good first project

[jacksleeps]

hey,
New to the forums. I'm just getting involved in basic circuit bending and soldering. I want to take it a step further and begin to build my own pedals and synths. does any one have good suggestions for projects to delve into? also does any one know of a place that is a basic how to on reading circuit diagrams?
I'm involved a few noise groups but I wanted to build all my instruments (as many as possible) in house

[smallbearelec]

Please check out this tutorial:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/Breadboarding/BreadboardIntro.htm

You will, inevitably, use a breadboard at some point, and this is a good intro. I have two follow-ups in the same section, one for a Fuzz Face and the other for an IC-based distortion. If you want kits and/or PC boards for classic pedals, please check out:

GeneralGuitargadgets.com
Tonepad.com
buildyourownclone.com
runoffgroove.com

not necessarily in that order.

Happy Construction!

Regards
SD

[jacksleeps]

great thanks! i'll be heading to radioshack tomorrow.

[.Mike]

Be sure to check out the Beginner Project here at the forum.

It's easy without being too easy, and Aron's topics walk you right through it. You'll pickup some good information on reading schematics, soldering, and layouts, and you'll end up with a nice booster in the end.

Plus, since it's the beginner project, other members expect that you'll ask some questions that (you'll eventually realize) are very basic, and you'll generally get very thorough answers provided in a very patient manner.

Good luck!

Mike

[petemoore]

  Aron and Steve have proven to be huge help here, they have component shops [see 'store' at DIY Stompboxes.com,  and 'smallbear electronics']...much better selection [on stuff you'll want to have for the projects], and not shoppin' RS will make your build buxx last a lot longer.
  Many things are assumed or alluded to or can be gleaned from schematics.
  Such as assuming the reader can recognize a power supply [having seen them repeated repeatedly in schematics] and notice when the power supply portion of the circuit is assumed [ie..missing.
  It's also assumed or sometimes occurs that the reader is fairly able to understand the differences between AC [always changing voltage] and a DC voltage, their potentials, DC polarity, what capacitors do [increasing resistance to decreasing frequencies, 'infinite resistance to ''0.0 frequency = DC blocking''].
  Resistance.
  Don't be afraid to google and wiki anything that comes up in the available reads, try studying to read the top part of a data sheet [the description] and some of the characteristics of devices, when a word or concept is unfamiliar, make it familiar, very soon on, the available reads/diagrams/calculators and texts will out-inform whatever I can think of when...I'm typed out.
  Anyway, welcome to the forum !

[LucifersTrip]

great thanks! i'll be heading to radioshack tomorrow.

beware...you will pay 10-20 times the price of components you can get online...check eBay and numerous places that you will read about on this forum.
My favorite for basic components [transistors, resistors, caps, pots, leds] is here:
http://www.taydaelectronics.com/

you can't beat 1 - 3 cents a piece and the wait to the USA is only a couple weeks

good luck