first post and first ever Pedal Build - tube screamer clone

[(DEAD)fx]

hey guys, new here and figured I'd share my first pedal build. Unfortunately I found madbeanpedals site a bit after discovering General Guitar Gadgets, BYOC, Tonepad, and others and the world of DIY effects pedals in general, so this isn't a madbean circuit used, but I have already bought some boards from madbeans and harberdasher and will definitely be doing more builds soon.... It's a General Guitar Gadgets its8 Tube Screamer clone. I did the expensive boutique mods which is essentially changing a few resistors, a cap, and changing the Drive Pot to a 1 Meg Log Pot, also the assymetric clipping with diodes, I used red LEDs for the other clipping option, just an On-On SPDT switch so no diode lift mod here. I also avoided the AMZ fat mod, may add that later if I want. I researched decal processes and decided to give the lazertran method a try, so I used Self Etching Primer, a bright Green Valspar Spray paint, applied the lazertran decals, and topped it off with a Polyurethane Clear Coat. The hardest part for me was definitely the sanding/painting/decal process so I'd definitely like to get better at that, maybe try the etching method for a more professional look. Anyway here you go ...

[icecycle66]

Nice, your first build is a lot cleaner than mine.

[rullywowr]

Awesome first build bro!  Welcome to the madbean forum. 

[night-B]

Great work and welcome!

[gtr2]

Nice first build!

Welcome to the forum.

Josh

[Haberdasher]

Nice job on your first pedal build!  Congrats.

[jkokura]

yeah, really well done! That's pretty clean and doesn't look like it's your first at all.

Jacob

[midwayfair]

Wow, your first build is cleaner than my uh, first through whatever I'm up to now ...

I kind of like the label. It looks like you ripped off some wrapping paper and found the name underneath.

[(DEAD)fx]

thanks so much guys, i'm really looking forward to my next builds. midwayfair... the painting and labeling is the result of my frustration of having to re-sand and re-paint like 3 times because it wasn't coming out perfectly clean haha... especially after trying to prep for decaling by sanding a bit after the paint dried. So the 3rd time I said screw it, it looks good enough and left it. I did a gray self etching primer, then a coat of white, then applied blue painter's tape over the white strip in the middle and painted the rest green.... I just could never quite get the lines perfectly clean between the colors. But afterwards I thought it looked kinda cool too anyway, kinda like a vintage piece of rack gear with scratches and dings in the faceplate.

also, thanks harberdasher for the zombii and sea urchin boards. Super nice guy and very professional looking etched pcbs, look forward to building these up.

[courtneyisaboy]

a lot cleaner than my first build.  nice going.