Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:36 pm
Hey, I may not be Blue, but my first name starts with a B, and, hell, that's what really counts. Assuming you want to build your own effects but don't know a thing about it, here are some web things you should be web browsing.
Read this first. It's a quick introduction to what you'll have to do, and a sobering look at the process. It's a lot of work, and usually cheaper to just buy an actual pedal. There is also a link to a pretty good "How to solder" guide, and that is an essential skill which you probably haven't already picked up somewhere. DIY is a lot of fun though, so if you're still up to it...
Read this stuff next. This is a much bigger FAQ and covers a lot of detail. It's most of what you need to know about electronic parts. Since you probably won't be designing your own circuits, you mostly just need to be able to identify parts and understand circuit diagrams. That's all in there. Finally...
Give it a try! This is a link to the Beginner's Forum from DIYstompboxes.com. It is based around a simple project: building a clean boost effect. The stickies at the top cover the steps of construction, and Step 3 has a link to a page with a lot of pictures. It's a great tutorial, and if you have any questions about it, someone will answer pretty quickly. It also has very few parts, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding what you need. Most of it should be available at your local Radio Shack, albeit expensively. If you decide this is a fun thing to do, you'll want to buy stuff like resistors in bulk, because for two dollars you can get a package of five resistors from Radio Shack, and for ten dollars you can buy a package of a thousand resistors via mail-order.
If you like books, this is the classic. It's a little dated, I think, but I haven't seen the newer version, so I can't really comment.
Read this first. It's a quick introduction to what you'll have to do, and a sobering look at the process. It's a lot of work, and usually cheaper to just buy an actual pedal. There is also a link to a pretty good "How to solder" guide, and that is an essential skill which you probably haven't already picked up somewhere. DIY is a lot of fun though, so if you're still up to it...
Read this stuff next. This is a much bigger FAQ and covers a lot of detail. It's most of what you need to know about electronic parts. Since you probably won't be designing your own circuits, you mostly just need to be able to identify parts and understand circuit diagrams. That's all in there. Finally...
Give it a try! This is a link to the Beginner's Forum from DIYstompboxes.com. It is based around a simple project: building a clean boost effect. The stickies at the top cover the steps of construction, and Step 3 has a link to a page with a lot of pictures. It's a great tutorial, and if you have any questions about it, someone will answer pretty quickly. It also has very few parts, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding what you need. Most of it should be available at your local Radio Shack, albeit expensively. If you decide this is a fun thing to do, you'll want to buy stuff like resistors in bulk, because for two dollars you can get a package of five resistors from Radio Shack, and for ten dollars you can buy a package of a thousand resistors via mail-order.
If you like books, this is the classic. It's a little dated, I think, but I haven't seen the newer version, so I can't really comment.
