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I've just programmed my first ATTiny85 using RPi's ISP pins and a patched avrdude which uses RPi's GPIOs for programming...! I don't have to mention I used the usual (and simple) blink.c program as my first program.. 

I  don't know. I just felt proud for myself when the LED start blinking.. 

Any ideas for useful projects??

Hector

[electronic switches]

Hi guys! Long time, no see! There's been a lot of time since I posted a new thread.

To begin with, I've been reading a lot about alternate solution for switching (for example, uC - Relays, Millenium Bypass). The uC - Relay solution with a momentary stomp switch seems like the most trusty, because you won't expect it to break like ever. That's really good. But the cost of uC and relay is a little high, don't you think?

So, we want something cheaper and more available. And I thought: "Why not using logic gates to drive the relay?". You know, logic NOTs, Flip - Flops, etc.

In my Google quest of searching for a circuit like this, I found this article by The Tone God about electronic switches: http://www.thetonegod.com/tech/switches/switches.html.
And I am "Holy Cow! That's it!". For me, it seems perfect!

But then again, I have never seen a switch like this in a DIY pedal.

So, the question is why don't we use them more often. They're cheap (The two ICs needed: CD40106 & CD4066 cost something like $0.70), and a daughterboard for this can be made extremely small with the use of SMD ICs.

Start sharing your opinion!  

Hector

I built a Sea Urchin last year, and didn't have any problems. Today, I decided to change the footswitch, because sometimes it didn't work. Results were a locked PT2399 ( ), and after I changed it with a new one, I got clock noise in the circuit which it could be heard when the pot is maxxed! What could it be?? I tried two new PT2399s, but both behave the same. So, the problem must be in the circuit. But I didn't change anything other than the footswitch. I'm supposed to give it to a guy today who is interested in buying it, so I do need your help! Please!

Hector

[Middle]

My Neutrino build sounds too middley (you know: Bass - Middle - Treble  ). It kinda sucks the tone. Did anyone of you guys, who have built one, have a similar problem? Could I change any resistors and caps in the tone stack, and which ones? I have built mine on "Burst" specs.

Thanks!
Hector

This thing (T-REX SpinDoctor) has motorized potentiometers! 
Am I the only one surprised here? I hope not!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V21vy-8evvc

Hector

EDIT: I just saw that there was a previous edition that did have motorized potentiometers too. I guess I'm the only one who saw this for the first time today!

Not much to say for this one really.. Simply a great, yet simple overdrive!
I went with orange on this one. I don't know if it was the right decision, but I like the result..
Lettering was done by hand with an exacto knife cutting through the paint and primer, just before it was completely dry.. 

Pics here (Dropbox as always): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ia807341dlk7s57/t1-Lh0xh_s

Enjoy!

Hector

So guys, here's a thought about a hybrid amp project I'm working. I was interested in an portable hybrid guitar amp, working out of a single 12V DC supply (like Lil Watter), but with the 12AU7 tube preamp's plate running on higher voltages for more headroom and higher output wattage on the power amp.

So, I started searching for ideas..
I found TDA2040. It looks good and works with a wide range of supply voltages, producing around 15-20 W with 4 ohm speaker. For the voltage multiplier, I think it's what Renegadrian posted on DIYSB (got it from juansolo's stompage). Then, for the tube preamp, I used juansolo's Boobtube and nzCdog's BT80 (where I got the idea of running the plate voltage higher). Finally, power fitering and polarity protection from nzCdog's Lil Watter and input buffer is jimmybjj's Klon Buffer.

Please, don't start yelling at me for the various bits and pieces I got from your projects!  I know I didn't ask for your permission, but I was hoping you're ok with me using them.. 

Bear in mind that this thing is not even on the breadboard yet so I don't know if it will work properly. The schematic is just thoughts! 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/axiy1eznyqbag8h/Hybrid%20Amp%20Project.png

So what do you think? I don't know many things about practical electronics, so I ask for your opinions and advices to make this work. 

Thanks!

Hector

EDIT: I hope I posted on the right subforum. Only here, it seems appropriate for it..

Hey guys!

I didn't know if I should post it here or in the Tech Help section (Tech Help seems to be only for madbean PCBs..), but here it is:

I've built the Mini Mixer by GGG (only not with 4 inputs, but 7! "If it's worth doing, it's worth OVERdoing"!  ).



It works great and I can't hear any tone sucking at all. But now I want to build the opposite thing: I want the (one) input to be splitted to 6 stereo outputs for headphones. I don't want it "true stereo". I'll just wire the output on both lugs. You know.. 

What I'm wondering is this: Could this circuit (the Mini Mixer) be "reversed" like below to split the input to a number of headphones? The part values are, of course, random.. 

Any input on this is appreciated! 

Hector

Hello there!

Here's the Woody I built for my friend Thanos for his birthday! I was a little late, as his birthday was at July. But then, I was on holidays, and when I returned, I had my exams (I study Biomedical Enginnering  ). Finally I finished it last Friday and I'm really happy he likes it already!

It's a great circuit! Huge thaks to Mark Hammer for designing it and Oliver Alex making it working with a single 9v supply. It really cleans your guitar signal and makes it more acoustic-like! Just awesome! I'm really curious why I don't see Woody builds more often.  Guys, I liked it so much that I wanted to keep it for myself. I guess I have to build another one for me!

The layout is my design, it uses mostly SMD resistors and the rest of the parts are T-H. I wanted to use SMD TL074s, but it would be too difficult due to the fact that I wanted it to be one-sided layout for etching. The layout on this build caused me some problems, because two caps didn't fit right in the enclosure. That's why there is a cap on the bottom side of the board. By the way, the layout is now corrected and if anybody wants to build this, I'll happily post a build doc for it in the Members Projects and Tutorials. Just ask! 

The enclosure is polished and then engraved with my Dremel-like tool (Parkside it's called! I got it from LIDL - the european guys know! - for just 23 Euros! Great tool!  ). I really like this finish, but it takes too much time.. 

Finally, the 3PDT board I used is the old v1 board. Don't worry! You guys have the newest one! I used that, because I had one on hand...

After this long post (Sorry for that ), here's the build photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/07ih0mqyfjkszmu/JBi9L-Ef6c !
Enjoy!

Hector

Hi everyone!

That's my Flatine! (Not exactly mine, because it was built for a friend. But the layout is mine!  )
I'm very proud of this build, as it was my first 1590A build! I had my little problems with fitting the PCB (you'll see it's cut in an odd shape), as I misdrilled the jacks, but it came out perfect!
The Flatline is a great compressor and my friend already used it successfully on rehearsals! So i'm pretty happy he liked it!

The finish was a pretty painful job, as I had to polish and clearcoat the box two times, and also the lettering was done by hand using my dremel's engraving tool! But in the end, I really like the result of a polished box and engraved letters and I'm going to use this finish again on next builds.

Here's the build photos (The day on them is wrong, as I forgot to set it right on the camera settings. They were shot yesterday 5/10/12...)! : https://www.dropbox.com/sh/n22c4cxrwgv689w/2BdnIo9zJd

Hope you like it!

Hector

P.S. If you want me to upload the layout, just tell me so! 

I'm really happy to present my "FINALLY" finished build! My Sea Urchin!

I've finished this thing like 4 or 5 months now. I've played with it hours and gigged it too. What a great pedal it is! And with the pulldown resistorBut I didn't get to etch its nameplate, until yesterday! So here it is, finally finished  :

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/57f9q00pyge58p9/qK3F1a6kLT#/

Hope you like it! Feel free to post your comments! 

P.S.: As you will see in the photos, the clear finish is like wavy. Don't know how this happened. Maybe it was the cold of February. 

That's my take on MXR Distortion Plus. I had built one before a few months, but i didn't like it. So I took it apart and rebuilt using Dragonfly's veroboard schematic, but I couldn't make it work. I checked it with a schematic fron tonepad.com, and I found that it misses a trace cut to the right of the 1u electrolytic cap. I fixed that and now it works great!

I'm pretty happy with the result. The distorted sound is pretty good and with enough gain. But it's a little more "trebly" for my taste (Maybe someone could help me change something in the schematic: http://www.tonepad.com/getFile.asp?id=115 to make it more "bassy" ).

I hope you like it!

Hector

P.S. Handpainted with a sliver sharpie (not a great look, but I like it). The two holes remaining are for the LED and a SPDT switch for LED diode clipping..

Hi there! Need help here!

I built a sprout fuzz on veroboard (the one with the parallel lines  )..
When I plug it in, it plays ok, but it makes noise in the background (when I don't play.. ).
I double-checked for bad joints, wiring, etc., but I did not find something wrong. Maybe the fault is in the layout I made, so I attached the layout I made on DIY LC. I'm noob in this program, so I hope it does not confuse you..
I hope I made you understand what's the problem..
If you need any extra information, tell me

Thanks!

-Hector-

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