Newbie gets ready for first project - any advice?

[John Squire]

I'm getting ready to start my first project, and I've decided to build fuzzcentral's Axis Face Silicon. Any advice you guys want to give away besides 'start with something easier'?

I have some experiencing with a soldering gun, being a guitar builder, and having taken electronics courses in high school, not to mention the cap job I had to do in my Farfisa recently. So I'm really not afraid of the project, but still I have noob doubts.

One of them is: my local electronics shop has the 2N2369A transistor I need for the project, but it's a metalic case version, not the black plastic one. Does it make any difference in any aspect? I bet this goes in the 'what matters' section, but I thought I should ask anyway.

I'm sure I'll have other doubts along the way when the time comes to install the true bypass circuit, and stuff like that, but I'll save them for when they really surface.

My name's Adriano, btw, and I live in Brazil, a beautiful place where guitar pedals are so expensive it's actually cheaper to build your own (the average Boss stombox costs $100-150 here).

Cheers.

[markm]

The metal can tranny should be fine I would think.
Some guys would prefer those I suppose.
Welcome to the stompbox world BTW 

[petemoore]

One of them is: my local electronics shop has the 2N2369A transistor I need for the project, but it's a metalic case version, not the black plastic one. Does it make any difference in any aspect? I bet this goes in the 'what matters' section, but I thought I should ask anyway.
   I'd say it's mostly a gain amount difference, I've only tried the plastic type, and the gain varied, this part [if not too expensive] is probably worth getting more than two of, as the gain and sound will vary from piece to piece, unit to unit.
  I'm sure I'll have other doubts along the way when the time comes to install the true bypass circuit, and stuff like that, but I'll save them for when they really surface.
  GGG has a true bypass wiring, as well as other wiring option layouts.
  My name's Adriano, btw, and I live in Brazil, a beautiful place where guitar pedals are so expensive it's actually cheaper to build your own (the average Boss stombox costs $100-150 here).
  Welcome Adriano !!
  I'm certain you can get a great FF sound, and for less than a comparable quality commercial unit, But, IMO more importantly [and especially in the case of the FF], you can get your* tone on!
  Socket the transistors
  Measure every resistor prior to installation
  READ GEO "Technology of the Fuzz Face", as well as ... everything else..
  Watch polarized components orientation [polarized caps, diodes, transistors].
  Also read RG's thread up top of the thread page "DEBUGGING: what to do when it doesn't work"...keeping hopes high, immediate expectations low...you'll get it.

[R.G.]

I have some experiencing with a soldering gun

You really need a soldering iron or pencil. A soldering gun of 100W or more is too big for making effects.

A soldering iron or pencil of about 25W to 40W is about right for most effects work.

[Gilles C]

....
My name's Adriano, btw, and I live in Brazil, a beautiful place where guitar pedals are so expensive it's actually cheaper to build your own (the average Boss stombox costs $100-150 here).

Cheers.

What do you mean, expensive?

That's the price of Boss stompboxes here in Canada too... 

And I noticed that I spent more on building guitar effects than if I had decided to buy Boss effects (which I did anyway...). 

Don't worry. I like building guitar effects. That's why I build them.

Welcome to the fun.



Gilles

[MetalGod]

with a Fuzz Face the transistor selection is critical to getting a good tone - just order them from Steve Daniels at Small Bear.  He will test them for both gain and leakage and you will get a great sounding pedal.

[John Squire]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. 

MetalGod - I thought Si trannies were very consistent, that's why I decide to start with a Silicon equiped pedal. Not to mention the fact that they're cheap and easy to find.

Gilles - Yes, I heard that stuff IS overpriced in Canada, but then you're getting paid in Dollars, not Reais like I am, and that, at least today, means a disadvantageous $1 - R$2.2 conversion rate.

R.G. - I did mean a soldering iron, not a soldering gun. Damn English language.

petemore - I was actually planning to get a few of each transistor, since they're so cheap. And as I don't have a multimeter yet, I'll go ahead and buy one that can measure transistor gain. I'll check GGG for the true bypass layouts. I read "Technology of the Fuzz Face" and a bunch of FAQs and now I'm searching around the forums at fuzzcentral and here. Having gone through my first guitar built from scratch, I sure know to keep my expectations low for a first attempt.

markm - I heard the metal tranny's supposed to be more rugged than the plastic one. That's probably why some people prefer it. That and maybe the possibility that the metal chassis might help with the RF problem? I'm sure I'll have plenty of chance to experiment with other transistors on this position too, so it really doesn't matter if I don't get the right one now. I'll focus on getting it all to work, and then I'll fine tune.

[petemoore]

   I don't have a multimeter yet
  Debugging without one of these is like trying to find the light switch in a dark room, which could be on any surface including the ceiling, for an experienced troubleshooter...not to sound forboding but...yupp.
  Si trannies were very consistent, that's why I decide to start with a Silicon equiped pedal.
  Si transistor are typically consistantly low leakage .
  FF circuits are 'sensative' to the amount of gain in transistors [esp. Q1], there is enough variance in gain in Si transistors that you'll probably notice a difference between units of the same part #.
   DMM First...
 
 

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Just remember to walk away from it if it frustrates you!