Beginning Builder Needs Help

pkvine · February 12, 2011, 09:32:30 AM

I just built a WHRL pedal kit that I purchased from General Guitar Gadgets and I need some help. Before I go on, let me just say that this is the first pedal I ever built and I learned to solder while building this pedal...I am a newbie at this. Ok with that said, I followed the instructions and schematics that came with the pedal when I built the pedal. When I plug it in everything seems to work, except for 2 things....the LED doesn't work and when I turn the effect on it sounds like the distortion is always at it maximum...when I turn the distortion knob the level of distortion doesn't change at all...it just stays at the same level. I'm sure everything is in the right spot so I don't know what's wrong. Everything else seems to work fine so I'm not sure where to start.

I apologize if this is a stupid question...I'm just starting out and know nothing about this stuff. I appreciate any help anyone can give.

thetragichero · February 12, 2011, 10:39:17 AM

are you sure the polarity of the led is correct?

pkvine · February 12, 2011, 10:59:49 AM

I thought the polarity was correct...I'll double check that.
Any ideas why the distortion level won't change when I turn the knob?

thetragichero · February 12, 2011, 11:05:24 AM

do you have a schematic?

twabelljr · February 12, 2011, 11:24:40 AM

Is it this?: http://generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_whrl_sc.pdf?phpMyAdmin=78482479fd7e7fc3768044a841b3e85a
Way Huge Red Llama
Also, pictures of your build will help alot if possible
Did you jump lugs 2 and 3 of the drive control?

MikeH · February 12, 2011, 11:29:50 AM

It's likely that your LED is in backwards, or that it is not properly connected either the V+ or ground. As far as the gain control goes, check the value of R2 - it should be 100k. If you put say, a 1M in it's place on accident, the gain would be maxxed out all of the time and you'd see no variation in the control. Also check that the pot is the correct value as well, and that you've wired the pot correctly. For instance, if you accidentally missed the wire connection between lugs 2 and 3 on the pot, it would just act like a 1M resistor and the gain would be at max the whole time. Could also be a bad pot, but that's not the most likely scenario.

Good luck.

familyortiz · February 12, 2011, 01:35:45 PM

I built the same pedal. You might double check the pot to board connections and clearance to any pot terminals as it's a bit tight in there.
That project is a bit of a challenge to learn with but it sounds like you've come far. Let us know what you find.
As for my opin of this pedal, I found it a bit on the harsh side for tone so I added a simple tone control right before the volume control. It really warmed up the low end.

pkvine · February 12, 2011, 02:50:56 PM

Thanks for all the ideas...

It is the Way Huge Red Llama...

I did jump lugs 2 & 3 on the drive control, but I'm going to go back and make sure I have a good connection. I do have a 100k in R2 so that's not it...I'm hoping I just don't have a good connection at the drive pot. I'm also going to check to see if the Led is in backwards.

This probably wasn't the best first project to do, but besides these two issue I think it went well for my first time.

I'm going to go back and check this stuff and I'll let you know if I get it working.

pkvine · February 14, 2011, 09:04:20 PM

So guys....I did have the LED reversed (Moron!) and fixing that fixed the other issue with my drive level. I appreciate all the advice...like I said I'm a total novice at this...I learned how to solder "on the fly" while I was building this pedal. While this isn't the best sounding pedal (you are right familyortiz...it has a bit of a harsh tone...is it easy to add that tone control that you added? I'd be interested in finding out what you did). Though it is a bit harsh in tone it sounds ok when I use it to boost my distortion. Thanks again...I was going to upload a picture but didn't know how.

familyortiz · February 15, 2011, 10:30:34 AM

Great job. The tone addition is ultra easy and placed right before the volume control as shown below. I forwarded this idea to GGG since the addition really widens the tone range, but alas, no response as usual.
There was room for the mini pot as shown in the second pic.

thetragichero · February 15, 2011, 02:40:05 PM

Quote from: pkvine on February 14, 2011, 09:04:20 PM
So guys....I did have the LED reversed (Moron!) and fixing that fixed the other issue with my drive level.

i am relatively new to pedal building, and prone to stupid errors, so i always check the LED about 5 times before i solder it in place
"measure twice, cut once" as the old adage goes
(please don't take this as chastisement, just a way i've learned to work around my bad habits that may be helpful to you

)

p_wats · February 15, 2011, 03:15:19 PM

Don't worry, I've been building sporadically for two years now and still do things like reverse the LED. Nice job sticking with it---add that tone control and you'll be ready for anything!

ayayay! · February 15, 2011, 05:21:35 PM

There's several ways to identify the anode & cathode on an LED: One leg is longer than the other, one side is flattened (easy to see when looking from the top, and one side has a "flag".

Got an old PC laying around? Grab the motherboard battery and use it to test your LEDs. Typically 3.2v. Also available at drugstores. Simple.

petemoore · February 15, 2011, 07:59:29 PM

I prefer the first schematic

thedefog · February 16, 2011, 09:57:55 AM

Since the diagonal line in the LED goes down towards negative, I always remember it as "Down with Negative ,Up with Positive". I know it's lame, but that has kept me from having to bust out the meter to check continuity. I could never remember it by the flat part for some reason.

pkvine · February 16, 2011, 11:57:34 AM

familyortiz......thanks for the schematic for the tone control! Ok, I'm really going to look like a novice, but I can't read schematics yet....is there any way to explain it in different way....maybe a picture of the inside?

Thanks,

smallbearelec · February 16, 2011, 01:10:01 PM

Quote from: pkvine on February 16, 2011, 11:57:34 AM
I can't read schematics yet...

Congratulations on getting your pedal working! Check out my basic tutorial on breadboarding:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/Breadboarding/BreadboardIntro.htm

It does not address reading a schem directly, but does do so indirectly, because you will begin to see the relationship between symbol and physical object. If you then check out the follow-up on the Fuzz Face:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BreadboardSiFF/BreadboardSiFF.htm

you'll get the idea. My article on the Tweak-O:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Projects/TweakO/TweakO.htm

also has useful information.

Renegadrian · February 17, 2011, 06:58:20 AM

Quote from: thedefog on February 16, 2011, 09:57:55 AM
Since the diagonal line in the LED goes down towards negative, I always remember it as "Down with Negative ,Up with Positive". I know it's lame, but that has kept me from having to bust out the meter to check continuity. I could never remember it by the flat part for some reason.

Bad Boys Ravish Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly
that is always fun - it still seems to work to learn and remember color codes!!! So everything is good as long as it works! No lame!!!

or also this one...
Bad beer rots our young guts but vodka goes well

thedefog · February 22, 2011, 03:53:48 PM

Quote from: Renegadrian on February 17, 2011, 06:58:20 AM
Quote from: thedefog on February 16, 2011, 09:57:55 AM
Since the diagonal line in the LED goes down towards negative, I always remember it as "Down with Negative ,Up with Positive". I know it's lame, but that has kept me from having to bust out the meter to check continuity. I could never remember it by the flat part for some reason.

Bad Boys Ravish Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly
that is always fun - it still seems to work to learn and remember color codes!!! So everything is good as long as it works! No lame!!!

or also this one...
Bad beer rots our young guts but vodka goes well

haha! Those are both great. I feel like that is the only way I can even remember anything. I do the same thing with my License plates.

pkvine · February 24, 2011, 07:20:06 PM

Quote from: familyortiz on February 15, 2011, 10:30:34 AM
Great job. The tone addition is ultra easy and placed right before the volume control as shown below. I forwarded this idea to GGG since the addition really widens the tone range, but alas, no response as usual.
There was room for the mini pot as shown in the second pic.

So, I'm thinking about adding a tone control like this one to my red llama clone...can anyone help explain what I have to do to hook this up. I'm just a beginner and I still don't know how to read schematics. I guess I'm looking for someone who can tell me if I just have to solder some wires to what I already have in the pedal or if I have to add other things to the board. I just need to know what to wire to what and if I need to add anything else.

Here is a link to a picture (on pg. 2) of the pedals insides....
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_whrl_instruct.pdf?phpMyAdmin=78482479fd7e7fc3768044a841b3e85a

Thanks for any help!

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Beginning Builder Needs Help