R.G.'s book

[csj]

I've seen several references now to a book by R.G.

I didn't know he had one.

Can someone tell me what's in it?
Is it still available?
How many pages are in it?
Is it a real book or cdrom?

Since Keen is to pedals what O'connor is to MI amps I can imagine it's well worth the price, whatever that is.

Can someone tell me a little more about it?

[Mark Hammer]

It's one of those Don Lancaster style "publish-on-demand" books, meaning that when there are orders, he arranges to have a bunch printed up.

Since it is in a pile of stuff at home, I'm working from memory here.  It's about 100 pages long or so, and profusely illustrated.  It provides step-by-step tutoring in how to think through PCB layout.  Where it excels is in providng illustrations of what you'd get if you adopted strategy A vs B vs C.  There are practical examples of a few known devices, like a Rangemaster and a Superfuzz.  I think you'll find that it does not talk down nor does it assume high-level knowledge; these ARE fuzz-boxes, remember.

There is certainly advice galore, and lots to chew over, but the greatest strength is in helping the reader to develop reasoning skills for tackling layout, rather than stuffing a cookbook method down one's throat.  To some extent, it is predicated on the use of 1590BB boxes (one would be foolish to pretend these didn't exist as a preferred chassis, given their availability, price, dimensions and quality), but there is enough in it to help you figure out what to do with other less conventional chassis.

You could shell out a couple hundred dollars for a course at a community college or university....OR... you could throwa bit of spare change RG's way for the equivalent information tailored to your interests.  Your choice.

[Peter Snowberg]

I've never seen it, but from R.G.s posts I can easily imagine his book sitting on a shelf next to Lancaster and Jung.

If I needed that info, I wouldn't hesitate inthe slightest to spend $50 on a low-quantity published work from an expert in the field. What more could you ask for. I sure wish I had such a resource 20 years ago.

It's going to be priceless in the long view of things for sure.

Hey R.G..... Can we add a thread somewhere in the FAQ with a link? .... and how much does it cost? Thanks!

Take care,
-Peter

[Paul Marossy]

RG made up a batch about a year ago, I believe. I guess I shoulda got one for me, too. Oh well, maybe next time. They were very reasonably priced, basically just the cost for printing, IIRC.

[csj]

Thanks for the information guys.
Yeah, I'd like to get  it...I'm sure it's worth it.

I remember a series of books I had when I was younger written by a retired US Navy engineer. They described the basic actions in different types of circuits (radio, transistors, rectifiers, tube amplification etc. etc.). Those books were a goldmine of information especially in reference to the numerous different current flows which can go on at any given moment.

I've struggled since day 1 with current flow. I struggle with Ohm because I struggle with Kirchoff.

Alas, those books are long lost. I had them at a time in my life when I was more interested in studying things which would simply fill up my dancecard for "career" progression. Since I don't have the kind of job in which you pull molecules apart everyday this meant studying... well, frankly - a load of horsesh*t. My education is purely of the kind which is only suitable for an overblown bureaucracy where sycophancy and phoney credentials count more than anything else. Yeah, my Masters degree in Public Administration and 25 cents will get me a cup of...

I remember being debriefed by a "Dr." Newman... She informed me and my group (several times) that she was a "Doctor of Interdisciplinary Sciences".  She was quite impressed with herself. What this meant, in truth,
was that she had hung around Universities long enough to acquire a ton of credits but never enough in any single area to graduate. What to do with these people then is to create a new category... "interdisciplines" and give them the paper. The fact that this dork  really believed she was a scientist tells you everything you need to know.

Yeah, I'd like to get R.G.'s book.


edit - corrected for those darn spelling errors and incorrect info...

[dubs]

count me in - I want to buy a copy of the book!

[Mike Burgundy]

have a look here:
http://www.geofex.com/bookpages/bookblurb.htm

and drop the man an email!

[audioguy]

That book sounds great. I would love an E copy of it, since I build in front of my PC monitor.

Maybe Im missing something here... but whats his Email address?

Thanks!

Audioguy

[The Tone God]

That book sounds great. I would love an E copy of it, since I build in front of my PC monitor.

I belive Mr. Keen does not make the book availible in electronic format.

Andrew

[Paul Marossy]

RG stated that he will not make it available online because it will end up on another website somewhere. He has enough problems with people ripping him off as it is. A shame, but that's the way things are.

[R.G.]

Here's the scoop on the book.

It's titled "PCB Layout for Musical Effects". The intent of the book is to teach people how to think about electronic parts layout for single layer PCBs. It is not specific to any one system or program for layout. By the end of the book, someone with access to any PCB layout program or even a graphics program should be able to lay out simple effects on the order of a fuzz face or a tube screamer. More importantly, they will be able to start practicing at layout, because practice is where the real learning takes place.

The book goes over what to do first (it's NOT to start connecting components), a bridge for beginners from schematics to initial layout, the importance of layers, progressive optimization, a little bit of cost-based layout rules, and some style things that I think are appropriate for the musical effects world.

The book is not about effects basics, although there is another in the works about that. It does not teach circuit theory, have secret schematics, tell you how to solder, or even tell you how to make PCBs, or even how to use any layout software tool. It's only about how to do the mental processes during a layout - how to decide what goes where, and why, and how to connect things up.

There are a number of start-from-zero layouts in the book, from a one-transistor rangemaster clone up to an OD2.

I charge $23.75 each for a copy, plus whatever postage costs. Priority mail in the US is $3.85. Outside the US is higher, usually about $5 - $7 for postage.

It is only available in hard copy because I have seen the net work its wonders on anything that can be sent in softcopy, and every intellectual property discusstion that happens here verifies my suspicions. I'm pretty sure that the first softcopy or CD I send out will lead to it being posted free on the net. I used two different copy locking services for sending out soft copies early on, but they have both died in the dot-com asteroid strike, so it's available in hard copy only.

I print the hard copy in my garage. I bought an HP Laserjet 5 Si that does duplexing, and I can set it up to print several copies at a time. I bind the copies in the garage too. I asked a lot of low volume book binders for quotes, but I can't get it printed commercially for less than about $20 a copy until I print over 1000 copies; that either runs my per-book return so low that it's not worth it to me to do it or runs your cost up so high that it's not worth it to you. And something tells me that a major publisher is *not* going to pick this thing up for mass marketing. 8-)

That means that I'm perpetually sold out of the dozen or so copies I print and bind at a time. As I am in fact right now. I have a printing run scheduled for about two weeks from now, and a backlog of about a dozen copies requested.

I deliberately make it hard to find my email, as I get an unbelievable amount of spam. For the time being, you can send me enquiries about the book or any other effects questions at the ID fxquest-butdeletethis-dee-oh-tee-cee-oh-em.

[Fret Wire]

Give this a try for spam, works pretty well. It has the usual free trial period.
http://www.spambutcher.com/

[john1056]

For the time being, you can send me enquiries about the book or any other effects questions at the ID fxquest-butdeletethis-dee-oh-tee-cee-oh-em.

I guess this is probably a dumb question, but what kind of ID is that?  I'd really love a copy of your book.

[Paul Marossy]

FXQUEST DOT COM

[R.G.]

Egad, this is embarassing.

I got so wrapped up in spelling it out that I left parts out...

that's fxquest at gee-eee-oh-ef-eee-ex dotcom.


AAAARRRGGGGHHH!!!!!

[john1056]

Ahhh... I think I've got it now (nudge nudge wink wink)

[csj]

This site has a bunch of younger guys who work hard at this. They are a credit to the site.

If R.G.'s up to it I'd like to challenge the older farts here who might have fewer money woes to reach out and get in contact with some of these guys and set them up with R.G.'s book.

You can check the links about jobs and ages to find out a little about this but most of the younger regulars here are pretty well known already.

R.G's work gets distributed and you get to help someone who deserves it.



well, you know... think about it.

[Ge_Whiz]

I belive Mr. Keen does not make the book availible in electronic format.

Well, of course, someone here could always buy it, scan it, and make it available. Then we could have a go at the guy who did it. Then someone could flame those who complained about the guy who ripped off RG because "all knowledge should be free". Then we could have a jolly war of words until Peter locks the thread. Oh, and we could have side bets on how many posts get clocked up before Peter locks the thread.

:twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:

[Joe Viau]

I bought the book a few months ago, I heartily recommend it.

If someone tries to rip off the book, what was done to Luca Brasi in "The Godfather" should be done to him.

Ciao.

[nightingale]

the book is good~
i designed my first PCB  after reading half way through..