Here's a collection of vero (stripboard) and tagboard guitar and bass effect layouts that we have put together covering many classic and popular effects in growing numbers. Many of these have been posted on freestompboxes.org, so check that site out for great discussions on building your own effect pedals. Enjoy the builds and please also visit us on Facebook and Twitter
This worked first time no worries, sounds fantastic too. I used a 25K(A)LOG pot in place of reverse log though, (it seems smooth through the range), and a green cap on the input, those axial caps are bit hard to find. Thanks for the layout!!
Finished this one now, works fine, sounds terrific! I also own the original and comparing the two makes me wonder: - compared to the blue note, the tone and fat pots are different in range: the tone control seem to cut treble a lot earlier and the fat control is not as "symmetrical". Any ideas? - the hot switch seems to add less boost than on the original. Any critical components? - I used a footswitch for the hot switch, should be great for lead. I'd like to add a volume and a led, any suggestions on how to do that?
This is one of the best OD-s I have ever built for someone and heard with my gear. Does exactly what I want, extra meat with the hot on, really nice for palm mutes and 80s mute stuff like satch's crushing day intro. Tight and nice Also it is quite noise free.
Built this today and was pleasantly surprised. I also used a 20k log in place of the C25k and the sweep is fine in my opinion. I agree with Gc66 above, it does have a Bluesbreaker 'vibe' to it.
For FAT I used a 25K log instead of a 25K reverse log. But nothing happens when I turn it? Do I have to solder it differently when it's not a reverse pot? Otherwise it sounds great! The only reverse pot I can get where I buy stuff is 50K. Would that work if I decide to use a reverse pot?
Just built this and sounds great, but is not transparent at all. I upped the 470n bass cap to a 2u2 as I did in my animal built and now the bass pot actually works... I was looking at the freestomboxes.com blue note schematics and realized that there were some changes on the first filtering stage. They suggested putting a 1k resistor and a 1n cap to ground instead the 220pf to ground. I was wondering what´s the difference between those 2 options? Cheeres, Gilberto.
Ok, I finally build an Animal from this board but keeping the hot switch instead the Animal´s snarl switch, so we got a "Blue Animal" here... In my experience, apart from pot values changes, I found that 47k+47k resistors on the Animal voltage divider vs 470k+470k resistors on the Blue note, help to open the sound in this circuit big time.
Hi trapiak. Could you tell me what value and component should I change to get a little bit more drive out of this pedal. If I change all diodes to 1n914. Will that do it? I have the same problem with the bass pot so I will mod it as you did. Thanks.
I thing different diodes maybe could change the character of the drive but if you want more gain, just up the gain pot to 500k. That´s basically what an animal is... However, I just could get 2 builds to sound right. I ordered a couple of 4558s to banzai at the beginning of 2015 to build an animal, which sounded open and pretty transparent, pretty much what I heard around. Then I built the one I commented above with the remaining chip from the same batch and no problem. But last 2 builds I tried with new 4558s from tayda and banzay sounded more stiff and tubescreamy with a bump on the low mids that even turning the fat por to 0 didn´t fixed. Cheers, Gilberto.
I've finished it and everything, apart from the fat pot works. But is it normal that the volume, hot switch off, is only at 3 o'clock position of the volume pot at the level of the switched off effect? Sorry for my bad English
There are couple of suspects. First, i'd measure the board input and output to see if there is any voltage leaking to either one. There is ground potential available on both, so it should not pop. Leak from a short or a bad cap could explain it. Other options would be the switch or the indicator LED.
So I built this.. and it was a gain monster.. I read the comments and saw "Bleuesbreaker" and thought no freaking way.
Turns out my stripboard had a manufacturing defect and the trace between one of the gain bits and another had a short... that could not easily be seen (gee thanks solder mask)...
ONCE I cut that it sounded more like what I was after.
Anyone having a "snap" problem when turning footswitch on/off? Normally I put 1M resistance at the output of the circuit and it solves, but in the case of this Blue note that doesn't happen.Obg
I don't know if the circuit changed between the versions but I own the version 1.3 and can confirm that the two resistors of the voltage divider are 47K each, not 470K.
This worked first time no worries, sounds fantastic too. I used a 25K(A)LOG pot in place of reverse log though, (it seems smooth through the range), and a green cap on the input, those axial caps are bit hard to find. Thanks for the layout!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent, glad it worked out for you. Thanks for letting me know
ReplyDeleteCan you please share the schematic? I have a Blue note OD, would like to experiment some tweaking.
ReplyDeleteI can't post it because it's someone elses schematic and there's a note saying permission to post refused. But you can see it here if you're a member:
Deletehttp://freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9747
Thanks.
ReplyDeleteCan you also post a layout for the animal overdrive? Thanks
ReplyDeleteIs hot switch a spst?
ReplyDeleteAnyone? What's the hot switch?
ReplyDeleteI think the hot switch can be a SpDT or SPST...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, anybody knows something about the Animal Overdrive? Anxious waiting for him..
thanks
Great overdrive! Reminds me a bit of the Marshall blues breaker. I used the 4558 and left the pf caps out.
ReplyDeleteAnyone? What's the value of the cap down to the left side? 220 pF or nF?
ReplyDeletepf
DeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteIf the hot switch can be a SPDT shouldn't there be a Hot Switch 3 on the schematic?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
No, if you used a SPDT you'd leave the third lug unconnected. It only requires a SPST.
DeleteFinished this one now, works fine, sounds terrific! I also own the original and comparing the two makes me wonder:
ReplyDelete- compared to the blue note, the tone and fat pots are different in range: the tone control seem to cut treble a lot earlier and the fat control is not as "symmetrical". Any ideas?
- the hot switch seems to add less boost than on the original. Any critical components?
- I used a footswitch for the hot switch, should be great for lead. I'd like to add a volume and a led, any suggestions on how to do that?
can u tell me where is output hole?
ReplyDeleteok it's volume 2 :)
ReplyDeletemine's completed ;-):
ReplyDeletehttp://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/Rockett/bluenote-01.jpg
http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/Rockett/bluenote-02.jpg
Awsome !! Would you please tell me how do you write in white on the enclosure. Thanks in advance.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of capacitor should I use for the yellow 150nF?
ReplyDeleteIs the LED+ as a signal for the hot switch or is it an indicator for the effect itself?
ReplyDeleteThanks
This is one of the best OD-s I have ever built for someone and heard with my gear. Does exactly what I want, extra meat with the hot on, really nice for palm mutes and 80s mute stuff like satch's crushing day intro. Tight and nice
ReplyDeleteAlso it is quite noise free.
Built this today and was pleasantly surprised. I also used a 20k log in place of the C25k and the sweep is fine in my opinion. I agree with Gc66 above, it does have a Bluesbreaker 'vibe' to it.
ReplyDeleteRecommended build.
For FAT I used a 25K log instead of a 25K reverse log. But nothing happens when I turn it? Do I have to solder it differently when it's not a reverse pot? Otherwise it sounds great!
ReplyDeleteThe only reverse pot I can get where I buy stuff is 50K. Would that work if I decide to use a reverse pot?
You always can throw a 47k resistor through pins 1-3 of the 50k pot to make it a 25k, (that´s what animal layout does and works perfectly).
DeleteJust built this and sounds great, but is not transparent at all. I upped the 470n bass cap to a 2u2 as I did in my animal built and now the bass pot actually works...
ReplyDeleteI was looking at the freestomboxes.com blue note schematics and realized that there were some changes on the first filtering stage. They suggested putting a 1k resistor and a 1n cap to ground instead the 220pf to ground. I was wondering what´s the difference between those 2 options?
Cheeres, Gilberto.
Ok, I finally build an Animal from this board but keeping the hot switch instead the Animal´s snarl switch, so we got a "Blue Animal" here...
DeleteIn my experience, apart from pot values changes, I found that 47k+47k resistors on the Animal voltage divider vs 470k+470k resistors on the Blue note, help to open the sound in this circuit big time.
Hi trapiak. Could you tell me what value and component should I change to get a little bit more drive out of this pedal. If I change all diodes to 1n914. Will that do it? I have the same problem with the bass pot so I will mod it as you did. Thanks.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI thing different diodes maybe could change the character of the drive but if you want more gain, just up the gain pot to 500k. That´s basically what an animal is...
ReplyDeleteHowever, I just could get 2 builds to sound right. I ordered a couple of 4558s to banzai at the beginning of 2015 to build an animal, which sounded open and pretty transparent, pretty much what I heard around. Then I built the one I commented above with the remaining chip from the same batch and no problem. But last 2 builds I tried with new 4558s from tayda and banzay sounded more stiff and tubescreamy with a bump on the low mids that even turning the fat por to 0 didn´t fixed.
Cheers, Gilberto.
I've finished it and everything, apart from the fat pot works. But is it normal that the volume, hot switch off, is only at 3 o'clock position of the volume pot at the level of the switched off effect?
ReplyDeleteSorry for my bad English
This is a really great pedal , stacked with a klon its heaven !
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI built this but it pops loudly when switched on / off
ReplyDeleteAny advice ?
Thanks !
There are couple of suspects. First, i'd measure the board input and output to see if there is any voltage leaking to either one. There is ground potential available on both, so it should not pop. Leak from a short or a bad cap could explain it. Other options would be the switch or the indicator LED.
Deletehttp://www.muzique.com/lab/led.htm
+m
Thanks Miro ! Ill have a go at it
Deletehi guys, can I use 0,15uF instead of 150nf? is the same?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's the same thing. I suggest you to always check the "pf-nf-uf conversion chart" - easy to find through Google.
DeleteThanks lago, really appreciate your help.
DeleteSo I built this.. and it was a gain monster.. I read the comments and saw "Bleuesbreaker" and thought no freaking way.
ReplyDeleteTurns out my stripboard had a manufacturing defect and the trace between one of the gain bits and another had a short... that could not easily be seen (gee thanks solder mask)...
ONCE I cut that it sounded more like what I was after.
Anyone having a "snap" problem when turning footswitch on/off? Normally I put 1M resistance at the output of the circuit and it solves, but in the case of this Blue note that doesn't happen.Obg
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the circuit changed between the versions but I own the version 1.3 and can confirm that the two resistors of the voltage divider are 47K each, not 470K.
ReplyDelete