First Vero Build, getting started... lots of ?'s

[adam193]

I think i would like to take a try at vero board building. Ive done a few PCB kits, and this would be my first wade into the deeper build end of things....

I found a circuit that I used to have (Menatone Blue Collar) and liked a lot.


This will be my first vero build, so please bear with me....

1. Where is a good place to buy vero and resistors and caps and IC's?

2. I think I understand the drilling (reverse the schematic and drill out the red squares), am I right?

3. For the links, the black bars are the steel wire, they get soldered at the blue dots. (on the front of the circuit)

4. For the pots, the 1.2.3 refer to the lugs on the pots (I assume) which one is 1 (I assume 2 is the middle one)?

5. I see one wire for input, which lug does that go to on the jack (will be using mono jacks)?

6. I see one wire for power (will be using DC power) this is the positive, right?

7. Where do I wire up the footswitch?

8. Where is the output?

Sorry to be Jimmy McQuestions here.... Much obliged, and thanks in advance.

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[BrianS]

I've not done a vero board but here is a guide that will answer several of your questions.

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/04/vero-build-guide.html

I will answer some of the ones I can.

1.  Mouser, Digikey, Allied, Newark, Arrow (they have free shipping but it's a real pain to get around on their site) are the big electronics distributors that most people use.  Smallbear, DIYGP (Paul is a member on here and a great guy), PPP (all 3 of these are on the menu above) and Mammoth are shops that are tailored to bldg pedals.  Tayda is another company much like the last 4.  Their prices are great, many people on the forum use them for their pedal builds but at times you can get some wonky items (ICs, caps, pots, etc.....). 

4. When you look at a pot turn it over (look at the bottom) with the lugs facing you. 1 lug is on the right, 2 middle and 3 left.

http://www.regiscoyne.com/tech/potwiring/

5.  The input goes to the tip of the jack.  Ground goes to the sleeve.

http://www.hawkpromedia.net/ROTSJack.html

6. Yes the 9v is the positive for power.

7.  When you go to the main page of Madbean there is a link for tutorials and there is a guide on wiring up a 3pdt.

http://www.madbeanpedals.com/tutorials/index.html

8.  Look in the writing at the bottom of the build doc.  Your output goes from lug 2 of the volume pot.

[devilsnight]

1. Tayda is about the easiest one stop shop for beggining. Vero,switchess,enclosures,etc...
2. Yup, I always open in paint and reverse the drill pattern but you can reverse either one.
3. Yes. Watch out for blue dots in the middle of some layouts (2 links in one hole) I have a roll of hookup wire from amp building that I use for links but you can also use the cut off ends of resistors n such to make links also.

[bamslam69]

Always good to have a schematic to go with that veroboard layout. It's good for double checking connections, values and whatnot.
Yep, that madbean tutorial is essential reading.
It'll help you get the idea of how the power and switches are wired.

If you want the option of a battery, have a look around at other sites, like www.diyguitarpedals.com.au and have a look at one of Paul's Build guides, eg, this.
http://www.diyguitarpedals.com.au/shop/boms/7_Min_Fuzz.pdf

[m-Kresol]

5) if you wire the input wire to the input jack as BrianS suggested, this effect would always be on. This is the effect input that goes to the bypass switch.

[PhiloB]

Always good to have a schematic to go with that veroboard layout. It's good for double checking connections, values and whatnot.

100% this.  Veto increases the likelihood of a solder bridge, or placing a component in the wrong hole...even when being super careful.  A good testing rig, audio probe and schematic can save you tremendous headache.  You don't have to understand everything about the schematic to troubleshoot. 
Vero is great and I use it for quick builds of circuits or for modifying existing pedals I'll layout my own.  I think it is a useful skill to have. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bamslam69]

You don't have to understand everything about the schematic to troubleshoot. 

Lol, yep. I'm terrible at electronics theory, but all you need is a couple of highlighters and pens. Go through double checking the connections point by point between the schematic, and the vero layout.
Google to check the correct pinouts of the transistors, etc.

Good luck, Adam193.

[lego4040]

These folks pretty much answered all your questions, I like the tag-board stuff because there are so much more verified builds that you can do. when I got started I just printed all the how to tech stuff from here, byoc, BeavisAudio, etc..... and put it in a binder. Add capacitor code charts, resistor code charts, transistor charts...........etc