first and last pedal build unfortunately

[Gordo]

+1 on what everyone else has said.  God took my hair at a relatively early age and lately has decided my eyes are next so have been relying on a DMM a lot to verify my understanding of the color code versus brain farts. If you've come this far (and in guy-code this amounts to asking for directions) I can tell you're already hooked so suck it up and suffer along with the rest of us.  You're in good company. These folks have nursed me thru worse problems.

[boof]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.  This has been a really good learning experience and I may indeed do another pedal in the future.  I'll just have to rely on the voltmeter instead of my eyes for the capacitors. 

The pedal is now working for the most part.  I had installed the ic chip mount the wrong way and had two resistors that were wrong, but the voltmeter found those. 

The only problem now is the switch for the amz fat mod.  The switch doesn't do anything different amongst the three positions.  I wanted to do the three way switch with two different capacitors (a .22uf,  a .47 uf, and a bypass) across where C3 is, similar to the diagram here: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=324190&page=8  I'm just not quite sure how the three way should be wired and I guess I did it incorectly.  If anyone can help, I would definitely appreciate it.

Thanks!

[LucifersTrip]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.  This has been a really good learning experience and I may indeed do another pedal in the future.  I'll just have to rely on the voltmeter instead of my eyes for the capacitors. 

The pedal is now working for the most part.  I had installed the ic chip mount the wrong way and had two resistors that were wrong, but the voltmeter found those. 

The only problem now is the switch for the amz fat mod.  The switch doesn't do anything different amongst the three positions.  I wanted to do the three way switch with two different capacitors (a .22uf,  a .47 uf, and a bypass) across where C3 is, similar to the diagram here: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=324190&page=8  I'm just not quite sure how the three way should be wired and I guess I did it incorectly.  If anyone can help, I would definitely appreciate it.

Thanks!

That switch in the schematic is a single pole double throw on/on switch. I believe you will get 2 different sounds with that (You could get three if you get a switch with center off). If you flip the switch to one side it will add the .22 to the value of c3 and in the other position it will add .47 to the value of c3 since it is parallel (remember, parallel caps are additive).  If you had a center off switch, then you could get
another sound by not adding any cap (the middle/off position).

Before you wire the switch, just hook up various caps in parallel to your c3 and see what effects your tone. It's possible that a .22 or .44 in your circuit might not do anything. You may need a large cap, say 1uf, 10uf or 22uf.

Someone here will prob answer your question quickly if you link to a schematic.

good luck

[tomek]

As many have mentioned I wouldn't worry about being colour blind.

I'm not, but just plain lazy.  The baggies my parts come in are labeled at the store,

and if they are not, I label the baggies myself when I get home with a permanent marker, and then stick 'em in the part trays..

I never bothered to learn the colour codes, nor do I really plan to. haha

I measure them now, and then just for kicks, or to label the baggies.


Just got into this stuff recently and have found bread boards very useful for 1st time circuits,

as you can tweak and troubleshoot way easier.

Get it set up they way you like it on the breadboard 1st, make notes on the schematic of any changes (tweaks you made)

and then start making copies on a perf boards...

Hope that helps,
Tomek

[petemoore]

  5 buxx worth of DMM is invaluable tool for debugging.
  In beep mode when the probes touch it beeps, indicating continuity:
  looking at the schematic, choose node 1, count the number of connections.
  Measureing and looking at the circuit board, count the number of connections at node 1.
  Compare the numbers, make them the same, note that any polarized components must be correctly oriented/polarized.
  Tone cap switches block DC so the beep mode only works until the path crosses a capacitor.
  There is no active in a tone control or tone capacitor selector it is a 'flow through' item, the signal path must be connected through the series components.
  Because tone capacitor selectors Block DC, and tone controls block and/or shunt frequencies, the output is 'what is left after losses'..having had content removed, it will be lower amplitude than at the TC input if it does anything besides block DC and allow all AC signals to pass [the largest value capacitor does or approaches full-pass].
  Capacitors always worked...really...except ones that have been overvoltaged, or polarized caps exposed to reverse polarity voltage.
  Or fairly amazingly old [25+? years, some say 10- 15] electrolytic capacitors that have been exposed to something that say dried them out.
  I have tested numerous fairly old capacitors, even tested very old ones, the fairly old ones seem to work quite well, new is even newer...it's a 'shelf life' thing, power cycling them regularly helps to reform/maintain the dilectric. 
  Resistors can be measured easily with a DMM [recommended], and are very trusty components. 
 

[boof]

Okay, I got the whole pedal working now and it sounds great. 

[askwho69]

congratz!