Pedals.

Pastry Man · 01-31-2006, 05:29 AM

Right, i was thinking to myself the other day and I have decided that I want to try and make a distortion pedal. Some friends at school were doing it in tech but I would like to give it a go myself. How difficult is it? I don't want to spend much money, I just want to have it as a little "geeky" side experiment.

Most importantly does anyone know any decent guides or websites which give you tips or walkthroughs on how to make a pedal? And also if anyone has any advice on how to make please let me know.

I have quite a good understanding of circuits and physics and I should be able to get hold of materials.

Thanks.

MrConeman · 01-31-2006, 05:31 AM

I can remember their being a really good site teaching how to do it, I'm sure you could find it with some googlage.
I cant remember what it was called though

AG · 01-31-2006, 05:38 AM

You wana try something very, very simple first? Passive distortion pedal in 5 minutes...

Try this, the Strawberry Ice mod:

http://members.aol.com/ku07090/strawberry_ice.html

But put it in a little box, I'm doing it when some parts turn up.

I'm assuming from your IP host name that you are from the uk? if so, get your parts from this site, they've having a happy hour between 2pm and 3pm today free deivery on any order over £5 (excluding VAT)

http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk

And you should definately be able to get the parts for the strawberry ice for under that.

Pastry Man · 01-31-2006, 05:54 AM

Right and there it tells me everything i need?
Our school uses rapid electronics for supplies so I might be able to get them really easily off there. The main problem for me would be making the box for it as I have no like metal/plastic shaping tools. Could i just make the circuit and then put in a box or something!?

Btw AG the strawberry ice site shows a circuit inside the guitar. Would i be able to make it outside the guitar? Does it even require a circuit board!? (i thought that i would at least need some circuit boards and a soldering iron...)

Any other useful sites. Cheers for the help.

AG · 01-31-2006, 06:06 AM

You could easily wire it into a box, and you wouldn't need any circuit board, you could just wire it with jumper wires and the diodes legs.

Rapid sells boxes, I just bought a little one for £2, all metal with screw on base, about 1"x"2 and 1" deep, perfectly big enough for the strawberry ice, got two jack sockets, two diodes and a DPDT on/off/on switch. You could put it on circuit/perf board if you wanted, but there is no need really.

I have a diagram (that I pilfered from the Project Guitar forums) for a 3 way distortion/overdrive pedal that you could have a go with if you want? It's meant to be built into a guitar, but you could add a DPDT stomp switch and make it into a true bypass box. Or even a 3PDT switch and put in a status LED.

The_Mop · 01-31-2006, 09:28 AM

[URL=www.tonepad.com]tonepad.com[/url]

This site's great, havn't made anything from it but it's really informative.

AG, that strawberry ice thing looks great

AG · 01-31-2006, 09:30 AM

This is gonna be my next project, after the simple strawberry ice one. All credit goes to the guy who designed it.

JoshIsNumber3 · 01-31-2006, 10:40 AM

I'm looking for the little dot that says, "YOU ARE HERE."

nhoj · 01-31-2006, 10:43 AM

Father_Jack · 01-31-2006, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AG

You wana try something very, very simple first? Passive distortion pedal in 5 minutes...

Try this, the Strawberry Ice mod:

http://members.aol.com/ku07090/strawberry_ice.html

Hey AG do you have the circuit diagram for this? 'Cause it doesn't show up on the site, and I am a total noob at modding pedals, so I am thinking I will try doing this before buying a DS-1 and performing the Keeley SEM mod.

X-Ecutioner · 01-31-2006, 11:11 AM

http://www.runoffgroove.com/
http://www.tonepad.com/
http://www.geofex.com/index.htm
http://www.diystompboxes.com/cnews/FAQ.html
http://www.diystompboxes.com/cnews/mods.html

bypass diagrams:
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Millenium/millen.htm
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/bypass/bypass.htm
http://www.virtualtoad.com/ac/3PDT-true-bypass.pdf

~~Miek~~ · 01-31-2006, 11:12 AM

AG hook me up with some true bypass diagrams, and maybe some mods i could do to my MXR ZW-44

AG · 01-31-2006, 11:34 AM

http://www.banzaieffects.com/products/bigpict/switch.gif

I'll draw you one Father Jack, do you want it build in the guitar, or in a seperate box?

Pastry Man · 01-31-2006, 11:35 AM

About the strawberry ice thing. What would I have to add to it to make it a pedal AG, or anyone? Im not quite sure how to join it together to make it into a pedal? what exactly would i need?

Father_Jack · 01-31-2006, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AG

http://www.banzaieffects.com/products/bigpict/switch.gif

I'll draw you one Father Jack, do you want it build in the guitar, or in a seperate box?

Cool.

Separate box please. I only have one guitar and I don't wanna fudge that up at the same time.

AG · 01-31-2006, 11:43 AM

I'm planning to put it in a little box with a toggle switch, and have it attached to my guitar with verco.

You could have it in a stomp box, with a true bypass stomp switch and a toggle switch to choose the mode, it'd be completely passive unless you wanted a status LED, in which cas you'd need a different stomp switch, a resistor and a 9v battery.

You could also make the amount of clipping variable, with a 250k pot.

Tell me what you want and I'll draw it up before tea. Also whether you want a proper wiring diagram, or a realistic style one.

Pastry Man · 01-31-2006, 11:44 AM

Was that to me or father jack?

AG · 01-31-2006, 11:47 AM

Both of you, my tea is here now, so I'll do it after.

I'll do two diagrams if you want different things. I got nowt planned this evening.

Father_Jack · 01-31-2006, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AG

I'm planning to put it in a little box with a toggle switch, and have it attached to my guitar with verco.

You could have it in a stomp box, with a true bypass stomp switch and a toggle switch to choose the mode, it'd be completely passive unless you wanted a status LED, in which cas you'd need a different stomp switch, a resistor and a 9v battery.

You could also make the amount of clipping variable, with a 250k pot.

Tell me what you want and I'll draw it up before tea. Also whether you want a proper wiring diagram, or a realistic style one.

I'm not bothered about it being passive, like I said it's a quick cheap project. I would like it in a box with a bypass footswitch and a toggle.

With the variable clipping, would that basically mean, having like a Gain control? If so, that would be cool, but again I aint bothered too much. The simpler the better.

And with the diagram, I'm not sure if I could follow a proper wiring diagram, so realistic style would be best me thinks.

Thanks alot for this AG.

Pastry Man · 01-31-2006, 11:51 AM

Yeh thank you.
Well I would like to go for that strawberry ice thing. Just something simple to start me off. I would like to put it in a box so its effectively a distortion pedal.
Do you reckon you give me a list of components (including wires and jacks and all of that because i don't know which exact ones im meant to get)? Then perhaps a little diagram of what to be done with them?

Thank you very much.

01-31-2006, 05:29 AM	#1
Pastry Man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: cupboard Posts: 583	Pedals. Right, i was thinking to myself the other day and I have decided that I want to try and make a distortion pedal. Some friends at school were doing it in tech but I would like to give it a go myself. How difficult is it? I don't want to spend much money, I just want to have it as a little "geeky" side experiment. Most importantly does anyone know any decent guides or websites which give you tips or walkthroughs on how to make a pedal? And also if anyone has any advice on how to make please let me know. I have quite a good understanding of circuits and physics and I should be able to get hold of materials. Thanks.

01-31-2006, 11:11 AM	#11
X-Ecutioner - - - - - - - - - - - Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 937	http://www.runoffgroove.com/ http://www.tonepad.com/ http://www.geofex.com/index.htm http://www.diystompboxes.com/cnews/FAQ.html http://www.diystompboxes.com/cnews/mods.html bypass diagrams: http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Millenium/millen.htm http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/bypass/bypass.htm http://www.virtualtoad.com/ac/3PDT-true-bypass.pdf Last edited by X-Ecutioner; 01-31-2006 at 11:21 AM.

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01-31-2006, 05:31 AM	#2
MrConeman MX djentile. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ireland Posts: 4,431	I can remember their being a really good site teaching how to do it, I'm sure you could find it with some googlage. I cant remember what it was called though

01-31-2006, 05:38 AM	#3
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,659	You wana try something very, very simple first? Passive distortion pedal in 5 minutes... Try this, the Strawberry Ice mod: http://members.aol.com/ku07090/strawberry_ice.html But put it in a little box, I'm doing it when some parts turn up. I'm assuming from your IP host name that you are from the uk? if so, get your parts from this site, they've having a happy hour between 2pm and 3pm today free deivery on any order over £5 (excluding VAT) http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk And you should definately be able to get the parts for the strawberry ice for under that.

01-31-2006, 05:54 AM	#4
Pastry Man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: cupboard Posts: 583	Right and there it tells me everything i need? Our school uses rapid electronics for supplies so I might be able to get them really easily off there. The main problem for me would be making the box for it as I have no like metal/plastic shaping tools. Could i just make the circuit and then put in a box or something!? Btw AG the strawberry ice site shows a circuit inside the guitar. Would i be able to make it outside the guitar? Does it even require a circuit board!? (i thought that i would at least need some circuit boards and a soldering iron...) Any other useful sites. Cheers for the help.

01-31-2006, 06:06 AM	#5
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,659	You could easily wire it into a box, and you wouldn't need any circuit board, you could just wire it with jumper wires and the diodes legs. Rapid sells boxes, I just bought a little one for £2, all metal with screw on base, about 1"x"2 and 1" deep, perfectly big enough for the strawberry ice, got two jack sockets, two diodes and a DPDT on/off/on switch. You could put it on circuit/perf board if you wanted, but there is no need really. I have a diagram (that I pilfered from the Project Guitar forums) for a 3 way distortion/overdrive pedal that you could have a go with if you want? It's meant to be built into a guitar, but you could add a DPDT stomp switch and make it into a true bypass box. Or even a 3PDT switch and put in a status LED.

01-31-2006, 09:28 AM	#6
The_Mop Mx UK Night Invasion Club Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: In the lod past 00:00 Posts: 7,726	[URL=www.tonepad.com]tonepad.com[/url] This site's great, havn't made anything from it but it's really informative. AG, that strawberry ice thing looks great

01-31-2006, 09:30 AM	#7
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,659	This is gonna be my next project, after the simple strawberry ice one. All credit goes to the guy who designed it.

01-31-2006, 10:40 AM	#8
JoshIsNumber3 DON'T READ FURTHER Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: JAMIE PRIDEMORE Posts: 15,054	I'm looking for the little dot that says, "YOU ARE HERE."

01-31-2006, 10:43 AM	#9
nhoj MusicEd. emp guitar/piano Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Ridgeland , Mississippi, United States. S Posts: 1,663

01-31-2006, 11:12 AM	#12
~~Miek~~ Banned Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: large bundle of sticks tree Posts: 12,262	AG hook me up with some true bypass diagrams, and maybe some mods i could do to my MXR ZW-44

01-31-2006, 11:34 AM	#13
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,659	http://www.banzaieffects.com/products/bigpict/switch.gif I'll draw you one Father Jack, do you want it build in the guitar, or in a seperate box?

01-31-2006, 11:35 AM	#14
Pastry Man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: cupboard Posts: 583	About the strawberry ice thing. What would I have to add to it to make it a pedal AG, or anyone? Im not quite sure how to join it together to make it into a pedal? what exactly would i need?

01-31-2006, 11:43 AM	#16
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,659	I'm planning to put it in a little box with a toggle switch, and have it attached to my guitar with verco. You could have it in a stomp box, with a true bypass stomp switch and a toggle switch to choose the mode, it'd be completely passive unless you wanted a status LED, in which cas you'd need a different stomp switch, a resistor and a 9v battery. You could also make the amount of clipping variable, with a 250k pot. Tell me what you want and I'll draw it up before tea. Also whether you want a proper wiring diagram, or a realistic style one.

01-31-2006, 11:44 AM	#17
Pastry Man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: cupboard Posts: 583	Was that to me or father jack?

01-31-2006, 11:47 AM	#18
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,659	Both of you, my tea is here now, so I'll do it after. I'll do two diagrams if you want different things. I got nowt planned this evening.

01-31-2006, 11:51 AM	#20
Pastry Man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: cupboard Posts: 583	Yeh thank you. Well I would like to go for that strawberry ice thing. Just something simple to start me off. I would like to put it in a box so its effectively a distortion pedal. Do you reckon you give me a list of components (including wires and jacks and all of that because i don't know which exact ones im meant to get)? Then perhaps a little diagram of what to be done with them? Thank you very much.