Help Needed: Recommendations for a Beginner-Friendly Delay Pedal Build

[daisy_naive]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to the world of DIY pedal building and have been diving into the wealth of information here on Madbean Pedals. The resources and community seem fantastic, so I'm excited to get started. However, as a beginner, I could really use some guidance.

I'm particularly interested in building a delay pedal. I've always loved the versatility and ambiance that delay can add to a guitar setup. That said, I'm looking for a project that strikes a balance between being manageable for a beginner and offering a satisfying final result in terms of sound quality and features.

Here are a few specifics:

• Experience Level: I have basic soldering skills and understand some electronics fundamentals but haven't built a pedal before.
• Features I'd Like: A warm, analog-style delay would be great, though I'm open to simpler digital circuits if they're more beginner-friendly.
• Resources Available: I have a basic soldering station and a multimeter, and I'm willing to invest in additional tools if necessary.
• Budget: Ideally under $100 for the entire project, including the PCB, components, and enclosure.

Could anyone recommend a specific Madbean project or a good starting point for someone like me? Additionally, I'd appreciate any tips or advice on common pitfalls to avoid, especially for a first build.

Thanks in advance for your help and support.

Daisyservicenow

[BrianS]

The Degenerator is a fairly easy project and sounds really good. The others can be fairly complex if it's your first one. I would say the majority of people start off with a drive/boost pedal with a small parts count. The EpiPen would be a good one. If something goes wrong it's a lot easier to troubleshoot. Once you get that going you'll gain some confidence in your abilities and move forward. This is a fun hobby and can be very rewarding but can also be completely frustrating at the same time. There are a couple of guides in the Tutorial section that can help you. GuitarPCB has some also that are fairly in-depth. If you run into issues there are plenty of people on the forum who will help. Happy Thanksgiving and happy building.

Here's the link for GuitarPCB tutorials.  They're near the bottom of the page.

https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/pedal-building-guides-mandatory-reading/

[jessenator]

Plus one for the Degenerator as a first delay.

BUT like BrianS also recommended, I'd recommend something like a boost or overdrive for your first pedal build.