do the clipper leds in a red fuzz light up?

[foxfire]

i'm thinking i may put one of these together tonight and i wondering if they light up?

[Mark Hammer]

It will depend on which red LEDs you use.  There are red LEDs that produce 80mcd of illumination with a given current, there are red LEDs that produce 6000mcd with the same current, and there are plenty of red LEDs in between.  The clipping action at the given forward voltage will be separate from the amount of illumination created.  Plenty of commercially available red LEDs will yield the desired clipping without producing any light that you could see under normal operating circumstances.  Maybe in a closet if the lights were off, but not in a room with enough ambient light to read the labels on the pedal, and certainly not if the pedal is painted a light colour or in an otherwise low-contrast situation.

If you want to "see" the clipping, for whatever reasons, keep an eye out for superbright red LEDs.  Basically, something with a 2000mcd or better rating.

[foxfire]

well i made up one of Tim E's idiot wahs with an ldr and haven't pit it to use yet. i'm thinking it might make for a nice combo assuming i like the red fuzz?

[col]

Not built this exact circuit but some similar and usually the LEDs do light up faintly but only at peaks in the sound. As it dies down so does the light. I had some rectangular ones that I got in a goodie bag and they lit up well while distorting. I don't think you'd see them clearly in normal light but if you want them visible I'd try the superbright ones that Mark suggests.

[foxfire]

well i built it using a 741 and it sounds a bit like doody. my lpb with clipping diodes sounds better. oh and the leds that i have on hand do not light up at least not yet. but thanks for the info and suggestions everyone.

[foxfire]

so i screwed up and used two 470R's instead of two 470k's. but it works now and sounds good. the leds i have do light up a bit but, not enough. ill have to get some different leds.