Thinking of just giving up.

[smallbearelec]

Benjamin--

Pick the simplest pedal of the ones you have, and try to get some knowledgeable, local help with going through the troubleshooting process. Once you have seen for yourself the kind of "just one little thing" errors that prevent a circuit from working, you'll be in better shape to work things out on your own. Possible resources might be a local tech or a teacher/student in an engineering school.

Don't give up! Everybody here has been through many, many hours of frustration before enjoying the reward of TONE!

SD

[Dai H.]

It's true. I've done so many stupid things, wiring Germanium transistors backwards,  being stupid enough to wire the V batt and ground so it shorts (lol), then figuring it out like a whole year later... You have a big advantage though, in that there are lots of friendly people with knowledge and experience that you can go to for advice. Not trying to come off as some bitter fart (which I'm not, yet anyway, haha), but I would've killed to have a place like this to go to.  Mainly I had this book which was a collection of DIY articles from a Japanese guitar mag, and not all of the info was correct, like the whatchamakalit--the PCB trace pattern. A Shin-ei Octaver copy PCB thingie was missing a ground connection, for example. I don't know how long it took to figure that out (after I laboured to make the board, wire in the parts, etc.). Or I look back and think what an idiot I was for believing some of the myths about point-to-point being superior over PCBs or whatever. I guess just wanted to get things to work and get a better sound so bad that I kept trying so I eventually started getting things to work (even though I'm still pretty far from knowledgeable). I think when it comes to troubleshooting, being systematic helps, not assuming (as Mark H. mentions) but making sure even if it's a pain in the ass. If working through and soldiering on is your style, then do it, but sometimes it's better to put it down and come back to it when you are fresh, later on or the next day or whatever. I think sometimes you can get in this sort of failure mode where you keep making the same mistake but you don't realize it for some reason. The failure is part of (what will be) your experience, so actually it has value, even though it may not feel at all like that at the time(LOL). Since we're not engaging in voodoo (or at least with the simpler efx), there must be a discernible SOMETHING (or thingS) that went wrong, so the trick is to figure out what it was. Did you overheat something, miswire something, not do a good solder connection, forget to plug in the battery, and on and on.

Dai

[hank reynolds 3rd]

it took me about 6 months to get my first pedal working (bmp)....i think id put the trans in the wrong way....(n.b: sockets... :roll:  :twisted: )

it kinda clicks eventually....then you'll be hooked and spend all you're nights getting more frustrated when things dont quite work  :shock:  :?
hehehe

sam

[RDV]

Go slow. Pre-plan.  :idea: I almost always use the 'check-off parts on the schematic as I go' method :idea: , especially if I'm perf-boarding.

Regards

RDV

[petemoore59]

You're frustrated...boviously...we all get that.
  However, you could at least post what ckt it is you're wuking on, ?whatzupp [Total failure is NOT an option here!!!]!
  No-one here pulls punches or legs that I've seen...everything here seems to me to be genuinly intended for your benifit.
 You've got to want it real bad sometimes to get that first one werking.
 Please use our efforts [and yours] to the best of your ability...you'll thank yourself for it in the long run!!!
 I've smashed failed ckts beofre. No biggie. I usually do it in a premeditated fashion though, carefully stripping the valuables [caps etc] then savagely stomping' [no pun]...lol...very satisfying...every once in a while I think I need some better Stomping boots...tennis shoes work but lack that high end that leather heel boots provide!!!
  If you want it bad enough you'll get it...I've had to build three of a ckt type to get one 'good' one...trial, error, and experience take time, temperance and diligence etc ...

[AL]

Hang in there.   The last fuzz face I built I spent a week trying to get the thing to work.  I swapped ALL the parts, changed transistors, rebuilt it about 10 times and then realized I forgot to ground the stupid thing.  That stuff happens all the time.  Post your problems and someone is always willing to help.  

If I could make a suggestion.  Get a breadboard if you don't already have one.  Small Bear sells them or a local supplier.  You can't put a value on having one.  You can build your circuits without soldering and can test all the mods you want.  No solder/no boxes/no burnt fingers.  Keep at it.

AL

[gez]

Oh what the hell, give up!...Just make sure you start again first thing in the morning!!!

[Rob Strand]

I recommend bread-boards too. If you get one I recommend an authentic WishBoard brand.  I once bought a Faystar brand and it really sucks compared to the WishBoard, the components don't go in properly and sometimes I feel like smashing it :evil:.  Also because the bottom plate is too thin the bananna pegs/sockets don't mount properly, the nut ends up tightening against itself and not the plate - I actually broke the screw while tightening it and wondered why it was still loose, then I saw the problem.

[petemoore59]

Thanks And Goodbye, Ben!!! Good Luck!!! Hope to see you soon!!!

[1wahfreak]

Ben,
I understand your frustration. I've been building my first Fuzz Face for 2 months now and it still doesn't work right. It has taken everything I have to keep from throwing it against the wall!! But I keep asking myself why I started doing it in the first place. I wanted to understand enough about circuits to the point where I could build and troubleshoot my own pedals. When I don't understand something I have to ask more questions and do some more reading. I do understand one thing. This is not a hobby that I can get instant gratification from. I hate waiting for parts to arrive, (especially those vintage germainums only to find the entire batch is to leaky), I hate spending time at my in-laws when I could be home drilling holes in my enclosure, or waiting for the forum answers, you all know what I mean  :wink:  
Try to be patient and keep asking questions. My experience here is very limitied but everyone iseems to be very helpful and willing to answer your questions.

[RDV]

I would have to suggest to all who are trying their 1st circuit to try something simple, like an LPB, or a Silicon Fuzzface. For a Silicon Fuzzface, if you pick a low/medium gain transistor for Q1, and a high-gain for Q2, and go slow & watch your polarities & pin-outs you CAN make a circuit work and sound good in a few scant hours. I did. I started doing this in Febuary of this year and have now completed about 25 circuits. Read the FAQ of this site & GEO's, & then read them again. It's all there, I promise you. You have to have that first success so you'll want to keep going.

Regards

RDV

P.S.
A great 2nd project is my Si Tonebender in Schematics 2
Very easy to get working and sounds good 2!