freestompboxes.org

Better than I got in my A levels! Not bad at all.

Yea sockets are always a good idea I find and easily taken out later for more structural integrity on the board.

A finer needle tipped soldering iron helps alot I find if your using one of those flat ended ones I used with my first build and can be picked up off ebay for £5ish (it's lasted me 5 builds so even if it broke now i'm still happy with it cost wise) and Ge transistors like yours will not survive more than a few seconds of heat most likely (If you do wish to solder them after youve established they work in the sockets try attatching a croc clip or something to use as a heat sync when soldering them)

Bits box are fantastic, quick to reply to emails, quick to send out and prices that aren't stupidly high like Maplin & Rapid (i'm considering emailing them to see if they can get some more components that would be useful for Pedal builders, im sure FSB would offer them plenty of customers if they did)

Yes non polarized electrolytics would work, but no reason to use them really, but if you have them lying around and need some extra caps, why not.

hazelwould wrote: Cool man, so if I wanted the in an out on the same switch, would I just wire both up to the same side of the switch? Or would I have to have 2? I'd prefer 1 if there's a way to wire it like that.

I'm not sure I follow you... are you saying you want the bypass switch to turn the circuit on and off to also turn the circuit from Bass to Guitar? Because if so... no you'll need two switches, the bypass switch will just bypass, anything else you'll need another switch.

ShortScaleMike wrote:Sure, just tap off the 9VDC input to the circuit and have that as your switch pole. and then the two throws go to your two different stab pots.

Beedoola wrote:Well I was trying to avoid have two stab pots cause of the enclosure I'm using but that may be a good idea...Can it be done with just one stab pot?

any thoughts?

You could probably do it with 2 DPDT or a 3PDT switch... A switch works like this so it's just a case of working out how it would switch
3PDT

- - - < These 2 rows active
- - - <
- - -
Switched other way
- - -
- - - < These 2 rows active
- - - <

You'd want the center to be the main connection then the other sides to do the wire switching, but I can't work it out in my head.

Yeah I tried that with the center lugs of 3DPT switch being the 9v, drive and PCB and the other lugs being the alternate paths, wasn't working properly.

Scruffie wrote:

hazelwould wrote:How would I go about adjusting for more bass? Lower in/ out caps? Also could I make this switchable from stock to bass boost? How would I go about wiring it? I have a general idea, but am not 100% sure. Thanks for the info!!

I assume you just want a cap switch then right? if so heres something I quickly (and badly) drew in paint, but it gets the idea accross.

I think in general you usually increase the input and output caps to increase the amount of low pass or Bass but you'll have to experiment with different values to get what you want.

Try like this.
No popping.

i'm finally getting a chance to sit down and have a good go at my own FF.

So far, the development is, i have fuzz, and it's pretty controlable. basically, all the knobs work as they should, except comp, interestingly enough, which has no effect on the fuzz...

Igloo wrote:

Scruffie wrote:

hazelwould wrote:How would I go about adjusting for more bass? Lower in/ out caps? Also could I make this switchable from stock to bass boost? How would I go about wiring it? I have a general idea, but am not 100% sure. Thanks for the info!!

I assume you just want a cap switch then right? if so heres something I quickly (and badly) drew in paint, but it gets the idea accross.

I think in general you usually increase the input and output caps to increase the amount of low pass or Bass but you'll have to experiment with different values to get what you want.

Try like this.
No popping.

So you'd solder one end to e23 and one to c3 (based on your diagram)? So one on the input cap and one on the out put. Anyone have any cap recommendations?

Brilliant cap selector, Igloo! I'm totally going to steal that one!

got some new solder today, to try that. I didn't realise that Leaded solder is now illegal to sell in EU without a chem licence? sham. So this one is 99.8% tin and .2% copper, which i was informed is a pretty good ratio.

i'll try it now shortly.

sigh....

Yup they've damn well taken away the good solder, no one likes unleaded solder...

yah this stuff is no better. FFS!! i don't really know what to do now. I'm tempted to order parts for a new build, and order fresh clean pots with it, give that a go. I actually can't even explain how frustrating this is... like, i want to finish it myself, as a triumphant first build, but it's not going good.

Did you clean off your pots with a damp sponge like I suggested, should clean them up enough to accept new solder.

And for a first build the Fuzz Factory probably isn't the simplest, not due to parts counts but due to all the pots I think is where most struggle, A booster seems to be the best place to start, little late now.

Builds are frustrating when they don't work, but tbh... i'm not sure ordering a 3rd set of new parts is gunna get you any closer... unless you have actually burnt them out.

Have you considered using breadboard? so theres no soldering involved (other than wires to the pots and jacks) perhaps that would be a good idea otherwise your just going in circles and your triumphant first build is just going to turn into a disheartening waste of £20 which isn't what you want.

Hey, I've just soldered my new board together BUT i think i've soldered the jacks all wrong?! Ive got a picture of the output jack...which im using for the 'power cut' one....the thick black is earth, the red and black going up are to the battery and the yellow goes to the output and the blue goes to the stab..... I believe this is completely wrong??

Greetings everyone..I am a semi-newbie in DIY effects..Ive got a green ringer (GGG), TS808, Phase 45 builds and some mods under my belt..and most recently im workin on this FUzz Factory..Its doin some great fuzz stuff(my first fuzz build) I am using pnps I pulled some old SB33s out of a stereo there GE Japanese trannie equivalent to an AC128..funny thing is when I put in the npn silicon ( ive tried 2n222,bc107, bc 337 etc) It doesnt function as well ..for example I lose the oscillation interaction with the guitars tone and volume knobs...without Q3 it sounds very cool to my ears and seems plenty loud. I thought the npn Q3 was for a boost but regardless of pinout or orientation I cant get it to work right with it in.
Anybody have similar experiences? BTW im using the factory de fuzz vero layout.
Thanks

Ozzie 88 wrote:Hey, I've just soldered my new board together BUT i think i've soldered the jacks all wrong?! Ive got a picture of the output jack...which im using for the 'power cut' one....the thick black is earth, the red and black going up are to the battery and the yellow goes to the output and the blue goes to the stab..... I believe this is completely wrong??

It's pretty late (4 in the morning late) so I can't quite work that out in my head what you said but it sounds wrong, check your wiring against this

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/dia ... dcjack.gif

and heres a diagram of which part of the Jack is the sleeve ring and tip

http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/micjack/mj3.jpg

To save hassle I might suggest using the input jack as the 'power cut' jack as this is standard and might save you some hassle, but if you've done it on purpose then go for it.

Ah cheers Scruffie those links have helped...i believe i made it so the battery was just looped to itself!! have figured it out now and will give it a go in a bit!


Edit: nope still nothing but the battery isnt gettin hot anymore!

Scruffie wrote:Did you clean off your pots with a damp sponge like I suggested, should clean them up enough to accept new solder.

And for a first build the Fuzz Factory probably isn't the simplest, not due to parts counts but due to all the pots I think is where most struggle, A booster seems to be the best place to start, little late now.

Builds are frustrating when they don't work, but tbh... i'm not sure ordering a 3rd set of new parts is gunna get you any closer... unless you have actually burnt them out.

Have you considered using breadboard? so theres no soldering involved (other than wires to the pots and jacks) perhaps that would be a good idea otherwise your just going in circles and your triumphant first build is just going to turn into a disheartening waste of £20 which isn't what you want.

i'm going to try to clean them off again. first time around didn't go great. so i obviously heat the solder, then sponge them?

Yea wet the sponge (it will get ruined) then melt the solder and just rub the leads on the sponge while its still liquid but be damn careful the liquid solder doesn't spit on you or in your eye or something.

.....wow!

i must have been doing something REALLY simply wrong last time i tried this. This time round i have a sponge about 5cm long, and 1cm wide, just dipped in water. i've heated the lugs from beneath, one wipe, shiny clean!

it makes a slight hiss when the sponge hits it, but it's like the hiss when you put water on a hot hob ring, which i'm sure is fine. it'll take me a while to clean them all, but i think i'll clean the lot, and start afresh with the pots.

thanks again scruffie.