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So, I decided to make an instructable! this is my 1st one, please feel free to comment on anything and everything. .... pleeaase comment!
Here's the video of how to do it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ODWJxliqd4
Note: Please Read all steps and read them carefully (if youre just starting at this stuff that is!) if you want to make this right! It should be easy if you follow the steps well. This is more of a beginners project, you could still make it otherwise!
If you have tried and tried to make guitar effects pedals and have not succeeded, this instructable is for you! Or if this is your very first one then this is definitely the place for you to be. I have not found one instructable or website that gives clear step by step instructions on how to make guitar effects pedals. I found one quite clear with the instructions, and all the comments helped out too. It just lacked the Step by Step part. This is it: www.instructables.com/id/Very_simple_and_cheap_GuitarBass_distortion_pedal/
I am using the design (schematic) from this one as it is a very simple distortion pedal.
lets get started!
Update:
Okay so Amerinidiot1231 was kind enough to create the perf board layout schematic, so that is attached on this page if you would like to refer to it.
Here's the video of how to do it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ODWJxliqd4
Note: Please Read all steps and read them carefully (if youre just starting at this stuff that is!) if you want to make this right! It should be easy if you follow the steps well. This is more of a beginners project, you could still make it otherwise!
If you have tried and tried to make guitar effects pedals and have not succeeded, this instructable is for you! Or if this is your very first one then this is definitely the place for you to be. I have not found one instructable or website that gives clear step by step instructions on how to make guitar effects pedals. I found one quite clear with the instructions, and all the comments helped out too. It just lacked the Step by Step part. This is it: www.instructables.com/id/Very_simple_and_cheap_GuitarBass_distortion_pedal/
I am using the design (schematic) from this one as it is a very simple distortion pedal.
lets get started!
Update:
Okay so Amerinidiot1231 was kind enough to create the perf board layout schematic, so that is attached on this page if you would like to refer to it.
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Signing UpStep 1Important Step: Resistors
Resistors do basically what it sounds like they do! Resistors Resist the amount of current flowing through a circuit. (a circuit is a path of electricity. Basically if you connected a battery to a light you would have one of the simplest circuits possible)
So for example if you made the above circuit by connecting a battery to a light and then added a resistor anywhere in the circuit the light would be less bright than it was before. The amount of resistance in a circuit depends on how much resistance the resistor(s) have. Think of it as a river! the water flowing through the river is the current flowing through the circuit, the larger rocks in the river slow down the water (as the resistors lessen the current). Resistors will look like the resistor in the picture below, they usually will not be any other shape, they slightly vary in size and they will sometimes vary in color other than the creamy color like the one below, I have also posted a picture of a blue one so that you can see what I mean when I say they might vary in color other than the creamy color one below. So now that you know what they look like, you will hopefully not mistake them for anything else!
Reading Resistors
For windows (not sure if it will work for macintosh or other operating systems)
it is So much easier just use this program to read your resistors: www.mitmaro.ca/oldsite/files/rr.zip
note: this program will not give you any viruses. All you need to do to use it is click on the link above and then click SAVE and save it to your desktop or somewhere else that you will remember it. Once it is saved, click open. Once you have opened it Double-click on resistor reader and then click extract all, then click next, next again, make sure you have selected the checkbox that says "Show extracted files" Click Finish and then a window will pop up with some files double-click on resistor reader! now I will tell you how to use it: (do this when you need to have your resistors read)place the resistor down on your computer desk facing your computer. Place it so the gold band is facing the right side of your screen. Count the number of bands on the resistor. If it is four bands then under resistor type, select four band, if it is five bands select five band. now, start from left to right select the color on the left matching the color on the left of the resistor and so on the band on the right will usually be silver of gold. It is pretty straight foreward I guess.
Now for macs and other systems!
There is this website www.pealefamily.net/tech/resistor/ It only does four bands though I think that is probably all you will be dealing with though. But you need to read the above step for windows users because the one you will be using will be much the same. *READ ABOVE STEP!
So thats step 1!
Oh and one last note: you can combine resistors to make one resistor like lets say you need 22 ohm resistor, you can combine two 11 ohm resistors. and resistors are not directional, so you can put them either way around in the circuit!
So for example if you made the above circuit by connecting a battery to a light and then added a resistor anywhere in the circuit the light would be less bright than it was before. The amount of resistance in a circuit depends on how much resistance the resistor(s) have. Think of it as a river! the water flowing through the river is the current flowing through the circuit, the larger rocks in the river slow down the water (as the resistors lessen the current). Resistors will look like the resistor in the picture below, they usually will not be any other shape, they slightly vary in size and they will sometimes vary in color other than the creamy color like the one below, I have also posted a picture of a blue one so that you can see what I mean when I say they might vary in color other than the creamy color one below. So now that you know what they look like, you will hopefully not mistake them for anything else!
Reading Resistors
For windows (not sure if it will work for macintosh or other operating systems)
it is So much easier just use this program to read your resistors: www.mitmaro.ca/oldsite/files/rr.zip
note: this program will not give you any viruses. All you need to do to use it is click on the link above and then click SAVE and save it to your desktop or somewhere else that you will remember it. Once it is saved, click open. Once you have opened it Double-click on resistor reader and then click extract all, then click next, next again, make sure you have selected the checkbox that says "Show extracted files" Click Finish and then a window will pop up with some files double-click on resistor reader! now I will tell you how to use it: (do this when you need to have your resistors read)place the resistor down on your computer desk facing your computer. Place it so the gold band is facing the right side of your screen. Count the number of bands on the resistor. If it is four bands then under resistor type, select four band, if it is five bands select five band. now, start from left to right select the color on the left matching the color on the left of the resistor and so on the band on the right will usually be silver of gold. It is pretty straight foreward I guess.
Now for macs and other systems!
There is this website www.pealefamily.net/tech/resistor/ It only does four bands though I think that is probably all you will be dealing with though. But you need to read the above step for windows users because the one you will be using will be much the same. *READ ABOVE STEP!
So thats step 1!
Oh and one last note: you can combine resistors to make one resistor like lets say you need 22 ohm resistor, you can combine two 11 ohm resistors. and resistors are not directional, so you can put them either way around in the circuit!
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When i added the bypass switch ( Mine is 3dpt instead of dpdt) i wired it exactly the same as in the diagram. But only Clean worked, so what i did was i changed the lower 2 legs of the switch for the ones in the middle and i put the ones in the middle under them. This way since the middle 2 legs are always on there is always something to get current between the inputs and the inputs. (Because in the original drawing I don't understand how the top 2 legs can get connected if they don't have something to connect with each other???)
But now.... only the Fuzz works and when i switch to clean it sounds extremely low volume :/ any ideas why?
Ps. i think its something to do with the battery.
Thank you so much!
I just buy perf board from the source/radio shack though
Please explain what I can do to eliminate this.
Thank you.
also tried my MXR micro amp before it and it just clips like a mofo, sounds quite cool with the gain ALLL the way down on the MXR but still, would be nice to get a bit more gain.
the transistors that worked for me are:
BC109
2n3504 (is there any difference between this and a 3904?)
the diodes that I have got working so far are:
red LEDs from an old bike light,
1n5274's
the sound is marginally different with different combinations of all of them, so far my faves are the LED's with the bc109. got some white ones somewhere so going to try those just for the hell of it, see if it makes any difference
I am getting a bit of hum but im hoping that will go when I get a switch in and earthed properly with some pots maybe, anyway thanks again.
have you thought about doing a slightly more advanced circuit? perhaps a TSF?! ;-)
I made a circuit perf board layout for you to add to this page :)
<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a25/AmerinIdiot1231/render.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a25/AmerinIdiot1231/render.gif
The transistor was my problem. If you build based on the perf layout note the orientation of the transistor.
This is the diagram i used for the true bypass:
http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/StompboxWiring/
Any help would be appreciated
thanks in advance
as for the diodes, check out steps 3 and 4 again, they talk about which diodes give more distortion, etc. good luck!
PS : - Can anyone tell me what psycho effects does Herman Li use ? Also , the Djent patch ,is it due to downtuning of the guitars , or is there special Clipping distortion for Djent sound?
I have one question:
I've made it all right, but all I can hear is my clean guitar, with more hum. I've changed the diodes, resistors and transistor, and it still sounds clean. What can I do to have more gain so I can get a really distorted sound?