On-Board Effects

Posted by Mister Scott on April 4, 2011 at 1:04pm

I've done a number of rudimentary electronic work on my previous builds. I now want to take an upcoming build to the next level, and I need some advice, as I may be flying a bit too close to the sun.

 

Basically, I've found a number of resources online for building your own effects pedal circuits -- distortion, flange, etc. I really want to build a Fuzz pedal most of all. But it got me thinking: is there someway I could design a guitar build with a basic pedal circuit built-in? And then, as if that wasn't daunting enough, what about a couple of circuits?

 

Any thoughts?

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Replies

  • David L. April 5, 2011 at 11:38am

    If you are happy with just overdrive this little item from artec is good http://www.guitarheads.net/products/electronics/qdd.html

    (I got one from a UK site and it works well - I have never bought anything from the site in the link it is just to show the product)

  • Mister Scott April 5, 2011 at 10:59am

    Also, I guess I could just pick this up, remove the case, and install it into the guitar:

    http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UZ400-Classic-Distortion-Effects/dp...

    At least one of the input jacks would probably have to be modified, if not removed completely.

  • Mister Scott April 5, 2011 at 9:53am
    All good stuff, David -- many, many thanks. I guess the only thing really standing in my way is that 1) I've never soldered to a circuit board, and 2) I still can't read electrical schematics. Whatever I build, the instructions are going to have to be SUPER simple.
  • David L. April 5, 2011 at 8:19am

    The last thing I wired up was a delay effect off this guy http://shop.ebay.co.uk/diyeffector/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562 - you get the PCB and instructions then buy the components yourself - he has a couple of PCBs for a fuzz pedal (I haven't tried one but the delay pcb was good).  At the end of the day I am sure I could have picked up a second hand pedal off ebay for less money - still not as much fun :O)

    If you want a ready made multiple effects small sized unit check out the Korg Pandora PX3 - I bought one off ebay for £32 last year and they come up for sale on ebay quite frequently http://cgi.ebay.com/BLUE-KORG-TONE-WORKS-PANDORA-PX3-MULTI-EFFECT-P...  (they are excellent and cheap as they are now on the version 5) and they are small enough to fit inside a box if you wanted

      Dimensions

     (W x D x H): 4.7” x 3.0” x 1.1” (119.5 mm x 75.7 mm x 26.9 mm)

    that was my original plan but like it too much to use it in only one guitar.  There is no way you could build anything this good for the price.

     

    David

  • Mister Scott April 5, 2011 at 7:39am

    I was going to start with FBW's simple build, then maybe go to their Mosrite clone:

    http://www.fuzzboxworld.bigcartel.com/product/beginner-fuzz-pedal-b...


    David Lloyd said:

    What fuzz circuit are you thinking of Scotty?

     

  • Servaas (Der Groovemeister) April 5, 2011 at 6:00am

    It's better to 'true bypass' the fuzz circuit, for that alone you need a double pole double throw (dpdt or 2pdt), if you also want to switch the power with the same switch you need a 3pdt.

    A Fuzz Face circuit is one of the simplest, but probably has so much gain and low end it will feedback like hell. Maybe a one transistor Bazz Fuzz is a better option or an Electra distortion/Trotsky drive/Lovepedal COT or COT50 (they are more or less the same). Come to think of it: a Fuzzrite is also a good option, because it has very little bass.

  • David L. April 5, 2011 at 5:07am

    You need some sort of switch so you can have the pickup circuit go to either the fuzz effect (and then the jack socket output) or to bypass the fuzz and go direct to the output socket as per normal.  If you don't you will always have the fuzz effect on.  Also unless you have the bypass option when the 9v battery dies you lose the output - with bypass you will still have the normal pickup sounds to play with.

    The Double pole double throw type switch as shown above will do this (and also sort out the on/off for the power supply).

     

    What fuzz circuit are you thinking of Scotty?

     

  • Mister Scott April 4, 2011 at 10:13pm

    So let's say I'm installing this on-board. Instead of wiring the pickup circuit to an output jack, does that just get wired to where the input jack would go on the fuzz circuit? And if so, would the pickup circuit work at all if the 9v battery goes dead?

  • Servaas (Der Groovemeister) April 4, 2011 at 5:58pm
    Remember that a led will draw MUCH more power from your battery than a fuzz circuit will! I wouldn't bother with a led for that reason. You will certainly hear when it's on or off! ;-)
  • David L. April 4, 2011 at 4:15pm

    My pleasure Scotty,

    If you want to add a LED it is really easy - again I do not know of a USA supplier but I list this for reference

    http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/optos.html

    You just wire the LED between the 9v supply to the effect circuit and the earth like this

     

     305715370?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

    You need to add the resistor or the LED will burn out and different size and colours may need a different resistor value that you can work out from here

    http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz and the specs given from the LED data - the last time I did one the lowest value I had was 1000 (instead of 390) and it works just fine.  To mount the LED you can get clever little mounts as shown on the link or I found they fit well in a humbucker surround where the height adjustment screws would normally go.

    305716162?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

    Regards,

    David

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