should I get to explain it?  I am interested in how exactly these circuits do what they do (please don't say magic)

5.  Did you guys learn this by reading or just experimenting like crazy? 

6.  If I'm going down the mega experiment route, is the maplin GCSE started pack + some pots + input / output + a 3pdt    what I will need to get going?


Thanks a lot,

Rob

 

[12milluz]

I can't really answer your questions, for the most part I'm as lost as you, however, take a look at this: http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/HIW/hiw1.gif
It helped me understand things. And while the circuit is not the exact same, the principles remain the same.

[adam11]

Hi

starting to build this project. Getting all my parts at the mo.
I have a few (nooooooob) questions though. most fairly general.

Is there a particular reason you favour the .1uF Film cap? (over ceramic(?))

What exactly does the battery power? Leds resistors etc?

Would it be easy to wire up a power socket for standard ac/dc transformer thingy to replace the battery?

5K linear pot - are you better with a logarithmic pot? are they much harder to find/more expensive?

The only difference between switches is the number of terminals they have? In theory you could use an SPDT or DPDT in place of a 3PDT or even 4PDT, but it would just be more crowded?

What ther hell is a transistor (ie what does it do?)

Thaaaaanks

Hi! Welcome to FX building!

Generally, film caps have a smoother sound than ceramic, although they are interchangeable.
The  battery powers the actual circuit as well as the LED. The battery is essential to make the boost happen. A passive circuit would not boost at all. As for the transformer, it would take up a lot of room. Most people create a power "brick" which they use to power all of their effects. Putting a transformer and such in each pedal would not be piratical. I would go with just the linear, although I don't know much about pots. As far as switches, the 3DPT is the easiest for bypass with a status LED. You could use a DPDT which a circuit that would enable use of the LED, but the 3PDT switch is much easier. Crowding the lugs of the switch and substituting in lugs for the others will not work. A Transistor actually  makes the boost. It adds the power to the circuit and deals with that sort of thing. It is essential in this circuit. Hope this helps!

Anthony

Hello!

That's wonderful ta.
And the power brick is what i meant there. You can just wire up a (2.1mm?) socket in place of the battery snap which you could connect to the power brick?

My understanding is that logarithmic pots are often preferred over linear because they react with the ear more smoothly. ie the ear(s) hear logarithmic sounds as linear. They're more expensive and harder to find though?