freestompboxes.org

Hello,
I am absolute beginner - I have build only "kits" with very little success - 2 out of 5 kits are working. Usually if the pedal is not working I give up because I don't have enough knowledge for troubleshooting . But in this case I decided to ask for help - maybe it is something minor.
the kit I'm trying to build is a tube screamer clone from this store : http://www.musikding.de/Kits/Musikding- ... :1618.html

I'm get only a deep cracking noise from the pedal (when there is a signal coming from the guitar) that doesn't seams to be changing when I turn any of the knobs on the pots.
Usually when I mess up I get nothing from the pedal - this time it is reacting to the guitar ...in some way.
I decided to ask you guys because this may be some very simple error.



any help will be appreciated

Could you post an image of the trace side of the PCB? Im assuming that there is a resistor that is blocked by the green capacitor in your picture, correct? I just cant see it and I want to make sure that its there. I also want to confirm that the black and gray diode above the 2 electrolytic capacitors has the gray end facing toward the right side of the picture. Do you have a multimeter?

I don't have a multimeter - in fact I do, but it broke couple of weeks ago - it is showing 1 on off position and doing some weird things - I still use it to check for connectivity as the readings change when there is such, but other than that I am sure it's totally useless.





thanks for looking into it, CHEEZOR

Is that jumper supposed to be missing? In the picture on the website you linked to there is a jumper up above Q2. Should that be on yours as well or did you intentionally leave it off for some reason?

CHEEZOR wrote:Is that jumper supposed to be missing? In the picture on the website you linked to there is a jumper up above Q2. Should that be on yours as well or did you intentionally leave it off for some reason?

you sir are a wonderful human being.
thank you very much!

No problem. Start threads for the other pedals that aren't working and we'll see if we can't get those figured out as well!

I don't know if I should do that - the other 2 are also kits I got them as present and there is no info on the maker. But there is a quite large and bold fronted statement on the instructions that the maker forbids any photos of the PCBs to be posted online - I think I will honor that wish.
But with my skills and level of perception I am sure that soon enough I will have to post another help request.

registracii wrote:I don't know if I should do that - the other 2 are also kits I got them as present and there is no info on the maker. But there is a quite large and bold fronted statement on the instructions that the maker forbids any photos of the PCBs to be posted online - I think I will honor that wish.
But with my skills and level of perception I am sure that soon enough I will have to post another help request.

as soon as you get some pedals debugged it will be easier to debug the others, believe me.

I think it's strange that a maker of kits forbids posting pictures How are you supposed to debug it? it's a kit after all.

Seiche wrote:

registracii wrote:I don't know if I should do that - the other 2 are also kits I got them as present and there is no info on the maker. But there is a quite large and bold fronted statement on the instructions that the maker forbids any photos of the PCBs to be posted online - I think I will honor that wish.
But with my skills and level of perception I am sure that soon enough I will have to post another help request.

as soon as you get some pedals debugged it will be easier to debug the others, believe me.

I think it's strange that a maker of kits forbids posting pictures How are you supposed to debug it? it's a kit after all.

Agreed. You might consider emailing the kit maker and asking him to help you debug it if he does not wish to have pictures posted online.

I agree - I am sure that they would provide help ... if I knew who they are and how to contact them, but the kits were bought just from some "small store about electronics" by friends that were visiting some countries traveling and know nothing about the topic ...not that I do they also needed to save space so I guess they un-boxed the kids and kept only the instructional paper and the parts in a small box (not really instructions more like parts list). the PCBs are without any signatures or markings.
I failed on 2 of them - the 3rd is supposed to be a digital delay with ping-pong capabilities. I am taking my time with this one as it sounds like a cool pedal to have... if it works. the only similar kit I have found online is from BYOC - but after checking it I am sure it is not the same kit - the pcb is different and the parts too.

maybe posting the pictures anyway would help you get in touch with them
if they PM you to take them down, you still can if you use the attachment function. plus we'd help you debug

Seiche wrote:maybe posting the pictures anyway would help you get in touch with them
if they PM you to take them down, you still can if you use the attachment function. plus we'd help you debug

there is a good point there too...maybe I will when I decide to try to find my stupid error on them too.

maybe some info on the result is a good idea :

the screamer sounds great - for my ear it is identical to the screamer I had. the symmetrical and asymetrical diode clipping does little for me - there is a difference in sound (small one) but I can't say I like one better than the other.

I do get a solid cracking noise when I step on the foot switch - I don't know if the switch is bad or I messed up the wiring somehow.