Uglyface with LFO --new vero-- (unverified)

[Mick Bailey]

The trimpot is not really necessary in the final build. I suggested it to fine-tune the LFO to the vactrol or LED/LDR so that it doesn't over or under modulate from the LFO. I did this originally and measured the value which came out at about 1.1k, then I used a fixed resistor once I was happy with the sound.

I have to say I'm really humbled with the work that's gone into the vero and PCB builds. I'm also pleased that others are getting the same results as myself.

One thing to note, which I mentioned in an earlier post, the 'generic' LM386 ICs work a lot better than the JRC in my prototype. They give a much deeper sweep. YMMV. Also make sure that if you make your own vactrol that it is light-proof.

[Br4d13y]

hey, i just built using this layout, and i used a vtcl9 or smthing, cant quie remembr the number right now, but all im getting is guitar signal when active, the volume pot works, but nothing else, has anyone had similar problems?

[pinkjimiphoton]

hi guys,
i built this vero, and it definitely works! well done!!

but...a couple probs..

on the vero, it says lug 3 of the volume connects to ground...this should be connected to where the vero says lug 3 on the board, lug 1 of the volume pot needs to go to ground, not lug 3.

also...the lfo switch either works, or nothing happens. i'm wondering if that's because lug 3 of the lfo switch isn't connected to anything...is this a mistake on the vero, or is it supposed to connect somewhere else? either the pedal works, or no sound is passed at all.
where is pin 3 of the switch supposed to go? or is it supposed to be disconnected?

thanks, great pedal, and a fun build!!

[pinkjimiphoton]

found the problem, i didn't notice that the orientation of the lfo chip is UPSIDE DOWN from the more usual...

simply reversing the chip in the socket did the trick...man, this thing is DOUBLE COOL now!!

so...peeps...if ya build it as on the layout, it's on the money...just make sure you pay attention to the orientation of the chips!!!

proud to say, re-verified....thanks so much for a groovy layout!!
:thu:

[pinkjimiphoton]

i've built this as well, and it's a verified layout...works great, amazing pedal.

here's a video demo of it:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=91484.new;topicseen#new

[alexblues145]

Didn't wish for my first post to be dragging up old posts,

But I'm pretty sure the power to ic1,pin3 and the other ic's should be after the diode, which is in series for protection.

I only say as i'm sure it's a popular pedal,

Sorry again..

[h.aguirrebena]

Hey guys, I have a doubt here. What the hell is the reddish component¿ Its not listed (i think

[duck_arse]

h - if you mean the red box with the "+" as in this image:



it will be the vactrol. the (+) will indicate the A for Anode of the led, the other side will be the ldr. you can use a led/ldr roll-your-own, as well.

also, hello, and welcome.

[edit :] had my a and k arse about. it is usual for diodes to have their K marked, band or notch or flat or dot. some vactrols dot-mark the kathode (nsl32), others (+) mark the anode. there was a recent discussion about which lead of a diode would be/often is marked with a (+), which distracted my thoughts for a split second, and messed my polarity typeing.

[jmasciswannabe]

Also, I think d1 and c1 are wonky. Check against schematic. D1and c1 should be going between ground and v+, not in series.

[duck_arse]

indeed, as jmascis says, wonky. has anyone a copy of the circuit "this" board was layed out against?

if the free end of R2 is the +9V in, as is D1 and C1 don't matter. if D1 is shifted rotated 90 degrees anti-clockwise so its K is where the A is now (add/drill another hole next the ground line), it should work as a shunt protection diode.

if the free end of R2 isn't +9V in ........ well, we need the circuit diagram. and I don't see supply for IC3 on that layout either.

[pinkjimiphoton]

well, i know the vero worked, and worked great... my uglyface is still rockin and rollin and making tard-founded noises the gods puke over...

[h.aguirrebena]

h - if you mean the red box with the "+" as in this image:



it will be the vactrol. the (+) will indicate the A for Anode of the led, the other side will be the ldr. you can use a led/ldr roll-your-own, as well.

also, hello, and welcome.

[edit :] had my a and k arse about. it is usual for diodes to have their K marked, band or notch or flat or dot. some vactrols dot-mark the kathode (nsl32), others (+) mark the anode. there was a recent discussion about which lead of a diode would be/often is marked with a (+), which distracted my thoughts for a split second, and messed my polarity typeing.

Thank you very much!

[blackieNYC]

I just added a transistor boost to the front end of my uglyface.  The sound is the same but the sustain is tripled.  Oh I am so very happy with it now I could dance a wee jig.  Try it with a clean fuzz face first - there's a boost point where the UF takes in any little noise and tries to turn it into something.  Back off just a touch from that point, measure your fuzz face gain, and squeeze a fixed output boost in there.  I think I have a 26knresistor in series with the output. My boost might be 15-20dB.  I thought the 386 was meant to drive the hell out of it but as always, a little more front end gain is awesome!

[rankot]

I have a problem with Uglyface (LFO version) - TLC555 is getting very hot after some 10 minutes and starts to smell. What could be the cause? 

[bluebunny]

Hmmm...  Necrobumping half a dozen old threads is not the best way to ask a question.  You could simply have started a new thread and gotten all your answers in one place.   

[rankot]

Hmmm...  Necrobumping half a dozen old threads is not the best way to ask a question.  You could simply have started a new thread and gotten all your answers in one place.   

Well, that makes me almost impossible to find an answer - if there are zilions of threads with similar problems (and also all unsolved). But I have found a cause for the problem and posted in another thread.

[BetterOffShred]

Well after the last scolding someone got for posting this is probably not the best, but this thread has lots if info on the build so I'm going for it! 

I built this using the original stripboard layout, and the ugly face part works fine, but I'm noticing some anomalies so I wanted to discuss. 

I can only get the LFO going with a 358, none of the other dual opamp will work.  I tried legit small bear 1458s and 4558s and 072s etc.. nothing.  What am I missing here that causes this to only tick with a 358? 

Secondly the frequency pot has a 22k between lugs 2 and 3, changing the taper and min value (pot turned down), though I read people have put in 250k there to get the frequency really low... the 22k is not present in the frequency schematic from the original ugly face, though it's in the perf board and strip board LFO layouts.  Anyone know why this appeared? 

Third, C5 is a 100uf in the LFO layout, but 2.2uf on the original design.  And when the LFO is bypassed this cap is directly connected to the sensitivity pot..  what are we gaining by using a much bigger cap here ? 

Fourth, when I have the LFO off, there is no threshold setting that prevents it from oscillating.  The original has a 22k from 9v to thresh, the LFO has a 56k ..  could this be causing my problem?  I'm curious as to why it was changed for the LFO version as that portion doesn't effect the LFO at all .. 

Fif, I was hoping someone had built this with a hand rolled vactrol. I rolled a pink clear and 10M dark LDR and it seems to work pretty good, but the ramp switch only really works in one direction. I think it may be a diode issue so I'm going to measure a couple and resolder them, but I saw others say the ramp switch didn't work so I was curious.

My plan forward is to put a 2.2uf in C5, try it .. put a 22k in R2 try it.. remove R12 try it .. swap to a b250k frequency pot try it .. 

Just curious if anybody had built one recently or had thoughts thanks for looking. 

[duck_arse]

my uglyface is still rockin and rollin and making tard-founded noises the gods puke over...

"....  real clout and a top hat of nothing but awesomeness" is what my customer said.

first off, Shred, you get a scolding. show us the circuit diagram you are referring to, for the oscillator circuit and the cap numberings and the pot connections etc. the 22k looks wrong to me, and your osc should work, but may be wired to some bizzarro circuit we not familiar wit.

as for hand rolled vactrol, I like the GL5516 with a red or orange "high efficiency" led, I even added a 100R CLR between pot and led. gives a real nice decay slide and big vowel sounds. your resistor values in the thresh string form a voltage divider, doesn't really matter what the values are, as long as they divide to the voltage the Reset pin wants.

proper circuit first, proper answers follow.

[BetterOffShred]

I linked the stripboard I built, the perf layout it was built from, and the original schematic with the original post!    do they not show at the bottom?

[duck_arse]

and where, pray, is the schem for the oscillator you've used, hmmm? [it is considered rude to ask people to translate veroboard to circuit diagram.]