Progress!

[JamieJ]

After starting on an LPB1 last week and a getting a feel for how to actually use a bread board I wanted to progress to the circuit I really wanted to build - a MKI Tone Bender.

I have the PCB ready to go but I want to breadboard the circuit to audition transistors.

So here it is -



I didn’t have a 25u cap to hand so there are 4 100u caps in parallel.

I tested it last night for about 5 seconds at about 12:30am. For some reason my family get really grumpy when I am playing a fuzz pedal really loud in the early hours… So it was just a test to see if it passed signal.
It worked on the first go luckily.

The transistors are a CV7005, OC71 and an AC132. They are being used as place holders at the moment. I’ll test their voltages when I am at this next to see how close they are to others suggested in this forum then I can workout what ones to test next.

I am really enjoying BB’ing at present as I have realised that this is the part of building that I like. Messing with different parts and populating a PCB where as I’m not as much of a fan of the drilling and design aspects.

I have a micro protoboard on the way to make my BB’ing a bit more slick.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Doesn’t your family know that fuzz pedals ALWAYS sound best at 12:30am??

Glad it worked the first time. Keep it up!

 

[Mcknib]

Excellent very neat looking indeed

 

[Flying]

I didn’t have a 25u cap to hand so there are 4 100u caps in parallel.

In Parallel? I think you might have 400uF there.
In Series they will total 25uF

 

[BuddytheReow]

Good point. @JamieJ I hope that was a typo. Otherwise you've got a 400uf capacitor!

 

[JamieJ]

Good point. @JamieJ I hope that was a typo. Otherwise you've got a 400uf capacitor!

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This is why I need to stop building late at night.

I’ll rectify that when I get home. Thanks!

 

[benny_profane]

You'll be fine with a 22uF cap there. Keep in mind that most electrolytics have a 20% tolerance.

 

[Chuck D. Bones]

If we're talking about the Tone Vendor MK1, the value of C2 is not all that critical. It impacts the dynamics of the fuzz, how the timber changes as you play harder or let the notes decay. Use what you have. As b_p said, 22uF is plenty close.

 

[Barry]

In Parallel? I think you might have 400uF there.
In Series they will total 25uF

Yeah that tripped me out, 4 25uf =100uf in parallel not the other way around

 

[Mcknib]

I wouldn't worry too much about exact cap values for vintage type circuits

Back in the day 5, 25 and 50 were common values today it's obviously 4.7, 22 and 47

 

[Grubb]

For some reason my family get really grumpy when I am playing a fuzz pedal really loud in the early hours…

My wife doesn't love the sound of the multimeter indicating continuity after a certain time of night either

 

[caiofilipini]

Back in the day 5, 25 and 50 were common values today it's obviously 4.7, 22 and 47

I would agree with this for the most part, except for the Rangemaster. I found 4n7 to be a little too low a value (i.e. too bright, lacks a little body) to my ears in most tests. I tend to use 5n6 caps that test slightly lower than that in that circuit, because it's what I found to work best. Still plenty honky, but not too thin sounding. YMMV.

Anyway, good work there, @JamieJ! As you've probably seen on the other thread, I've had my share o breadboarding these vintage style circuits. Let me know if I can help!

 

[Mcknib]

I would agree with this for the most part, except for the Rangemaster. I found 4n7 to be a little too low a value

Yeah definitely, funnily enough all I've built recently are the various Rangemaster versions and a 4n7 on it's own is underwhelming to say the least

I'm glad you said that I thought it was just me!

I've currently got the Texan twang on the breadboard and the throbak strange master on an etched board

You forget how good the humble rangemaster can sound

 

[Gordo]

Ha! Maybe you can mod your DMM to include either a volume knob or a headphone jack

 

[JamieJ]

More progress!

After loads of messing with bias resistors and swapping out transistors I think I am almost done.

This one is a tricky one but it sounds great.

So far I’ve got:
Q1E 1v
Q2C 9.2v- 5.8v
Q3C 7v - 3.9v

It seems I’m struggling to get the correct voltage on Q3C so there’s a bit more work to do.