Please help newbie with Smash Drive

[Johnnie D.]

Hi,
May I begin by acknowledging my appreciation of you all.
Aron this is Awesome!
I am going to build Killer Version B. http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/TheBigMan-Layouts/smashdrive.gif.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1
I know, relative to most of you, I am totally retarded, but would you please tell me where to hook the speaker wires?
I guess treble lug 2 is positive to speaker then do you take the negative to ground?
Should I use a 4 ohm speaker?
Do I need to shield this in a metal enclosure?
Thanks in advance and YOU GUYS RULE!!!

[aron]

The Smash Drive is a distortion pedal, so you connect it to the input of your amp. Yes, it's best in a metal enclosure.

[petemoore]

  You can check out the LM386 data sheet, and ROG for the Little Gem amplifiers.

[Johnnie D.]

Sorry,
I started looking for a little amp to build and came across the Smashdrive and still had it in my mind it was for that.
From what I have read since about it, this pedal is great to add a metal sort of gain boost.
I'm going to build it as a pedal.

[Johnnie D.]

O.K. I got the board and off board wired and it sounds awesome. Aron this rules!!!
Do the pots on Killer version B look like their going to the right place here  because my volume isn't changing.
Have you seen the wiring for the pots here  would it be better to do it this way? I'll send a pic soon as I get it together.
DIYstompboxes.com ROCKS!!!

[aron]

That GGG layout should work, but what is it doing on another server??

[biggy boy]

That GGG layout should work, but what is it doing on another server??

The pictures open up a Porn site window When I clicked on the pictures
I'll never be the same again.
Not sure what that young lady was planning on doing with that rather large cucumber.

[Ben N]

Oh, d-d-d-d-d-dear!

[Gregory Kollins]

Oh that is truly wonderful.

That layout does not appear to have a volume pot. You'll have to add one, but that is super easy. Get a pot, somewhere around the 500k area. Take the output lead from the board and solder it to lug 2. Solder lug 1 to your switch, where you had the output lead going before. Solder lug 3 to ground. That will turn volume up clockwise.

Is that what you needed?

[Johnnie D.]

Hey Guys, Thank you, Really.
Hanging out with you guys is awesome except for the part where I realize I'm not the genius I thought I was. LOL!
I'm not sure of the difference between volume, gain, and drive.
Thanks for the suggestion about the volume. I should have talked to you before drilling the holes. LOL!
Aron, if your out there, this is the coolest box I have ever heard. If I had this when I was a kid, I could have ruled the world.

I wanted to share my other project where I took the powered speakers from an old set of computer speakers and built a box for them.
I am going to put the Little Gem Mark 2 as a sort of preamp inside the box.
You should hear this bad boy played through the Smash Drive.
I held it close to the guitar and was getting feedback and sustain like you wouldn't believe.
I'm so happy!
All I have to do is figure out since I don't have a 1M5 resistor can I use a 1M and try to add others in series to add up to 500,000 ohm?
That would be weird, 5 100ks.

I will post a reply to this when I get the Little Gem in it, if that's O.K.
ROCK ON BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!

[aron]

>Aron, if your out there, this is the coolest box I have ever heard. If I had this when I was a kid, I could have ruled the world.

ALRIGHT!!!!! Great. I may use that as a quote!!!!

[anchovie]

All I have to do is figure out since I don't have a 1M5 resistor can I use a 1M and try to add others in series to add up to 500,000 ohm?
That would be weird, 5 100ks.

Just use a 1M or a 2.2M if you've got one, it shouldn't make a huge difference.

[Johnnie D.]

Thank you for that info.
I'm going to get started on that right away.

[petemoore]

the part where I realize I'm not the genius I thought I was. LOL!
  I was happier before I knew stuff...last name EOS, first name: Gene.
I'm not sure of the difference between volume, gain, and drive.
  Neither am I or the people who choose from these three when labelling controls.
  Swap and trade with their friends...they're all the same...volume just usually comes more toward the end, gain and drive sometimes have something to do with non-linear behaviour or other ''distortion amount'' controls.
  ''Volume'' means ''amount'', and because it was the most prolific first control in the world, it became nearly synonomous with 'loudness'.
   "Gain" generally means a ratio, with the left side number [representing output compared to input voltage/] being the larger of the two, a 1:1.5 gain, or 1:50 gain...requires a power supply to make the output AC voltage swings greater than what is input.
   "Drive"..I guess came from the nail analogy ? The harder you drive the next circuit, the more 'overdrive' you get ['or something', as labels are sometimes based on nonsensical terminologies].
   If the output signal shape is identical to the input, but larger by some amount, it is best defined as a ''increase in Gain''. An active 'gain stage' with a power supply can do that [pretty good], you get a ''volume boost'', literally, as long as the shape hasn't changed along with the size transition...technically any tiny waveshape change = a distortion of the waveshape.
  If the shape of the output wave is different than the shape of the input wave, it can be described as 'distorted', 'non-linear' [these technical terms describe well, and are fairly often aptly chosen].
  A knob which helps adjust the amount of non-linear behaviour [distortion] is often called...distortion, gain, overdrive, fuzz, OD, pre-gain, grit, dirt, skag or grind.
  So...just throw them in a pot, pull them out, put the volume control toward the left [or at near the end of the circuit], then look at the other controls and decide what they actually 'do' from the schematic and other references..such as builds, reading at GEO, all the links ! 

[Johnnie D.]

DUDE! You are so RIGHT ON!
That is like pearls of wisdom or something.
Thank you!

[Johnnie D.]

Update
My idea of putting the Little Gem in line with powered computer speakers is NO BUENO.
It really sounds bad.
I might build another box for it cause that's kind of fun.
You guys are a priceless resource and I truly appreciate you all!
Thanks again.