DIY Distortion or OD Pedal for Beginners...

Okay, so I know how to solder, and a few basic things about electronics. (2 engineers in my family.) If I were to try and build my own distortion pedal, what would I need and what would the process be?

For instance, an Ibanez TS9, or a Pro Co Rat? I looked on CL and found tons of pedals for under $25. I'm assuming I just need a metal case, and hopefully a working switch, maybe like 3 working pots, and power connections, and any pedal will do, right? What am I looking at in terms of cost effectiveness? A TS-9 is gonna cost like $100 new or $60-$80 used. Can I beat that by building my own from now on?

Do people have wiring diagrams for this stuff online? And where would you get the specific parts? Capacitors and everything? Is there a good online source?

The enclosure, mechanical footswitch, jacks, pots, and other odds and ends will set you back at least $15.

While you could grab a used pedal off of CL for $25, you'd still have to adapt it for the new enclosure - the stock buffered bypass would have to be removed if you were to take advantage of the true bypass mechanical switch, else why bother? And just stuffing a circuitboard from something into another enclosure isn't really going to teach you much about building...

If you really want to build your own, but don't have the resources or time to source all of your parts, you should consider General Guitar Gadgets (http://generalguitargadgets.com/) or BYOC (http://generalguitargadgets.com/). GGG's complete projects start at a little over 50 bucks, and BYOC's start at a little under 70 bucks (meaning OD, distortion, etc.).

While it is possible to source all of the parts and build a complete pedal for less than $50, it's not easy. And this doesn't include any costs or time to get a nice finish on the box, nor does it include shipping, nor does it include teaching yourself how to etch your own circuitboard. And then there's tools - you can achieve a much better finished product if you get more than just a Radio Shack soldering iron and some wire clippers and needlenose pliers from Walmart...

Okay. That makes sense. Essentially, in my situation, and in a major guitar city like Austin, I can probably buy a pedal on craigslist for the same amount (or less) I'd spend on materials alone, not counting errors, labor, and tools that I'd wind up buying.

Ultimately, I found a dude who has a Pro Co Rat on sale for $60, I offered $40 cash. I'm waiting for a response. Since I already have a guitar build on my hands, a pedal build may be a bit overzealous for now. I looked at the sites you suggested. I see you can get a TS-9 copy kit for around $60. Is it close enough that you can't tell a difference, or can you really tell whether a pedal is a clone or not? Maybe I buy a pedal off CL for now, and once my guitar is built, I might try to tackle a pedal.

Thank you, though, .011

I see you can get a TS-9 copy kit for around $60. Is it close enough that you can't tell a difference, or can you really tell whether a pedal is a clone or not?

You can't tell the difference. The TS is a very consistent circuit. Unless you actually alter the value of components, they all sound the same.

Now for a pedal like the Rat, it's a little bit different - that pedal must have the LM308N chip for it to sound really great.

The other cool thing about the kits is that they offer pedals that aren't made any more (like the first version of the Marshall Bluesbreaker - a fantastic OD pedal).

If you're just interested in low budget and have several different pedals that could fill your need, then definitely just buy one used.

If you want something that's either rare or boutique, no doubt the DIY will be cheaper.

If your interested I can PM you layouts to build your own. Building your own pedals is very addicting though. I would suggest starting with something easy that the parts are not too hard to find. There is the Electra for example a great sounding pedal, most Radio shacks carry enough parts to build this one. There are also simple fuzzes to start off with.

Jay

Cool. I'd be interested in building a Pro Co Rat copy, a TS9, or possibly a big muff.

But I'll get back to you in a few weeks, I've got to concentrate on painting my guitar for a while.

Thanks, though. That's awesome.

Cool. I'd be interested in building a Pro Co Rat copy, a TS9, or possibly a big muff.

But I'll get back to you in a few weeks, I've got to concentrate on painting my guitar for a while.

Thanks, though. That's awesome.

I'm pretty sure I have vero layouts for all 3 of those. The Rat is a super easy build.

I understand the whole cost thing... but there is certainly something about playing with your own pedal and sounding great.... it just makes it all that better... and with your own case and custom graphics etc... it just has such a cool vibe.... good luck...

Hmmmmmm.... The rat is super easy, you say? I'm listening...

Where do you guys find parts?

Hmmmmmm.... The rat is super easy, you say? I'm listening...

Where do you guys find parts?

Small Bear Electronics is where a lot of pedal builders recommend. There's also Dick Smith/ Radio Shack for basic stuff like resistors.

Unless you plan on building pedals as a hobby of its own, it's best to start with a BYOC kit, IMHO. The BYOC Rat kit is called the Mighty Mouse I think. You might be able to find components easier than me in the USA, but I'm struggling to find somewhere domestically in Australia where I can buy Ge transistors, 4558 op amps, etc. Then there's going to the shop and you need a 1uF cap or something and that particular value is all sold out, etc. A kit would be much easier.

I decided to build some from scratch and have joined a forum called diy stompboxes that has a beginner's project -a clean boost- as well as fuzz faces. Both of those are recommended as starters. Did find some BC 108 silicon transistors, so that's a start.

I think BYOC even gives you a clean booster kits (Confidence Boost) when you buy a kit, and instructions.

My first build was the General Guitar Gadgets Red Llama clone. Easy build and sounds great.

You can build for under $35-40 once you get to the point that you order parts for two or three projects at once (shipping costs are minimized). As others have stated, spend a little more and start with a well-documented kit or two and learn how each component works (pot, 3PDT switches, jacks, etc.). I always put a circuit together without the switch to make sure it is functioning and then incorporate the switch. Build an audio probe (search DIYstompboxes) and learn how to trace the audio through your circuit so you can troubleshoot. You won't become experienced overnight but, if you have good technique and follow directions well (doublecheck components values, etc) you will do great. It also helps to have a friend with some electronics experience.

Once, you get comfortable with a few builds, get into using vero layouts and you can build a clone of about any boutique pedal out there. In the last month I've switched over to vero and have built a KOT, COT50, DLS, Zendrive and Eternity.

Okieactor, I'm in Austin and I build my own pedals. I have a working tremolo and a compressor and hope to be finishing my booster tonight.

Build Your Own Clone and Moody Sound both have some usable kits, but you won't save a whole lot of money, unless you compare them to $150-$200 and up pedals, since you still have to paint and label them. You can also get, kits w/o boxes, and schematics online there, and BYOC has a great forum.

The folks at Pedal Parts Plus have lots of pedal building parts and their service is great; the parts get to Austin in 2 days. They also offer painted and drilling boxes as well as piece parts.

Locally, Fys has a lot of parts, but Pedal Parts Plus has more at a better price. Radio Shack has some items, LEDs, resistors, etc. If you're north, then Bantam Electronics has resistors, capacitors, pots, switches, boxes, wire, etc.

If you know basic electronics and how to solder, you're mostly there. I would say get a kit to start, and learn from there and the fourms. Some guys etch their own boards. Fry's and Bantam have what you need there. Some use perf boards and wire their own.

How far you go is up to you.

If you know basic electronics and how to solder, you're mostly there. I would say get a kit to start, and learn from there and the fourms. Some guys etch their own boards. Fry's and Bantam have what you need there. Some use perf boards and wire their own.

Along the lines of this, you could start with some simple single transistor boost projects (LPB-1, SHO, etc.) on perfboard, and work your way up from there. Next up you could do a silicon Fuzz Face, which is basically two transistors and just a few more components.

Simple transistor builds on perfboard are very easy. A really great "square one," IMO.

While a pedal like a Rat is fairly simple, you've still got a bias supply that the chip requires, you've got tone circuitry, an output buffer, and more signal caps and obviously potentiometers than a single or two tranny build with just a single pot.

A Big Muff build is more complicated than people realize, because you've got 4 transistor gain stages alone. This doesn't include coupling caps, clipping diodes, interstage resistors, or the tone circuit componentry. It ain't rocket science, but may not make a good first build.

Actually, for the first op amp (chip) pedal, I'd suggest an op amp boost, something like a Micro Amp. Slightly more complex than a single tranny booster, but a good intermediate step before building a Rat or TS.

Just some food for thought.

If you want to try some easy great sounding DIY builds check this out. New forum lots of cool DIY stuff and cool people. The Electra is super easy and sounds great.


http://www.circuitworkshop.com/forum/