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Author Topic: want to build effect pedals - where to start?  (Read 4077 times)

CJ

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #15 on: September 09, 2009, 10:40:11 PM »
i ended up going with the Big muff after a recommendation from the GGG site. they said their GGG tuned BMP kit should be what i'm looking for.

i'll probably be back here with some questions once everything arrives.  :)

mikey5

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #16 on: September 11, 2009, 11:53:07 PM »
THere are also these great pedals here too. http://olcircuits.com/
The Thor and shredmeister caught my eye. As well as the Orange Peel

juansolo

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #17 on: September 12, 2009, 08:35:10 AM »
Love the Shredmaster. Great distortion pedal. Do the bright mod on it, as standard it's sweet with single coils but goes a bit over dark with HBs. Flick a switch and you're rockin'.
When you´re racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just pies.

http://stompage.juansolo.co.uk

badgermark

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #18 on: September 13, 2009, 12:33:05 AM »
THere are also these great pedals here too. http://olcircuits.com/
The Thor and shredmeister caught my eye. As well as the Orange Peel

The OLC kits are much trickier than the others. I have two that i haven't managed to get working yet and i'm pretty good at the pedal building thing (well the rest of my pedal board is home made and still standing)
Mississippi Queens, Holydiver.

mikey5

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #19 on: September 13, 2009, 02:57:43 AM »
Hmmm, a minimum tool kit:

A good soldering iron and stand (which is a little hypocritical of me seeing as I use an ancient 15w jobbie that I've had for eons)
Multimeter
Some small pliers, cutters and wire strippers
A good desk lamp





Hey Juan whats a good tool kit as opposed to minimum Ive got all that stuff

mikey5

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #20 on: September 13, 2009, 03:02:50 AM »
The OLC kits are much trickier than the others. I have two that i haven't managed to get working yet and i'm pretty good at the pedal building thing (well the rest of my pedal board is home made and still standing)
[/quote]




Wow really. Are the directions incomplete? Oh and juansolo the shredmaster that you referred to is it the BYOC one or the OLC??

juansolo

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #21 on: September 13, 2009, 07:48:18 AM »
The OLC kits are much trickier than the others. I have two that i haven't managed to get working yet and i'm pretty good at the pedal building thing (well the rest of my pedal board is home made and still standing)




Wow really. Are the directions incomplete? Oh and juansolo the shredmaster that you referred to is it the BYOC one or the OLC??
[/quote]

I've built the BYOC one both as a full kit and from their board (you can just buy the boards if you want to source your own bits). But they're all based on the same circuit so should be similar. All the bright mod does is switch a cap (detailed here and this is what it looks like installed:

When you´re racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just pies.

http://stompage.juansolo.co.uk

juansolo

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #22 on: September 13, 2009, 07:58:09 AM »
Hey Juan whats a good tool kit as opposed to minimum Ive got all that stuff

Ok, for case finishing get a pillar drill or a drill press that you can fix your drill to. Then get yourself a cone cutter. The time saved with one of these and the holes it can cut are worth it's weight in gold. I use automotive primer/paint/lacquer, it seems tougher and dries quicker.

As for the assembly. I use fairly pikey stuff to be honest and you could get a good regulated soldering iron and a proper heated solder sucker (another essential tool, especially if you plan to scavenge parts or make a mistake). As I say I use an old 15w iron and a manual solder sucker. Flasher stuff would make it easier, but as long as it works, I struggle to see why I  would change.

Other bits would be a hacksaw and file for cutting down pot shafts and cutting up vero. Some sort of tool as a track cutter if you are going to use vero (what I use is pretty much a drill bit with a handle on it). A really good pair of glasses or a magnifying glass if you're going blind like me. Get a good multimeter, they're invaluable. Make a signal tester (out of an old guitar lead and a cap), awesome for fault finding. If you're being tarty get some heatshrink and a little blow torch type thing to shrink it. Bag a reel of solid core cable, you won't believe how much easier it will make your life. Otherwise, honestly, there's not much more to it.
When you´re racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just pies.

http://stompage.juansolo.co.uk

mikey5

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Re: want to build effect pedals - where to start?
« Reply #23 on: September 13, 2009, 03:19:37 PM »
Awesome thanks guys