Looking for pedal advice

[Regularjohnny]

Hey guys, can anyone advise on which pedals to begin building? Ie. Which effect would you start with, as a beginner? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rutabaga bob]

Welcome to the forum!  There are some beginner projects on the main page...some people start with the 'Bazz Fuss', though - do a search in the forum or layout gallery.  Beware!  This is an addicting hobby!

Larry

[Regularjohnny]

Cheers Larry!! I have a few ideas(being an unsatisfied pedal freak) that id like to try out, but basics os what im looking for! Cheers!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GibsonGM]

Hi Regular, welcome to the forum!

You know, a transistor boost is always fun, and is the basis of a lot of other things, too!  A good building block to learn about!!!  So, I'd say maybe try an LPB-1.   Makes your amp/guitar sound like a hot blues player....plus, you can then move things around to make the Bazz Fuss and other projects that also use NPN transistors!! 

[jimilee]

I started with a compressor,  then a delay then an overdrive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PBE6]

The first one I built was AMZ's MOSFET Booster to replace a busted BBE Boosta Grande for a friend. I bought the PCB board from Jack Orman's site and put it together relatively easily, then I learned that you had to actually power it to make noise!! Lol. And that you have to prevent the back of the PCB from touching the box and grounding out. And a half-dozen other real world issues. C'est la vie!

But simple is good. The MOSFET Booster, LPB-1, opamp buffers and boosters, Fuzz Face, runoffgroove's Tube Reamer and Fetzer Valve are all good simple projects, as are a lot of the projects at General Guitar Gadgets, Madbean, AMZ and a host of other sites.

If I had to pick one, I'd suggest a Fuzz Face. It's simple with few parts, but it's lots of fun to play with. Make it even simpler by setting the gain on full and make it a one-knob job!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[electrosonic]

Maybe get a shared OSH board - like this Mosfet Booster

https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/nsJTeQK0

I know Rullywowr is active on the madbean site, he has posted here a few times. His boards are top notch.

You get 3 boards for $3.20.

Andrew.

[dbp512]

Instead of going for PCBs, I'd highly suggest practicing with stripboard. Look through sites like tagboardeffects and sabrotone where you'll quickly accumulate a list of circuits of all types and difficulties. Start with whatever catches your interest, and build up from there. The first circuit I built was a naga viper, catalinbread's modified treble booster. I built another one last week because I missed it.

[Regularjohnny]

Thanks guys!! Im literally starting from scratch here, so wondering whether a breadboard would be a good idea to get my head around circuits first?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Transmogrifox]

Breadboard is definitely a good idea.   Without it everything becomes 10x harder because you have to worry about solder bridges and cold solder joints which are hard to see and hard to troubleshoot.  Once you learn your way around the breadboard then it makes transferring to a layout or perf/strip board a little more intuitive and you know you can make the circuit work so it makes it easier to debug a problem layout.

A fuzz always seems a good starter, but certainly a single transistor boost is a more simple build to get you started.

Electra distortion is always a nice simple one that sounds good enough to be worth the effort:
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/21291-build-your-own-stompbox

+1 on boosters. 

If you're more ambitious something like the Dr Quack envelope filter could be a good starter. 

Another interesting build would be the Low Waht wah: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=90862.0

Simple 1-transistor wah circuit.  The complexity comes in the form of the mechanics to get the treadle and light-masks right on the LED but the electronics part is easy.  Possibly the mechanics of the thing offer a bit of a fun challenge to feel satisfied with the end result but it doesn't require a great deal of electronics skill to overcome it.

Just some ideas.

[Elijah-Baley]

I quote almost everything that others friends have said.
I start with a Smokey Amp, and then a MXR Micro Amp booster, all on stripboard.
A great building is the Bazz Fuss, easy and more fun than a simple booster.

[Regularjohnny]

This is all excellent stuff guys! Thanks!
Are there any specific breaboards i should be looking at or are they all pretty much the same?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GibsonGM]

BB are MOSTLY about the same...look on Ebay.   But, if you can spend a few extra bucks for a 'nice' USA made one, I think that is probably better, as it will likely be made more durable.   Cheap chinese ones can be a little 'loose', and cause some frustration with intermittents.

Check out what Steve at Small Bear has to offer!  He 'vetts' his stuff to keep it decent quality.    http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/    I have no affiliation, just a satisfied customer   

I recommend getting 2 or 3 to start with, so you can keep a few projects going at once!!    you will need PARTS next....so here comes the "what parts do I need to get going?" thread, ha ha...


1/4W metal film or carbon film resistor kit from Ebay for sure....cap kit of small values...hookup wire...a bunch of pots of varying values....LEDs....and so much more

[Gargaman]

If you are looking for a circuit, I presume you did your offboard wiring homework..
If not  I would suggest AB Box
Here in Brazil the most used project for begginers is a derivation from the Bass Fuzz.
I got very frustrated with it because it didn't work on my first try (without breadboarding). Listen to this guys and buy your bread.
Theres also an awesome tutorial on 'breadboard to solder' here in the forum, from the same Smallbear I guess.
Transmogrifox suggested a very good link for a Electra Build and I second LPB-1.
So, with just one transistor you can make a clean booster (LPB1), or a distortion (Electra) or a fuzz (Bass Fuzz) 
Good luck and welcome

[duck_arse]

mee tooo! +1 each: electra, lpb1, bazz fuss. and maybe a buff and blend, mxr dist+ or similar, and an ea trem or phase 45. and a fetzer, and a rangemaster, and a fuzz face, big muff, timmy, little angel or small time ......

and breadboards. and parts!

welcome to the mad-house.

[davent]

Like others have mentioned, Jack Orman's Mosfet Booster, simple with few parts that are readily available, easy to know whether it's working properly. Almost as easy would be the SHO but maybe the pot crackle would freak out  a person new to the game.

dave

[Mark Hammer]

1) I presume you have an amplifier.  What do you have available in the amplifier itself?  That would probably point the way to what other things might be useful.

2) I regularly advise beginning builders to make themselves a loop-selector because:

• there are no component values to confuse or select for
• it will require very little troubleshooting and NO calibration
• it will always be useful, and you'll never get bored with it
• all parts are easy to get