ShortScale.org

DIY stompboxes. I've been looking at a couple sites...

I'm thinking of trying the P45 Phaser from here:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/home

and maybe the chorus from here:
http://www.buildyourownclone.com/

I think it'd be neat to build different boxes and have the option of painting and naming something unique. I think the P45 sounds downright savage.Anyone have any experience with either or can recommend other places for kits?

Since you're in the US, I believe it would be your best bet to go for GGG. From what I've gathered, their kits are easy to build and sounds good.

If price is an issue, I would recommend www.musikding.com. Their kits are EXTREMELY CHEAP in comparison to BYOC, and they sound good. I don't know how much shipping would be to the US, but hey, there's no harm in mailing them to find out.

I just wish GGG made a chorus pedal. The only one i've really seen is on BYOC. I'm def doing the GGG P45 phaser though.

Do you have any prior experience with electronics and soldering?

If not, building a (modulation) pedal can be somewhat tricky. At least in comparison to a DIRT pedal. But keep in mind that there's always people who will help you.

vierphoria wrote:Do you have any prior experience with electronics and soldering?

If not, building a (modulation) pedal can be somewhat tricky. At least in comparison to a DIRT pedal. But keep in mind that there's always people who will help you.

I can't read an electronics diagram to save my life. I've been soldering since i was about 8 years old, and i can follow directions pretty well so im hoping that will get me by. From what i've seen/heard the directions are pretty on point.

Still probably best to get your feet wet with an easier build. Everyone needs a LPB-1!!!!

vierphoria wrote: If price is an issue, I would recommend www.musikding.com. Their kits are EXTREMELY CHEAP in comparison to BYOC, and they sound good. I don't know how much shipping would be to the US, but hey, there's no harm in mailing them to find out.

Think I might attempt their Screamer build! Looks good!

Mattsican wrote:

vierphoria wrote:Do you have any prior experience with electronics and soldering?

If not, building a (modulation) pedal can be somewhat tricky. At least in comparison to a DIRT pedal. But keep in mind that there's always people who will help you.

I can't read an electronics diagram to save my life. I've been soldering since i was about 8 years old, and i can follow directions pretty well so im hoping that will get me by. From what i've seen/heard the directions are pretty on point.

Shitloads can go wrong in a Phaser or Chorus, and if you've not built a pedal before you'll need to pick up a lot about wiring the various components, switching jacks etc.

I recommend you go the LPB-1/Simple Booster route first before you outlay on all those parts

Thanks
M

GGG is the best for buying kits imo.
They are cheaper and the instructions are fine.

For the absolute beginner I think BYOC is by far the easiest. They have a ton of pictures in their build documents and it's really paint by #.

Dingus wrote:For the absolute beginner I think BYOC is by far the easiest. They have a ton of pictures in their build documents and it's really paint by #.

Yes, you are pretty spot on with that.
BYOC instructions are really good and the forum over there is real helpful with a lot of cool people.

Has anyone ever put together a BYOC Lazy Sprocket (the SG-1 clone)? Was looking at their site today and thought I might give it a go but have very little experience of soldering/electronics etc. I did once manage to mend my Cry Baby with a bit of soldering but fear that was more by luck than judgement.

BearBoy wrote:Has anyone ever put together a BYOC Lazy Sprocket (the SG-1 clone)?

yes. that was the first pedal I tried to build, would not recommend as a first pedal. definitely fairly complex, and I never did get it to work.

Mages wrote:yes. that was the first pedal I tried to build, would not recommend as a first pedal. definitely fairly complex, and I never did get it to work.

Ahh. Cheers Mages. May give that a miss as a first stab then.

If you are a new pedal builder, BYOC sells a "Confidence Booster" which is an easy build. They used to give them away for free to new customers purchasing a kit, but I don't know if they still do. The easiest builds they have (in my opinion) are the ESV Fuzz (Fuzz Face) and the 250+ (DOD 250 or MXR Dist +).

Some very good advice here to start out with something a lot easier.
You have to think about what you are looking at IF it doesn't work. Are you going to be able to go through it and find out what's wrong?
A smaller circuit is going to be a lot easier to find problems AND since it's smaller there is a smaller margin of error.

Most boosters, fuzz face-type, distortion +/OD250 builds would be the way to go. They may not be your first pedal choice but there should be one you would use. There are a bunch of other circuits out there that are small and good first builds that aren't the "bread 'n butter" pedals but you would be hard pressed to find kits for them so you would probably have to follow a vero/strip board layout and source your own parts.

vierphoria wrote:Since you're in the US, I believe it would be your best bet to go for GGG. From what I've gathered, their kits are easy to build and sounds good.

If price is an issue, I would recommend www.musikding.com. Their kits are EXTREMELY CHEAP in comparison to BYOC, and they sound good. I don't know how much shipping would be to the US, but hey, there's no harm in mailing them to find out.

In the EU then Musikding would be choice for kits and price.
Also Madbeanpedals.com in the US are good, you have to source the bits yourself but the PCBs he supplies are fantastic.

For a first pedal if you aren't going to make the "point to point" loop/feedback pedal that most try then get a kit with a PCB or at least start with a PCB, as then things are numbered and laid out for you. It's just down to your common senses and soldering skill then.

The "Das Tremolo" kit I ordered from Musikding arrived yesterday so I'll be making that up on my 4 days off...

Mattsican wrote:DIY stompboxes. I've been looking at a couple sites...

I'm thinking of trying the P45 Phaser from here:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/home

and maybe the chorus from here:
http://www.buildyourownclone.com/

I think it'd be neat to build different boxes and have the option of painting and naming something unique. I think the P45 sounds downright savage.Anyone have any experience with either or can recommend other places for kits?

I have a MXR Phase 45 and it sounds great. More subtle than the 90, although it has more of an up and down sound than a round and round sound, if that makes sense.

I once tried to build a GGG kit and expected instructions, however all I got was a photo of what it should look like when built. For a complete beginner I would have liked detailed instructions, needless to say when finished it didn't work.

BearBoy wrote:Has anyone ever put together a BYOC Lazy Sprocket (the SG-1 clone)? Was looking at their site today and thought I might give it a go but have very little experience of soldering/electronics etc. I did once manage to mend my Cry Baby with a bit of soldering but fear that was more by luck than judgement.

If your after this effect I would buy the Behringer Slow Motion, unless you specifically want to have a go at building one.

+1 for musikding. ive used them loads recently. never a problem