frequencycentral Verified Dr Boogie layout - no offboard wiring!

[Slade]

clap clap clap!!

[Keeb]

So I finally had time to build this!
The board I bought from frequency central/Rick Holt was excellent! Thanks buddy!

As others have said, this is a tight fit but not that difficult. I had to squeeze the trimpots a bit and the 1uF caps are a bit big. I couldn't fit a socket for Q2 as well. So yeah, tight but no problem really.
Drilling the enclosure went well. I really like the PCB mounted pots since there's no need for wiring or fastening the PCB. I hate them because of the precision drilling... It went alright though.
This is the first time I use shielded cable (it's actually instrument cable) so I wasn't sure how to wire the ground parts around the 3pdt so it's a bit "rogue"... I probably didn't need to use shielded cable for the "out" wiring but I wanted to make this as quiet as possible - and it is quiet like a mouse!
Also I used the 5.1K resistor across a 5K pot to create a 2.5K one.
The only problem I have with it is that the knobs are really tough to turn. Not the pots, but when I add the knobs... It's like grinding. Thoughts?

At last pictures! (I have no shame in showing these as there is no way I can compete with Rick's soldering/wiring. That is porn. Inspiring to say the least.).
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/Keeb/DrBoogie/

(How can I embed pictures from the gallery?)

[J0K3RX]

So I finally had time to build this!
The board I bought from frequency central/Rick Holt was excellent! Thanks buddy!

As others have said, this is a tight fit but not that difficult. I had to squeeze the trimpots a bit and the 1uF caps are a bit big. I couldn't fit a socket for Q2 as well. So yeah, tight but no problem really.
Drilling the enclosure went well. I really like the PCB mounted pots since there's no need for wiring or fastening the PCB. I hate them because of the precision drilling... It went alright though.
This is the first time I use shielded cable (it's actually instrument cable) so I wasn't sure how to wire the ground parts around the 3pdt so it's a bit "rogue"... I probably didn't need to use shielded cable for the "out" wiring but I wanted to make this as quiet as possible - and it is quiet like a mouse!
Also I used the 5.1K resistor across a 5K pot to create a 2.5K one.
The only problem I have with it is that the knobs are really tough to turn. Not the pots, but when I add the knobs... It's like grinding. Thoughts?

At last pictures! (I have no shame in showing these as there is no way I can compete with Rick's soldering/wiring. That is porn. Inspiring to say the least.).
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/Keeb/DrBoogie/

(How can I embed pictures from the gallery?)

Looks great Eric!! As for the pots/knobs grinding-tough to turn, try not to let them drop all the way down on the shaft, lift them up a bit and then tighten the set screw... I had the same problem before and that fixed it for me.  For shielded wire if you have any old junk PC's laying around or whatever snag the CDROM audio cable out of it... It's shielded most likely, most of them are... They usually have 2 or 3 wires inside and I just twist them together and solder them at the ends to make one wire... Great build and FWIW I had a little bit of a hard time getting some of the caps to fit also..

[stallik]

Nice one Eric. I agree with your comments about Rick's soldering but yours is nothing to be ashamed of - if only I could get mine as neat as yours, let alone Ricks!!
I'm not showing mine as it could probably hold the Fourth road Bridge together

[texstrat]

Rick:

Q1-Q5 those are J201's?

They are not noted on your layout on page 1.

[frequencycentral]

Yep, here's the schematic: http://gaussmarkov.net/layouts/drboo/drboo-schem.png

[texstrat]

Here are a couple of pictures of the enclosure I etched for my version of the Dr. Boogie. Can't wait to get it boarded up 

Still need to do a bit more sanding to clean it up.

[rousejeremy]

I just populated the PCB, but I'm wondering what size drill bit to use for mounting the pots? I used a 1/32" bit for the board, but it is too small for the pots pcb mount lugs.

[frequencycentral]

1mm should do it. :-)

[rousejeremy]

3/64" it is!
So this is my first ever Dr. Boogie, so forgive what may sound like ignorance that you would normally answer with "use the search button idiot".
I adjusted all the trimmers to get the voltages around 4.5 and shielded wire on the inputs. Sounds great. I was surprised at the amount of gain. I'm a strat guy so it's noisy as hell in single coil positions, but it's nice and quiet on the in betweens now that I have it boxed up.
Anyway, the signal drops out completely when the gain is at zero. Is this normal for this circuit?

[deadastronaut]

^ yep the gain thing at 0 is normal...

i tweak my trims by ear....i turn my guitar way down, and set those trims to not gate and give the most decay.....

try the spitfirev3 next...no trims and lots of gain..but heavy bluesy too...sounds great with a strat...

[frequencycentral]

^^^ Nice! I've got a few space PCBs for this if anyone is interested.

I'll have a few more of these PCBs spare by the weekend if anybody wants one.

[rousejeremy]

^ yep the gain thing at 0 is normal...

i tweak my trims by ear....i turn my guitar way down, and set those trims to not gate and give the most decay.....

try the spitfirev3 next...no trims and lots of gain..but heavy bluesy too...sounds great with a strat...

Thanks, but if I build something more suitable for a strat I'll have no excuse to get a good shred guitar!

[tg509]

^^^ Nice! I've got a few space PCBs for this if anyone is interested.

I'll have a few more of these PCBs spare by the weekend if anybody wants one.

I'm up for a pcb, if you could pm me the details that would be great.

[arma61]

EDIT: never mind, found it on your site   

(Hi
Rick, any reason why the picture in the first page now shows only the PCB layout?? the complete picture was there till tuesday....
I've just etched a board.... and I'm lost now!!
Many thanks
Ciao
Armando)

[frequencycentral]

I see both PCB and PnP. Must have been a glitch in the martix.

[frequencycentral]

EDIT: never mind, found it on your site   

I'll be updating my website with better build documentation. These PCBs always available, three in stock right now, 

[arma61]

I see both PCB and PnP. Must have been a glitch in the martix.

yep! can see it know, I just went on panic last night!!

thx mate

ciao

[tilesambora]

hi, im not an expert of this...what type of diode?

[deadastronaut]

the diode is polarity protection only . 1N4001 will do..