The Meathead. Often imitated, never surpassed. Little box, big idea. Caveman style fuzz tones for killing dinosaurs. Crank it up and hit that switch. Ka-pow! The flavour is thick and raw with a throaty woody bark. Optimum clarity and saturation are delivered with a long syrupy sustain at mountainous volumes. The bass to treble response is perfectly balanced for a heavy but dynamic fuzz tone that will project as well as it can saturate. A most excellently low background noise is achieved through careful transistor selection and biasing which further enforces the Meathead's fluid and articulate sonic capabilities.
Control
Just the one. Even through the Meathead has only one control different tones can be achieved. As the Dirt control is increased the signal not only becomes louder but slightly more saturated. Unity with your clean tone will be reached around noon thus giving you a great deal of volume boosting and drive capabilities. Lowering the guitars volume control will make the overall tone fizzier and increase the treble response.
Start out the Dirt control set at noon and increase or decrease as necessary. The greater headroom your amplifier has the greater the amount of volume boost the Meathead will deal out. The Meathead will also respond well to dirty or driven amplifiers. Used like this the Meathead will increase in intensity as the Dirt control is increased.
More compact version:
(kit is for the larger layout with an axial filter cap)
hellz yeah! this is going to be the first one I try
ReplyDeletebuilt it, sounds great, verified. However I found a great mod. the 2N3904 sounds like a bright mid gain distortion tone (nice enough, nice tone, typical meathead) but subbing in a Central 2n5306 turns it into an over the top fuzz monster, with crazy up and down octaves in the high registers and nasty squelchy decay, makes me want to play rip roaring solos and riffs all day..highly recommended
ReplyDeleteHi. Dan, have this mod some relation whit the dark version of the Meathead? Have you a video uploaded for see how sound? Thanks.
DeleteThis is definitely one of my favourite fuzzes, simple to build, simple to use and always sounds great.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to experiment you can try using 47nf and 100nf for the respective input and output caps which essentially will give you a Meathead Dark.
Are those caps labelled 47 and 470 ceramic caps? Also, the large caps 10nf, 47uf and 22nf.. where can I source these from in the UK? I'm guessing they are high voltage audio caps.. I see Cricklewood sell the 10nf and 22nf, but the 47uf seems hard to find. Would be awesome if you could point me in the right direction. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes the 47 and 470 are both pf. I got almost all my axial caps from eBay sellers in other countries where you can get good prices if you buy in bulk. For smaller quantities you may find a UK seller like JH Components could have them, they've certainly got the 47uf:
ReplyDeletehttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/370354841016
or you could definitely buy them all from RS or Farnell. Bear in mind though that you don't have to use axial caps, you can use any of the more common radial caps if you prefer.
Wow, quick response! I like it! Cool, thanks for the pointer.. I just found the exact same cap on eBay that you just suggested. Can't wait to get this monster up and running.
ReplyDeleteOh, is that a jumper running next to the 47uf cap?
ReplyDeleteYes
ReplyDeleteJust to confirm (never used these type of caps before) this..
ReplyDeletehttp://www2.cricklewoodelectronics.com/Cricklewood/product.php?productid=1980
and this..
http://www2.cricklewoodelectronics.com/Cricklewood/product.php?productid=1981&cat=151&page=1
..would be suitable for this build? Just noticed that the voltage on those caps are very high and wondered if that makes any difference.
Unless you were to adapt the layout, adding more rows to allow for larger capacitors, I doubt those are going to fit. The 630V caps are usually quite large, I suspect the body of those will be around 25mm which is too big to fit the pitch allowed for in this layout.
ReplyDeleteThe 10nF and 22nF caps have a span of 7 rows in this layout which means the maximum size of the body will be around 17.5mm. You could still use the 630V caps of course, but you will need to bend back the legs which may make those caps unwieldy.
This is my favourite build so far. Great fun and sounds amazing! Definitely prefer the 'Dark' version.
ReplyDeleteAny chance of a Drag n Fly layout? :D
Yes I've done the Drag'n'Fly. I'll post it later
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeletetwo questions:
the 2k2 resitor is the current limiting resistor for the led (so I don't need another one for the offboard wiring), right?
wich transistor can I use to replace the BC182L without changing the tone too much?
thanks!
Awesome. The name makes more sense now that I've built one. Over the top muff, volume control, and still loud. F'yeah...
ReplyDeleteMeathead Deluxe? Maybe? If you have one sitting around I'd love to see it. I built one of these, but can't find a way to turn down the fuzz.
ReplyDeleteBuilt this today, Worked perfectly first time Great pedal!
ReplyDeleteThanks & keep up the good work.
Hey
ReplyDeletefirst, thanks for his great blog!
Second: is there a verified vero layout for the meathead deluxe?
Thanks for your comment, and yes, if you want one now there's a verified Meathead Deluxe layout at freestompboxes.org in the Meathead thread. A few people have asked though so I'll do one based on this layout and post it here in the next couple of days.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot!
DeleteIs it the one by Thorpy6? Because I found that one, but it's a bit confusing (transistors -> where are the B, C and E leads, there's also a wire going from a pot to the board and its labelled ground?, and the resistor in front of the LED is not incorporated into the board, although I cold probably figure out how to do that myself...)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks, finished this one today, and it sounds killer!
ReplyDeleteI used sockets for the niput and output caps so I could switch between the bright and dark version. Definitely prefer the dark version (I used Panasonic ECQ-V caps, from here: http://www.musikding.de/index.php/cat/c202_Panasonic-ECQ-V--SMF-.html ).
The only thing I've got is some strange noise with the effect engaged when not playing, and this noise is louder if I turn the volume pot on my guitar all the way down. I think this is a grounding issue, but I don't see why it could be happening...
Anyway, I did this one instead of the deluxe, because it's the first time I tried this (my only experience was a BYOC large beaver kit). Not disappointed, this fuzz sounds huge!
Yes I agree, I love the Meathead, it just sounds so good for a relatively simple circuit and one knob. The noise could be a grounding issue, try reflowing the solder on the back of the vero and the off-board ground points.
ReplyDeleteVince, if the volume pot is acting like a tone pot then you almost certainly don't have pin 1 properly connected to ground. The point of that connection is to dump the entire signal to ground in the fully ccw position, and if that isn't happening then the ground connection mustn't be true or the pot must be damaged.
ReplyDeleteAll the resistor values seem to be correct as well as your track cuts. What transistors did you use?
Sounds about right, It's the ground connections that confuse me. So where would you send the ground from pin 1? I'm assuming pin 1 is from the volume lug.... The frustrating thing is that I've had it working...so I know it works.. See when I get to grounding, I usually probe the ground wires around till it goes quiet... I think I need an idiot proof diagram l0l
ReplyDeleteI used the same transistor recommended in the layout..as far as I know as I can't measure them (multimeter on it's way)
My god Mark, you're a F%&cking life saver!! It WORKS!!! connected a wire from pin 1 (vol) to the output jack and boom!!! perfect :)
ReplyDeleteI even dreamt about it last night! Right, now I have to throw a switch and LED in the mix and (fingers crossed) should be home free....
Thanks a million mate.
Here we go again... I'm even starting to piss my self off so I do apologise,
ReplyDeleteAll working BUT LED doesn't light up? I've tried different LED's tested them on a batter (they work) tried different resistors 2.2k 4.7k etc.. tried turning it around ... I'm scared to touch it now as it's 'working' but I know the LED issue will bug me if I just box it up without.... I have included a pic of my ''wiring'' ...
http://s1170.photobucket.com/albums/r534/vince371/Meathead/?action=view¤t=meat.jpg
Just had a look at your pic and it appears to be ok. At what point of ground is the cathode of the LED connected and are you sure that is true? This maybe one to debug when your multimeter arrives.
DeleteFor offbooard wiring the grounds and everything, look at this:
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/02/offboard-wiring.html
That should give you a good idea of where everything should go. The grounds there are shown in one long line basically but it means they are all ultimately connected together. You could also wire in a star formation where everything that needs a ground is connected to the same central point. Just make sure you avoid making a loop in the grounds because you could start getting noise.
Thats a helpful daigram, thanks I'll keep hold of that for future reference......Well, I done it!.. turns out the ground that I didn't know where to put, ignited the LED when I connected it.. Wahooo! boxed it and stomped on it and all's good! I probably make another purely for practice and to tidy up my wires etc... I have no doubt I'll be back for more help when I attempt another of your layouts ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou know I'm 37 yrs old and nothing has ever brought me so close to frustration tears! lol .... worth it though..
Heres some pics of it ....Major thanks for your help.
http://s1170.photobucket.com/albums/r534/vince371/DAM%20Spidey/?previewTheme=79&previewCancelUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fs1170.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fr534%2Fvince371%2FDAM%2520Spidey%2F&offer=y
Heres some pics of it...
Ha, the graphics look cool, nice job. This is why you were right to stick with it though, because the satisfaction you get out of using and enjoying a pedal you made yourself is 10 times the satisfaction you'll get from the original if you buy it. It's like the difference in beween listening to a great solo on a CD, and playing it yourself. So well done, and onto the next one! :o)
DeleteCheers ;)
ReplyDeleteI'll probably make a Dark version next using the 47nf and 100nf as you suggested....
Out of interest, is there a mod I can do to send it into crazy gain territory?
And totally agree with making your own.... Feels great :-)
Just made the 'dark' version. gotta say, I prefer it... Seems to have a little more dirt to it.. next I might try the switchable caps version.. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://s1170.photobucket.com/albums/r534/vince371/DIY%20Pedals/?action=view¤t=1330343191993.jpg
Oooh you've got the bug big time! :o)
DeleteI prefer the dark too, nice work Vince
Haha... yep! I'm twiddling my thumbs waiting for more switches to arrive...;)
ReplyDeleteAnother thing though.. about LED's .... When I throw a resistor inbetween the LED and switch/power, it doesn't work so I've just wired the LED with no resistor... I understand this may reduce the life span of the LED? I've tried a 2.2k up to a 4.7k but still no light?
ReplyDeleteThis one doesn't need an additional resistor for the LED. The 2K2 on the board is the LED resistor and so that's already done for you.
DeleteThat did cross my mind... still slowly working out how the current travels around the board...
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Not sure if this is the right place to post but...
ReplyDeleteI've been reading a lot about metal/carbon film resistors.. which is better etc... I've wired my meatheads with carbon's but I hear people say Metal is more stable etc... I have another Meathead with Metal film and mine is carbon.. I A/B'ed them and mine sounds warmer while the metal film sounds quite harsh and sterile? not sure which to use? stability or sound?
I'm also thinking, well what were all these vintage pedals using? as metal film resistors are a more modern thing?
Cheers.
This is one of those topics with strong views on both sides but I think I look at things in a more simplistic way. There is nothing unstable about carbon film resistors unless you expose them for a prolonged period to very high temperatures. Soldering isn't a problem but if you put a carbon film resistor in a multimeter to measure the resistance and hold a lighter underneath it you'll see the resistance start to fall after a few seconds as the resistor starts to break down. With true metal film this won't happen, the resistance should stay fairly stable (maybe rise slightly) for much longer. There are manufacturers in China who make blue carbon film resistors so this is a good check to see what you have received from some eBay sellers.
DeleteBear in mind that there are many vintage effects out there that still sound superb and people would pay top dollar for today, and many of them (in fact probably ALL of the really vintage ones) contain carbon film or carbon comp resistors that could be 40+ years old. It doesn't sound like stability is too much of an issue in the bigger picture of things.
The real advantage that people pick up on about metal film resistors is their accuracy and there's no doubt that is true, you can buy a pack of 2500 1% metal film resistors from eBay for about £10 so if accuracy is the most important thing to you, then you don't need to break the bank to get it.
My argument against accuracy against all else is who's to say that a dead on 470k resistor will sound more pleasing in a circuit than a less accurate carbon film or carbon comp that measures 480K or 490K? 470K was used in the circuit in the first place because that is a standard resistor value but that doesn't mean it has to measure exactly that for the pedal to sound as good as it can.
There are instances where accuracy is more important, for instance, a voltage divider which is used in many opamp circuits is designed to get exactly half the supply voltage (you may see this as vbias or vb on schematics). Accuracy here is important to get as close to exactly half the voltage as you can, and if the resistors differ in value too much then you may only get 4.3V or 4.7V instead of 4.5V. Same for LFOs where accuracy can help create exactly the sine wave you want. But that same accuracy isn't as important in the signal path or filters where drifted values may sound better (to you) anyway.
Audible differences between components is another discussion altogether and again there are strong opinions on both sides about this. I'd just say use your ears and let them decide and to me that means I'd use what sounds best 10 times out of 10 no matter what the constituent material. I've made fantastic sounding effects with all types and will still happily use any of them.
Good info!
ReplyDeleteI suppose I was just worried that my pedals might start dying due to inferior parts but as you said, the vintage pedals (some) are still sounding great now (and very sought after)... It may just be a rogue meathead with metal films.... but I'll continue using carbons just for that arguement of it doing no harm for vintage pedals. Also I hear that germanium changes due to heat etc... but I like the idea that components can 'change'.. it kind of de digitizes them and makes them as tempermental as the person playing them :)
Just had another look in the Meathead Clone I got from Ebay a while ago and he's used two 2N3904's and not a BC182L?
ReplyDeleteWould that be the reason it sounds 'brigher/raspier' etc
It could be the type, or it could be the gain of one or both of them. Does the clone have both 47p and 470p BC caps? They have a very smoothing effect on the circuit.
DeleteI can see a '471' written on one of them but can't get to the other as the layout is VERY cramped...
ReplyDeleteIt's no biggy, I was just wondering why mine sounds so different (better, in my opinion) I've checked all my parts again and they're all correct.
471 is a 470p so it's probable that his values there are right, so yes it's probably transistors and/or gain. The 2N3904 could be too low gain for Q2 to get the best out of it because the datasheets shows their gain to be 300 max, whereas the 182L is 500 max.
DeleteYou should try socketing the transistors in yours and do a bit of experimenting to see what combination you like the most.
Good idea, I will do when my socket strip things arrive .. :)
ReplyDeleteHi.I built the meathead some time ago.Started out with the "Standard" version and later changed the in and output caps to "Dark"-specs.Both where ok but all in all it´s a bit tame when not played with humbuckers.I have to crank the volume all the way up on my jazzmaster to get it "Going"..And the sound is´nt too pleasing..Sort of raspy with little sustain.Off course there´s a difference between using it with single coils and humbuckers,but this circuit should be able to do good with both types i think.I have tried to swap out the transistors...But i´m not sure what to shoot for (Hfe-ranges)?.Is it true that measuring "Current gain" of a transistor would´nt say much about how it will perform in a circuit??
ReplyDeleteThe current gain won't tell you much about how a transistor will perform in a circuit on its own, but you still use hfe in the calculation to determine the expected voltage gain of an entire stage, along with the load resistor, emitter resistor (including internal base/emitter resistance) and input impedance. And so in most cases a higher current gain transistor will result in a higher voltage gain for the stage.
DeleteThe 2N3904 are listed at 100 to 300hfe, the BC182L listed at 240 to 500, but you'd really need to measure the ones you've used to give you an idea of what to try next. And you never know, based on the specs you may have been unlucky and picked out 100 and 240hfe transistors and so you need a point of reference to work from. That's why I always socket transistors so that if I'm unhappy I can always pull them out and experiment without having to de-solder and re-solder. You may have to twist pins to suit the layout, but try a couple of known higher gain transistors like the 2N5088 and see how you feel the higher gain has affected things. Really you need to do a bit of experimenting and let your own ears decide based on the response with your own gear.
Thx Mark!.
ReplyDeleteYeah i socketed the transistors..So no problem.I have this component-analyzer from PEAK electronics that can read current gain(hfe),identify pins etc.I read somewhere that one should try to shoot for a 2n3904 around 160 hfe and the bc182L around 200hfe range...However that must be way too low.I have tested some of my BC182L´s to 160-180 hfe!?
I've made it with 2N3904 and BC182L in the past, so I'll measure mine later and see what sort of range I'm getting. Mine sounded great (although I am a humbucker man 90% of the time, and didn't test it with a single coil guitar).
DeleteFound a BC182L with a hfe of 385.The 2N3904 is in the 170 range...It came to live a bit with the swap but i think i will need even higher ranges.I had a whole bunch of BC182L´s that did´nt test over 200 hfe
ReplyDeleteTry something like 2N5088, 5089 or BC547C, 550C etc. If you use something which you know to be higher gain, at least it will give you a good idea of what the difference in response would be without having to search and measure. You'll have to twist a couple of the legs over but a small length of wire insulation or thin shrink wrap over the legs will make that easy to do.
DeleteIf you find a lower gain transistor that you like with humbuckers, and a higher gain one that you like with single coils, you could even fit a 2 position 3PDT toggle to switch between the two transistors to match the guitar you're using.
The layout i used already required me to twist the pins of the BC182L..So a 5088/89 would drop in with no problem.Adding a switch to choose between transistors could be very cool!.
ReplyDeleteAre there any audible differences between using a BC182L,2N5088 or whatever as long as they are in the same gain range??.
I suppose it depends on how sensitive your ears are. If you use two different transistors types but with similar gain then they will definitely sound closer, but they still have different electrical characteristics like noise, internal capacitance and resistance etc, and so there could still be audible differences.
DeleteThx!.Much appreciated :).
ReplyDeleteMight want to add that i swapped the BC182 for a BC183L...And now it´s just MEAN!.So one could try that if a BC182L Ãs´nt "Hot" enough.
ReplyDeleteCool! I might try that... I agree with Martin. through my buckers it's lovely but my strat struggles a little to push it into that creamy territory.
ReplyDeleteWould a switchable transistor be an easy mod?
Yes it would be easy to do. Just use a 3PDT toggle, and if you imagine the lugs like this:
Delete1--4--7
2--5--8
3--6--9
with 1-3 being the first pole, 4-6 being the second, and 7-9 being the third.
Solder one of the transistor's pins to 1, 4 and 7, the other transistor to 3, 6 and 9 (making sure base, collector and emitter are at opposite sides), and then take wires from the 3 centre lugs to the appropriate points on the board.
This is probably a worthwhile mod, especially as you say for people swapping between humbucker and single coil guitars. It would be even more useful if you use sockets in the switch so you can experiment with different transistors.
Hmmm Kind of lost me...
DeleteIf Martin does it, maybe he'd be kind enough to post a pic so I can physically see whats going on?! ;o)
Like this:
Deletehttp://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/IvIark_2006/DIY/SwitchedTransistors.png
Awesome! Cheers Mark. I'll definitely get around to doing this...
DeleteThis will be the perfect all round fuzz with this mod :)
Just to clarify, Would the switch I need be on-on-on?
Delete2 position on/on. Or in the middle position it would be muted.
DeleteI thought that too but I can only seem to find 3 position 3pdt toggle switches on Ebay.. Will have a search elsewhere.
Deletehttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120843240282
DeleteI´m not sure if the box and layout i´m using have enough space for this mod..So it would be a entirely new project for me to do.I´m involved in several projects right now so this will be one for the future :-).I mainly use single coils so the 183L stays in.It sounds good!.While experimenting with different transistors i found that the best sounding BC182L i had was the one with the highest hfe (380-ish if i remember correctly)but somehow it was´nt sufficient.2N5088/89´s had a harsh sound to them.I also tried a 2N5133 which was quite interesting but the first BC183L (Hfe 600+) i put in there were much better.
ReplyDeletehey mark,
ReplyDeleteI just built your other layout for the meathead with switchable caps and I'm really digging it, dont even have the bc182 cap yet. I'm definitely digging the darker sounds and will definitely be building a mojo filled version. I went searching for gutshots of the real deal meathead dark and found the link below. It's showing what appears to be 3 of the big blue BC axial electrolytics... What do you make of that? Larger input or output cap than thought? Also wondering if there was any info on higher hfe for transistor 1 or transistor 2? any specific ranges used in the real deals known yet?
Thanks so much for this site, I cherish it everyday, you are my hero!
Here's the link to the 3 'lytic meathead dark
http://www.flickr.com/photos/terekhova/4713503047/lightbox/
I've never seen them with electrolytics for the input and output before. The big one is a power supply filter cap, and the other two are 1u by the looks of it. The only thing I would say is that it's totally unnecessary and won't have any effect for the output cap. The cap there creates a filter with the pot and with a 1u it means it cuts bass frequencies below 0.32hz which is well below the lowest note on both guitar and bass. Even a 100nF output cap there it is cutting bass frequencies below 3hz and so is still much lower than the lowest note. So unless you use a cap 10n or lower you'll be getting the full bass response at the output. I suspect it has been used because the blue Philips caps look cool, but personally I'd prefer to use a poly cap than an electro every time.
DeleteThe best sounding Meathead I've ever built used ME4003 transistors which were both around 300hfe. But the best bet is to socket and experiment to get the best response with your guitar and gear.
I really Love this Pedal, I build it with 2N3904 an BC107 (Subtitute for BC182) Its sound GREAT~!. Hi ivlark can you mod to insert Fuzz Gain? if i can asking for Dark Mod, where i must put the 47uF and 100nF ? thanks. \m/
ReplyDeleteI built this one with a 2N3904 (hFE 215), and an NTE equivalent to the BC182C (hFE unknown). However, because I'm building this for bass, I used 22n+22n for the input and output caps, and it sounds pretty good. I may end up boxing this up along with a JFET blender circuit, so I can add back some of my dry tone.
ReplyDeleteThis was a fun, easy afternoon project. Your layouts are killer! They're so well thought out and easy to work with.
The more I play this, the more I like it. It's got a weird, almost distortion-like characteristic at lower gain settings. Sounds absolutely monstrous on the low strings (think Justin Chancellor's fuzz tone), but it gets all mushy when you go up on the neck. My Jazz Bass is really bright, so it may be worth it to raise the value of the input cap.... I think I actually may slap this in a 1590A.
DeletePermanently maxing the fuzz pot couldn't be as simple as soldering a 1k resistor between the the fuzz 2 and 3 pads could it? Or could it?
ReplyDeleteErm.. Yes. If there was a fuzz pot on this design. That pot is for volume.
Delete+m
Ahhh I meant for the Meathead deluxe. Thanks anyway haha
ReplyDeleteHi, Just finished building this and I can't get it to work. The led won't come on and all that happens is that when i push the switch it makes a humming sound which getts louder as i turn the pot up. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHow have you wired the switch? I'd strongly recommend never wiring up the switch until you know the circuit is working first, then it removes a potential cause of fault from the mix. You can connect the board input and outputs to the sockets by just using a simple terminal block like this:
Deletehttp://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/IvIark_2006/DIY/Mark%20Builds/1012110003_2.jpg
Can you post a pic to show how it's hooked up. From the description is sounds like a ground problem is likely, are you getting continuity with a multimeter between all points of ground? Board ground, both socket sleeves, DC adapter, switch? And you haven't used a metal DC adapter have you?
Right I found that i hadn't got a connection between -ve terminal of the battery snap and ground so i added one and there is now a ground to the circuit, the led now comes on but still no sound other than i hight pitched warbling or a hum depending on if it's switched on or off.
DeleteIf you post a pic we can collectively have a look, it could be anything though, it's hard to tell from just a description.
DeleteRight here are some pics of how I have wired the pedal, I have checked the board and can't find any crossed tracks and I have also checked the data sheets for the transistors to make sure the pin outs are correct.
ReplyDeletehttp://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd437/Fallout99_uk/DSCF0259.jpg
http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd437/Fallout99_uk/DSCF0260.jpg
http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd437/Fallout99_uk/DSCF0261.jpg
http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd437/Fallout99_uk/DSCF0262.jpg
It's hard to follow the offboard wiring but certainly the placement and values in the board look ok. Measure the voltages between the transistor pins and ground. That should tell us if the board seems to be good which may point to a problem with the offboard wiring.
DeleteHere we go, measured to ground the values read thus
ReplyDelete2N3904 E - 0
B - 0.62
C- 1.57
BC182L B - 1.57
C - 3.87
E - 0.91
As for the off board wiring if the switch is labeled like this 1-4-7
2-5-8
3-6-9
1 connects to the LED -ve
2 connects to 3
3 connects to 2 & 6
4 connects to 9
5 connects to the Board output
6 connects to the Output Jack Sleeve
7 connects to Pin 2 on the Pot
8 connects to the Output Jack Tip
9 connects to 4 and Input Jack Tip
Hope this helps, and thanks for the time and advice coz even though this is really frustrating I know it'll be worth it in the long run.
Right just de-soldered all the off board connections and redone them as well as reheating all of the solder on the board but to no effect !
ReplyDeleteYou do have both trace cuts correct? Missing out either would do that...
DeleteHow about transistor orientation? Did you check the datasheet or try them in reverse?
Have you "knifed" the strip gaps? If there is some nearly invisible solder bridge between some strips, that could do that.
One not-so-common fault would be dead component.. (I know. Measuring everything before soldering is boooooring, but usually worth while. To tell the truth, i've only had one dead cap and one dead pot until now - and i've built a lot :))
Sometimes some circuit just wouldn't work for me until i rebuilt them. There must be some cosmic rays f'n up everything when one has tried to fix the board too many times..
But. First, check the cuts.
+m
I agree with Miro, rebuild.... but then every problem is a rebuild for me ;o)
DeleteWould there be any way to add a fuzz pot to this? to control the amount of fuzz?
ReplyDeleteYes, take out the 1K resistor, and add a 1K or 2K pot between Q2 emitter row (lug 3) and ground (lugs 1 & 2)
DeleteCool, So run a wire from the row above the LED to lug 3? and ground lugs 1&2? or the ground from board to 1&2?
DeleteIs the pot log, lin or? And what's the difference between 1K and 2K? Thanks
DeleteI think it's linear.
DeleteReverse log would be the best. 2K will give more range for the control, while the lowest setting might be next to unusable.
Delete+m
How can I tell which caps to take? In terms of voltage. I see they are bigger than usual.
ReplyDeleteAny caps will be fine, just make sure they are rated for at least 16V, any ceramic or polyester caps you use will be rated for at least 25V I suspect and so they shouldn't need too much thinking about. For the electrolytic just make sure it's at least 16V. The same applies to any layout on this site with the exception of circuits that you intend to use with an 18V supply, then you should make sure the electrolytics are rated for at least 25V.
DeleteThey all look bigger in this layout because I did it with axial caps in mind and the sizes shown are the exact sizes of the ones I have in stock.
22nf is my favorite input cap, I also like ~32nf for a bit darker. The 10nf listed in the layout will be brighter than most DAM Meatheads, more like an "ice pick" silicon fuzz face. I tried all the way up to 1uf just for funsies...would be good for bass near that range
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteCan I use bc141-16 or bc177b (which I have) instead of bc182L (which I don't have)?
You can use any NPN silicon transistor, just make sure the pins match the layout. There will be differences based on gain but that's a matter of taste anyway.
DeleteThank you!
DeleteHi again!
ReplyDeleteI've built this and it is sounding great, but I have one question.
Can I use dpdt switch and keep the led?
Only if you use some millennium bypass arrangement for the switching, otherwise you'll have to do without the LED.
DeleteOk, thanks!
DeleteI chose this as my first not-from-a-kit pedal build and I'm having some problems with it. Any chance someone can take a look at this picture and give me a guess at what might be wrong? I get no signal in bypass and when the pedal is engaged all I get is a slight hissing sound. It appears to me as though all the components are in the correct place, cuts are in the right spot, link is in the right spot, I went back and reflowed all my solder joints and they look good. I'm not the least bit confident that the wiring is correct, though, so I'm hoping it's as simple as that.
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance for any help that anyone is willing to provide.
http://i.imgur.com/mtz9iaU.jpg
Have you got the wire on the input jack on the correct lug? it looks like you have in on the ground lug?
DeleteAnd that's why you should always test the board with a terminal block making the connections before wiring up the switch. Make sure it works and then you know any problem thereafter is related to the switch.
DeleteNo sound in bypass which should be made by a mechanical connection in the switch shows there is definitely a problem with the switch, or with the connections you've made.
Yes, the input jack seems to be wrongly wired as sleeve is soldered to jack input position on the 3PDT, so is normal that you get no sound from the guitar, but hear a hissing when you turn CW the knob.
DeleteRewire it, and should work.
BR.
Keep Mark's advice. Never, even with the simplest effect, wire all the pedal without testing it first once the vero is populated and wired.
I've been planning to build myself a new testing box with speaker clip terminals.. Once get to it, i could take some photos and make a tutorial post about it.
DeleteLet's just when i am motivated enough. The current one sucks but it's not broken... :)
+m
Mine is very "simple". To start with, there's no box :). Two jacks (stereo and mono)wired with ground between them, wire for input, wire for output, dc jack wired with battery snap included, and aligator clips on the +9v, ground, jack imput and jack output.
DeleteMayble some day I'll get a plastic enclosure to fit it all inside anf have a cleaner test box.
BR
I rewired the input jack last night. Now I have bypass signal, but still nothing gets through when the effect is engaged. I'm going to pull it apart when I get home from work and double check the cuts and solder joints. At this point, considering all the mistakes I made along the way, I'm kind of wondering if I shouldn't just start from scratch and rebuild it.
DeleteI appreciate everyone's help, and I'll definitely be taking lvlark's advice on the terminal block for my next build. I tend to learn the hard way, and this project isn't proving to be any different. It's cool, though. I'm enjoying the journey.
ReplyDeleteSo, it looks like I'm losing continuity at the base of the 2N3904. Solder joint looks good, the transistor is seated properly in the socket, and the orientation is correct. I swapped the transistor out for another one and I still have the same problem. Any thoughts as to what might be going on?
Built this over about 6 times on my breadboard, no worky for me. I got the other one http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2010/02/dam-meathead.html on the first try. Yes I had the polarity on the 47uf cap correct... what does that cap do any ways? Why is it on this lay out and not most others?
ReplyDeleteI've built this layout maybe 5 times and it's worked everytime.
DeleteSame thing with me. But i've built it only 3 times...
Delete+m
Any idea what that cap does? Its some kind of power filtering thing, right?
ReplyDeleteYes it's a supply filtering and smoothing cap, it will work perfectly well without it if you want to remove it to check if that is pulling the effect down.
DeleteHere is my finished Meathead:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.dropbox.com/sh/1d4mvd74rnemzqk/NN9h88l5SJ/IMG_20130523_125615.jpg?m
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1d4mvd74rnemzqk/zioYocKk00/IMG_20130523_125515.jpg?m
Nice job, thanks for the pics
DeleteWhat is the pinout configuration for the ME4003? ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis thing is KILLER. I built the meathead deluxe on sunday but found the internal trim and filter a bit pointless because I want all the fuzz all the time. Built this on monday and really digging it so far. Thanks for the layout!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDeleteNot finished the enclosure yet, but here's the build : )
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/td6dhpxwuwwu9o0/7DNGa5x21H
great little layout and nice pedal, a little fizzy for me with the 2n2222 so i will have to try some subbing, thanks mark
ReplyDeleteHi there! Can i use a paper in oil capacitor 47uf? Is there any problem with polarity?
ReplyDeleteHey there, just built this but had a few issues with the off board wiring, mainly the LED/switching.
ReplyDeleteBut having built and now testing, should the pot just act as a volume control rather than wet/dry to the signal? Looking at clones on youtube there are two versions kicking about.
Thanks
Si
The pot is just a volume control, fuzz is set by default (resistor) to 100%.
DeleteBR
Thanks man. Been going nuts over this (my first build!).
DeleteSo ive built this circuit previously and thought it sounded awesome. so awesome it got borrowed and i got money returned instead of my beloved massive fuzz. This build i'm having trouble with the subjective experience of tone. I feel like i'm getting a gating effect, granted it sustains for a while, but i feel like my old meathead build sustained forever. I've tried a number of transistors and have tested gain ranges. I did get a bc182L with a gain of like 475... should I try to get something over 600? Ive tried tons of different combos too, 2n2222's and bc109c's bc108c's 2n5089's even 2n5306's
ReplyDeleteanyone have some recommended types and gain ranges? or could this semi early gating effect be coming from elsewhere?
thanks!
This will be my first project oo- am I right in assuming the red box witht he red dot in the centre is a broken track?
ReplyDeleteHi - Thanks for this really cool blog:-) I just built a standard meathead and it turned out great but not quite the over-the-top fuzz monster I was expecting. So upgrading to dark version. I came across this mod:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.accidentalaudio.com/2012/07/dam-meathead/
But I am not quite sure about the best way to do it using your layout? Can you help me out?
You want this version:
Deletehttp://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/dam-meathead-with-switchable-caps.html
Hi - Thanks I'll try that for my next build:-) In the meantime I have been playing around with my Meathead and I don't really get the "long syrupy sustain". The dacay seems very gated (there is an audible drop in output after a few seconds).
DeleteDo you have any idea what might cause this to happen? Is it something to do with bias? I measured the collector voltage on Q2 to 4,39V.
I've probably built around 10 Meatheads and all of them sounded different, some sustained for days, some gated until I swapped things about. By far the best one I built was a few years ago and it was an all mojo build with ME4003 transistors. The mojo may not have added much but I think I just got the perfect mix to my ears of transistor gain and passive values because it was awesome, it sustained like a Big Muff. Unfortunately I sold it and regret that to this day.
DeleteSo I would suggest if you have socketed the transistors, to try a few more, and different combinations in different positions. I guarantee you will notice the difference.
It good to know that there is a lot of variation in sound across different circuits. I just put in 47nf and 100nf caps which definitely improved the sustain. I actually didn't socket my transistors on this build which is something of a hassle. But I've ordered parts for a second build along with the BC107/108 transistors recommeded in the "One Knob Fuzz Bonanza". Experimentation times ahead:-)
DeleteHi, i have a quick question. To me, led+ and 9v goes to the same point and so i think i'm misunderstanding something. Can you please tell me what's the difference between the 2 ? it's my first diy pedal
ReplyDeleteLED+ is the 9V supply AFTER the 2.2K current limiting resistor. If you don't add the resistor the LED will burn out in a couple of seconds.
DeleteThank you for your answer, i just finished it and it's really nice
ReplyDeleteHi there, this is my first non-kit build and I've tried absolutely everything but all I can manage to get out of it engaged is a non-working LED and that noise you get when you don't have you guitar plugged in. I built a second one, hoping to troubleshoot what I did wrong the first time around and fixed a couple of things but same results...I think it may have something to do with the offboard wiring but I put connector 2 on the pot to the output and seem to have grounded it all correctly, just no signal. I cut all of the connections off one of them but don't know what I'm looking for in terms of measuring with a multimeter. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
ReplyDeleteUpdate: Went over tracks with solder to ensure connections between everything, the bypass is now working but when I hit the switch to engage the signal drops out...
DeleteMeasure the DC voltage between each pin and ground and post the voltages.
DeleteI've changed out the caps and reflowed everything, I've also changed out the DC jack, and it's working to an extent but I have to fiddle with the boss adaptor a lot or hold it otherwise it blinks and makes a popping noise which I'm assuming is related to grounding? Thanks for the help
DeleteAnd what pins do you mean to measure?
DeleteAll the transistor pins, have a read of this
Deletehttp://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/05/fault-finding-build.html
Alright cool thanks! Yeah I had a read and went through everything in there haha. Been trying to get it going for the last 2 days and tried everything in my knowledge which isn't much I might add.
DeleteI'm using a BC109B instead of BC182L and it's reading:
0- Emitter
20.5mv Base
137.4mv Collector
2N3904:
0- Base
0- Emitter
0- Collector....
So I'm guessing now we know what the culprite is? (2N3904)
I'd say based on that the culprit is your supply. You're getting nothing and next to nothing on both collectors which are connected to the supply row via a couple of resistors, and you should definitely be seeing voltage on both. Check the DC voltage between the top and bottom tracks (you can use the top and bottom leads of the 47u cap). You should have 9V on there but I doubt you have.
DeleteIt's measuring 11.3mv on top and bottom (I'm building the compact version)
ReplyDeleteSorry, did you mean my 9v power supply is the culprit? Was gonna get a 9v battery with 9v connector for testing. Bummed if it was all because of that!
Well either your power supply is faulty, or you have a bad solder joint on the 9V or ground connections.
DeleteRad, I'll see how I go with a different psu.
DeleteThanks heaps for the help
hello people, i'm a little confused: in the "normal" version there are a 47u capacitor and a 500k lin taper, while in compact version their values changes (100u and 470k)... anyone can tell me why it's that?
ReplyDeletemy problem rises in this: i'`m i've bought a 500k taper... so which capacitor may i use??
thank you guys! sorry for my argentinian english!
oh, and i`m building the compact version (470lin taper...) =S
Deleteplease! thank you...
ReplyDeleteIs there any quick´n´easy fix for the gating decay on there kinds of fuzzes? Single notes only sustain for about one second and then fades out very quickly. Transistors seem to have not too much to do about it. I tested 15-20 different Q2 transistors (bc550, 2n5088, bc547b, 2n3904, bc548, bc549, bc108, bc109, 2n3392 to name a few) and got only minor differencies between them.
ReplyDeleteOr is it even possible to get a long sustain and natural fadeout with these simple fuzzes? I mean, a note played through Big muff or some higain distortion pedal plays for 10 seconds and fades smoothly and naturally, but with these it´s much shorter decay and the fadeout is quick and unnatural. Like somebody mentioned earlier the "dark" spec caps improves the note lenght, but it doesn´t cure the quick fadeout. Is there still some tricks that I could try? The sound itself is quite nice for some singing leads, but it really asks for some sustain to be useable.
DeleteI've made gated Meatheads plenty of times which isn't my kind of thing, but I'd suggest trying a few different transistors. The best one I ever made used ME4003 transistors and it sustained like a muff. I think sometimes you get that perfect match of values and tolerances of the components and the results can be fantastic.
DeleteSwapping the 4K7 for a trimmer can give you a helping hand to allow you to fine tune the bias of Q2.
Thanks, that added trimmer really helped, but I´m still yet to find the perfect combination of transistors and bias. For some reason with most transistors the smoothest sustain is achieved with bias resistor value closer to 20K... By the way, is there a risk of breaking the transistor if too low value bias resistor was used?
DeleteI just recieved an original meathead m-13 #401. In case you didn't know it uses BC337-16 and Philips BC109. 10nF and 22nF are waaay too bright compared to this, I think 47nF & 100nF are a closest match. With those specs I have to say this is a very good clone, Thanks IVIark.
ReplyDeleteHello,
DeleteThe M-13 is known as the "Dark" Meathead, and the input / output caps are 47nf / 100nf, but they were at some point 470nf / 100 nf, and several more values. Same for trannies, they were never the same in different editions.
This layout is based on the "Old standard" values, and the schematic is verbatim to the one used for this (older) version, including trannie's models / brands.
And yeah, you're right, the new dark meathead m-13 is a lot bassier than the old standard, but not as low (and muddy) as the original M-13's.
I prefer the new values of the Dark (47/100) but this Originial Standard, sounds killer too, just different flavours.
J.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteand thanks Javi, good info. You made me try 100nF/470nf :) and, dammn.. I can't tell much difference between my original M-13 and this build. I've made about ten of these and again it's a awesome design,..
Hi, about adding that fuzz control, mentioned earlier. So, replace the 1K resistor with pot 1 or 2K. But what kind of pot is that, log or lin?
ReplyDeleteBest option is an anti-log pot. If you can't get one, use a lin, but NEVER a logarithmic!
DeleteJ.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteMust be this: 1K OHM Anti-Log Taper Potentiometer. (Found from Tayda electronics in US, shipping to Europe about 2.50€ and prices much cheaper than in UK and Germany).
Hi, Im getting a problem with mine, no guitar sound coming through, although it makes a sound as if the fuzz is on, ive checked continuity through the input jack and all is fine. If I turn the volume dial down it does actually decrease and go off.. is there any pointers or tips as to what I should look for? Thanks Chris
ReplyDeletehttp://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/05/fault-finding-build.html
DeleteMeasuring the transistor pin voltages will always give the best clue where abouts the error is.
Thanks for that I'll check them out :)
ReplyDeleteChris!
Hey All! Just wanted to say that I built this today and it sounds great! I used A 500k lin. 182L and 2n3904. Both were in the 400 Hfe range. Thnx everyone!
ReplyDeleteBuilt this from a kit and was tearing my hair out trying to get it to work, turns out they sent me a 2n906 instead of the 2n904 swaped this and now its working :)
ReplyDeleteIt is quite noisy while the effect is engaged but I'm not playing any tips for reducing this? I wonder if I have damaged something while trying to fault find.
Thanks for an amazing site I am now hooked after building my first pedal!
Just finished this wee baddin up. Good craic! Like some I found the 10n too thin on a strat so I subbed for 22n. I used a BC549C for Q1 and a BC109 for Q2. Sustains for days but sounds much thicker than a Muff.
ReplyDeleteCheers once again lads.
Some experimentation later....Q1 is now an AC128 and it truly sounds killer! there was some serious volume with the last set but its slightly better now. Too late to swap out Q2 tonight but will go at it tomorrow to hopefully find the perfect pair.
DeleteBut....Jesus this thing hates a buffer! Or the Cornish buffer to be precise. I've one currently placed at the start of my chain and it makes the Meathead sound really thin and ice picky! tried it on its own and it sounds just like the demos.
I think it has finally killed the notion of having a buffer at the start of the chain for me. Sure...thats what the Presence knob on my amp is for!!!!!!!
What does the two red square with a dot in i mean?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletethe red square with the dots in the center are the cuts you need to make in the vero.
DeleteHello first of all a big thanks for this amazing blog.
ReplyDeleteSo i built the dam meathead with the first pic above. But i have some questions:
Where does go the "ground" wire from the stripboard and from the pot? And also how to solder the DC socket? I didn't find any information on it..... Please help me to make this meathead work.... Thank you very much
Hello first of all a big thanks for this amazing blog.
ReplyDeleteSo i built the dam meathead with the first pic above. But i have some questions:
Where does go the "ground" wire from the stripboard and from the pot? And also how to solder the DC socket? I didn't find any information on it..... Please help me to make this meathead work.... Thank you very much
first off, welcome to blog. now to answer your questions. essentially you're asking about what's called offboard wiring. there's a tab at the top of the site that says "offboard," which will also show you how to wire up the on/off stomp switch. when you click it you're going to want to use the first layout, which is for wiring up one effect in a signal enclosure. you're going to use this wiring for any time you're going to wire a single effect in an enclosure using true bypass.
Deleteto make life easier, here's the address.
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/02/offboard-wiring.html
Thank you very much Zach.
DeleteHere is the weird thing, i wired everything as the One Knob Fuzz shematic that you can find on internet.(the easy fuzz from Musikding) and when i put the switch on , the led lights up but no sound. When i'm on off i have guitar signal....
I checked everything with an multimeter and it seems fine on the circuit board.....
Maybe my wiring wrong? I'll check the link you gave me and start it over.
Thank you very much
if you're getting sound when the pedal's off, but not when the pedal is on there's a error in your build, or in the switch wiring. does your wiring of the effect match the layout above?
Deletei would first check the voltages of your transistors with power going to the pedal to make sure the effect is getting power. put up the voltages you're getting so we can see if it's good. now if it is, then i would think that there's an issue with the wiring on the switch. i would suggest to follow the offboard wiring on the site, for me i've never had a problem since switching to it a few years ago.
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/02/offboard-wiring.html
Yay first build! Thanks for this awesome blog! i put in a bc337-16 and a bc109 and it sounds totally awesome on guitar and on bass!!! (built the dark version). only fix i have to do is popping sound when switching on the pedal. might be a led problem??
ReplyDeleteanother Q: for my next build im looking for a similar simple build fuzz that cleans up nicely when rolling back the volume knob.. does any of the other one knob fuzzes have this effect? any suggestions?
Cheers -Nils
I cannot, for the life of me, get this pedal to work (it's my first build)! I plan on omitting the LED, should i also omit the resistor that's in place for it? What should I do with the LED out from the board if I'm not using one? I think I have the 3PDT wired correctly, but how do I wire the DC without the LED or battery connector? Any help is greatly appreciated, I am a total beginner. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes! This is one of those few projects where persistance paid off. I got this BC546A transistor that's equivalent to the BC182L but could not make it work. Fliped around, resoldered, tried everything until I noticed that the BC182L pinout was B-E-C (never saw that before), so I need to twist the transistor wires to match it. Works now! Hope this information helps someone else using odd transistors.
ReplyDeleteJust a small correction: BC182L is B-C-E while the BC546A C-B-E.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi there and thanks for all the awesome layouts on the site. So much more builds I want to do...
ReplyDeleteBut first I ran into a problem with the meathead. Built the "larger" version the other day, skipped the footswitch as it will be always on in my setup. Q2 is a BC547C, had to twist the B and C leg to made it fit into the circuit.
When I fired it up the signal that came through sounded like a bypassed signal, only when I strummed the strings really hard there was some kind of fuzzy sound on the attack, but it only lasted for about a second before going back to the "bypass" signal. LED was working. And the pod kills out the signal when turned all the way down, so the grounding seems to be right.
Did a second build (same components, new board) yesterday with the same outcome.
Here are pics of the second build:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x248/StephanCOH/IMG_4624.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x248/StephanCOH/IMG_4625.jpg
I think the error may be in my offboard wiring. Thankful for any help. Definitely want to get this circuit to work as I love the sound of this thing.
Cheers,
Stephan
Your 820r (ohm) looks like 82k (kilohm).
DeleteCiaran, thanks for the reply. What would the correct color code for the 820r look like? I just tried a couple of online "resistor calculators", but I could not make any sense of the resistor code on my photo or find out what that 820r would look like.
DeleteSorry for the noob question. Bought the resistors from musikding and they come labeled with the values (and usually they are labelled correct) so I did not check if the value and code are fitting.
Grey-Red-Black-Black-Tolerance band (looks like Brown in your pics so that would be 1%)
DeleteYou have
Grey-Red-Black-Red-Brown (i think) which would be 82K
Thanks. Going to check if I can snatch a 820r from another project for a test tonight.
DeleteNo problem. Word of wisdom. Measure everything with a meter before it goes in. Saves so much time and worry in the long run. Let us know how you get on.
DeleteSwapped the resistor and it worked. Sounds really good, looking forward to cranking this thing up with a loud amp at the rehearsal space.
DeleteThanks so much for the help.
Here is my finished build. Called it "The Meatcleaver"
ReplyDeletehttp://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x248/StephanCOH/2F86B6C5-267C-4AA7-95AC-C6AB4EDC1965.jpg
Hey Mark, first off thanks for this great site!
ReplyDeleteI've just put the Meathead together last night (the bitsbox version), however it seems to sound more like a 'regular' distortion (a bit like a Rat pedal or something) than the fuzz I was expecting. Would the swapping of caps and maybe transistors make it more 'fuzzy'? Greetings from Holland and keep up the briljant work!
Hi
ReplyDeleteI'm a total electronics newb, so please bare with me.
I'm getting a loud 'veeeee' noise from my circuit (see vid):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAKAQ7VExLA&feature=youtu.be
My soldering is scrappy but I've checked and there's no bridges.
I've used the above diagram to build it:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_y7gcfRKQFgA/TMHwBpGtCLI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/SsKqY8bPFwA/s1600/DAM+Meathead+-+smaller+2-710238.png
Could you help me out?
Cheers
Bob
PS: Here's a few pics:
[URL=http://s134.photobucket.com/user/wobby_pics/media/MEathead%203.jpg.html][IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q86/wobby_pics/MEathead%203.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s134.photobucket.com/user/wobby_pics/media/MEathead%202.jpg.html][IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q86/wobby_pics/MEathead%202.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
PPS: its a bitsbox kit so the components should be the correct ones (I measured the resistors and my multimeter confirms what was sent).
DeleteHello people!
ReplyDeleteTotally newbie here
I am trying to figure out which resistor is which(I am using the kit), it is strange because nothing really matches...
For example I have a resistance coloured [brown, red, black, gold, brown].
From the little things I understand this means 12 ohm with 1% tolerance.
The only problem is that I do not any 12 ohm resistor in the scheme above
Am I doing something wrong? Is my kit wrong?
I have no idea :(
Thanks in advance!
Could the gold be orange? Thats 120K. I know this will be of little help to you now but you should consider getting a cheap DMM (digital multimeter). Invaluable tool in this hobby.
DeleteThere's a few great apps for Andriod and iOS as well regarding resistor colour bands and many other components. Always handy to have close by.
I built one of these using a 2N3904 & BC108. Fantastic! What I am curious about is that in this build there is a direct link from Q1 emitter to ground but on the D*A*M Meathead there is a resistor (unknown) from the emitter to the input and 10nf cap junction. Why or what is the difference? Why was it omitted and what is the resistor value? I can not see the colors clear enough to discern the value.
DeleteJust built one of these with a 2N3904 and a 2SC1815, hfe around 400-ish. My god - this thing out-muffs a muff! You get that thing happening where as the note decays it turns more and more into a vowel sound.
ReplyDeleteToo much gain for me, but if I ever wanted to make my Strat sound like Carlos Santana, this is the pedal.
I built this using a 5088 and a 3904, and this sounds absolutely massive! I can barely turn it past 9 o clock before my brain melts out of my ear!
ReplyDeleteAre there any mods I could do on this to make it disturb more peace?
Hey! I've been very curious about this and other builds that have the CLR built in. If I'm using a "3pdt PCB" that has a CLR built in, would it be better to leave it off of the main board or the 3pdt board, or does it really matter whcih? If it would be better leave off the main board, would it be okay to make it 1 column narrower? Sorry, I'm very new to this! Just got my first build working :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDoesn't matter either way. If you want to use the LED on the switch PCB just removed the 2.2k resistor and shrink the board by 1 column.
DeleteExcellent. Thank you so much!!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTotal newb here. This was my first successful build. I actually used 2N388 Germanium transistors and played around with the resistors and Caps.
ReplyDeleteMy question is, how would I go about adding a tone control to the compact version?
Just built this, sounds great!
ReplyDeleteHi. Is the Pot on this just volume ? Could I add a gain pot ?
ReplyDelete