1 beginner 4 pedals

[ghiekorg]

place the bottom-right one with the + facing the TL072
place the one in the center with the - facing the CD4049

Thank you very much 😊Is there a reason why it is not shown?

Another question... Also the 2nd lug of the pots is not visible. I assume they are the hole under the name of the pot (for example under the word "drive" there is a hole. I assume i have to connect the secon lug there). Am i right?
I actually tried and it worked. 😁 
I made a test and it seems to work fine. I have to check some clips online to double check everything works fine. It's a bit noisy but maybe it's due to the fact that it is not yet inside the enclosure. Maybe it's getting some frequencies from pc, phone, lights etc.

I did something stupid: when I plugged it in I had no sound coming out. Then I realized I forgot to install the ICs on the sockets  after that the sound was coming out but kinda clean. Then I realized I forgot the transistors too  I think I should sleep a bit more... is there a probability I damaged something even though it seems to work?

Thanks guys, as always

[11-90-an]

Nope, nothing to worry about...

[ghiekorg]

That's good to know... 

while the decal of the b3k is drying i tried the tentacol.
There are 2 small problems: The left knob make some noise between 90 and 100% and there is a background noise all the time. It comes from the pedal, as it lowers only via right knob (the A50k one) and the guitar volume pot has no effect on it.
Is it possible i made something wrong or  the pot is bad from the factory and the noise is just normal for any tentacle pedal?

here is an audio file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FQt-ojPDDuDlBj98Qb5EM32SpRNUw3SE/view?usp=sharing
there is a small part in the beginning where i kick in the pedal and there after a short silence i turn the knob to riproduce the knob-noise and afterwards i just rotate the volume knob to riproduce the background noise.

Any idea?

Thank you very much 😊

[Mark Hammer]

That's pretty much the noise level the pedal produces.

As for the "90-100%" noise, the simplest solution is to insert a 100R resistor between the emitter of the first transistor and the lug of the 10k pot I recommended using, so that the 10uf cap is never tied directly to the emitter.  It's always possible to simply not turn the Gain up all the way, but the added resistor means you can freely use any pot setting without fear.

[ghiekorg]

It's ok, I will leave it like that. In any case I won't use it all the way up to 100%. It was more a curiosity.

I really envy your knowledge... I mean, to follow a layout and solder the components it's somewhat easy. There is no "creation". But this tips you give me, that's another story.  it's like Greek to me. And For me it's still magic that some pieces of metal, plastic and I don't know what else, When aligned properly,can transform the sound of a guitar into something else

[Mark Hammer]

It took over 40 years to get to this level, and 90% of it was in the last 3-4, thanks to smart people here.  The part I came with was knowing how to explain things.

[jfrabat]

I did something stupid: when I plugged it in I had no sound coming out. Then I realized I forgot to install the ICs on the sockets  after that the sound was coming out but kinda clean. Then I realized I forgot the transistors too  I think I should sleep a bit more... is there a probability I damaged something even though it seems to work?

You did WHAT???  That is just unforgivable...  I have NEVER done that, or heard anyone in the forum say something like that!!!  Some people CLAIM they have seen me do it, but that is all misinformation and fake news!!! 

I mean, to follow a layout and solder the components it's somewhat easy. There is no "creation". 

I am nowhere near the level of Mark and most of the other users, but I did find this article interesting to start understanding the most basic parts of guitar pedal building.  It was my first working pedal, and I use it to this day (on its third incarnation).  Download the PDF guide, and play with the values as they mention.  Maybe you can find it useful as well.

[ghiekorg]

@Mark Hammer: well, the i still have some time of studying in front of me I guess. 
For the time being thanks  a lot for your help

@jfrabat: hahaha so it seems I am not the only one 
Thank you for the link. I will check it once I am finished with the pedals then.  Maybe it will make me wanna build another one straight away 


Guys I have a problem with the B3k. Yesterday I tried and seemed to work ok, but I was tired and I tried really low volumes because it was night, so probably the problem was already there. And the problem is: noise.
Here you can hear it: https://youtu.be/3A5_RpOiHbU
The pots are, looking at the screen, left:blend, center: level, right: drive. You can already hear the noise when I switch the pedal on and I have blend and level to 100 and drive to 0. When I go up with the drive it goes louder and louder. In the video seems an bit louder than reality, but it's really there. I mean you can hear it behind the bass sound all the time.

Is it again normal or is there something I can do to limit it? When I was trying to fit it inside the box I had some hard time and I had to bend some components, other probably bent while "pushing" the board inside (I have cut again the wires too short and I have planned the layout without thinking about the 2 small switches) and also the first and second lug of the blend pot got in touch (when screwing the pot I didn't see it was touching the case and the first lug bent a lot). Maybe these things have nothing to do with it or maybe I could have messed up something, even though I don't see anything visually...

Thanks a lot for your help

Edit: i read someone had  a similar problem and it was just a cheap DC adaptor. when i get home i try with a different one (hopefully there are not same... i can't remember at the moment. I will also check if i have a 9V battery plug)

[11-90-an]

>Maybe it will make me wanna build another one straight away

There is no "maybe" here. Surely you want to build it already...! 

>Edit: i read someone had  a similar problem and it was just a cheap DC adaptor. when i get home i try with a different one (hopefully there are not same... i can't remember at the moment. I will also check if i have a 9V battery plug)

That also happens. Good luck! 

[ghiekorg]

it worked! it was my cheap DC adapter. I tried with a better one and the noise is almost gone (there is still a bit but i guess i can't avoid it being the b3k an overdrive...)
i found it searching on this forum. So, thank you everyone, in a way This also fixed the noise problem of the tentacle, of course...  I saw on a website (i don't know if i can post it here) how to make a "noise cancelling" small circuit to use with cheap crappy DC adapter like mine. Next time i order components i will make one i guess.

Here is  pic of the finished pedal



And here is a clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe-WyX3Qn-w (sorry for the string noise)

Yesterday evening i prepared the components for the chasm. I realised just then that i actually etched the PCB of the "hope", a clone of it: the parts are actually identical, i have no clue what's different apart from the layout. And talking about the layout i have a question (2 actually): here is the draw i have,
https://i.imgur.com/C5DYYFG.png
are the FS1 and FS2 meant to go to the FootSwitch 1 and 2 (so first and fourth lug)? Isn't actually the first lug already used for the "in" (i don't get why don't connect the directly on the board then). Also there are lines connecting dots with nothing in between. I guess they are bridges, but some of them are passing under the ICs. I am thinking of doing them on the other side of the board then, is it a bad idea? The legs of the socket are too short, if i have i wire under them i won't be able to solder them 

I already printed the decal (and i have no more paper) so i really hope i can fit everything inside... This thing of preparing the graphic layout before building the pedal didn't really work well

[ElectricDruid]

Here is  pic of the finished pedal

That looks fantastic too! Nice work.

This thing of preparing the graphic layout before building the pedal didn't really work well

Hey, it's a learning process. That's normal, so don't be hard on yourself. It's always tempting to move onto the next stage before you're certain that the previous stage is totally correct, but I've screwed it up enough times now that I just don't trust anything until I see it working.

[jfrabat]

It's always tempting to move onto the next stage before you're certain that the previous stage is totally correct, but I've screwed it up enough times now that I just don't trust anything until I see it working.

Ah...  another of those things I have NEVER EVER done!  (asking my wife if this is true is absolutely positively forbidden!  )

[ghiekorg]

@ElectricDruid: Thanks a lot
I was super hyped so i made all the graphics before even get the enclosures... and now i am having problems fitting everything inside every pedal i did probably that's why there are also layout for drilling

@jfrabat: yesterday i plugged the 8-bitar and didn't work, so i had to open it again, desolder and re-solder everything. Now it seems to work. It always stops working as soon as i close the enclosure, because everything is touching somewhere. The temptation of throwing it away and buy a 1590B was BIG.

[ghiekorg]

Hi everyone.
i have an emergency question: I am soldering but.. which direction goes the C16? it's not market on the drawing 😔





tahnk you

[Mark Hammer]

It would seem from the drawing that C16 is supposed to be non-polarized, without any + or - terminal.  It is possible to use a polarized/electrolytic cap in that position, and I imagine that the negative terminal of the cap goes to the chip and the + side goes to the pad where it joins with C15/R22.

[ghiekorg]

Thank you Mark, as always

I still have some doubts about this board. Sorry, it's the last one luckily 😁
FS1 and FS2 goes to the footswitch? Also there are 3 holes with no name on top of the board. I assume they are ground, is it correct? Can i avoid them or do i have to ground them too?
Thanks again

Edit: FS1 and 2 are the external footswitch! i didn't think about that 😁

[jfrabat]

Sorry, it's the last one luckily 😁

Don't bet on it...

[ghiekorg]

Hi guys... It doesn't work 😔 i have been too lucky so far i guess.
It's a really complicated PCB and all the parts are REALLY squeezed against each other.
No sound comes out when engaged. I checked the soldering but it seems ok to me. So i made an audio probe and i tried. Here is what i got

Blue is sound of some sort, red is no sound. Green is where i plugged the ground of the probe.

I am not  sure about some of them because sometimes touching them was giving me a really weak and reverbered sound and i could have missed some of them. Other times could have been not so easy to touch the component (i have some component litterally under others..)

I can't read the schematics so for me it's hard to say where it's the error. Can you guys help me? In case is there something i can do to make it easier to find the problem? At least i noticed when i touch something i can hear the reverb on the noise, so i guess belton block is working fine...

Could it be because i connected nothing to FS1 and FS2?

Thank you 😔

[11-90-an]

Pictures? front and back please, it helps lots.

Also, voltages of yer ICs, transistors, diodes, also that 78L05 regualtor.

Anyway... FS1 and FS2 control the on/off of the reverb...

[ghiekorg]

Thank you 11-90-an
Here is a gallery of pics. If you need someting more specific please let me know. It's really hard to take decent pics... And my soldering is quite crap. I had a new tip shape and wasn't really nice to solder with it...
https://imgur.com/a/CMlTJ3G

Here is the data:
1N5817 Schottky-Diode 20V, 1A.
1N4148 Small Signal Diode. Forward Voltage: 1V
2N5457 JFET N-Ch 25Vds JFET 25Vdg 25Vgs 310mA
2N7000G, N-Kanal-JFET. Vgs ranging from 0,8V to 3V.
TL072, i have no data, but i have used it on the b3k and works fine...
L78L05 Linear Voltage Regulators 5.0V 0.1A Positive

Anyway... FS1 and FS2 control the on/off of the reverb...

Isn't it actually for an external pedal to control the oscillator?