Guitar Distortion Pedal

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DomonK

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Hi all,

I urgently need help with this distortion pedal that I want to build. I'm quite inexperienced and any electronic education I do have is directly taken from Grade 8 science textbooks as I am only 14.

Here is the diagram:

**broken link removed**

I got this from Schematic Diagram - Free Schematics Download. There it says that it's a boss DS-1 but it isn't. Anyway, this is my first time building a circuit of this level of complexity from a circuit diagram and I need assistance. To the left of the image is a symbol labeled VCC, and I don't know what exactly to do with that. I'm also not sure about what to do with those "Earth" symbols, do I just solder them to the metal casing of the pedal??? Another question I have is what type of capacitors should I use for this. Is there a specific type that suits it better than others?? And lastly, at the input and output, which terminals of the jack sockets do I use???

And by the way I haven't purchased any of these components yet.

Thanks
 
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Your link does not work.
Since you don't know anything about electronics and parts then you might be able to make a kit.
 
VCC is the positive supply, which is also attached to the (+) (pin7) of the 741. They also forgot to show the (-) from the battery is connected to pin 4 of the 741 as well as the earth symbols. Oh, and they forgot the battery.

Connect earth to the shield of the input and output wires, and to any metal (case?) of the unit. The capacitors probably aren't critical since this is a distortion generating circuit. I would use whatever I had lying around.
 
Sorry about the link not working.

http://www.schematicx.com/view-schematic/boss-ds-1-distortion-pedal-schematic/

This link should take you to the download page.

The thing is I would buy a kit if I could. But I can't, I just can't find a kit where a live, South Africa.

When you refer to the "positive supply" you mean the one from the missing bettery right? And I earth the input and output shield to...... metal basically but the other Earth symbols are just to show that it's connected to the negative of the 9 volt battery?

Thanks a mil so far
 
All of the Earth symbols are connected to the (-) of the battery in addition to any shields and cases.
audioguru said:
The schematic still cannot be seen. I can't even download it.
Click to expand...
It's the link on the page called "schematic".
 

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The lousy old 741 opamp is only 42 years old. Don't guitar fuzz circuits use older parts?
The opamp is not powered and has no 0V connection shown.
 
Seems to me this schematic wasn't very well drawn up, or rather the components could be better.
Any other distortion pedal schematics you think I should try instead of this one?
 
A distortion pedal isn't a precision instrument. Don't worry about audioguru's comments about the circuit's age and quality. This one is supposed to distort.
 
Cool. Just one last question:

The 4 avariable resistors, what should I look for regarding the different types of resistors. The lowest cost that would still be properly functional??
 
Normal carbon resistors, if that's your question, are more than enough.

They look like this:
**broken link removed**

These are the "general-purpose" resistors in electronics. They are very, very cheap also.

Hope it helped =)


Castilho
 
caster.cp said:
Normal carbon resistors, if that's your question, are more than enough.

They look like this:

These are the "general-purpose" resistors in electronics. They are very, very cheap also.

Hope it helped =)
Castilho
Click to expand...
I am pained to report that the helpful picture does NOT show a suitable variable resistor.

Yes in this circuit the cheaper variable resistors would perform electrically. The only other important consideration is how easy can it be accessed and of course that many cheap parts aren't built to tolerate a difficult environment.
 
isnt distortion just when you set the gains WAY too high so that the system automatically rails? essential changing it from a sin wave to an almost square like wave.?
 
jewdai said:
isnt distortion just when you set the gains WAY too high so that the system automatically rails? essential changing it from a sin wave to an almost square like wave.?
Click to expand...
No.
A semiconductor amplifier that clips produces harsh distortion.
Diodes in parallel to ground in the signal path and fed through a resistor or in the negative feedback loop of an opamp produce square-waves with rounded tops and bottoms that have more "graceful" distortion.
Some guitar fuzz circuits produce the usual odd harmonics but also produce even harmonics which are more musical (octaves).
 
Somebody please recommend a better op-amp that will work off 9 volts.

All the parts can be found here, with pictures and info on each part. Their pricing and shipping cost can't be beat.
For instance:
Rotary potentiometers from only 50 cents in linear and log types.
Usually these basic parts will be delivered in seven days.

Electronic Components and Semiconductors - Main Page
 
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A TL071 audio opamp is low noise, has very low distortion and has a full output bandwidth of 100kHz. Its minimum supply voltage is 7V.
An NE5534 audio opamp has very low noise and distortion, a wide full output bandwidth and a minimum supply voltage of about 5V.
 
Hello All...
There are called "FUZZ TONES" Very popular in the early 70's when I was in High School...
I fixed a handful of these for my friends in rock bands.
One other very popular efects box at the time was called a "Wha Wha pedal"
I cant remember who made them, What I do remember is your band
"did not sound right" without them, If you did NOT have a Fuzz Tone and Wha Wha
pedel you were NOT COOL !!!!!
Hope this helps....
Allen
Tempe Arizona USA
 

i would suggest using a BiFet op-amp, if my understanding is correct then they have a better frequency response then most op-amps.


as long as were in this thread then can someone show me how to make different types of guitars? (the circuit part) A friend of mine is a really good player and i wanted to combine his favorite types.
 
Dragon Tamer said:
ias long as were in this thread then can someone show me how to make different types of guitars? (the circuit part) A friend of mine is a really good player and i wanted to combine his favorite types.
Click to expand...

Again, I have not messed around with this stuff for many years, I am very rusty....
The big secret with working with Guitars is in the Pick Ups...
Many types of Pick Ups, look around and STUDY them, and for the most part you dont need "Golden Ears" to hear the differance,
Your Guitar playing friend will know right away if you found the right mix for him....
Theres a school here in Phoenix that teaches Guitar building, I should go check them out....
 
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