First build ever - Simple bass boost

[Spiffmeister]

Hiya!

I'm a bass player who's quite into effects, and I've taken the leap to build my own effects! I have basic knowledge of electronics (following a course, I know about resistors, capacitors, I know how to solder, sort of, know about the flow of current and so on), but this is my first electronic project ever, so I might be in way over my head...

I ordered a simple bass boost kit from Musikding as a first build. I've gathered my components and understand everything except for a couple of things...

I have a 3-pin inline socket, which is not on my schematic... what do I do with that? I'm thinking soldering it to the "ground" section, and then putting in the leads for... the jacks and the 3PDT switch?

The place where the capacitors should go all have 3 holes, for only 2 leads... do I just use the outer holes for the leads?

That's it, for now :-) I'm sure many more questions will come, if you'll allow me to ask them!

Thanks in advance for the info and your patience with this absolute beginner!

grtz,

Spiffmeister

[deadastronaut]

3 pin inline socket?...

i guess you mean a 3pdt  footswitch?...

if so you will want ''off board wiring 5'' layout ok.
http://www.tonepad.com/getFile.asp?id=76

3 holes for caps?..weird.

pic?..


welcome btw..

[Hemmel]

I had a look at the parts list, and the layout of the "Das Lineal" kit and I'm pretty sure the 3-pin inline socket is for the transistor. You solder this socket where it says "T1" instead of soldering the transistor there.
Then you simply insert the transistor into the sockets (make sure you insert it correctly, note the pinout of the transistor).
That way if you ever need to replace the transistor, either because the first one is defective or if you want to try another value (ex. 2N3904 instead of 2N5088) then it's easy since it's socketed and not soldered.

[Tony Forestiere]

3 pin inline socket?...

i guess you mean a 3pdt  footswitch?...

if so you will want ''off board wiring 5'' layout ok.
http://www.tonepad.com/getFile.asp?id=76

3 holes for caps?..weird.

pic?..


welcome btw..

Socket could be for a transistor/FET. Three pads for the caps could be to use either radial or axial electrolytics. Just guessing.

[Spiffmeister]

Hi guys!

It might be for the transistor, I think you're right there Hemmel. Cool feature then, handy for replacing the transistor indeed.

I'll try and get soms pics of the PCB tomorrow concerning the 3 holes for the capacitors.

Thanks for the welcome and the quick replies btw! :-) I'm still unsure of what the + and - of the components are and in which direction to place them. But I'll try and figure it out for myself first :-) I should know this!

BTW, it's the "Molie" kit :-)

[deadastronaut]

3 pin inline socket?...

i guess you mean a 3pdt  footswitch?...

if so you will want ''off board wiring 5'' layout ok.
http://www.tonepad.com/getFile.asp?id=76

3 holes for caps?..weird.

pic?..


welcome btw..

Socket could be for a transistor/FET. Three pads for the caps could be to use either radial or axial electrolytics. Just guessing.

yep, realised that after posting...i'll slap myself now..

[rutabaga bob]

Welcome to the forum1

[Hemmel]

i'll slap myself now..

is that code ?

[Spiffmeister]

hi guys!

just went and bought my soldering station (with ability to set the temperature, my first soldering iron didnt have that function) and multimeter and some other tools.

Now, i'm still not sure on how to solder the capacitors, so here's a pic of what I'm talking about. it's C1 and C5 i dont understand. So there's 3 holes, two of which are encircled... can anyone help me out with this?




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Hemmel]

Hey Spiffmeister,

An electrolytic cap looks like this :


On this image the leads are shown as positive (left) and negative (right). The negative lead, on electros, is always shown with a bright colored strip on the cap itself. It is also shorted than the positive lead. So for C5 you'd put the negative lead (the one with the grey/white band pointing to it) in the right-most hole on the PCB (as shown on your picture), and the positive lead in the hole on the left shown with the + sign.

As for C1 and C3, I'd simply follow the circle and the + sign and leave the 3rd hole unused. Maybe it's for add-ons, since as you can see, the + hole on C1 is connected to the hole right under it. Same for C3, the - hole is connected the hole on its right.

[deadastronaut]

yep stick within the markings (circles) just check your + -

and your good to go...have fun.

[head_spaz]

I'm sure the three holes for the caps are to accomodate
different lead spacings. (5mm & 7.5mm)

[LucifersTrip]

Remember, don't make #1 rookie error and ignore the schematic.  Get to know how to read em now before you move on...

and of course, read up on the build you're working on:
http://forum.musikding.de/vb/showthread.php?30028-BP1Mk1-bass-boost&s=5b0838bf5c2f4e11ebcb0a39e55e8b41

a "pdf" is at the bottom, but you need to log in

[Spiffmeister]

Cool, that makes sense. I'll stick to the circles on the PCB. I know the + and -  are very important with elco's, I don't want to blow one up with my first build. Plenty of time for that later on :-)

I've got the schematic, and I've got the schematic and the wiring overview next to me at all time. It's just the my beginner-ness makes it hard for me to figure out the flow of the circuit. But I think I've got it figured out now.

I don't find any threads on the Molie Bass Boost though, the link you've given is for a bass boost on a preamp, apparently.

Thanks for all the replies and the input! I've done a lot of reading and found out more about soldering components to a PCB, so I'm gonna start soldering this evening if all goes well :-) Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted on the progress made!

[duck_arse]

it's my guess the "multiboost" is the same circuit as the lpb1, which is the same as a hog's foot, or screeming bird, etc, etc. the same circuit with different cap values, hence the holes to fit electros (larger microfarad values for bass frequencies) and/or box caps (smaller nanofarad values for the tweet tweet highs). the same circuit with different biasing resistors, gain setting resistors, transistor types, etc.

welcome and good luck, and I'd say your first build is the place to blow up caps!

[LucifersTrip]

here's the schematic for reference

http://diy.musikding.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/molieschalt.pdf



the symbols they use

[Spiffmeister]

Hiya!

No worries, I think I got the capacitors figured out :-) Here's what I've done sofar (first image). Basically all of the components have been soldered, pretty beginner-style (they're all croocked and stuff), and the soldering itsself could've been more smoothe, but I think I got it nailed. I'll see what happens when I fire it up :-) If it doesn't work, I get a lesson in troubleshooting :-)

However, I'm now getting started with the wiring, and I'm kind of stuck.

I'm supposed to wire the LED, but I don't understand how I should connect the leads of the LED to the wires... do I just wrap the wire around the LED leads and solder that a bit, or what?

Also, I dont understand how to screw the POT-meter on the casing. You see, theres a metal bump on one side, but not on the other, so when I put it in the hole in the casing, it's crooked. When I screw it tight, it doesn't get fixed, I mean, it doesn't go straight. Am I missing something here? I made a pic of the Pot meter :-)

Thanks for your patience people!

[bluebunny]

Use your needle-nose pliers (or anything else) to break the tab off.

[Spiffmeister]

What? Really? That tab doesn't have any function then?

[duck_arse]

*or* leave that "anti-rotate tab", drill an extra hole in yr box to fit the tab, and when you stick the pot into its hole, it won't try to rotate and break/short leads and stuff.

or snap it off.

when connecting wire to lugs or led leads, you want a bit of mechanical support for the joint before you solder it. strip the wire, twist the bare end to collect up all the strands, then tin with solder to hold them and make soldering a bit easier/faster. now wrap, as tight as you can, through yr lug and around, or just along and around yr lead, (give a squeeze w/ pliers if you like) then solder - enough heat, solder in, then out quick.

you haven't forgotton your sleeving have you? that goes on before soldering, otherwise you do everthing twice. heatshrink on led leads also provides some support where the joint is most likely to break, and avoids shorts, like when yr pot rotates on its mount.

done. perfect joints every time. only takes about 20 years practice ..............