Question on electro distortion circuit

[lukeg01]

Hello

I've seen some circuits and have decided to go with one, but it doesn't have a drive control, If i'd replace the red circled resistor with a potentiometer, would this control the amount of distortion?

Luke

[PRR]

Yes.

[bool]

If I were you, I would just verbatim copy the fuzz face gain control (1K pot and a 22uF cap).

[GibsonGM]

If I were you, I would just verbatim copy the fuzz face gain control (1K pot and a 22uF cap).

That would be a GREAT place to start.  Bool's right, 1k if you have it.... Other values will work too, like 10k, 100k,  just not as well (will be 'bunched up', but will still change the gain).   Won't hurt anything.  Same for the cap value, you will notice 'tonal differences' for different values.  Sometimes when we're new we don't have a big junk box full of stuff yet - but you will! 

Welcome to the forum, Luke  

[Tony Forestiere]

Some possibly helpful links. Play on your breadboard, and have fun.

http://distorqueaudio.com/hardware/projects/modded-electra-distortion.html
https://woodylaboratories.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/lovepedal-woodrow-electra-distortion/
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2013/01/lovepedal-woodrow.html

[smallbearelec]

Hi--

Welcome! Absolutely, start by learning to use a breadboard if you don't already have one. Here is my tutorial:

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

From there, try breadboarding the Ursa Minor, my version of the Electra:

http://diy.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BreadboardUrsaMinor/BreadboardUrsaMinor.htm

It has controls for the fuzz and the output level, which make it suitable for gigging. I offer a full kit for it, but the components are all generic and readily available.

Happy Construction!

[peterg]

Check out project #1:

http://tonefiend.com/tonefiend-diy-club-projects-resources/

[lukeg01]

Thanks all for the help!, I made (... or at least tried) to make my own circuit based on the one from premier, guitar, I only added a switch to choose between diodes, can anyone confirm I did this right?
Original from premier guitar:

My own drew one (sorry I kinda messed up  the resistor symbols, I'm not really used to the american ones):

[duck_arse]

circuit drawing rule number one: draw it the way it makes sense to you. we don't matter. draw and copy and draw and copy and draw circuits, circuits, circuits, however you find easiest. you'll soon end up with your own working style and method. if they make sense to you, they'll be easy enough for us to work out, as long as you include R//C//D designators.

and yes, your variant appears correct.

[GibsonGM]

+1   Looks good.   I still draw resistors like a 3 year old  

[PRR]

> sorry I kinda messed up  the resistor symbols, I'm not really used to the american ones

Your zig-zags are as good as mine and I been zigzagging for decades.

European rectangles are equally fine if that is easier for you.

Any "blob" with two ends will do, if marked with R C L etc. (Though it is nice if the three basic parts look different.)

[lukeg01]

Thanks a lot for all the help, can anyone confirm that the prefboard design (made it in DIYLC) is the same as the diagram I posted earlier?

(wibbely wobbly blue things are resistors, wibbly wobbly gray things are diodes, and I'm sorry this looks... messy, I just didn't manage to get this more... clean.)

[smallbearelec]

It is great that you have started to learn to use DIYLC. However, I think you would do better to get the circuit working on breadboard before you solder.

In going from breadboard to layout, does your perfboard really look like the three-holes to a pad like in your drawing? Perf is more usually pad-per-hole. DIYLC will lay that out for you if you pick the tool to the left of the one that you used.  Then I would suggest laying out your resistors horizontally, spanning four or five holes. This will make it easier to create a board that's easy to build and debug if necessary.

Be aware that the whole process of layout is an art, and learning to use a tool like DIYLC well takes a lot of trial and practice.

[lukeg01]

I am planning to make this first on breadboard but I wanna be good prepared, I find it very hard to go from diagram to prefboard.
Also the board I'm planning to buy is by 3 holes, is this recommended to begin with?

also, if I don't need the led, can I simple remove the red circled thing?

[duck_arse]

as smallbear says, start with flat laying parts. and spread them out, it's not a big circuit. one of my rules is 'no slanty parts', everything goes right angles. using three holes is ok, but I always found I'd loose too many holes to linking one land to another. and with pad-per-hole perf, your built circuit will/can look almost exactly layed out as your drawn circuit.

[lukeg01]

as smallbear says, start with flat laying parts. and spread them out, it's not a big circuit. one of my rules is 'no slanty parts', everything goes right angles. using three holes is ok, but I always found I'd loose too many holes to linking one land to another. and with pad-per-hole perf, your built circuit will/can look almost exactly layed out as your drawn circuit.

so would this be easier to start of with (I just for a second assumed I could get rid of the LED tree, if this is not the case I'll have to add them)

[twabelljr]

Keep C3 for ps filtering. Offboard wiring to diode select switch can be kept to 2 wires if you solder the diodes directly to the outer sets of switch lugs.

[smallbearelec]

so would this be easier to start of with

It's better, but you should still flatten out your resistors. Take a look at some of the layouts in Aron's gallery to get a better idea of what it should look like. Then put DIYLC aside for awhile and go to the breadboard.