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
So deep sounding it's hard to describe. Even the boost side is just great. I used 2N5089s since i had those lying around with legs broken from other projects, that just wouldn't sound good with 'em. This one does. It's singing fuzz like no other. If it's modiefied something, i really want to know what that is...
Word of caution. The outboard wiring is a bit nightmarish to do. Board took like an hour to build, but all the switches and pots took me about two. But it still started to sing right away, and boy am i glad i built it. Demo just doesn't do justice.
Difference between 4n7 and no 4n7 at Q3 is quite big. So i used a 2 pole on/on switch for it. And because there weren't enough switches already :) +m
Top man! I'm so glad this one is verified, I didn't want to have to change the layout which may have meant having to put some of the wires on the right hand side! Must. Control. OCD. :o)
easy. run when you look at the dpdt switch wiring it so that the 4.7nF cap is across the top two lugs, the middle two lugs got to the position where cap should go (1 lug to one leg of where the cap should be, and the other lug to the other leg where the cap should go), and leave the bottom two lugs empty.
This had been hanging a long time, 'cause the two pole stomp switch was broken. Finally had the time to replace it. Works and sounds beautiful. Just beautiful. If i was to steal a design and sell it, it would probably be this baby here. :) +m
I'd like to add an LED to the DPDT that switches between clean boost and fuzz... I'm not 100% sure about how to go about this... that would be a nice post right there! make any dpdt switch into a 3pdt footswitch (or even just a toggle) with LED or any SPDT switch.... yada yada... Cmon that's a useful trick that I dont know!
This is a strange place to ask I suppose, but I'd really like to learn more about switches and audio circuits can anyone recommend a good source to learn about audio electronics- specifically amplifiers and effects basics. I know a bit, but not nearly enough. I was thinking of trying to start contributing here or elsewhere as I know I can translate schematic to board, but I'd like to understand what exactly is going on, or at least inexactly! This is one of the best sites and amazing examples of supremely generous knowledge sharing sites on the net! I owe you a dozen cases of premium beer or home cooked meals IvIark! THANK YOU!
I've got quite a lot of books on the subject and these ones are highly recommended:
Small Signal Audio Design - Douglas Self Self on Audio - Douglas self Audio Engineering Know It All - Newnes Circuit Design Know it all - Newnes Practical Electronics for Inventors - Paul Scherz The Art of Electronics - Horowitz & Hill (The Bible for anyone interested in electronics) Operational Amplifier Users Handbook - Penfold (Small book but great for explaining exactly what the opamp circuits are doing, how to calculate gain etc)
Obviously none of these are specifically related to effects, but the theory behind them all remains the same. Also look out for Brian Wampler's books which don't go into as much detail as those above, but are specifically related to effect pedals which makes it easy to relate to.
can anyone hook up a link about switches and LED's specifically? i'd like to be able to add LED's to switches when I want to... like for the boost circuit here it'd be cool to hook up an always on (maybe even a bi-color) LED indicating whether I'm in boost or fuzz mode. that'd be a cool skill to have since I'm always adding extra switches and the 3pdt toggles are getting cheap!
I don't think I've seen anything which would specifically relate to something like this, but basically if you wanted to add an LED to any switch, whether stomp, toggle or whatever, you'd need to add on a pole. So the SPDT switch in this would need to be a DPDT, and the DPDT would need to be a 3PDT. The extra pole is then used for switching the LED on or off depending on the state of the switch. Usually you would ground the middle lug, and then use one of the other lugs to go to the LED cathode, then the LED anode would go to 9V via a limiting resistor. Which "other" lug you use would depend on which position you want the LED to illuminate in.
The 2SC644R seems to be 80 to 160 hfe, 2SC828 160 to 220 or there abouts. So really the 2N3904 will probably have more gain than both of them. I'd suggest socketing and seeing how lower gain and higher gain trannies sound in there.
just built this one and it sounds great. i'm using a 2SC1815 for Q1 (hfe 132) and 2 NOS 2SC828R's for Q2 & Q3 (hfe's are 246). it sounds just like the original pedal demos. to use those transistors in this layout you just have to twist/swap the legs of the base and collector. the funny thing is, I almost like it better with Q3 rotated 180 degrees (which I learned by mistake!)
BTW, the 22n cap that is shown in Mark's layout that connects between the 22k and 47k resistors (the lower one straight across from the output lead) is shown as a 2n2 on every schematic that I've seen of this pedal. I replaced Mark's shown 22n with a 2n2 and it now has the original vintage scooped tone when used in that setting. you may want to correct that Mark ;-).
And I've just checked and it's a 2n2 in the schematic I used too! DOH! :o)
Actually I may prefer the 22n because scooped doesn't do much for me. I'm wondering whether I altered it based on something I read? I'll use that as an excuse anyway :o)
Finally finished! I love the sound of this one. Like John, I ended up using 2SC1815 for Q1 and 2 NOS 2SC828R's for Q2 & Q3. I found the hum to be really loud when the effect is on (not playing through it), so I added some power filtering and now it's perfect. Thanks for another challenging layout and great learning experience.
I just built this today... ...I have a small problem though. I get no output when it is switched to boost. The fuzz sounds great though. Any ideas on what to check first?
I built this pedal, the boost fired up immediately and I really liked the crunch it added to my guitar. After going over my stripboard, I found i missed a 1Uf cap, and the fuzz side fired up immediately after. This is one frickin awesome sounding pedal. Really reminds me of the boss FZ-2. The offboard wiring really was not that bad, only took like an hour or so.
Whoa, cool! Gotta try this one out.
ReplyDeleteI thought you may like this one :o)
Deletethis verified?
DeleteNot yet as far as I know mate
DeleteId give it a pop but I just did my own vero and it wasnt working 100%, so I used PCBs :/
DeleteHot damn.
ReplyDeleteSo deep sounding it's hard to describe. Even the boost side is just great. I used 2N5089s since i had those lying around with legs broken from other projects, that just wouldn't sound good with 'em. This one does. It's singing fuzz like no other. If it's modiefied something, i really want to know what that is...
Word of caution. The outboard wiring is a bit nightmarish to do. Board took like an hour to build, but all the switches and pots took me about two. But it still started to sing right away, and boy am i glad i built it. Demo just doesn't do justice.
Difference between 4n7 and no 4n7 at Q3 is quite big. So i used a 2 pole on/on switch for it. And because there weren't enough switches already :)
+m
Forgot the V-word...
Delete+m
Top man! I'm so glad this one is verified, I didn't want to have to change the layout which may have meant having to put some of the wires on the right hand side! Must. Control. OCD. :o)
Deletemirsol-
Deleteso did you use 2n5089's? little confused by what you said about em up there ^^^
Thanks a bunch for confirming this! I thought the demo sounded bad ass! cant wait to get this guy goin!
Yup. 2N5089s sound good in it.
Delete+m
Miro, could you tell me how to wire in that extra switch for the 4n7? Thanks!
Deleteeasy. run when you look at the dpdt switch wiring it so that the 4.7nF cap is across the top two lugs, the middle two lugs got to the position where cap should go (1 lug to one leg of where the cap should be, and the other lug to the other leg where the cap should go), and leave the bottom two lugs empty.
Delete_4.7nF_
I 1 4 l
board l 2 5 l board
empty l 3 6 l empty
that little diagram i typed up didn't really workout as well as i had hoped. i hope my description made sense, because it's s super easy thing to do.
DeleteThanks! That totally helps :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletehttp://mirosol.kapsi.fi/varasto/boxes/beeb.jpeg
ReplyDeleteThis had been hanging a long time, 'cause the two pole stomp switch was broken. Finally had the time to replace it. Works and sounds beautiful. Just beautiful. If i was to steal a design and sell it, it would probably be this baby here. :)
+m
Very nice build mate
DeleteA little late to the party here, but do you have any guy shots of this guy? I'm trying to wrap my head around how to add the switch for the 4n7
DeleteJust think of the numbering like this:
DeleteSw1
1----4
2----5
3----6
Sw2
1
2
3
Then just solder it up as per the layout
I'd like to add an LED to the DPDT that switches between clean boost and fuzz... I'm not 100% sure about how to go about this... that would be a nice post right there! make any dpdt switch into a 3pdt footswitch (or even just a toggle) with LED or any SPDT switch.... yada yada... Cmon that's a useful trick that I dont know!
ReplyDeleteThis is a strange place to ask I suppose, but I'd really like to learn more about switches and audio circuits can anyone recommend a good source to learn about audio electronics- specifically amplifiers and effects basics. I know a bit, but not nearly enough. I was thinking of trying to start contributing here or elsewhere as I know I can translate schematic to board, but I'd like to understand what exactly is going on, or at least inexactly! This is one of the best sites and amazing examples of supremely generous knowledge sharing sites on the net! I owe you a dozen cases of premium beer or home cooked meals IvIark! THANK YOU!
DeleteI've got quite a lot of books on the subject and these ones are highly recommended:
DeleteSmall Signal Audio Design - Douglas Self
Self on Audio - Douglas self
Audio Engineering Know It All - Newnes
Circuit Design Know it all - Newnes
Practical Electronics for Inventors - Paul Scherz
The Art of Electronics - Horowitz & Hill (The Bible for anyone interested in electronics)
Operational Amplifier Users Handbook - Penfold (Small book but great for explaining exactly what the opamp circuits are doing, how to calculate gain etc)
Obviously none of these are specifically related to effects, but the theory behind them all remains the same. Also look out for Brian Wampler's books which don't go into as much detail as those above, but are specifically related to effect pedals which makes it easy to relate to.
can anyone hook up a link about switches and LED's specifically? i'd like to be able to add LED's to switches when I want to... like for the boost circuit here it'd be cool to hook up an always on (maybe even a bi-color) LED indicating whether I'm in boost or fuzz mode. that'd be a cool skill to have since I'm always adding extra switches and the 3pdt toggles are getting cheap!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've seen anything which would specifically relate to something like this, but basically if you wanted to add an LED to any switch, whether stomp, toggle or whatever, you'd need to add on a pole. So the SPDT switch in this would need to be a DPDT, and the DPDT would need to be a 3PDT. The extra pole is then used for switching the LED on or off depending on the state of the switch. Usually you would ground the middle lug, and then use one of the other lugs to go to the LED cathode, then the LED anode would go to 9V via a limiting resistor. Which "other" lug you use would depend on which position you want the LED to illuminate in.
DeleteSweet sounding pedal. My next build. Need some transistor clarification... 2n3904 for Q1 and 2n5088 for Q2 and Q3, am I correct?
ReplyDeleteThe 2SC644R seems to be 80 to 160 hfe, 2SC828 160 to 220 or there abouts. So really the 2N3904 will probably have more gain than both of them. I'd suggest socketing and seeing how lower gain and higher gain trannies sound in there.
DeleteCheers. I'll give some trans a go and see what happens. I've got some different ones laying around I'll check out there specs, socket and test.
Deletejust built this one and it sounds great. i'm using a 2SC1815 for Q1 (hfe 132) and 2 NOS 2SC828R's for Q2 & Q3 (hfe's are 246). it sounds just like the original pedal demos. to use those transistors in this layout you just have to twist/swap the legs of the base and collector. the funny thing is, I almost like it better with Q3 rotated 180 degrees (which I learned by mistake!)
ReplyDeleteBTW, the 22n cap that is shown in Mark's layout that connects between the 22k and 47k resistors (the lower one straight across from the output lead) is shown as a 2n2 on every schematic that I've seen of this pedal. I replaced Mark's shown 22n with a 2n2 and it now has the original vintage scooped tone when used in that setting. you may want to correct that Mark ;-).
ReplyDeleteAnd I've just checked and it's a 2n2 in the schematic I used too! DOH! :o)
DeleteActually I may prefer the 22n because scooped doesn't do much for me. I'm wondering whether I altered it based on something I read? I'll use that as an excuse anyway :o)
Cheers for the heads up
What schematic are you using?
Deletehere's mine completed ;-)
ReplyDeletehttp://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/BeeBaa/beebaa-01.jpg
http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/BeeBaa/beebaa-02.jpg
Excellent looking build as always.
Delete+m
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deletesir, can you please send me the "circuit" or "layout on strip pcb" with the wiring bet. all the switches and pots clearly.....please sir please......
DeleteFinally finished! I love the sound of this one. Like John, I ended up using 2SC1815 for Q1 and 2 NOS 2SC828R's for Q2 & Q3. I found the hum to be really loud when the effect is on (not playing through it), so I added some power filtering and now it's perfect. Thanks for another challenging layout and great learning experience.
ReplyDeletePlease can u send me the connections between the pots and switched...plzzz help me
DeleteI just built this today...
ReplyDelete...I have a small problem though. I get no output when it is switched to boost. The fuzz sounds great though. Any ideas on what to check first?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteis it possible to have a tag
ReplyDeletefboard version mark pls?
I built this pedal, the boost fired up immediately and I really liked the crunch it added to my guitar. After going over my stripboard, I found i missed a 1Uf cap, and the fuzz side fired up immediately after. This is one frickin awesome sounding pedal. Really reminds me of the boss FZ-2. The offboard wiring really was not that bad, only took like an hour or so.
ReplyDelete