hey guys, first post here, you guys seem to know your stuff.
I was wanting some help with a fuzz pedal kit I recently bought on ebay. I'm relatively new to electronics and I'm no genius in this area, but I've been really frustrated for the past few days. I built this circuitboard exactly as I was instructed, yet it doesn't work and I can't figure out why.
The guy never send me a circuit diagram, but instead, more of a literal interpretation of what it would look like. Here it is -
http://oi44.tinypic.com/9a4f1l.jpg
If that is a little hard to make out, here is my own circuit diagram that I drew up (I apologize in advance for the poor quality and clarity of the diagram, I've never drawn one before)
http://tinypic.com/r/29cmbmv/5
When the switch is off, and the effect is bypassed, the guitar sounds fine, as if it was plugged in to the amp with no alteration to the sound. When I turn the switch on, I get a really crappy result. If the potentiometer is turned all the way to the left, I get a little bit of the original signal, but it's quiet and a bit lo-fi. When I turn the potentiometer to the right, I lose sound altogether... silence.
Another thing worth mentioning is that it doesn't seem to make a difference whether the battery is plugged in or not. I've tested the battery with a voltmeter and it's definetely working and has a lot of juice. I've also tested the battery socket on a breadboard incase the socket was faulty, but the socket is working fine too.
I know this isn't a lot of information to go on, but I was hoping that some of you veterans out there might be able to narrow it down for me. Based on this information, can anybody narrow down what part (or possible parts) of my circuit is faulty/busted? I have no doubt that the circuit is set up exactly the way I was instructed, and I was very careful with my soldering, there's no globby solder bridging the strips on the board.
Once again, I know this isn't a lot of info to work with, but I have no idea where to look or what to try. It doesn't work, and I don't know what to do about it
You have a mistake on your schematic. The picture they provided is what we call a layout - a wiring diagram.
In your schematic, the jack on the right is the input jack. You have the tip contact wired to the battery negative,and the input coming into the ring. That is reversed. The tip should carry the input signal and the ring contact should have the battery terminal. If you drew it wrong, correct it. If you wired it that way, it is wrong. The wiring diagram does not make it clear which jack terminal is which.
Your drawing shows the volume controls as 100 ohm, while the layout says 100k. Which did you do? 100k makes sense, 100 ohms does not.
The layout shows it built on some perf board with strips of copper. Did you build it that way too? On the two outside strips of copper, I see a gap in each. Did it come with those gaps or do you have to cut them? They need to be there.
Quote from: Enzo on August 23, 2013, 03:43:53 AM
You have a mistake on your schematic. The picture they provided is what we call a layout - a wiring diagram.
In your schematic, the jack on the right is the input jack. You have the tip contact wired to the battery negative,and the input coming into the ring. That is reversed. The tip should carry the input signal and the ring contact should have the battery terminal. If you drew it wrong, correct it. If you wired it that way, it is wrong. The wiring diagram does not make it clear which jack terminal is which.
Your drawing shows the volume controls as 100 ohm, while the layout says 100k. Which did you do? 100k makes sense, 100 ohms does not.
The layout shows it built on some perf board with strips of copper. Did you build it that way too? On the two outside strips of copper, I see a gap in each. Did it come with those gaps or do you have to cut them? They need to be there.
The volume controls were 100k, not 100 ohm, my mistake.
Also, I definitely have the ring connected to the battery and the tip connected to the switch. I think I may have labelled it wrongly on the diagram. I always assumed the longer line was the tip and the shorter one was the ring? Is this not the case?
Also yes I did to the project on some veroboard and I drilled the holes out of the copper where the gaps needed to be. Tested it with a multimeter, there was no continuity.
What's the chance that some of the components on the board are busted? I don't know why they would be but I'm out of ideas.
Ok, so based on the advice from another forum, I've done 2 things.
1. switched the direction of the diode
2. Replaced the transistor.
The replacing of the transistor seemed to do the trick, but now it doesn't make a difference which way I put the diode, which makes me think something's wrong :\
It sounds ok I guess, I pluck the string and then I get like about a second of fuzz before the note fades away into clean
Hi
@Paul, and welcome.
For a first circuit that ain't 'arf bad.
It doesn't help that in the diagramme you have been provided doesn't indicate the battery polarity. The negative should go to the socket, and the positive to the stripboard.
The socket wiring is also not at all clear.
The pot is the output level control so it should go quiet when turned right down. The pot is drawn from the
rear view, so you may have wired it so it works in reverse, no big deal, just not helpful when debugging.
Quote from: Paul NelthorpeIt sounds ok I guess, I pluck the string and then I get like about a second of fuzz before the note fades away into clean
The diode should have a band around one end. This end should go to the transistor Base and 4.7uF input cap. If the diode were in the other way around, band to the transistor Collector and 10k resistor, then I would expect the dropout effect you are getting.
Working correctly this circuit should give you loads of graunch right down to the lowest levels from the guitar.
HTH
Quote from: Roly on August 23, 2013, 07:38:00 AM
Hi @Paul, and welcome.
For a first circuit that ain't 'arf bad.
It doesn't help that in the diagramme you have been provided doesn't indicate the battery polarity. The negative should go to the socket, and the positive to the stripboard.
The socket wiring is also not at all clear.
The pot is the output level control so it should go quiet when turned right down. The pot is drawn from the rear view, so you may have wired it so it works in reverse, no big deal, just not helpful when debugging.
Quote from: Paul NelthorpeIt sounds ok I guess, I pluck the string and then I get like about a second of fuzz before the note fades away into clean
The diode should have a band around one end. This end should go to the transistor Base and 4.7uF input cap. If the diode were in the other way around, band to the transistor Collector and 10k resistor, then I would expect the dropout effect you are getting.
Working correctly this circuit should give you loads of graunch right down to the lowest levels from the guitar.
HTH
Thats super frustrating. I don't know anymore what to try. It's wired up just as in the diagrams
The jack. Just as on a real jack, the tip contact is the farthest one from the bushing. So the longer one would be the ring in your drawing, but would be the tip in the layout.
OK, so troubleshoot the thing. It is a one transistor preamp. Put your meter black probe to common - "ground." Plug in the guitar. Now you should see +9v to the red battery wire. And also at the top end of the 10k resistor.
Now what voltage is at the other end of that resistor, at the collector of the transistor?
By the way, did you use an actual 2N3904? As opposed to "something equivalent"?
Quote from: Enzo on August 23, 2013, 07:14:13 PM
By the way, did you use an actual 2N3904? As opposed to "something equivalent"?
I'd be lying if I said I knew.
How do I identify the type of transistor?
Oh, you bought a kit with all the parts? Then I will assume the part is correct.
The part number is usually printed on the flat face.
Quote from: Enzo on August 24, 2013, 02:41:15 AM
Oh, you bought a kit with all the parts? Then I will assume the part is correct.
The part number is usually printed on the flat face.
I got a transistor with the kit. This however, was the faulty one. The one I replaced it with is just from a big bag of transistors I have in my drawer.
I don't think the part numbers will be the same even if they are the same transistor. The broken one was from the US, the other ones I own are all from Australia
Well as it turns out I live near Ballarat, phatt's near Nambour, JM is somewhere in Brazil (feasting on incinerated cow and pickled Armadillo), and I have no idea where Enzo and JoeCool are, America I assume, but transistor type numbers are (thankfully) international and a 2N3904 is a 2N3904 wherever you are.
Another helpful thing is that just about any transistor should work in this circuit. If your original transistor was dead the most likely reason is that you had an accident with it, and if so the diode may have suffered also. Out of circuit the diode should test on your multimeter diode test setting as around 500-700(millivolts) in one direction, and 1____ (infinity) in the other. If it reads infinity in both directions, or less than about 500 in either direction then it's boofed.
If you don't have a spare diode, as you have a bag of sundry transistors a quick fix is to take one of these and again using your diode test range identify two of the three leads that give a diode result. When you have 500-700mV the lead with the black probe is the cathode or diode banded end. Use like that and leave the other lead floating.
HTH
correct, 2N3904 is the same everywhere. But if you used a grab-bag transistor, it may have the wrong lead configuration.
A 2N3904 has the leads E-B-C across the front. A 2SC954 might work in its place - in other words be equivalent - but its leads are in order E-C-B. And a BC550 might work, but it will have yet another leg order. A grab bag might have any or all of those and others. ANy might work, but you have to turn the transistor around or sideways for it to fit the right legs into the holes electrically.
For the record, I am in Michigan, in the northern USA, surrounded by the Great Lakes.
Quote from: Enzosurrounded by the Great Lakes.
Sounds noice. And lots and lots of little lakes too I see. No pickled Armadillo I guess. 8|
Armadillo - also known as "possum on the half-shell" - would be down at the other end, in Texas.
Michigan is more into cherries, apples, potatoes, and sugar beets. And few know, but under Detroit itself is a large salt mine. But no armadillos...
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/detroit-salt-mine
Also, see discussion here
http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/DIY-Do-It-Yourself/Help-with-DIY-Fuzz-pedal/m-p/35829917 (http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/DIY-Do-It-Yourself/Help-with-DIY-Fuzz-pedal/m-p/35829917).
No offense intended, but if you are unable to identify transistor types, how did you come to the conclusion that the original one was bad? Was it blown up or burnt?
For the record, I'm in central Maine, surrounded by trees...where there aren't trees there are farms :tu:
Quote from: joecool85 on August 27, 2013, 06:14:32 AM
For the record, I'm in central Maine, surrounded by trees...where there aren't trees there are farms :tu:
Looks like another nice part of the world. Trees mean birds, so I'd be happy. Looks like more glacial lakes.
Quote from: Roly on August 27, 2013, 09:08:16 AM
Quote from: joecool85 on August 27, 2013, 06:14:32 AM
For the record, I'm in central Maine, surrounded by trees...where there aren't trees there are farms :tu:
Looks like another nice part of the world. Trees mean birds, so I'd be happy. Looks like more glacial lakes.
You got it. Glacial lakes, random rock formations/out crops, granite ledge with cool glacial striations. Tons of bugs, birds and bears. I like it here.
Maine is cool. I spent a few days stuck in Rumford many years ago. Had a car wreck. Someone invited us to their apartment. It was July 20, 1969. I watched the first moon landing on their TV.
BARRS in them thar woods? :(
No thanks, I'll take my chances with our snakes and spiders. {went out into the front garden the other night to try and see the meteor shower ... and came almost nose to nose with an Eastern Grey 'roo. He didn't seem inclined to go anywhere, so I went back inside. Anyway, it was overcast.}
(http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2012/09/29/1226484/054841-grey-kangaroo.jpg)
Quote from: Roly on August 28, 2013, 06:21:14 AM
BARRS in them thar woods? :(
Not like the bears you see on TV. Black Bears like we have in Maine here are really reclusive and you hardly ever see them. When you do, they are normally running away. They don't like people. Not like Grizzly bears etc.
We also have a lot of deer, those you do see a lot of. And the occasional Moose (kind of like bear, a lot here but don't see much of them since they hide a lot).
Quote from: Enzo on August 27, 2013, 07:16:13 PM
Maine is cool. I spent a few days stuck in Rumford many years ago. Had a car wreck. Someone invited us to their apartment. It was July 20, 1969. I watched the first moon landing on their TV.
Weird, what are the odds? My wife is from Rumford.
Oh that's okay then. I was having images of 9 feet 500lbs of fangs, claws, and bad attitude in the back yard. Step outside for an idle bit of star gazing and come back a leg short of a pair. :(
Generally kangas are pretty reclusive too, but the last couple of months they have been coming into the garden and right up to the house. They aren't aggressive but this fella didn't take off as they normally would, and being spring(ish), and having seen the young bucks sparring, and knowing one kick could put me in hospital, I left him to it - and they do a good job of keeping the grass down, saves me mowing.
Our bush is pretty safe, but people do get into trouble when they mistake timid for harmless, and as many things climb trees they come equipped with quite significant claws.
One of the worst is the Goanna or Lace Monitor. If spooked they will climb the nearest vertical object, but they are so stupid I've seen a small one shoot up somebody to perch on top of his head. Fully grown the body is about a metre, so they can be two to three metres overall - and can out run you.
(http://walkaboutpark.com.au/UserFiles/Image/MainPhoto/goanna2.jpg)
City people versus stupid animals.
I live on 20 acres of rural land 10-15 miles out of town. Surrounded by farm fields, we used to work our land too. Raised hogs, rabbits, chickens... and geese. The geese were free to range. They hung around the yard. Geese are incredibly stupid, but can also be very aggressive. The gander will protect his gaggle.
People come out from the city, walk around the place. There is a scenic slope down towards some marshland, my fruit trees are on that. Deer dine on fruit in season. Used to have a huge garden (about 80 feet on a side). And somewhere in the yard they'd find the geese. "Ooooh, look at those big ducks." No, those are geese. Walks towards goose, "Do they bite?" Yes, they do. But of course no one believes that, and reaches to pet their heads. WHAM!!! "HEY< HE BIT ME!!!" yeah, I said he bites.
But when a goose bites, he is also setting up to hit you. He grips a bit of your flesh in his strong beak, so he can hold on and beat you with his very strong wings. And that hurts. It can even break a thin arm bone. THose wings can take those heavy birds in the air and fly a thousand miles. With bony knobs along the edge.
But they are stupid too. If one comes at you, he will hiss and put his head down low, spread wings and run at you. If you stand your ground and as he gets to you, put your fingers on top of his head and lead him on past you, he winds up behind you wondering where you went. of course he figures it out fast enough and you are not far away. But of one glorious moment it is hilarious. Be prepared to run for it then.
^^^^^^ love all's written above, in the last 5 or 6 posts :dbtu:
Quote from: Enzo on August 29, 2013, 11:51:56 AM
But when a goose bites, he is also setting up to hit you. He grips a bit of your flesh in his strong beak, so he can hold on and beat you with his very strong wings. And that hurts. It can even break a thin arm bone. THose wings can take those heavy birds in the air and fly a thousand miles. With bony knobs along the edge.
There's a guy who lives near my house who keeps like 10 of them in his yard, no one dares to get in his yard, they're pretty aggressive, when they come at you in groups it's better to run like hell.
Quote from: Roly on August 29, 2013, 10:34:13 AM
(http://walkaboutpark.com.au/UserFiles/Image/MainPhoto/goanna2.jpg)
Nice lizard, there's a lot of them here in the summer(not the same type as this one), I love them, my neighbor give food to them and they just stick around here harmless(unless someone threat it).
Quote from: Enzo"Ooooh, look at those big ducks."
Ducks? :lmao:
Oh yeah, right, know about geese - pretty good self-managing security system.
Koalas are pretty laid back but they do have a couple of features that can catch the unwary. "Aw look at the cure little Koala walking between trees. I'll just pick it up for a pat ... OWW!". They live in trees, have claws like meat hooks. They don't mean any harm but if you try and pick one up they will hang on so they don't fall - to you - with those claws. If they are already up a tree and want to be left alone (which they mostly do) they simply piss on you.
(http://www.ozanimals.com/image/albums/australia/Mammal/normal_IMGP4291-h600.jpg)
(Stoned again, as always)
The Goanna is the largest, but we have the entire range right down to tiny skinks only an inch long that are surprisingly fearless and curious. I had a small one living under my soldering iron stand for a season. Would come out and watch me doing stuff. Similar to this little guy;
(http://www.friendsofqueensparkbushland.org.au/wp-content/gallery/southwestern-four-toed-lerista/southwestern-four-toed-lerista-gallery-1.jpg)
...but tangling with even slightly larger ones is a bit like shaking hands with a going sewing machine.
On summer evenings we would get
hundreds of Red-Eyed Green Tree frogs making a racket.
(http://tuesdaysfrog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/red_eyed_tree_lg.gif)
Totally harmless and quite cute, but when you are walking around in shorts and one decides that it's a good idea to jump up onto your bare leg unexpectedly (splat, cold, wet) :o ... They have a two part call and I would take my revenge by imitating it backwards and mess with their heads.
Quote from: Roly on August 30, 2013, 09:23:28 AM
Quote from: Enzo"Ooooh, look at those big ducks."
Ducks? :lmao:
Oh yeah, right, know about geese - pretty good self-managing security system.
Maybe you wrote this tongue in cheek, but surprisingly (or not) it's Historical Fact, geese saved Rome from Gallic (early French) invasion, go figure.
Romans were so grateful that they built a temple in their honour.
http://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/18528/junos-sacred-geese-on-the-capitoline-hill-saved-rome-from-the-gaullic-hordes/
(http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/lookandlearn-preview/M/M849/M849921.jpg)
yes, geese are formidable and protect the yard as well as a dog. In fact when dog confronts goose, I don't assume the dog wins. All our dogs gave the geese plenty of room.
Kinda funny to watch the dog run across the yard YI YI YI with a goose right behind him, nipping at the dog's ass.
Quote from: J M FaheyMaybe you wrote this tongue in cheek
No. I've lived in "the bush" for most of my life now, and one of the things I've done is "farm minding", looking after farms and their stock while the owners were away for days or weeks, so yeah, tending to cattle, horses, goats, chooks, geese, dogs, cats, even hamsters, from overnight to months. I had a period of a couple of years when I was hardly ever at home. One place had peacocks which are even more effective as security systems. I'm no expert but I've had a fair bit of experience with critters domestic and wild.
Quote from: Roly on September 01, 2013, 06:47:58 AM
Quote from: J M FaheyMaybe you wrote this tongue in cheek
No. I've lived in "the bush" for most of my life now, and one of the things I've done is "farm minding", looking after farms and their stock while the owners were away for days or weeks, so yeah, tending to cattle, horses, goats, chooks, geese, dogs, cats, even hamsters, from overnight to months. I had a period of a couple of years when I was hardly ever at home. One place had peacocks which are even more effective as security systems. I'm no expert but I've had a fair bit of experience with critters domestic and wild.
That's really cool. We have a small homestead going here. We're young (both 28) and our Son is almost 2years old now. We have a fair amount of garden space (5 different lots plus two large raised beds) and we keep chickens for eggs and meat. We're thinking about getting a few geese as well, primarily as guard animals. Our chickens free range and we have periodically had issues with local dogs bothering them.
Chickens are dumb and fairly defenseless. Any dog that sees a goose for the first time and thinks it is a chicken will be in for a surprise. And if some evening someone comes into your yard and upsets the geese, you'll hear about it... HONK HONK HONK
We kept our chickens contained. A coop and a scratch yard for them. It helped protect them, and made it harder for them to hide eggs.
I don't do the productive stuff anymore, but I used to make a lot of bread. I especially likes a light rye. One of my favorite things was to bring a loaf out of the oven, let it sit a little and took a slice and buttered it while it was still hot. And while I was eating that, a second slice went into the toaster. I'd have a slice of buttered toast that had never been cold.
I also liked to go out to the coop, take a couple eggs from under a chicken and cook them. A breakfast of eggs and bread toasted, neither of which had ever been cold, was my treat.
The country is the right place for kids, seems to breed self-reliance and confidence.
Quote from: EnzoAny dog that sees a goose for the first time and thinks it is a chicken will be in for a surprise.
:lmao: :dbtu:
Since we are in this area, one little trick that several places I have minded use is a second layer of chook mesh to create a day run for the chooks around the perimeter fence of the veggie garden to keep some insect pests out. They also seem to be a very effective countermeasure if you have a tick problem.
The only problem I found with baking your own bread is that everybody seems to eat it before it gets cold. :cheesy:
{In the middle of this barnyard New Settler revery, I wonder how
@Paul is getting on with his fuzz box?}
Quote from: Roly on September 02, 2013, 10:36:31 AM
{In the middle of this barnyard New Settler revery, I wonder how @Paul is getting on with his fuzz box?}
I'm also curious.