Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

[GuitarStv]

I've worked out some circuit layout and modified pedal circuits I'd like to test out in some new builds and have decided on trying the following:

- germanium fuzz (based on a fuzz face)
- lot/mid/hi eq/boost (based on a nice sounding stereo circuit)
- modified mxr blue box
- four knob auto wah/envelope filter
- crazy noise box ( pitch shifting, fuzz, vibrato, 8-bit arpeggiation based around some lo-fi voice modulation chips I've found)
- simple optocoupled vibe pedal (using an LDR and LED to control the depth of the effect)

Going to place the order for my parts soon, but before I do . . . You think it would make sense to do them all up as separate pedals? I was thinking of maybe combining the fuzz/Eq into a single circuit to make a germanium fuzz with three or four band controls . . .

Yes/no/ideas?

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

There's no particular reason why it shouldn't work, subject to the circuit design of course. Even if in one enclosure though, I'd want to be able to switch them in/out independently.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

That's a great idea if you want them to be forever married. There's plenty of methods on making each circuit discrete within a single enclosure. A fuzz face is so small that you could probably get away with building in a 125b enclosure. If you're using external supply, you should definitely make it.

No sense in that though, to be honest. Get a nice big box.

Make: did a optical trem build that's pretty neat. Uses small plastic cards with different patterns printed on it to supply the trem pattern that's mounted to a motor spinning outside the case. Not stomp friendly, but sure is neat looking.

this is how tagboard does multieffects.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T8OdqPmP_...lTz0RyZXAG8/s1600/!Offboard+wiring+-+dual.png

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

I know it'll technically work . . . Just trying to decide if it makes sense to keep a 3 band eq/boost as a separate pedal or not. I figure it would be handy to have extra tone controls on a fuzz. I can get BB Hammond boxes for cheaper than the smaller ones at the moment, so I'm just going to use them for all the pedals.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

Build two.
one with a fuzz circuit attached and one hanging out on it's own. Maybe hunt down a boost circuit to add into it if you feel there isn't enough guts for a BB.

outta...curiosity.....how much are the BBs and where are you getting them?

 

[dominus]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

Get a big box, lots of true bypass switches, and make the back of it into a patch bay.

 

[scottish]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

Im not a fuzz fan but i could see an on/off switchable EQ in a fuzz or any OD/Dist pedal for that matter being friggin awesome.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

Hmmm . . . I can fit six knobs in two rows on a BB pretty easily . . . I'm thinking fuzz, volume, bass, mid (pre fuzz), mid (post fuzz), treble. That leaves space for a giant LED and a switch or two. I could also build the EQ into the vibe pedal, but not sure if that would make as much sense. Doesn't make much sense to add to the blue box, not enough room on the auto wah or crazy noise box for the extra knobs.


BBs are 5$ from a local place . . . Painted.

 

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

why not go for a full mxr 6 band EQ? 1776 effects does a nice small PCB for it that should easily fit in a BB with many other effects

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

I'm sticking to circuits that I've worked out on my own so I can modify it if something doesn't sound right to me. I like stripboard for designs over dedicated PCB, it's more flexible.

 

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Designing/building some pedals . . . Opinions wanted

I'm sticking to circuits that I've worked out on my own so I can modify it if something doesn't sound right to me. I like stripboard for designs over dedicated PCB, it's more flexible.

Ahh fair enough.