Solid State Guitar Amp Forum | DIY Guitar Amplifiers

Solid State Amplifiers => Amplifier Discussion => Topic started by: dlbraly on July 20, 2018, 08:50:17 PM

Title: Build Your Signal Generator
Post by: dlbraly on July 20, 2018, 08:50:17 PM
(Put a new belt on my Weed Wacker, Nope I didn't know they had belts either. $8 and back in business)

Signal Generator
Looks like I might have another project!

Any suggestions, things to avoid in building a signal generator?
Looks like there are a lot of kits online. Some of them look pretty complicated to me.

Do I even need one to mess around working on Guitar Amps, or radios?

This stuff is better than Legos!
Cant wait until my son is old enough to get him into it.
Title: Re: Build Your Signal Generator
Post by: Enzo on July 20, 2018, 10:17:47 PM
My main signal generator is an FM radio.  I have a cheap Technics stereo receiver on the bench just to listen to.  I plugged a cord into the preamp out in the back, and ran the cord to my bench top.   I plug that signal into whatever I am working on.   Mixer or guitar amp - I find music is an effective test tone.   Pretty easy to tell if the freq response is reasonable (no missing highs or lows) and whether distortion is happening.

I do have a real signal generator, I can use a sine wave sometimes to look at specific distortion on a scope.   But it is really tiring to listen to a steady 1kHz sine ave for any length of time. In fact I usually use 100Hz instead unless I have a reason.

You can build a little kit and it probably will cover 99% of your needs.  You can also buy used old professional gear pretty cheap.

https://www.ebay.com/bhp/hp-oscillator

Today the first one on the page is a good looking choice, an old HP 200 series under $40.
Title: Re: Build Your Signal Generator
Post by: dlbraly on July 20, 2018, 10:46:20 PM
I like the radio idea better.

I will look around for a radio, it will give me some more chances to learn something more.
Thanks Enzo!

Title: Re: Build Your Signal Generator
Post by: Enzo on July 21, 2018, 03:17:51 AM
A CD player or tape deck works too.  I imagine you have some sort of tunes other than an iPod?
Title: Re: Build Your Signal Generator
Post by: dlbraly on July 21, 2018, 06:54:52 AM
No iPod, I have a few old portable radios in the garage. I will get one.
You mentioned you plug in after the preamp. I will need help figuring out where that is.
I will take a picture of what I find.
My truck is making a popping noise in the suspension somewhere that I need to look at this morning before the heat rolls in. just waiting for some light outside.