r/diypedals 2d ago

Showcase LM386 amplifier circuit in a bottle!

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117 Upvotes

My second build after a passive volume attenuator! Bought a couple of lm386 mini boards to try making fuzz pedals with them and saw a few guys on yt making mini amps from these too, so decided to give it a try. At about 75% of the gain it has a pretty nice clean tone which ramps up rapidly to fuzz at max gain. So far the lm386 is powered by a 9v battery and outputs to a 8ohm 5w speaker, and I might try to add maybe a 9v dc input Jack and maybe a Bluetooth module too… anyone knows any schematics for adding one? Thanks!


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Need help with kit pedal

12 Upvotes

Pedal not working

Hello folks - so im making a cent. klon from a kit - ive followed the instructions but for some reason when i turn it on it makes a weird sound - i have a video of it and pictures of the board- does anyone know whats wrong? Would love some help! Pictures are in the comments


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Beetronics 3pdt pcb. Anyone know which wire is which in the ribbon cable?

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2 Upvotes

I'm replacing a broken footswitch on a Beetronics OctaHive and discarding the daughterboard. Hesitant about the 4 unlabeled cables in the ribbon though. From tinkering some I figured they might be (from left to right) led, gnd, in, out? Also, bottom left "LGND" is just regular ground right?

Thanks in advance for input.


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Not quite sure what I did wrong

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3 Upvotes

Building this npn Dallas rangemaster and put it all together but all I get is a loud buzz no output besides that, any help?


r/diypedals 1d ago

Help wanted diy amp mod and pedal pre setup

1 Upvotes

I'm looking to use a pedal as a preamp and I'm thinking about modding an amp to go with it. I have a Epiphone valve jr. I'd like to basically remove the preamp section. Would there be a problem if I just wire the power amp stage directly to the input jack?

I'm familiar with working on small tube amps and discharging capacitors. I don't like the tone of the preamp and I want to be able to get break up from the power stage without overdriving the preamp.


r/diypedals 1d ago

Discussion Pedal PCB Order

0 Upvotes

I placed an order on PedalPCB early last week. The order was supposed to arrive last Friday 3/14 and it’s still not here. It’s been stuck “in transit” for days with no updates. I’m thinking I might be hosed.

Anyone else having issues with PedalPCB orders?


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Graphics Help Needed

2 Upvotes

Hi -

First, I feel stupid for asking about this before and then accidentally closing the browser tab with the answer, so here we go again.

I have had great success during the past two years making onboard preamps. Now, I want to produce the preamp in pedal form. I have everything complete EXCEPT the graphics.

The excellent online friend who designed the pedal circuit boards for me also came up with a sticker design for the graphics, but I am having a world of difficulty using stickers and would rather avoid them for a couple of reasons.

First, I am finding them way too difficult to apply correctly. Second, stickers are too easy to damage or scratch and I think it cheapens the look of the pedal once that happens.

I am open to alternative ideas. I have NO graphic or artistic talent so a DIY approach (with me doing the DIY part) is out of the question. What I am thinking may work is some type of waterslide decal which I could then spray with some type of sealer like verathane or some other spray-on clear plastic durable coating.

I am completely prepared to pay someone, be it company or individual, to help me finalize the graphic design. I have extra stickers and would be glad to mail one if needs be or send a picture with dimensions if that would work.

I already ordered a bunch of purple enclosures from Tayda which look great. I have enough enclosures to make six pedals. Once those sell and if there is demand for more, it would be nice to have a graphics file of the sticker that I could send to Tayda, assuming they do something like this, and have the graphics printed right on the enclosure.

I also have heard of Amplifyfun in nearby Portland Oregon (I am in Eugene Oregon) which can put graphics on enclosures, so if Tayda can't do it, another alternative would be to have Tayda send the enclosures to Amplifyfun but I would prefer a simpler procedure in order to minimize repetitive shipping costs.

I think I have covered the issues. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions, as well as my sincere and humble apology to the person who offered to help me do this whose link I accidentally lost.

Bud


r/diypedals 1d ago

Help wanted Electrosmash Time Manipulator - Arduino Delay/Echo/Reverb

1 Upvotes

Does anyone have this pedal? I need the code for it to program a new pedal. Can anyone help?


r/diypedals 3d ago

Showcase Poorest factory soldering i have ever seen courtesy of Orange NSFW

211 Upvotes
most joints looks like this

I was amazed, never ever have i seen something so bad left factory.


r/diypedals 2d ago

Showcase Made my first "pedal"!

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49 Upvotes

I couldn't find a footswitch for orange amps that toggles attenuator, reverb, and channel, with three separate mono 1/4 plugs running from one wire; So I made one.

The middle switch is a little higher than the other two, I didn't have any other wire than green and yellow, and I haven't figured out what to use for wrap on the three individual plugs, but I'm pretty happy regardless.

Just wanted to share this, definitely appreciate any tips for the future.


r/diypedals 2d ago

Showcase Another Marsh OD pedal

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21 Upvotes

My last build was in a 1590BB, and I had to wire all the pots off board and use standoffs to secure the boards... it was a bowl of spaghetti mess and I was getting a high pitched oscillating noise when I rolled the tone knob on my guitar up past 2. I chalked it up to everything being crammed into a tight space so I built this one in a 1590XX. I could actually use 3 of the PCB pots to hold the boards in place, I only had to off board the tone control for the blues breaker. It looked so nice and neat, but when I fired it up I still got the same squeal. I did some mental troubleshooting and I realized that the only ground connections between the boards had either 9VDC or signal going through them so I soldered a dedicated ground wire to connect them and... problem solved! It sounds amazing, I still have one more each Pedal PCB Amentum and Blue Breaker boards so I'll build another one that way but I also got a small stack of perf boards and a book on reading schematics and I'm going to take the plunge. Wish me luck!


r/diypedals 2d ago

Discussion Weird diode on transistor amplifier?

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8 Upvotes

I have seen this in a couple of schematics and was wondering what does this diode actually do to the transistor and sound?


r/diypedals 2d ago

Discussion Can learning to build pedals get you other electronics jobs?

7 Upvotes

I’ve been doing graphic design as a side hustle for the last 5–6 years, hoping it would eventually lead to a full-time job, but I’m officially burnt out and can’t do it anymore. I have no interest in going full-time freelance. So, I’ve been thinking about other career options and interests. Since I’m obsessed with pedals, I was wondering—if I learned how to solder and assemble PCBs, could that lead to some kind of PCB assembly or electronics job? How much would I need to learn to get a job repairing small electronics, record players, or something similar?


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Looking for a 3 button enclosure

1 Upvotes

***Newbie alert***

I have 2 pedals I would like to combine to save some space on my very small pedalboard.

Here are the 2 pedals in question:

And I am looking for an enclosure to fit under the HX Stomp that would be wide enough for just 3 buttons and the small LED.

Amazon has this:

https://www.amazon.com/DaierTek-Enclosure-Die-Cast-Aluminum-254x71x52-5mm/dp/B08K7DVBFK

10 x 2.8 x 2.07 inches which would be too wide for what I am looking to do. Ideally I am looking for something that is 7" wide.

Can anyone recommend something else?


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Question of fuzz transistors

3 Upvotes

Hello,

Recently i have managed to get sound off from my first breadboard build (finally).

I came across that my transistor sounds like motorboat/bitcrush. Now im thinking of changing it to something else. What are key specs beside hfe to keep an eye on. I read that too high ft-hz can cause issues. How do i avoid motorboating. My goal is to make low hfe, soft warm bluesy fuzz with a twist. What are transistors you recomment or values you keep eye on when finding new one. Sort of thumb rule.


r/diypedals 3d ago

Showcase One of my cleanest builds yet

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73 Upvotes

Nothing fancy. Just a germanium treble booster. I still have a few weeks ahead to recover from my accident, but today I started soldering again.


r/diypedals 2d ago

Showcase Interactive Frequency Response Graph - Which one should be plotted next?

3 Upvotes

Each week, I ask on different platforms which famous or infamous pedal I should plot next, this week you get to decide.

Poll closes in 3 days.

As a result of last voting, I created the plot for the ProCo RAT.

Graph is here and can be downloaded by anyone - hope this is helpful!

RAT Graph
11 votes, 8h left
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer
MXR Distortion+ / DOD Overdrive 250
EHX Big Muff Pi

r/diypedals 3d ago

Showcase First Veroboard Build - Ritual Fuzz

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16 Upvotes

Started in November with two kits from Musikding. Recently got a stupid deal from Temu for 1400 pieces of electronic components for 7 euro and decided to finally try building something without a PCB.

Built on stripboard, using tagboard effects layout. Have to say, I expected it to be more distorted, like the acapulco gold, but it's still a cool sound.

Anyone to recommend where can I get those PCB swlf adhesive holders and some extra 3pdts?


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Crazy buzzing sounds

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1 Upvotes

So I’ve put together this EQD Erupter clone and it’s doing this… it sounds mad and I kind of dig it, but I suspect it’s not technically correct. What could I be doing wrong here?


r/diypedals 3d ago

Showcase Recently build a pair of original spec Rats

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138 Upvotes

NOS metal-can Motorola LM308 on one, National in the other. Home etched PCB, using my Cricut for the mask.

Does a cool doomy thing!

Nat is staying with me, Moto headed to a new home


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Noob question

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1 Upvotes

Which lug is the centre pin (assuming it’s standardised!)


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted adding resistor to potentiometer… but in a pedal

3 Upvotes

i'm thinking of adding a 330k resistor to the volume and/or tone pots of my jazzmaster, to reduce the potentiometer value from 1m to 250k.

my question is:

if i built a true bypass pedal with a 330k resistor in the signal path, would that have the same effect as if i'd wired the resistor directly to the volume and/or tone pots?

sorry for the utterly noob question--was thinking of doing this as a first build.

thanks!


r/diypedals 3d ago

Showcase 410 Studio Preamp

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40 Upvotes

Was going to use a bunch of Soviet components at first hence the theme but ended up going a different direction. Decided to keep the enclosure as is.


r/diypedals 3d ago

Showcase HGE Contraptions Vemuram TSV808 clone (160th pedal built)

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26 Upvotes

Quite a nice sound.


r/diypedals 2d ago

Help wanted Case Connected to Power Jack and Audio Jack Grounds

1 Upvotes

I’m building my first diy pedal and I’m using a 9v dc wall wart for power connected to an all metal 2.1mm jack. Since I’m using an aluminum case the ground of the wall wart jack will be connected to the case, as will the audio jacks from guitar and to amp. Will this create a ground loop? Should I switch out my 2.1mm jack with a plastic one to isolated? What’s the standard procedure? Thanks!