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I was wondering...I had been building lots of pedals, but last November I got the building parts guitar habit going, and I guess I don't have time for both obsessions at a time! Anyway, a Sunking I made (double sided, V.3, I believe) that had worked fine just kicked the bucket. Wouldn't matter that much, but I had sold it to a friend, and when I tried to figure out what was wrong, I failed miserably. Normally I'd expect the problem to have been in the switch or the outboard wiring, as I haven't heard much about components just suddenly stopping working. But the switch was okay, and the solder was all reflowed. The ins and outs, board and jacks, were checked. Grounding, and potential for anything grounding out inside was checked. I changed out the Opamps...all good. Anybody else ever have this happen? My problems have been more not getting them to work to begin with, but never having one fail that had previously worked. But I've built around 85 successfully, and in all honesty, I'm stumped! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Hi everybody, I wonder if anybody else has this strange thing that happens to me from time to time. Normally my soldering goes just fine, but on occasion something strange happens. first let me mention that I've been building for around four years and have had around eighty successful builds. I generally feel experienced and confident about my soldering ability. I use 60/40 rosin core solder from Radio Shack, I use the Hako 936 at around 700 degrees. It usually works great, but while I'm more than aware of tinning surfaces before I solder, using a bit of solder to de-solder etc., sometimes it behaves very strangely...old solder doesn't want to melt even with tinning, the tip wants to stick to the solder sometimes, as if I were trying to solder while the iron is cooling. No amount of cleaning the iron, tinning anything, or varying the temperature slightly (which I only do to troubleshoot) changing tips...nothing helps. It occurred to me that maybe some oils from my hands are causing it...
Any ideas, or has anybody else dealt with this problem? It's like all the settings and techniques are the same, but it's just not working. Thanks!

I discovered that at one point I must have ordered several lengths of different colored wires by accident, because I never intentionally ordered solid core. I don't know if any of it has made its way into any builds, probably not, unless I could tin it without seeing it was solid...doubtful! Anyway, I was wondering how useful is the solid core for pedal building, are there limitations, advantages, or disadvantages, and if it is usable, can it be used in the same build as the stranded type. Thanks in advance!

I'm really confused, because I want to wire my Sunking (V.3) true bypass, but the drawings show true bypass for the one sided version, which is layed out differently; for example, in the instructions, it says for true bypass that you're not using S1 and S4, yet they are pictured wired in the one sided version. There is also no mention of the additions of resistors 28 and 29 that are seen in both diagrams. can someone give me a succinct idea of how to do this, or how to interpret these drawings to get true bypass out of a 3PDP? Also, I'm assuming based on what I can get out of descriptions and pictures, that since the center row (normally 4,5, and 6) is eliminated, then you're now assigning those numbers to what would normally be 7,8, and 9? I'm really not new to building, but this one's got me!

Hi there, I'm finally getting around to building the Sunking, and I've been through all 64 pages trying to get info on the stereo gain pot...the 100KB. I did find out how it's wired, how it doesn't matter which row goes to which as long as the rows are consistent, but what I can't find mention of is how this pot works. How is it dual gain? I've seen other builds based on the Centaur, and some allow you to have an internal mini-pot for gain 2, which I guess means it could be external too. How does it work...how is it dual gain with one control, and how could that possibly work similarly to two controls? Just a bit confused and hungry for knowledge...I don't see anything in the build that would imply that I NEED to know that to do the build, just looking to find out what to expect for troubleshooting purposes. Thanks!

Hi, I notice in the BOM for the Uproar, a blue diode is called for. There is no link for a place to source this, and I can't find it anywhere. I have the type that look clear when not lit up but turn blue when they do, however I've heard that these diodes don't work for clipping...I think because in some circuits the diodes light up and in some they don't. So the question is sort of twofold: is it true that the ones that only show color when they light up are not useful for clipping (not sure if that's what the blue one is for though) is it critical that it be blue (I've heard in many cases a color doesn't necessarily significantly change the sound), and I guess actually a third question if answers to these mattering are "yes", where can I get the blue glass ones?

Since I only have a wiring diagram for the one sided version of the Aristocrat, and can't find a third ground on the one sided, I was wondering if G3 is necessary on the two sided version, and if so where would it go to? I guess if I had to guess I'd maybe say the sleeve of the input jack? Also, on the one sided is that jumper below R13...I don't see it on the two sided, so I'm assuming that's otherwise covered...it looks connected at the bottom of the board. Thanks, Matt

I bought the board for the Aristocrat quite a while ago; I've bought lots of boards for future builds. But in this case, I guess I should have downloaded the instructions way back, because they're gone, even from the archives, which take you to "Page Not Found". I've been able to assemble pieces of it on line, but still need the wiring diagram (as it includes two bypass switches which I haven't done before). I wrote another request for this info, but received no reply.  Can anybody supply a copy? This actually isn't the only build I'm out of luck on, but it's a start. If possible, I could really use the complete instructions. I'd appreciate any help on this, thanks.

Having scoured this section, I couldn't find anything on this topic, so I'm sorry if I missed it, but I haven't seen anything on the King of (K)lones even with a search. Anyway, I was just wondering two things:

1. If I do the external presence with a 50k pot, is there a preferable taper?

2. what is the extra ground pad for, that seems fairly deliberately pointed out for?

Thanks!

I've just finished my second failed Thunderpuss. The first one I used the Tone pad easy wiring diagram, and only got sound in bypass. I'm pretty sure I should be able to use that right? Anyway, the second one I followed the given off board wiring. I get sound when not bypassed, but it is just edgier and has less punch. Anybody know of a particular component that could be most attributed to the lack in boost? Again, it does change the color of the sound, but doesn't increase volume. I've put together harder pedals, so I don't know what the problem is, as I was very careful having failed on the first one. The only thing I did that might matter (but I doubt it) was to use a silver mica cap for the 47pf (C2). Any ideas? Thanks...

I notice in the plans for the Aquaboy there's no switch wiring diagram. Is it the same as anything else on here, or can I use the easy Tonepad method? I tried the latter on the Thunderpuss, and it didn't work, though I don't know if that was the problem. Thanks

For the Aquaboy I'm unable to find a 39n for capacitor 26 - which I'm aware is the same as .039u. Small Bear turns up nothing, same with Pedal Parts Plus. Mouser, of course, has around 80 billion, but very few low voltage, and mostly if not all out of stock, and something like 32 or 36 weeks before they're expecting any (?!!?) more. So I need a workaround. any suggestions? Thank you, Matt.

As I'm looking to fill my BOM for the King of Klones, I'm having no luck coming up with an ma856 or the 1S1588. Anybody got a line on these, or a substitution? I forgot which, but I think it was the 1S1588 that came up as obsolete at Mouser. But it sounds like some people on here have found one. Any ideas?

I notice in the Madbean Rangemaster project that there's no indication in the plans to use the DC adaptor, but rather just the battery. Is this an effect that is better with just a battery? I haven't built any +ground effects yet, but for my last 12 or so builds I've skipped the battery. Just wondering; if I have to use a battery I will. Still a bit confused about the positive ground also...

I can't find an MN3005, even at Small Bear or Mouser. Can I use an MN3002, and if so, what would be the consequences good or bad compared to the 3005? Would I have to change other components in compensation?

I've been trying to do research on biasing transistors because the instructions in these projects say that things should be biased so there's a drain of 4.8, for example. But I can't find anyone to tell me how to use the DMM to obtain this information. What do I touch the red side to? How about the black? I've ascertained that the "drain" is the emitter, so I assume I'm touching that with one side? I've found tons of heavy theory and the science of how things work, but nobody ever mentions the actual procedure, that I can find anyway. I'm about to build the Carmin Ghia pedal, so I need to know. Thanks!

What does the switch on the Rump Roast do? Not the one in the hybrid, but the one that's present in all three builds?

When I see certain parts suggested like the 1044's and the TC version being preferable to the MAX, are the added letters at the end or beginning of TC1044 (such as 579-TC1044SCPA) in any way a deal breaker?
I've taken the chance of ordering the above from Mouser. Thanks, Matt

Having been a bit over anxious (as usual) I got the whole neutrino board populated before I noticed that it said the electrolytic caps should be 25V or more. These are 16V and I don't know the voltage on the box caps, or the others. Will it work at all, assuming everything else is right, or should I just count my losses and abort? Matt

Hi, I'm a bit confused about this:

"D1 is TWO 1n4148's in series, as is D3. This was done to eliminate having to
use a jumper if you want asymmetrical clipping. Feel free to experiment with
different diodes, or use a switch to set up external clipping options."

Does this mean I'm supposed to tee pee two diodes in series at the same connecting point? And what (if you can pardon a newbie question) constitutes series? does the wire from one connect to the wire of another, with the remaining wires going to the holes in the PCB? And do the striped sides face in the same direction? Thanks, any help would be appreciated. I don't really see that it would be otherwise, since there are only spots for diodes 1,3, and 5. Thanks!