a quick question about the ugly face.

foxfire · August 29, 2007, 07:35:36 PM

so i'm going to build an ugly face(my first time using ic's and what not) using Carrejans's layout. being that it is one of those weirdo pedals i wanted to ask if there is anything i should know about it? like are there any mods for it or should i build it on a larger board so i can easily though some little trem circuit or whatever in front of it? you know stuff like that? how do you use it type of stuff?

thanks for any feedback.

oldrocker · August 30, 2007, 10:16:30 AM

All won't agree with me but what did on mine is I made my own optoisolators. I used the yellow LED's from Radio Shack which work best IMHO and the LDR from the RS multi pack with a resitance at about 200k wrapped in black shrink tubing.

foxfire · August 30, 2007, 10:19:40 AM

ok cool cause thats kind of what i was gonna do till i could order the optoisolator. so it's nice to have some suggested values/parts.
thanks

$uperpuma · August 30, 2007, 07:29:49 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgLE6dE-X4M

this is what it sounds like with a trem.

foxfire · August 30, 2007, 08:02:22 PM

well i just put one together and the only sound i get is osculation if i turn up the threshold. i used a lm386n and a home made optoisolators. the ldr does change the sound but the led doesn't lite at all.

oldrocker · August 30, 2007, 08:33:32 PM

This seems to be a common problem. Try swapping the leads on the LED.

foxfire · August 30, 2007, 08:41:33 PM

did that and tried a few other leds. just can't figure why i'm not getting any signal threw it?

foxfire · August 30, 2007, 10:07:11 PM

so it would seem as though everything work accept that i don't get any guitar out of it? i can get it to squeal and change or control the squeal but unless i turn my amp up all the way(and it is still way below unity) i can't hear any guitar at all. anyone run in to this before?

oldrocker · August 30, 2007, 10:16:54 PM

Maybe try an audio probe. Trace the signal and that's probably why the LED isn't lighting up.

soggybag · August 30, 2007, 11:39:18 PM

The LED should only add the envelope effect. The LED will only change the frequency.

The Ugly Face should be really loud. If you are not getting much signal there something wrong elsewhere.

Use the Audio probe at pin 5 of the 386. If you are getting some loud distorted guitar here you know the preamp is working.

Next try the audio probe at pin 4 of the 555. You should be getting the same guitar signal.

Check the voltage at pin 5 of the 386, should be ~9v. Then pin 8 of the 555, should be the same.

GREEN FUZ · August 31, 2007, 03:58:43 AM

Quote from: foxfire on August 30, 2007, 08:02:22 PM
well i just put one together and the only sound i get is osculation if i turn up the threshold. i used a lm386n and a home made optoisolators. the ldr does change the sound but the led doesn't lite at all.

This sounds similar to the problem I had with this circuit. Check your offboard wiring. Turns out I had the input wires reversed. If you`re lucky the solution will be as simple as that.

foxfire · August 31, 2007, 07:20:26 AM

Quote from: soggybag on August 30, 2007, 11:39:18 PM
The LED should only add the envelope effect. The LED will only change the frequency.

The Ugly Face should be really loud. If you are not getting much signal there something wrong elsewhere.

Use the Audio probe at pin 5 of the 386. If you are getting some loud distorted guitar here you know the preamp is working.

Next try the audio probe at pin 4 of the 555. You should be getting the same guitar signal.

Check the voltage at pin 5 of the 386, should be ~9v. Then pin 8 of the 555, should be the same.

i've got only 1.193v on pin 5 of the 386 and 8.91v on pin 8 of the 555.

carrejans · August 31, 2007, 07:32:24 AM

I see you're using my layout. Note that I haven't tested the layout. (I haven't found the time to build it)
I doublechecked everything; but you never know...
I made the layout on the smallest possible size, so it will fit in my guitar. On the layout is only a DPDT switch, because I'm going to build it into my guitar, so I don't need a LED. But some members suggested me to use a 3PDT, because otherwise it will make a lot of noise. (especially because the board is so close to my coils)
Hope you will find a solution for your problem.
Maybe you should try the VTL5C3 in stead of a home-made one.
Good luck!

foxfire · August 31, 2007, 12:52:11 PM

well i just did a quick comparison between your layout and the one at runoff groove and i didn't see anything out of place. how careful do i need to be with the chips? are they super sensitive to static and whatnot? I'm using sockets so I'm not worried about cooking them.

foxfire · August 31, 2007, 05:26:37 PM

ok so i got it working and as far as i could tell everything was working as it should but, the 555 overheated and shut it down o i put another one in and it also overheated. any suggestion a to why?

foxfire · September 01, 2007, 10:44:19 AM

well 2 of the 555's that i tried overheated and the third one never worked. 1 of the ones that over heated still works but, not entirely. you can't get the space gun sounds so i guess something inside was damaged and so far the other one is working just fine. i also tried a 555cn from radio shack and it more or less works, it just didn't get as extreme as the tlc555cp's. oh and the reason it didn't work in the first place was that i forgot a trace to ground, i think i also had a sloppy solder. so i guess you can say that Carrejans's layout is verified. also i did use a 5mm yellow led and a ldr in place of the vtl5c3 and it works just fine for me. thanks again for helping me though it.

p.s. what a weird god damned pedal!

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a quick question about the ugly face.