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Topics - maysink

#1
Open Discussion / Cool new toy
June 29, 2011, 08:23:13 AM
This may make prototype-etching a thing of the past!
http://www.gizmag.com/silver-pen-for-handwriting-electrical-circuits/19059/

The article alludes to the availability of inkjet printing ink that does the same thing...
#2
General Questions / Updated Karate Shop build docs?
April 27, 2011, 01:48:24 PM
Just a reminder the old docs are still up.

At first glance it doesn't look like any additional components made it on to the fabb'd board vs. the old etched Slap Chop...
#3
I was just looking at the image of the new fabb'd slap chop (karate shop) and do I see a 'years active' date underneath the quad opamp location?
#4
Open Discussion / What's up with freestompboxes.org?
April 14, 2011, 10:04:16 AM
Everything is just a generic place-holder page...

Did they lose their domain name?
#5
Hey, all. I've been digging thru past posts re: pork barrel problems and the issue of voltage keeps popping up but I'm unable to find a list of acceptable values. Using a regulated 9v adapter, I'm getting +9v, VD & VB consistently at all points marked on the schem although VB varies w/ trimpot tweaking.

Anyways, I've double checked all my caps (incl. elctro orientation), diode, tranny and IC orientation. I've fiddled the trimpot. I've swapped out all ICs but the 3101 (as I've only got the one) and the issue remains:

Bypass is perfect. Engaged signal drops to about 10% volume. I can hear the chorus (barely) and I can hear the knobs working (barely). Vibe switch does something but too quiet to tell as does the depth and wet switches. The engaged volume increases slightly with the mix knob dime'd.

Any thoughts before I break out the audio probe and shotgun re-flow all joints?

EDIT: realized I had another MN3101 in my Aquaboy! build. Still quiet. Breaking out the audio probe later this evening!
#6
Requests / Aquaboy add-on boards
January 17, 2011, 08:58:09 AM
I've emailed Brian about a special run of AB add-on boards over the last few months and he seemed willing. I know others are interested. I also realize Brian is busy as hell and etched boards are time consuming. Marcus over at FSB.org is out of add-on boards and had no plans as of last month to make any more.

So, If you have an current AB board AND are looking for either a double delay and/or modulation board to make it the greatest pedal ever, voice your needs here to convince the mighty 'Bean this is worth his time. Brian mentioned in another thread being flooded with orders (1/2011) so this wouldn't happen until next month maybe, possibly?

This is basically a poll-less poll to gauge demand.

Please note: the rumor is the next AB board will have all this (and more?) BUILT-IN so plan accordingly...
#7
Let me preface this proclamation by mentioning I've built a crappy vero fuzz factory and a fantastic madbean v4 (etched) ZOMBII...

The recently fabbed (v5) ZOMBII is the perfect beginner project. The board is TIE-KNEE!! The component count is low and available [germ transistors avail at capsnsuch.com & sm. bear]. The fabbed board makes soldering a breeze. The pots are mounted (9mm alphas as mentioned in the docs) eliminating a ton of off-board wiring.

If you stumbled upon this site and are on the fence; take the plunge with the ZOMBII!
#8
So this handy little board can do all kinds of things. But it might seem, looking at the schematic and the TC1044 datasheet, not all components are necessary depending on what you want the RR to do. So, can anyone confirm/deny the following:

If one does NOT want a regulated output, there is no need to populate REG1 (obviously) *AND* C6 (less obvious). This setup should provide either -9v or ~18v with aplomb.

If one wants ONLY -9v output, one need not populate D1, D2, C1, C2, C6 & REG1.

Does that make sense?

#9
Tech Help - Projects Page / Slambox (SHO) @ 18v?
December 13, 2010, 08:56:15 PM
Just checked the datasheets for a bs170 & a zener 9.1v diode. If I'm reading them correctly, they can both take 18v which leads me to believe a SHO circuit can be run @ 18v provided the electro caps are rated high enuf. Are my mind-grapes working correctly on this?
#10
Got this beast verified on the breadboard so I boxed her up and enjoyed about 20 minutes of knob-tweakage. That was last week.

I fired it up today and the volume has a working range of 0% - ~2%. And that's with the gain dime'd. The bass & treble knobs impact the barely audible signal and this happens with a battery, 9 & 18v dc power. Also happens with the pedal in a chain or by itself. All electro caps are at rated 25 - 35v.

Any clues where I should start troubleshooting? I quickly used a DMM to verify the volume pot works (it does) and that there is continuity between the PCB Out & the stomp switch...
#11
Requests / BK Butler Tube Driver
November 11, 2010, 08:54:27 AM
Wasn't this requested before? I know there's the work-a-like BAJA Real Tube Driver over at freestompboxes.org... Is this a board you're able/winning to whip up, Brian? Do you co-opt existing reverse-engineered projects?
#12
Open Discussion / *POP* goes the pedal
October 29, 2010, 11:55:00 PM
Some people say it's the power supply--fresh 9v battery vs. regulated, isolated 9vDC wall-wart. Some say it's the amp (this make vs. that model). Some say tie a 1M resistor between the tip & sleeve of the input jack.

I say it is the only complaint I have of DIY pedals. Boss (buffered) pedals don't have it. The few EHX ('true bypass') pedals I've used don't have it. My buffered Madbean SLAPCHOP (buffered pedal) has it. But nearly all gain pedal kits/PCBs I've made have an annoying POP when I stomp on them.

WTF is causing this? Is this my only option a 'click-less' relay as advertised on BYOC a few months ago? Is it a symptom of the standard blue 3PDT switch?

What say y'all?
#13
I was able to mitigate the faint, high-pitch whine (original post here) by decreasing the max delay trimpot but I still have an issue of the delay effect bleeding into the bypassed signal.

With the feedback pot dime'd, I get the effect's self-oscillation faintly bleeding in to the bypassed signal. I finally got around to installing some shielded wire from the switch to the output jack but that did nothing. I tested continuity between the stomp switch lugs to make sure it's functioning and it's all good.

I'm wondering if anyone has a suggestion on why this might be happening and/or a clue on how to track the culprit down. It would be my uneducated guess that, all things working correctly, a bypassed effect should not ever bleed into the (clean) signal.

**EDIT**

Just read this on the new pork barrel docs:

"As with all clock-driven effects, bleed-over (clicking) is possible. Use proper lead dress: keep wires separated as much as possible and use shielded cable on the FX in and out. If you do have clicking, you can try placing a 100pF ceramic cap between pins 1 and 5 of IC4 on the underside of the board. This will provide extra DC filtering at the chip."

So maybe this is a normal issue and I need to use shielded wire elsewhere and make sure my wiring's tight?
#14
Tech Help - Projects Page / Grapevine cap subs
October 01, 2010, 07:49:12 PM
I read somewhere on this board a 100pf should be changed to a 151pf. But which one should I change, C3 or C9? I'm guessing C9. ANyone care to confirm? TIA!
#15
So I'm waiting on some fancy knobs to finish my aristocrat build and, although it works perfectly fine, I'm under-impressed. I built the second channel w/ a 250K gain pot otherwise she's as per the build docs.

Now I can hear the difference between each channel's 4 dip-switch settings--it's a clean-ish/non mid-hump OD--but WTF? THIS is analogman's "original", multi hundred $$, 2 year wait list pedal?? Am i missing something?

Really? No dis on brian as the build works--I'm just baffled *THIS* is the fabled analogman KOT!! Have I been seduced by the marketing gods?

Again: it functions as I would expect. I guess I just expected more from this boo-teak pedal.
#16
I'm having the gain pot issue brian mentions in the build docs for this one. I used a 5KB pot but I'm still getting all the gain in the last ~5% of the pot.

Would an antilog taper'd pot be a better solution?
#17
So I've been building pedals for nearly 2 years and this is the first time I've ever done this...

I finally got around to wiring up my Poindexter build. Everything had been verified on the breakout/breadboard rig so it was just a matter of throwing the board in the enclosure and finalizing the wiring.

I hook up the guitar and amp and NOTHING!! Not even bypass. So I whip out the DMM and am baffled when there's continuity between the input & output jacks' tips with the pedal in bypass. Many hours later I go back to the noise room only to instantly slap my forehead as I set the pedal down exactly where it was this morning...

I had the guitar plugged into the output and the amp plugged into the input of the pedal. Ugh.
#18
Build Reports / Gruntbox Family Portrait over at BYOC
September 07, 2010, 07:15:47 PM
I got some gruntbox boards over at BYOC early this year. I think brian + cj made these? The build docs are all madbean... Anyways, the pics are here if y'all are interested!
#19
Any reason I can't use a standard 1n4001 vs the 1N5817 called for in the BOM? I see Sm. Bear has only 1N5818s... I looked at the datasheets but I know not what I'm looking for. Any got a clue for me? TIA!
#20
So I got my mn3005 AB all done up and am on to the fiddling-with-trimpots phase. First off: with all trimmers set to noon (as per instructions) I got delay on the first try! Cool.

As currently calibrated, I only get clock noise with the mix @ max and delay from 75 - 100%. Am I always going to get some clock noise? Is that the nature of the non-scope calibrating beast? Or do I have my clock trimmer set too high? TIA