My First Build - Mudbunny

[blackedition]

Hello all!  I'm new here .  I'm a drummer who dabbles in guitar/bass and electronic music.  I have done some circuit bending, tube amp building, and custom midi controller making, and am finally ready to get my feet wet in the pedal building realm!  I'm planning my first build, a Madbean Mudbunny, and thought that it might be useful to document my first foray into guitar pedal goodness.  I plan on detailing each phase of the build:  design, parts sourcing, building, testing, and playing, with all the headscratches and hair-pulling that goes with each of them.  My hope is that a thread like this might help other new builders some time down the road.  So...on with it!

In this post I'll talk about my goals for the project, and show you my design for the enclosure of the pedal.

Goals:  I wanted to take a classic circuit (BMP) that I can use both musically and to learn a bit about pedal building.  I want to use this build to learn about the effects different components have on tone.  As such, I'll socket the diodes and transistors so that I can play with the different combinations to find something that I find nice sounding.  As a basis, I'll start with the Green Russian config.  The Green Russian will also inform my enclosure design...

Design:  I've used the Vector Pack to mock everything up in Adobe Illustrator (though I'd like to figure out how to do the same thing in Inkscape as it is free...).  I imported the drilling template from the mudbunny pdf, as suggested by many, and think that I've lined everything up appropriately.  I haven't actually done that with the drilling template objects yet, but it is the same process as I've done with the knobs.  I still have to double check that everything is actually lined up correctly by printing and measuring, but this should provide you with a snapshot of what I'd like the end product to look like.

FIRST QUESTION!  I really like the place that I've positioned the LED.  However, I don't know if I'll have space with the pots there...  is it possible to fit an LED in between the top two pots?  Just wondering if anyone had attempted this before...

Stay tuned!

[jimilee]

FIRST QUESTION!  I really like the place that I've positioned the LED.  However, I don't know if I'll have space with the pots there...  is it possible to fit an LED in between the top two pots?  Just wondering if anyone had attempted this before...

Stay tuned!

Welcome!
Yes it is. The leds are only 3 or 5 mm so you have plenty of room there,

[Stomptown]

FIRST QUESTION!  I really like the place that I've positioned the LED.  However, I don't know if I'll have space with the pots there...  is it possible to fit an LED in between the top two pots?  Just wondering if anyone had attempted this before...

Stay tuned!

Welcome!
Yes it is. The leds are only 3 or 5 mm so you have plenty of room there,

If you are going to use solder lug potentiometers for the sustain and volume then I agree with Jimmy that there should be plenty of room. If you are going to use PCB mount potentiometer then it will be VERY difficult, if not impossible, to squeeze the led between the pins of the two pots. Don't do it!!!!  Take a look at the layout in the build doc to see what I mean:

http://madbeanpedals.com/projects/Mudbunny/docs/Mudbunny.pdf

If you are dead set on the led in that position I would suggest using solder lug pots for sustain and volume along with a PCB mount pot for the tone control. For the solder lug pots you would turn them 90 degrees clockwise (lugs pointing towards the footswitch) and use about an inch to an inch and a half of wire per lug to connect the pots to their respective pads on the pcb. That way you get the benefit of the pcb mounted pot (no need for standoffs to keep pcb in place) and get that led exactly where you want it!

[davent]

It looks like you're already using the Vector Pack for your pedal planning and on page four of that you'll find diagrams of 16mm pots (most commonly used in pedals) and 24mm, there are also 9mm but you'll have to draw your own representation, just drop the pots onto the knobs in your diagram and you'll see how much room is available for any other bits you might like to add.

dave

[blackedition]

i cannot believe i did this...  i totally meant to post this thread in the member projects area...  i think i inadvertently started the thread in global announcements section when reading the "rules of engagement" sticky.  mods, i apologize!  please move at your leisure.  doh!

[blackedition]

The goal I've set for tonight is to finalize the list of components and vendors I'll be ordering them from. 

I've been thinking about logistics as well.  I'd like to etch the enclosure.  Though I don't have a laser printer, I have access to one at work.  I can try to use that to make the toner transfers for the planned etch.  Since it is a shared device, I'm not sure how much control I'll have over the settings, however.  If that doesn't look like it is going to work, I might have to revise my enclosure design .  I could always handpaint, but I've grown quite attached to my first design!  Does anyone have any good cheap laser printer suggestions?

Stay tuned!

[blackedition]

Well...that certainly took waaaaaay longer than expected.  I think that I've finally got nearly everything i'm going to be ordering from small bear in the cart...  while i'll be building the mudbunny first, i'm going to be ordering for two other pedals as well, which complicated things a bit (1st will be mudbunny, 2nd sabertooth, 3rd 1776 multiplex echo machine).

I have a few parts sourcing questions, though...

1)  I'm ordering mostly box capacitors.  I've seen many build reports on madbean that utilizes these.  Should I be ok with box caps if they use the standard lead spacing?

2) (unrelated to mudbunny) I need a 47pF capacitor.  What composition should I get?  It looks like it might only be available in ceramic.  Is that a problem?

3) (unrelated to mudbunny) I need a TL072 for the multiplex echo machine.  the TL072CP is available from small bear.  is this equivalent?

4) I'd like to socket all of my ICs.  Should I be getting Mill Max or Dual Leaf?  My gut tells me Dual Leaf...

5) I'm not sure where to order the dc jacks or the 1/4" jacks quite yet...  Suggestions?

Those are the questions I have for my Small Bear order.

I'm going to be ordering the switches from Bitches Love My Switches (BLMS), as it seems to be the popular choice around here.  I'll likely order my enclosures from either PPP, Mammoth, or BLMS.

Thanks in advance for all suggestions!

[rullywowr]

Well...that certainly took waaaaaay longer than expected.  I think that I've finally got nearly everything i'm going to be ordering from small bear in the cart...  while i'll be building the mudbunny first, i'm going to be ordering for two other pedals as well, which complicated things a bit (1st will be mudbunny, 2nd sabertooth, 3rd 1776 multiplex echo machine).

I have a few parts sourcing questions, though...

1)  I'm ordering mostly box capacitors.  I've seen many build reports on madbean that utilizes these.  Should I be ok with box caps if they use the standard lead spacing?

2) (unrelated to mudbunny) I need a 47pF capacitor.  What composition should I get?  It looks like it might only be available in ceramic.  Is that a problem?

3) (unrelated to mudbunny) I need a TL072 for the multiplex echo machine.  the TL072CP is available from small bear.  is this equivalent?

4) I'd like to socket all of my ICs.  Should I be getting Mill Max or Dual Leaf?  My gut tells me Dual Leaf...

5) I'm not sure where to order the dc jacks or the 1/4" jacks quite yet...  Suggestions?

Those are the questions I have for my Small Bear order.

I'm going to be ordering the switches from Bitches Love My Switches (BLMS), as it seems to be the popular choice around here.  I'll likely order my enclosures from either PPP, Mammoth, or BLMS.

Thanks in advance for all suggestions!

1.  Box for most 1nf to 1uF (25-50v) 5mm lead spacing. Panasonic ecq are nice too but more expensive.

2. Ceramic.  Most 1pF to 999pF are ceramic and are just fine

3.  Yes. The "cp" just denotes the temp rating etc.

4. Dual leaf works just fine and is a bit cheaper than milled. Some swear by milled but I've seen crappy ones in both flavors. Milled looks more pro

5. Smallbear is good. BLMS is also good.  Go quality on the 1/4" jacks (neutrik/switchcraft). Cheap jacks aren't worth marring an otherwise great build.

Glad you are getting along with pedal building, let us know if you have any more questions.

[rullywowr]

Double post.  Whoops!

[blackedition]

So it looks like PPP doesn't have 1590Bs in stock.  Mouser seems a little expensive ($6 a piece unless ordered in quantity).  BLMS has them for much cheaper.  I'm not sure that they're actually Hammond enclosures.  Anybody have any experience with BLMS enclosures?  Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[rullywowr]

$6 isn't too bad. There is Hammond (the original) and New Sensor which is a cheaper copy. 

[pryde]

So it looks like PPP doesn't have 1590Bs in stock.  Mouser seems a little expensive ($6 a piece unless ordered in quantity).  BLMS has them for much cheaper.  I'm not sure that they're actually Hammond enclosures.  Anybody have any experience with BLMS enclosures?  Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

PPP has the 1290 (which is the Hammond 1590B equivalent). I am sure they should have them in stock unless they told you otherwise?

[blackedition]

Oops, they do have the 1290s.  They are also $6.  The price of the BLMS is a dollar cheaper...  I might try out the BLMS...  Not 100% sure; I'm a bit conflicted.  I suppose it doesn't really matter that much...

[davent]

Don't forget that for every additional supplier you have additional shipping charges, if you're trying to save money limit your suppliers to as few as possible to get the bits you need.

dave

[blackedition]

i'm definitely trying to limit suppliers...  i think that i will likely try to keep it to two suppliers...  i can price it out if i get everything from small bear as well...  we'll see if i can save any money by limiting it to a single supplier...

thanks for the suggestions everyone!