help with making a wah or distortion pedal (first time maker)

[jniallmcp]

rite here goes

i really realy   want to make my own wah or overdrive/ distortion pedal

i have no idea what i need or how to do it but i do know about electrics so plz help me out


cheers!!!!                       

[markm]

I think there's loads of info here if you surf around a bit.
A good place to start is the FAQ.
Welcome.....and have a nice day 

[jniallmcp]

plz reply to me or give me advice on which   wah and distortion pedals to buy

[markm]

If you're lookin' to buy......
Then you don't want DIY!
.....sorry, couldn't resist 

[jonathan perez]

inlcude your intent in the subject, first of all.

use the search button. use the LINKS link. after youve gone to ggg/tonepad and found the wah/overdrive you want to build, have someone make you a board (nate), buy the components youll need from smallbear, and get wah-ing/overdrive-ing.

welcome to the forum!  

[jniallmcp]

ok i would prefer to make so that i can get a sound that no1 else can so its original

but if i made a wah i would like a mix between the different cry baby wah's by dunlop

[jonathan perez]

describe in detail what youre trying to do, so that we can point you in the right direction. 

[QSQCaito]

If you have never worked with this kind of stuff, I'd recommend you to start with the Beginner Project

Easy-tweakable project. If it's too far from what you're looking for, you could create a booster. These easy DIY project which IMO could sound really good, and give some distort sparkle..

You could find them using the Function(it's a link)...

And what i believe more important, search a lot, read FAQ, you could get most of your first questions answered there.


Hope it helps

Bye bye

DAC

Edit: PS: I wouldn't recommend you to start with a wah, unless you already have one, if you have one, there are lots of cool mods to add to it. Wah enclosures+inductors are expensive, at least in my country.

Edit2: Search in
General Guitar Gadgets and Tonepad

And then, as midway said, buy yor stuff in Small Bear Electronics. Here(i haven't bought here because i live in Argentina) you'll find everything you need, excellent attention. Reasonable prices. If you're too newbie you could buy PCB froma Tonepad or GGG, but it would be better if you start an easy project with stripboard(vero) or perfboard.

bye bye

DAC

[jniallmcp]

cheers for all your help so far but in detail i have no bloody idea what to do to make a wah pedal u could tell me to put a racoon in it and i would probz believe lol

i just want a really nice wah-wah sound as made by jim dunlop

[QSQCaito]

Jim what?? I ussually don't make that connection to "really nice sounding", you've still got lots to learn.

I'll soon post you some links with easy projects.. Just wait until I get the links

bye bye

DAC


Edit: Here i found some great projects, most of them are easy. (cheers dragonfly )

Here you have 35 Boosters to choose.
Here you have 15 Distortions to choose.

These are all vero(stripboards)

You can find hundred, indeed hundreds , more layouts of easy projects, these is the Layouts Gallery you can find the link in the top of this forum also.

Well i think this'd be enough entertainment for couple of hours.

bye bye

DAC

[petemoore]

  jniallmcp
 Welcome to the forum !!
 A metal wah case is easier bought than DIY'd.
 If you're good at working with metal it can be done.
 The first and second things I would do are:
 Sit back and read again. Search links...there is alot of wah info available, but you'll need alot of general info also.
 Reading through the DEBUGGING thread for info is also recommended, and will give you a better idea of what you'll have to get into to get sound out of that thing that isn't debugged. For best results it is required reading.
 An existing wah case / circuit board removes Alot of work and troubles, starting with a V847 [I don't think these ever came with Plastic jacks soldered in PCB, something I'd avoid], or even an old cry-baby takes all the fitting of metal fittings, circuit board, and pot treadle gearing/drive, and switch alignment matters.  Otherwise, if you're interested in a '*time project', DIYing the whole schebang is possible. *My first one taught me sctuff about DIYing Wah, a 'big' project.
   Here's what Paul Morassydid...
  http://www.diyguitarist.com/DIYStompboxes/DIY-Wah.htm
  Another
  http://www.diyguitarist.com/DIYStompboxes/DIY-Wah2.htm
 Buying a case makes it alot easier, and fewer metal splinters or much worse possibilities are reduced considerably.
   
 
 
 

[jonathan perez]

good call. but listen, we cant tell you what to do, per se. there is far too much information for you to learn on your own, if that is entirely the case. i suggest you buy one of dunlops wahs, and modify the heckfire out of it. i think youll find it easier, since you dont have an entire understanding of building yet.

or, check out those links and see whats around. get to know what the stuff looks like. the layouts on GGG are pretty much "painting by numbers." it REALLY doesnt get any easier than that, especially if youre colorblind like me. (i have to paint by number.   )

i just built 4 wahs the other day, not because i wanted to, but because i enjoyed the challenge...not to mention im a little nutty in the jar...other than that, ive never built anything in my life hahaha. so, feel free to jump right in, asking questions of course...

[QSQCaito]

I remember that my first project was the BluesBreaker that was in GGG... I could do it thanks to my dad, he gave me a whole class... But it was a mistake, because as i knew so little i did as it was in the web, didn't reversed it.. and my father helped me to compare with the sechematic and he got the problem.. also with the diodes.. But it was a build from scratch 100% i did the pcb with sharpie, the box everything, it sounds awesome by the way.. But i recommend to start with easy ones.. easy to debug, little parts amount..
But you'll decide.. as petemoore said, read the debug.. and read read read.. that's my adivse

Bye bye

DAC

[jniallmcp]

ok battlewidma or watever (soz im not good with names)   well my friend and me are having a jam on saturday he has a wah that he leaves at mine overnite       but i dont think that would be wise to fickewr about with it lol

[jonathan perez]

uh...i guess Jonathan is respectful haha.

[jniallmcp]

rite here goes

i really realy   want to make my own wah or overdrive/ distortion pedal

i have no idea what i need or how to do it but i do know about electrics so plz help me out


cheers!!!!                       

[jniallmcp]

btw that last quote was a accident lol

[$uperpuma]

yeah again, I'd probably recommend an overdrive or distortion as a first project. kits are a fun way to begin... however I would recommend the Beginner project to work on build skills... then you can be a mad scientist from there... if you need a unique wah built, send a private message to thebattleofmidway, he builds them and handpaints them, etc.. but if you want to build something, again, I'd recommend that beginner project.

[markm]

yeah again, I'd probably recommend an overdrive or distortion as a first project. kits are a fun way to begin... however I would recommend the Beginner project to work on build skills... then you can be a mad scientist from there... if you need a unique wah built, send a private message to thebattleofmidway, he builds them and handpaints them, etc.. but if you want to build something, again, I'd recommend that beginner project.

I second this post. BOM does a nice job.