First PedalPCB build: Dirty Sanchez - it's alive!!!

[peccary]

Hello everyone,

I have built a few pedals before on Vero, but this was my first build using a pre-made PCB. I've got to say that the pre-made PCB made life easier, but the real time saver for me was the *drilling template!*

I would spend hours doing layout work on an enclosure. Sitting there with my speed square, ruler, and Sharpie taking measurements and figuring out how I could fit things where I wanted them. Having a PCB that will drop right in to the enclosure perfectly (hat tip to @Jovi Bon Kenobi for the pot soldering tip in their tutorial) felt amazing.

I don't have it all boxed up yet, but last night I was able to test it out with the Auditorium (which I guess would technically be my first PedalPCB build) and it sounded good. It was cold in the garage and I only got to play with it for a few minutes after I finished, but it all functioned and sounded pretty good.

I will get it boxed up in the next few days (finding time is kinda tough with a 15 month old, which explains why I'm working in a freezing garage at night) and I want to record some sound clips. I play bass and I feel like most demos get the guitar treatment (I don't even own an electric guitar!), so when I finish a pedal here I'd like to give a little something to my fellow bassists with some sound clips.

 

[peccary]

Finished it up tonight. Got it all wired up and.... I had a momentary switch installed! Fixed it up with a proper switch and it works perfectly.

I wanted to get some practice in and decided that gifting pedals to a few family and friends who play would be a good way to ensure I take some more care in the building process. I expect things to go more smoothly and look better from here on out, but I'm really happy with how this came together.

I built this for my cousin who plays in a thrash punk band, so I think he'll really dig it. He's was telling me about a buddy of his in another band who is super paranoid that other people are stealing his tone, so he installs knobs without any markings, puts gaffer tape over stuff, things like that. I thought it was pretty funny so I suggested putting it in a black box without any markings as a way to mess with/poke fun at his buddy. Probably for the best because my current "art" options consist of paint pens and I haven't drawn a single thing in probably 30 years!

 

[Mcknib]

Looks great for a first pcb build - a zillion times better than my first effort

Your cousin's gonna be a happy chappie for sure

 

[peccary]

Edit to add: holy crap, I didn't realize that inserting Soundcloud media would plaster my face all across your computer screen. My apologies in advance for the trauma you're about to endure! lol


Alright, as promised: here are some sound clips. These were all recorded through an A&H Zedi10FX with flat EQ directly in to Reaper.

I'm not great at demoing sounds (or playing sounds, for that matter!), but as a bass player it's always hard to tell whether or not a pedal will work well with bass. I feel like adding some clips, regardless of everything else, will be helpful. I played the same riff in most recordings as I find that to be kind of helpful as well.

I think that this pedal sounds great, but it sucks a lot of the low end (as is an issue with many effects pedals). I have another of these boards and I may do some research to see if I can figure out how to add a wet/dry blend as I think that may help me get some additional low end in there. Noodling at home is fun and it sounds great, but I feel like it'll disappear in a band setting. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has them!

For some reason one of the files didn't upload properly, which is why there are two Soundcloud links. I am new to Soundcloud and have only used it once before to share some pickup comparisons.

Dry P Bass is exactly what it sounds like: 4 string P bass, strung with medium Chrome flatwounds. The tone knob is rolled all the way off for all of these recordings, except for the last one where I'm messing around with a Primus song. I tend to have it rolled off 99% of the time so I kind of forget it's there, to be honest. I also want to note that the tight switch is on for everything except for when I flip it off and on to give an idea of what it does. The gain trim-pot is set at approx 50%, but it's hard to tell with those things.

Dry P, DS1, DS2, and a little noodling:

https://soundcloud.com/joe-b-575234186%2Fsets%2Fpedal-pcb-dirty-sanchez-sound-demo

DS3 (didn't upload to the first playlist):

https://soundcloud.com/joe-b-575234186%2Fds3-1

DS1 settings:


DS2 settings:



DS3, switch flipping, and noodling settings.




Hopefully some of you (or some future someone) will find this helpful. I'll try to do this for all of my builds and hopefully I'll get better at demoing and being organized in uploading the info for y'all!