Critique my Bazz Fuss in progress

[Matteran]

Okay, so I did a horrible job so far. From a few days of researching, i decided to go for it, and for some reason, I thought that I was supposed to cut the leads before i soldered them in, so that's why my connections are all over the place. And I could've organized it better using the schematics, but i only realized this after i finished up for the night.

This is the whole board minus the transformer, I'm going to order that from somewhere along with the rest of the components. Oh yeah, it's the deluxe bazz fuss.



Oh, and I just guessed on which leads were which on the transistor. I used the schematic, and assumed that the straight line in the symbol of the transistor meant the straight side of the transistor. If that's totally wrong then if you could help me out with that thanks.

So, yeah, any glaring issues, beyond it looking absolutely horrid?

[Sic]

copper-clad perfboard might be a little easier for you to use, have you looked at the Beginner Project?

There is a good Pictorial for the npn booster... that can give you some references to how things should look.

As for your transistor, you should always double check a datasheet with the pinout of the particular one you are using, just in case...

Another good idea is to socket your transistors, ics, and sometimes even diodes and caps


Also, i did some searching and here are some layouts with and without the transformer

Bazz Fuss

Anymore questions, just ask... there is no such thing as a stupid question...

Lets just say your first build is going WAAAAAAAAAY better than my first build

[Matteran]

also, i found the transformer on mouser, but i'm unsure what kinda pots to choose from mouser.

I need a 100kL (L stands for Linear?), 1kL, and 100kA (A stands for Audio?)

I guess i should also get an in and out jack. Do I need stereo for this project? I want to wire it true bypass, so I guess I have to. So that means I also need a 3pdt switch. And what the heck, a red LED, unless they come in purple.

[Matteran]

Also, i did some searching and here are some layouts with and without the transformer

Bazz Fuss

yeah, that's where i got the schematic. I want to have the transformer, because this will be used with a bass with active pickups, and it says that it's fine without the transformer only with passive pickups, and not infront of buffered pedals.

And i did checkout the begginer project beforehand, but forgot about how he made everything look so neat, and then i looked at the project after i finished up, and i was like, "duh, i'm not supposed to cut the leads right away"

oh, and what's the advantage of socketing things? I asked the guy at my local electronics place, and he said it's not common to socket the type of transistor i'm using

[petemoore]

IF you use heat sinks the transistor probably doesn't need a socket, but I'd use one, transistor swaps may change the voice of the Cct a bit, and you can always twist the legs of the Transistor to match CBE or other pinout.

[Matteran]

so the sockets make it so the transistor won't overheat when the effect is being used?

I'm thinking i'll probably try to get a socket for the transistor. Explain what sort of heat sink will be used.

copper-clad perfboard might be a little easier for you to use

would that have helped with my trouble getting the solder to stay on the leads, because the solder would just stay on the iron, and sometimes i'd literally have to try and shake the solder off the iron

[SirPoonga]

Interesting.  My next build will be a Bass Fuzz Deluxe.

Here's my first build
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/SirPoonga/Ruby/ruby3.jpg

As you see, having the copper perf is much cleaner.

There wasn't a lcoal store with sockets that would work for the transistor so I didn't socket it.  We'll see.  I've been using it pretty heavy lately without any problems.

[KORGULL]

also, i found the transformer on mouser, but i'm unsure what kinda pots to choose from mouser.

16mm is a good size, they are small and easy to fit into your box/layout.
Alpha is a good inexpensive brand - I think most people use them.

I need a 100kL (L stands for Linear?), 1kL, and 100kA (A stands for Audio?)

Yes A=audio, L=linear

I guess i should also get an in and out jack. Do I need stereo for this project? I want to wire it true bypass, so I guess I have to. So that means I also need a 3pdt switch. And what the heck, a red LED, unless they come in purple.

A stereo jack will allow you to hook up the circuit so it can have the power switched on/off when you insert/remove the instrument plug.
//www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/switch_lo_battery.gif

A 3PDT switch lets you easily hook up an LED indicator and have true by-passing without using an extra switching circuit.

Small Bear Electronics sells a violet LED...blue ones too. You can get all the stuff you need there...maybe cheaper than Mouser too.

oh, and what's the advantage of socketing things? I asked the guy at my local electronics place, and he said it's not common to socket the type of transistor i'm using

The two main reasons for socketing are: 1)It allows you to quickly and easily experiment with different transistor, capacitor, diode, etc... types and values.
2) Sockets prevent damage to the components caused by excessive soldering iron heat. The components most easily damaged are - transistors (especially germanium ones) IC's, and diodes.
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I think when petemoore mentioned heatsinks, he meant the kind that (temporarily) clips on to the component lead and absorbs some of the iron's heat - preventing damage while you are soldering. Some people use alligator clips for heat sinks.  

Sic wrote:
copper-clad perfboard might be a little easier for you to use

Matteran wrote:
would that have helped with my trouble getting the solder to stay on the leads, because the solder would just stay on the iron, and sometimes i'd literally have to try and shake the solder off the iron

You might not be heating the leads enough - make sure you apply the iron to the lead, then the solder to the lead - don't apply the solder to the iron and try to drip/smear it on the lead. The solder should melt and flow over the lead if it is heated well. If the solder "balls up" on the lead it is probably a bad joint. I also think the copper-clad perfboard is easier to use. I like to be able to solder a lead at the point it is inserted in the board, then bend it to make the next connection - just make sure you heat the lead and the copper (pad) on the board.

Good luck with this project. I'm going to build one as soon as I get the transformer.

[petemoore]

metal's gotta heat, cold solder don't heat
 proper sinks are available, gator clips work, 5-7 seconds tip touch time max.? depends on iron heat and conduction rate...practice you'll be fine...use socket.
 Strip Sockets!....[? 6-8 pin IC, cut in 1/2...]

[SirPoonga]

2) Sockets prevent damage to the components caused by excessive soldering iron heat. The components most easily damaged are - transistors (especially germanium ones) IC's, and diodes.

That's true.  Also add IR componants.  Not sure if stomboxes will use those though.

[Matteran]

so, i got the transformer, and i'm unsure how i would solder it in.



I'm assuming that i solder the two outside leads on the positive side only, right? The left most one going to the input (what part of the input? Sorry, i'm new to reading some parts of schematics), and the right most one goes to the circuit. Do I have to ground all the other leads? or just leave them  alone?

[Peter Snowberg]

The type of board you're using is very hard to work with. I just accept that when using it my project will look like a mess. Your build looks very good.

The type with plated through holes is what I prefer, but others like the stuff with copper on one side only. Either is MUCH easier to work with than the stuff without copper.

For the transistor, you can go to http://www.google.com and type in the transistor number followed by "datasheet" and you can find out which leads are which. Beware that different companies may make transistors with the same number, but different pinouts.

http://www.solarbotics.net/library/datasheets/MPSA13.pdf

From this sheet it looks like you have the orientation correct.

On the transformer, you need to figure out which wires to use first. Luckily that is a 1:1 transformer so you could use either the primary or the secondary. Here is the datasheet: http://www.mouser.com/catalog/specsheets/164267.pdf Use either pins 1 & 3 or use 4 & 6. Leave all the other pins disconnected.

[Matteran]

thanks man.

[Matteran]

well... it doesn't work. I get sound, but no fuzz. The sound comes in and out, but i think that has to do with the wiring on the one of the pots, because when i move it the right way the sound comes back. I'll check the debugging FAQs on some websites.

[Matteran]

I was unsure how to wire the pots when i wired them, so i guessed from the schematic, and this is how i wired them:



(the green lines symbolize wire.)

I think if after looking over everything a few times, i might want to redo the whole thing on copper-clad perfboard, because i just populated a PCB and boy was it a lot easier to work with the solder. And I'll be able to be a lot cleaner, and debugging won't be so impossible.

Oh, and i don't think it matters, but for testing purposes, i didn't wire the switch and LED at all, it's just plug it in and go.

[Matteran]

bump, did i wire the pots right?

[Matteran]

Crap, i just realized that i accidently wired two of the pots in the wrong places. I just need to switch them, so right now, i just have two pots of the wrong value in the right place for a pot, i'm not sure if that'll have the effect on the sound that it is, but it needs to be fixed anyway.

Is there a chance that the transistor is burnt out? I didn't socket it.