Build a Fuzz Pedal Course

[chromesphere]

Certainly a new experience for me!  Today i assisted Yarra Ranges Council and Box Hill Tafe (Tafe is like, Australian Trade College) with a youth community course "Build Your Own Fuzz Pedal".  Initially i agreed to supply the kits only but I decided later on that i would show up for a bit and help for an hour or so if people had questions etc.  I ended staying for most of the morning and helping out.   Honestly I was so busy i didnt even have time to take photos, i just remembered at the last 5 mins of the course!

We didn't have time to finish the pedals, only assemble and test the effect ("rock before you box people!!" ), but we ended up with 16 (all of them) working 7 min fuzz pedals (bazz Fuss).

I learned a lot from this experience, about teaching others and my 7 min fuzz kits, certainly...but also, and probably more importantly, about what i'm capable of.  I would definitely do it again.

[cooder]

Well done, Paul!
Aussies certainly can do with a bit of fuzz....! 

[alanp]

Wow, you're a lot older than I thought you were, Chrome!   What was it like, lecturing with a projector?

[mjg]

Nice job.  Always good to introduce more people to the hobby. 

[stringsthings]

Excellent.  DIY pedals is such a terrific hobby.


I know for many of us madbean'ers, it's a lifestyle type of thing.

[chromesphere]

Wow, you're a lot older than I thought you were, Chrome!  

Years of YouTube criticism has left me old and weathered

It was a pretty practical class so the class was focused more around the assembling of the kit and soldering skills then the function of the circuit.

[joltjrs]

did you etch all the boards?

[juansolo]

This is most awesome! 

[chromesphere]

Thanks guys.  I think this is the sort of thing im definitely suited for (despite the comments from my inner critic ). 

Definitely something i would consider again.  It was fun to see the builders smiles when they heard their fuzz effect coming through the amp for the first time.  Reminded me of that moment.

There were problems.  Some didn't work.  And it was a bit of a sausage factory; 16 builders standing in a line with their populated effect pcbs in hand, as im testing them on the amp.  You can imagine right?  But we ended up getting them all working.  And it really put my experience to the test.  I could fault diagnose them all on the spot, and my guesses were correct (4 issues, 4 solved).

Anyway, it was quite the experience.  Not one im soon to forget.

[chromesphere]

did you etch all the boards?

Nah these were fabricated pcbs.  A lot of these builders had very little to zero electronics knowledge so there was a lot to cover.  What components are polarized.  What is the socket for.  Does the socket have polarity.  You know, everything!

[oip]

this is fantastic, great stuff! 

makes me think, a pedals 'maker space' type arrangement would be amazing.

[joltjrs]

did you etch all the boards?

Nah these were fabricated pcbs.  A lot of these builders had very little to zero electronics knowledge so there was a lot to cover.  What components are polarized.  What is the socket for.  Does the socket have polarity.  You know, everything!

gotcha. good on you to hand out that knowledge. i never realize what i take for granted until i try to teach someone. kudos

[PariahBrothermann]

This is an amazing idea. I wish I'd had this opportunity about 20 odd years ago!
It's the sort of experience that you remember for life.
Mind you, your youtube videos have helped me to solve countless issues.
Count me in on a copy of the DIYGP book 
Nice one man!

[pickdropper]

That is very cool, Paul.  Congrats on putting that together.

[reddesert]

Awesome.

I don't exactly teach classes now, but I do scientific research support and work with students, and there is nothing like teaching or explaining a subject to really sharpen your understanding of it yourself. Plus it is very rewarding when the students "get it."