Anyone kind enough to check my offboard wiring diagram?

[Dito]

I'm planning on building an MXT Distortion+ on veroboard, following this layout...



... from Guitar FX Layouts (http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2010/07/mxr-dist.html)

The guy who posted it also posted a nice off-board wiring tutorial, but only for a DC jack - no battery. His position is that he uses a daisy-chained power supply and never needs a battery. Plus, I guess it's simpler overall. *shrug*

Anyway, I drew this up by following what I did on my first (and only) build - the famous Premier Guitar Build Your Own Stompbox tutorial.

I did this primarily to understand the wiring and switching, but also for a bit of practice with DIYLC. Don't bother rechecking my redrawn board - I can't guarantee it's perfect. I'm looking for another few pairs of eyes to look over my offboard wiring and help me confirm it's correct. I think it is. It makes sense to me, and it seems to follow what's in the tutorial.



I know this is old hat for most of you veterans, but I'm still trying to grasp all the concepts. I've seen so many variations when searching for "3PDT bypass wiring" that it makes me dizzy. My understanding is that you can pretty much choose a method and it'll be universally applicable, or at least in 99% of one-switch pedals. Is that assumption also true?

Thanks (again) in advance, for helping check my work BEFORE I start stripping wires and heating up the soldering iron.


-Dito

[mcknib]

Yes that'll work I tend to put the Led current limiting resistor on the +9v and you could use the extra holes on the vero ground row for shorter and neater ground wires if you wanted to overall it'll work just fine you got it

[Dito]

Yeah, the real ground wires will be as short as is practical. I just wanted to ensure I had the wiring right.

Thanks for the checking!

[mcknib]

My computer crashed so I'm using my phone so can't link anything but if you look in my posts off board wiring which is standard as you say and is down to preference was discussed yours is the one I always use it's easier to remember  inputs left pole LED centre and output right I'm a DC jack man never use batteries so mono jacks for both in and out

[duck_arse]

we're not supposed to, but I did, anyway.

on your your layout: the leftmost 1nF cap is 1 row high. but, please, treat your caps nicer, unstretch it, shorten it to between input row and pin 4 on the IC row.
the 4k7 is one row too long, as well.
the 1nF under the IC is low by one.

as for that rhs 1uF, well, yer on yer own w/ that one.

[Dito]

we're not supposed to, but I did, anyway.

(grateful corrections snipped away)

I didn't do a whole lot of double-checking of my copy. I started with just the connected leads, then said "ah, screw it - I'll redraw the whole thing". I was planning to build from the original anyway.

The only change I plan to make is adding another column for the LED resistor on the 9V+ row. I'll see where it connects easiest and put in the required cut.

By the way, is it "cheating" to print a mirror image of the cuts & jumpers diagram to work from? I get easily confused.

[duck_arse]

cheating - no. whatever get's you through the night. for me, it's great wads of coloured traces all over the board, and a dark background. if you do mirror it, make a nice big note on the diagram to that effect .....

[vigilante397]

As previously mentioned your 3PDT wiring will work, but the standard convention for 3PDT based true bypass wiring is to ground the effect input when the circuit is bypassed, whereas yours leaves it open. This might have undesirable consequences, or it might work completely fine and you may not hear a difference. That's just the way most people do it

This is how I do mine (DISCLAIMER - this is not "the only way to do it" or "a better way than everyone else," just they way I've been doing it since I started so I'm used to it.)



I apologize for the weird colors, I don't have DIYLC on my computer anymore so I did it real quick in DipTrace

[Dito]

(...) the standard convention for 3PDT based true bypass wiring is to ground the effect input when the circuit is bypassed, whereas yours leaves it open.

Although I'm very familiar with Google, can you point me in the direction of an example diagram showing this method? I'd really appreciate it.

Like I said, there seem to be many variations. I want to choose a "best" method, wrap my brain around it, then use it regularly.

Thanks again.

[vigilante397]

Looks like I edited my post to add the picture right after you posted that question see my above post.

[bluebunny]

As Nathan suggested, there may not be a single "best" solution.  But you may want to check out Tonepad's offboard wiring schemes.  I've been using these forever.  (I think Nathan's picture is one of these - #5 - but upside-down.)

[Jdansti]

I do it the way Nathan shows, except I turn mine 180 deg from what he shows.

[vigilante397]

I think Nathan's picture is one of these - #5 - but upside-down

I do it the way Nathan shows, except I turn mine 180 deg from what he shows.

It's a habit I picked up working with Australians for all those years

[Dito]

As Nathan suggested, there may not be a single "best" solution.  But you may want to check out Tonepad's offboard wiring schemes.  I've been using these forever.  (I think Nathan's picture is one of these - #5 - but upside-down.)

I redrew my layout yesterday, showing Tonepad's method. I'm redrawing so I understand.

I also added another column to the vero for the LED resistor. I'm pretty sure I did that correctly. If anyone's willing to recheck, I will repost it (I also fixed the misc errors in my redrawing of the board).

You guys rock.

[Jdansti]

I think Nathan's picture is one of these - #5 - but upside-down

I do it the way Nathan shows, except I turn mine 180 deg from what he shows.

It's a habit I picked up working with Australians for all those years

It will sound much better if you turn it around.

[bluebunny]

It will sound much better if you turn it around.

The switch or the whole pedal?  I didn't realise this mojo lark could be so tricky...