Newbie needs suggestions for component order

[ThePracticalPeasant]

Alrighty, my background in electronics (outside of residential 120/240V wiring) is primarily related to Arduino. I have a fairly decent stockpile of [cheap] support components that I'll list at the end of this post

I have no specific projects in mind, but as I'm a casual guitar player, fiddling with DIY pedals sounds like a good activity to keep myself entertained over the winter. I suspect drive/fuzz/distortion and tone effects to be the likely candidates that catch my interest.

As the topic states, I'm looking for a bit of advice regarding what I should include when I place an order from DigiKey. I took a quick flip through various schematics and came up with a short list of ICs I might order. I recognize that some of these are similar, but I'm not well enough informed to understand if they're interchangeable... Does anyone have any comments about this list? Can anyone suggest [other] components I might want to have on hand?
LM386N, TL022CP, TLC2262CP, NJM4558D, RC4558P

Thanks a bunch in advance to anyone who replies!


And here's what I have on hand...

4pcs   TDA2050 Audio Amplifier board
4pcs   LM1875 Audio Amplifier board
4pcs   HW-404 Digital Audio Amplifier board
2pcs   NE5532 Audio Amplifer board
3pcs   USB/BT Audio player board
1pcs   USB Audio player board
8pcs   XL6009E1 Buck/Boost board
50pcs   LM393 [various] sensor board
2pcs   Arduino Pro-Mini
2pcs   Arduino Uno
3pcs   2x16 I2C LCD display
1pcs   1" 12C LCD display
1pcs   SM-PLF12B 12V 1A power supply board
1pcs   3V 1A power supply board

300pcs   Ceramic capacitors; 30 values, 2pF-0.1uF (brown)
600pcs   Ceramic capacitors; approx similar similar values as brown ceramics (blue)
300pcs   16V electrolytic Capacitors; similar values as brown ceramics
300pcs   Film? capacitors; similar values as brown ceramics (green)
50pcs   Film? capacitors; 4 values: 250/400V, 105/155J (brown)
200pcs   10-24V Electrolytic capacitors; 20 assorted values
1000pcs 50V electrolytic capacitors; up to 2200uF
300pcs   Film? capacitors; similar values as brown ceramics (yellow)

1000pcs   Various value; 1 watt resistors (big blue)
2000pcs Various value; 1/4 watt resistors (little blue)
1000pcs Various Thermistors (big brown)
100pcs    Various 2/3/4 pin connectors, pins, etc

900pcs   npn/pnp transistors; 50pcs, 18 types
25pcs   IRF244N N-Channel MOSFET
200pcs   1N4xxx Diodes
200ocs   1N1007 diodes (1A, 3W)
50pcs   1N5402 Diodes (200V 3A)
300pcs   1N47xx Zener Diodes (3-47V)
100pcs   9.1V 1W zener diodes
40pcs   DB107 rectifiers

50pcs   neon indicator lamp
100pcs   assorted 2mm LED (coloured plastic)
100pcs   assorted 5mm LED (coloured plastic)
100pcs   assorted 8mm LED (clear plastic)
100pcs   assorted 5mm LED (clear plastic)

8pcs   B5k potentiometer
8pcs   B10k potentiometer
8pcs   B20k potentiometer
8pcs   B50k potentiometer
8pcs   B100k potentiometer
8pcs   B250k potentiometer
5pcs   B500k potentiometer
5pcs   A500k potentiometer

200pcs   assorted surface mount switches
100pcs   through-hole microswitch

20pcs   small isolating transformer
20pcs   small chokes


Edit: The requirement to use Google to check how many knobs a random pedal has in order to correct a typo...

[GibsonGM]

 

Nice list.    I'd just order some stuff for say, 4 or 5 specific pedals that you DON'T have, and go from there, LOL!

- Some JFETS....2N5457, and J201 IF you can find them
- Mosfets...BS170/2N7000

Your opamp list looks great for starters. Perhaps a few NE5532's.  MOST dual opamps are interchangeable, not all, check pinouts on data sheets...some don't give 'as good' performance if you swap...many that use 4558 (a "lesser opamp") actually sound sterile and crap if you put in TL072, for example!

Might want a few PT22399 delay chips (they're cheap) to play around with

Maybe: a few metal enclosures with 1/4 mono and stereo jacks from Smallbear electronics to connect your 'stuff' to your guitar and amp.  A few 3pdt stomp switches too, of course.    A couple of 1M pots are always needed.

Some perfboard for 'quick dirty PCB construction'

You must have breadboards and jumpers already? If not, get some

Since you seem 'in deep', perhaps make a power supply /  "Breakout box" to power breadboards which has in/out jacks and bypass switching...build a station for BB and modding stomp stuff...

Welcome to the forum!  Always glad to see new faces around here, let us know what you're working on!

[antonis]

Hi & Welcome..

I don't see any A100k pot so put some of them in your list..

P.S.
>1000pcs Various Thermistors (big brown)<
I'm puzzling over for 1000 implementations in pedal world..
Maybe some kind of LDR equivalent, perhaps..??

[ThePracticalPeasant]

Colour me impressed; 2 of 2 useful replies inside of a couple hours.

I don't see any A100k pot so put some of them in your list..

Good call - should probably order 

>1000pcs Various Thermistors (big brown)<
I'm puzzling over for 1000 implementations in pedal world..

My collection of components was purchased for non-pedal purposes, I suspect that your confusion is correct and that there isn't one!

I'd just order some stuff for say, 4 or 5 specific pedals that you DON'T have, and go from there, LOL!

"where to start" in the endless pile of schematics was my issue! I appreciate the random assortment of components you listed!

A few 3pdt stomp switches too, of course. A couple of 1M pots are always needed.

Good call regarding the stomp switches, especially being that my cursory research suggests it's effectively impossible to get the type of enclosure I'd prefer...  Why are 1M pots always needed? Linear or Log? Nothing came up on Digikey, where might a guy find a PT22399 delay chip?

I do have some perfboard, breadboard, 30V/10A bench supply, Fluke 12E+, offshore true-RMS meter, along with various gauges of wire, jumpers, interconnects, etc. Also have plenty phone jacks and other guitar components. I'll worry about [fabricating] an enclosure if I do end up building an effect I would actually use.

Thanks for the warm welcome and replies, I sense I'm going to like this forum!
I make all sorts of everyday stuff; if anyone's curious I use the same handle on Instagram

[antonis]

I'll worry about [fabricating] an enclosure if I do end up building an effect I would actually use.

Thats the best part of the fun..!!

[GibsonGM]

I found a bunch of PT2399's on Ebay, and they proved to be the real thing, tho we do have to be aware of knock-offs. (let me know if you'd like the seller ID on there)

1M is a common value for gain pots and the like, in both opamp and tube circuits.  I see both audio and linear tapers being used, tho I think linear is more common. Since you seem to really like parts, I suspect you'll pick up both types      

This is a fun forum, people like to discuss the hobby and help others, and we generally try to not go out of our way to be snobby or divisive! 

[stallik]

Welcome. Some nice woodworking there. Don't think I've seen a pick-up mounted lengthwise along the string before

[ThePracticalPeasant]

I found a bunch of PT2399's on Ebay<snip>

Utmel lists it but also lists BU9253 as a substitute; Digikey lists BU9253AS with none in stock but offers TPA5050 and TPA5052 as substitutes, with surface-mount in stock. Has anyone tried any of these other part numbers?

Since you seem to really like parts, I suspect you'll pick up both types

You know me already! I generally make an effort to have an assortment of parts for my various hobbies on hand. In my years, I've discovered that the best way to kill my motivation is to force myself to drive to a store or wait for a mail order.

Welcome. Some nice woodworking there. Don't think I've seen a pick-up mounted lengthwise along the string before

Thanks! It works fairly well given that the two strings are far enough apart that each gets a coil

[jhaneyzz]

If you are organized enough actually KNOW the counts of the parts you have you are way overqualified for this hobby... 

That said, I have begun at least 80% of my projects assuming I MUST have all of the parts I need only te be placing the project in a big ziplock bag waiting for a part order.

The most frustrating part of this sport for me is realizing you only need 1 or 2 missing .05¢ components and having to buy enough other crap to fill up a $5.00 minimum order.

The key to happiness though is just enough planning so you have pre-ordered the parts you need for the project you are starting so you can just build, test and play.

and don't forget to order the damn enclosure.... I always forget that...

[ThePracticalPeasant]

If you are organized enough actually KNOW the counts of the parts you have you are way overqualified for this hobby... 

That said, I have begun at least 80% of my projects assuming I MUST have all of the parts I need only te be placing the project in a big ziplock bag waiting for a part order.

LOL, When I originally got into the Arduino thing, I bought a pile of bulk/variety packs of common components because I had no idea what I'd need. Of course that brings up "why buy one 1000 count variety pack of quarter watt resistors when you can buy TWO 1000 count variety packs of quarter watt resistors".

On a related note, it seems that late Sunday evening I did in fact put in a small order from DigiKey [prior to subscribing and posting my question here]. I now have 10pcs of each of the first two items on my list, RC4558P and TL022CP, though given that I was apparently half asleep when I placed the order, I have absolutely no idea what schematic I might have been looking at.

Pretty folks say something about the first thing about having a problem...
good thing I don't have a problem, or my memory would be one...

Edit: Figured out the order when Fed-Ex just dropped a package on my doorstep

[Locrian99]

I bought a couple of those "kits" myself when I first started.   I've found I have gone through all the commonly used values for pedals multiple times over and have some I have never touched.   I'd agree with what gibsongm said just pick a few pedals and order what you don't have.   

That being said this is kind of an interesting list this person compiled to get an idea of what values are common in pedals.

https://diyeffectspedals.com/common-diy-guitar-effects-pedal-components/

[GibsonGM]

Right.   Locrian hit on something - you can never have too many 1k, 10, 100k 470k 1meg resistors!  That would be a good purchase from Digikey. A 'couple' of the bulk sets will usually take care of the rest (I probably have 3 or 4 of those sets in my little toolbox rat's nest. The most common values I keep in envelopes).

Then the .001, .01, .1 nF poly caps, and 1, 10, 33, 47, 68, 100u electros (I go for NP where possible)...that list Locrian posted probably shows this...you really ARE pretty well-outfitted for jumping in, though, ha ha.

[amptramp]

Someone on our street was having a garage sale a few years back and he was offering two reels of through-hole resistors, one of 43K 5% and the other 23.2K 2%.  The reels were $2 apiece.  Naturally, most of my builds use these values now as I have over a thousand of each.  With a lot of designs, you can build around values you have.

I would add some photoresistive cells and LED/phototransistor couples because a photoresistive cell with a few resistors in series and parallel helps make the LED adapt to ambient light - a fixed current setting for a LED that can be seen in daylight is too bright for a dimly lit club, so some variation with ambient light is useful.  The LED/phototransistor pairs I am thinking of are used as interrupter counters.  They have an LED on one side facing a phototransistor on the other side and have a space in between them so anything that goes between them shuts off the light.  They make good switches with a spring-loaded blade between them and a Schmitt trigger on the output to avoid dithering between states.

Vactrols, which are LED/photoresistor pairs, are used in some builds, so you should check if anything you want to build uses them.

I would add some CD4007 devices which can be used for analog switches with no switch pop and some other 15-volt CMOS circuitry to act as silent switch drivers.

Transformers and linear optocouplers are useful for isolating circuitry to avoid ground problems Transformers are also used in some fullwave frequency doublers that give you an output an octave up.

[duck_arse]

you will never have enough of the right value pots. you need A taper where you want volume/level control. 50kA and 100kA, very common. for oscillators abd some gain control circuits, you want C taper pots. 100kC, 500kC, 1MC. maybe 1kC for your fuzzfaces.

you need sillicon small signal diodes - are they your 1N4xxx? 1N914 or 1N4148 are the GP's. and get some BC548's, just because. also small signal schottkys, BAT something, there's a very popular 1N47something, too. they for reverse protection and your OCD. also 2N7000 and or BS170 [? I think] small mosfets, for all the clean boost. and for your OCD.

and germanium diodes. proper germanium in the big glass case, not dodgy same-numbered sillicon/schottkys small package.

toggle switches, by the thousand, all configurations. cause you'll want them.

and about values - grab a handfull of caps and resistors and throw them on the bench. now make your circuit [breadboard, obviously] using only those parts, see how little the exact value is needed. and welcome.


[edit :] oh, and LM308, LM358, LM741.

[ThePracticalPeasant]

Alright, thanks again for all the great information.

and J201 IF you can find them

DigiKey lists the J201, $6 apiece. I understand it's a low noise component, but as it is ten times the price of other similar power handling transistors, I have to ask, is this price rational?

you want C taper pots. 100kC, 500kC, 1MC. maybe 1kC for your fuzzfaces.

C-Taper pots: inverse-log? The curve grows fast then flattens rather than growing slowly then spiking, correct?

and germanium diodes. proper germanium in the big glass case, not dodgy same-numbered sillicon/schottkys small package.

Anyone got part numbers for GE diodes that might exist as new stock at DigiKey (or Mouser)? I can't seem to come up with a search term that doesn't result in Chinesium on Amazon/eBay.

a photoresistive cell with a few resistors in series and parallel helps make the LED adapt to ambient light

That's a kick-ass idea, thanks! I have a pile of these types of components in my Arduino supplies if I discover a need.

Edit: Fixed formatting

[Locrian99]

The j201's are really necessary I'm sure someone far more knowledgeable than me can explain why exactly but they just sound better, I've tried to use 5457's in place of them to no real success.    These are a good option for them.   https://aionfx.com/project/j201-jfet/

Watch out the thru hole version of that part is very commonly counterfeited or I think some places have stock piles of old out of spec left overs they sell. 


These are some good germanium diodes

https://stompboxparts.com/germanium/

The 1n34a is kind of the go to, I've bought the 1n34a and 1n276 from here and they spec out just as advertised.   

I think some of the parts you'll have a hard time with finding on digikey as they just aren't made anymore.   

[GibsonGM]

Since they've become "obsolete" (TO WHOM???), I've made do with others, incl. the 5457, but few subs (that I've tried) will drop right in to an existing circuit.

The J201 is the holy grail of FETs.  But due to the 6$ each price, AND huge number of fakes out there, I try to avoid them.  MPF102 and others can be played with and adapted to many, many circuits calling for the '201.  There's  an SMD variety of J201 available, if you like micro work...

I've found a few on Fleabay that were ok, but I hear many are fake.

[ThePracticalPeasant]

I've found a few on Fleabay that were ok, but I hear many are fake.

I've come to avoid the big marketplaces as I have a tough time differentiating between quality at a good price and overpriced junk. I'm perfectly happy to be limited by my own knowledge and skill, I can learn and practice; Much harder for me to determine that the problem is really a DOA part. I hope that I can trust suppliers like DigiKey and Mouser that a chip stamped with the TI logo was actually made by Texas Instruments...

... I think I'm going to need to pare down the order. $400 on silicon to d!ck around with seems a bit excessive ($4000 on siliconE, my opinion might change, hehe). Problem is, everything is cheaper if you buy 10!

Jokes aside, I'm having a tough time finding schematics anywhere on this site, and searching the forums isn't really returning what I'm looking for, have I missed a way of finding this information?

I'm thinking a TS clone of some-sort, I'm not at all fussy, but best I can gather, I'll be able to use a 4558 which I have, and I have enough diodes that I figure I should be able to sit here and try pairs until I like it. This is the first schematic I found that seems reasonable; anyone have a comment or suggestion one way or another?
https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=77835.0

Thanks!

[rutabaga bob]

Welcome to the forum!

[GibsonGM]

Billions of schematics online!  Watch out that they're verified good, though. There are some in the forum, and lots in topics (use the search function)

Just a sample of the 'reputable' folks:

https://www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/schematics.html

https://www.electrosmash.com/tube-screamer-analysis

http://www.muzique.com/lab/main.htm

http://www.geofex.com/schemata.htm

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/

http://www.runoffgroove.com/