Parentheses Fuzz w/ video

Danbieranowski

Well-known member
I’ve built a couple of these, but never really been happy with how one turned out until now. Matched the forward voltage on each set of diodes (1n34a, and D9Ks) since I saw someone here mention that was a good idea. Used a GuitarPCB sourced LM308. Enclosure print via Tayda’s service which turned out great. Probably the best thing I’ve made so far.

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I like the woodcut(?) print you've used for the graphics. Good idea.
Exactly that. I just googled "Demon Woodcut" or something lol. Then I used this website to convert it to a vector: https://www.autotracer.org/

Once converted to a vector I made a few small changes in Affinity and that was that.

It's worth noting, you can do a full Tayda PDF in Affinity alone. I upload the drill template, then I do my design around that (has to be vector art of course). Then I convert text to curves under the Layer menu. Then I export as PDF - Digital High Quality and I make sure that it says nothing will be rasterized. If something will be rasterized and I don't know what, I'll export it, then open it in Affinity and zoom in on everything and see what's rasterized. One annoying thing, is if you use ANY layer effects (such as outlines) it'll rasterize those layer effects on export. So if you NEED to do layer effects, export your rasterized file, then use that rasterized file with that autotracer site I mentioned above, then open BACK into Affinity. Then you can make additional tweaks from there. I find vectorizing will mess with fonts, so you may want to make your design, hide your fonts, then export, then vectorize, then import again, then show your fonts again, so your fonts retain their tightness/sharpness.
 
I'm building this pedal right now. Question: for the 1u cap on the right side, it's shown on the diagram and on your gut-shot as a larger square cap. But there are other 1u caps in this that are the normal rectangle. Do I have to use a cap that is the square kind? It's the same value as the other 1u caps, but is there something different about it?

Also do you remember what your diodes were rated? And do you have to match all of the diodes to each other or just the germaniums?
 
I'm building this pedal right now. Question: for the 1u cap on the right side, it's shown on the diagram and on your gut-shot as a larger square cap. But there are other 1u caps in this that are the normal rectangle. Do I have to use a cap that is the square kind? It's the same value as the other 1u caps, but is there something different about it?

Also do you remember what your diodes were rated? And do you have to match all of the diodes to each other or just the germaniums?
C6, C7, and C19 are round pads and call for 1u electrolytic capacitors. C21 should be the only square pad that calls for a 1u. You can use a film cap here. You can use a greenie as well.

I don’t remember what my diodes were rated but I only matched the germaniums. Hope that helps.
 
Thanks so much that's a big help! One thing I've noticed looking at your build and others is the Ge transistors I am using are smaller than yours. They are the same size as the smaller ones you're using. And now looking at the diagram, they give you more room for those parts, I guess insinuating that they should be larger than what I'm using. I wonder if that's going to be an issue, crap.
 
Thanks so much that's a big help! One thing I've noticed looking at your build and others is the Ge transistors I am using are smaller than yours. They are the same size as the smaller ones you're using. And now looking at the diagram, they give you more room for those parts, I guess insinuating that they should be larger than what I'm using. I wonder if that's going to be an issue, crap.
What kind of GE did you get and from where?
 
N00b question: can you talk about your choice of wires for off-board wiring of switches and jacks? They look like flat ribbon wire, and I'm assuming you routed the in/out wires underneath the pcb?
 
N00b question: can you talk about your choice of wires for off-board wiring of switches and jacks? They look like flat ribbon wire, and I'm assuming you routed the in/out wires underneath the pcb?
Correct, I use ribbon cable from @StompBoxParts. https://www.stompboxparts.com/ribbon-cables/

The in and out wires on the Parentheses are actually run through the PCB and wire up at the top left and right of the PCB.
 
If I may ask . . . . where did you come by the rotary switch? I'm on the waiting list for the pPCB switch and have the Mini under way (so I'm in NO hurry), but will likely follow up shortly after all debugging is done on the Mini with a full Parenthesis.
 
Exactly that. I just googled "Demon Woodcut" or something lol. Then I used this website to convert it to a vector: https://www.autotracer.org/

Once converted to a vector I made a few small changes in Affinity and that was that.

It's worth noting, you can do a full Tayda PDF in Affinity alone. I upload the drill template, then I do my design around that (has to be vector art of course). Then I convert text to curves under the Layer menu. Then I export as PDF - Digital High Quality and I make sure that it says nothing will be rasterized. If something will be rasterized and I don't know what, I'll export it, then open it in Affinity and zoom in on everything and see what's rasterized. One annoying thing, is if you use ANY layer effects (such as outlines) it'll rasterize those layer effects on export. So if you NEED to do layer effects, export your rasterized file, then use that rasterized file with that autotracer site I mentioned above, then open BACK into Affinity. Then you can make additional tweaks from there. I find vectorizing will mess with fonts, so you may want to make your design, hide your fonts, then export, then vectorize, then import again, then show your fonts again, so your fonts retain their tightness/sharpness.
Sweet! Did you actually create a woodcut from the art or waterslide?
 
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