FET Muff (pics)

[soggybag]

Here's some pictures of a FET Muff that built. This is a project by Jack Orman. It's a Big Muff using FET's instead of BJT's.

I'll post back later on sound. I haven't had time to test it much. So far I would say it has a Big Muffish sound, but the sound is different. So far it I would say it sounds a bit grainier. I imagine the choice of FET's make a big difference. So I'll have to experiment.

The two switches switch the clipping diode in and out of each on Q2 and Q3.

I ran out of 3DPT switches so that is missing for now.

I planned the layout so all of the transistors sit in a row. This way I could use a single length of Milmax header to socket the transistors. Here's a few pictures.

[mdh]

Hey, good to see you back!  I missed your site when it disappeared.  I've been meaning to try your 1590B board for awhile, but I've never gotten my hands on those jacks.  Any chance that the old content will return to your site?

[soggybag]

Thanks, my wife had a baby so I had to put the hobby stuff on hold for a while. My baby is almost 2 now.

I have been trying to get my site back together. The site is there but there is only one post so far. I'll try to add some new stuff in the next few weeks.

http://www.webdevils.com/stompbox/

I still some PCBs let me know if you want some. I'm trying to draw up layouts for all of the effects I made with the board. I want to post these to my site. They could be used with or without the PCB.

[markm]

Hey, that's a good looking build! 

[soggybag]

Thanks, that's a definite compliment coming from you (MarkM). You have a very impressive list of builds under your belt! The PCB helps to keep things neat. I really got into the idea of putting all of the transistors in a row. It seemed to make things fall into a logic arrangement.

[burnt fingers]

Great looking build.  I love the design of that board. 

I too had a toddler running around while trying to do DIY.  He's 5 now so it's a little easier but ifamily does come first.

Scott

[theblackman]

i thought the fet muff was more of a tubey overdrive? i think i'll build one and find out soon!

how do you attach/screw in the 1/4 jacks into your boxes? do they clip in somehow?

[soggybag]

The jacks fit flush against the interior of the box. The nut extends into the jack from outside. There are a few more pictures of the board and the box on my web site.

I get the jacks from Mouser. The Mouser part number is 550-22302. They are made by Nuetrik, part number: NMJ6HCD2. It's a PCB mount stereo 1/4" jack. Here's a link to the parts at Mouser.com

http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=NMJ6HCD2virtualkey56810000virtualkey550-22302

[ambulancevoice]

that pcb/perf temp looks extremely professional, even more so when mounted in the box!

[soggybag]

Thanks, I spent some hours coming up with the PCB design. I had a first prototype made that didn't work very well. But it gave a me a lot of good ideas for the second version.

I had 100 boards printed up. I have built about 20 effects with them by now. It seems to work pretty well. The PCB speeds up the process of making an effect. It also improves a few things in the general design of all effects. It makes for good grounding with the enclosure. It's easy to assemble and disassemble.

I found I was spending more time fitting effects into boxes and adding all of the off board wiring. Adding parts to the PCB was taking less time. If I made each PCB differently then it was a new problem every time I wanted to put it in a box. Now all of my effects fit in the same box. The holes all go in the same place. And I never worry about the wiring for the standard stuff like the switch, jacks, LED etc.

If you want to try one out I have some left over PM me.

[oldrocker]

Nice build.  Where is the schem for that?

[soggybag]

It's one by Jack Orman, it's on his CD. I think it's inappropriate to post it.

Which brings up the question of whether it's OK to post my layout of the FET Muff?

[slacker]

If you're unsure about posting it ask Jack if it's OK first.
The other thing you could do is what people used to do with Doug Hammond's designs where he didn't want the schematic posting. This was to post the layout but with the component numbers off the schematic on it rather than the actual component values, that way you'd still have to have the schematic to build it.
Best thing to do is ask Jack though.