Not all PCB providers are equal...
- Thread starter Dali
- Start date
I don’t mean to sound like a sycophant, but there don’t seem to be many diy pcb makers out there like pedalpcb.
when I first started building pedals only a few years ago, I ordered some PCB’s from a few U.K.-based pcb makers. If I look back to their sites today they’re largely unchanged, maybe one or two new things. I don’t know how pedalpcb puts out the volume of new stuff it does, it’s got to be a lot of work.
the symmetrical and compact layouts are also great, they make everyone else’s layouts (even many production pedals) look oversized and ugly. The only downside to this is we have to be careful to order the right size capacitors. And when I was more of a newbie, those small solder pads were challenging.
when I first started building pedals only a few years ago, I ordered some PCB’s from a few U.K.-based pcb makers. If I look back to their sites today they’re largely unchanged, maybe one or two new things. I don’t know how pedalpcb puts out the volume of new stuff it does, it’s got to be a lot of work.
the symmetrical and compact layouts are also great, they make everyone else’s layouts (even many production pedals) look oversized and ugly. The only downside to this is we have to be careful to order the right size capacitors. And when I was more of a newbie, those small solder pads were challenging.
Nostradoomus
Well-known member
I’ve built quite a few boards from fuzzdog, never had any problems. They aren’t better or worse, just different.
yazooligan
Member
I've ordered from four different US-based PCB makers in the last few weeks, and only one arrived loose in an envelope. The rest were at least in baggies. My PedalPCB order was vacuum sealed and pristine. ?
dlazzarini
Well-known member
All of the different pcb’s I’ve used from different sites have all seemed to be good quality. I myself am most comfortable on Pedalpcb. I haven’t really found another site that has the volume of Pedalpcb and there’s a constant flow of new releases. It never seems to get stagnant around here which I have noticed on a lot of other sites. Also this forum to me anyways has the best “air” about it. You get answers to questions super fast and everybody’s very helpful.
Danbieranowski
Well-known member
I personally prefer the PedalPCB layouts for all of the little details that make the builds easier. Component layout is really clean. Electolytic caps all point the same way. Etc etc. That kind of thing makes PedalPCB my favorite option.
Elktronics
Member
I love how the off board wiring is handled on these boards. Nice short wire runs that terminate close to the origin point.
Wish the component pads were a little larger, but I need new glasses, so I think that’s on me.
Wish the component pads were a little larger, but I need new glasses, so I think that’s on me.
Sometimes Fuzzdog circuits deviate from the original in ways I wasn't expecting, but I have a very high success rate with his PCBs. 
The only places I buy PCBs from are here, Aion and Fuzzdog, with PedalPCB being the place I use the most, Fuzzdog the least. As Barry says, the forum here is the best. In fact the forum is the biggest difference in all of these places. This forum has grown so fast and is by far the friendliest forum I have participated in. Most useful from beginner to advanced too. It's possibly all entirely fluke but this is a great forum.
The only places I buy PCBs from are here, Aion and Fuzzdog, with PedalPCB being the place I use the most, Fuzzdog the least. As Barry says, the forum here is the best. In fact the forum is the biggest difference in all of these places. This forum has grown so fast and is by far the friendliest forum I have participated in. Most useful from beginner to advanced too. It's possibly all entirely fluke but this is a great forum.
dlazzarini
Well-known member
Same here, just a small handful of pcb’s that I couldn’t find here but that’s rare
Thanks to a more recent layout by Mr PCB I now have a Klone with top-mounted jacks in a 1590B. I did have to gently sand the edges of the PCB a little but that was nothing to have a Klone in a 1590 with top mounted jacks. All I need to do now is work out how to actually like the Klone. At least it looks damn fine now!
BurntFingers
Well-known member
They also look the best. White text on black is very fetching.
Dan0h
Well-known member
I blame/appreciate Mr. PedalPcB for my new addiction.
The boards are super clean and the layouts are not just smart but look great.
This forum has members who not only know their shit but go out of their way to help noobs.
Some how I went from just wanting a Benson Preamp pedal to building a General Tso that sounds amazing to now having a stack of Pcbs and a huge pile of pink drug bags full of nonsensicaly low priced parts.
At least I will not be board this winter: Paragon, Duocast, Caesar, Muffin, 2nd General Tso, 2nd SOB, and 2x Black Hole Sunn from C0da my only non pedalpcb boards.
Not sure if I should shake your hand or give you the finger, but either way thank you for enabling this journey.
The boards are super clean and the layouts are not just smart but look great.
This forum has members who not only know their shit but go out of their way to help noobs.
Some how I went from just wanting a Benson Preamp pedal to building a General Tso that sounds amazing to now having a stack of Pcbs and a huge pile of pink drug bags full of nonsensicaly low priced parts.
At least I will not be board this winter: Paragon, Duocast, Caesar, Muffin, 2nd General Tso, 2nd SOB, and 2x Black Hole Sunn from C0da my only non pedalpcb boards.
Not sure if I should shake your hand or give you the finger, but either way thank you for enabling this journey.
