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I really hate the feel of the threaded saddles, but I don't play it enough to buy the mustang ones. In all honesty, i should probably sell it, heh..

Also HEAVY strings. dont try to play it waith 9s or 10s. get at least 11s unless you get the heavy bottom 10s. i also kind of like the d'addario flatwounds, but it took some time to get used to them.

I have the same jag and its a bit microphonic. I think its mostly the pickup characteristic, and probably not potted. I've been meaning to shield the pickguard and cavities, but havent gotten around to it yet.

Not sure if you know what all the switches do yet, but its relatively straight forward.
The bottom three control the neck and bridge pickups on the left, and the third one is a 'bright' switch essentially (closest to the bridge)
The upper section when engaged is the neck only and bypasses the other electronics. The rollers are different value pots (i think 500k or 1M instead of 250).

my absolute essentials to play are Compressor -> Overdrive -> Boost

Usually I use a second overdrive as a boost.

You'll soon find that no matter what 'essential' board you have, youll change what you want in each. I'd just make a small board aside from your main board so you can swap in and out your new pedals. I change ODs everytime I get a new one it seems.

Right now its a dynacomp -> Timmy ->RC Booster
Soon itll be a bear hug -> Timmy -> OCD/FatPants

For small stuff, like pcbs, i like to use my dremel with the dremel press like this...

I attached a picture of my craftsman. not sure if itll work.

I have an old 1930's/40's craftsman drill press, so I can't really comment too much on the small ones. But have you tried using a drill guide? Something like these....
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=drill+guide

Wow. Have that user name German? I got a nice piece of African mahogany off eBay out of Tennessee for not much. 4/4 though. I'll have to book match myself.


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I'm pretty sure you can use a double pole switch and just switch on the input pins maybe output to avoid extra noise


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Thats true. Hmmm... I may have work on a diode socket PCB.... for testing...

I've often toyed with the idea of getting 6-12 position rotary switches and having them stacked with different diodes that I can test out in different circuits. This way there is only one insertion and removal before the next one, and you could use a small diameter lead to get them in there.

The unfortunate reality is that no two diodes are the same and you really need to test the ones you'll be using in the circuit if you truly care. Or at least have different FVs measured out on the different diodes.

In the end I don't have an answer for you. haha. I kind of hate the singles because they always break wrong for me. I started using IC sockets and cutting them in half. I don't socket diodes usually so I haven't really had an issue with them.

Don't sell yourself short. They are custom pedals after all. Time and materials. And whatever overhead markup you need. You may have saved that one time on shipping and buying everything at once, but when you go to build your next build, and you used the rest of that one component on someone elses build, youre gonna have to pay $10 shipping again. Those costs are easily lost in the grand scheme.

Personally, if I were to custom make stuff. I would do Time and Materials = (Materials + 10-15% markup) + (Time x whatever youre worth). Everyones time value is a little different.

That being said. I sell my pedals to my GOOD friends only. And I do it mostly for cost plus a little markup to keep me going and stocked. I usually offer the labor free because they are my best friends and I enjoy making the stuff.

If you want to salvage it you can send it to me and I'll desolder it for you and send it back.

Josh

Damn fine customer service!

Indeed it is.

I decided to just send it back to Josh. I'm not going to try messing with it. I'm sure I've done enough damage as-is. Plus it gives me an excuse to order more PCBs from him (not that I needed one).

This is the one build out of my 20 or so I have going right now, that I couldn't wait to get done. I've had the board for about a year now and just got back in it since I had to move all my gear out to my garage to make way for baby #2. My office/music room is now (or will be) a nursery.

Thanks again Josh!

If you want to salvage it you can send it to me and I'll desolder it for you and send it back.

Josh

Thanks Josh. I just might do that. I'll give it one last hurrah tonight, sober, to see if I cant get it out. Can you PM me your address just in case ? I'd appreciate it very much.

Thanks all. I need the encouragement. I thought about just mounting it straight up and not worrying about the pots being pcb mounted. but I honestly just want a clean pcb mounted solution. So much easier for me.

I used my radioshack solder pump first, similar to those ones. I have a desoldering iron too, the radioshack one and i'm going to go to RS at lunch and grab a new tip. I couldnt seem to get it hot enough, but the tip was dirty dirty dirty.

I tried the one at a time and prying and just couldnt get it to move at all. with the 16 or so pins, it just didnt want to budge at all.

Worst case scenario I'll mount it upside down and hopefully the switching is just a little reversed. I may need to redo some of the caps though or shim the switch a little bit.

Thanks again.

What's wrong with the rotary? I wouldn't think you would be able to orient it incorrectly though I guess the modes would be in a different order maybe?

wrong side of the board. lol

Well. I had a few last night. Decided to finish my multiplex board. I completely ignored the "slow down and pay attention" note.

So. I'm having a hell of a time desoldering the rotary. Used a sucker. Braid, etc. I just cant seem to get it all. Think a heat gun might work to loosen all the solder remnants? I need to test all the pass after   I cut the leads flush to make it easier but still can't get it.

Ugh. The more I drink the more I have reasons to drink. Lol.