Need help with schematic for Easy Drive!

[stratomaster15]

Hello! First, please note I am a beginner, so this is probably a very simple question.
I am building the Easy Drive (http://www.diystompboxes.com/analogalchemy/sch/easydrive.html) and I am confused on the schematic. There are the .1 and .01 uF caps that are symbolized by the || marks, but I know another symbol for a capacitor is -)|-, and there is a 22uf cap on there. Does this mean they are both caps? Or maybe I'm just confused. Also, are the .1 and .01 uF caps film caps and the 22uF an electrolytic cap? Sorry for taking up space on your board with a novice question, and if it belongs somewhere else, sorry! Thanks!

[soggybag]

The 2.2uf cap is an electrolytic cap. These are polarized. One side is + the other is -. The - is usually marked on the side fo the device. The + is shown on the schematic. Notice the - side goes to ground.

Speaking of the easy drive. I was just searching for mods to the easy drive. I couldn't find any. Seems like there must be at least a few things you could do with this. Adding a volume pot and a gain pot are two easy ones that jump out at me.

[stratomaster15]

Thanks for the help! Yeah, I'm thinking of putting a gain knob on there since this will pretty much be my first build, then if it's good add a volume knob. It says to add the 22uF cap onto the wipers if you add the gain knob? What is that?

[sean k]

The 22uf cap from the wiper to ground, + to wiper, allows the AC signal to be taken off the emitter which when the signal is present results in a little negative feedback and so brings down the amplification. Have this cap takes away the AC negative feedback and so increases the gain. A 22uf cap will take all the signal off the emitter and gradually smaller caps will take less bass and more treble off so something like an .01uf cap would result in a treble boost.

[Brymus]

Make the Q a darlington,and add another set of diodes and a switch,for two types of clipping.
LEDs and 1n914s are good choices.
Another guy in another forum did this and called it the Big EZ.(KYoungsteadt)