Where Can I Find Some Good Schematics?

BuddytheReow

Breadboard Baker
Hey All,

Besides EVERY build doc on this site and other PCB oriented sites, where can I find a good depository of schematics? Specifically more original ones, but pedal clones are cool too. Runoffgroove is pretty good and you’ve got to dig through diystompboxes to find a decent one.
Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: fig
Hey All,

Besides EVERY build doc on this site and other PCB oriented sites, where can I find a good depository of schematics? Specifically more original ones, but pedal clones are cool too. Runoffgroove is pretty good and you’ve got to dig through diystompboxes to find a decent one.
Thanks!
If you can find a PDF copy of Brian Wampler's How to Modify Guitar Pedals. There are a fair few good ones in there. Some a crap as well though.
 
That is an expensive book…
definitely worth it in my opinion though. Helped me understand the pedals I already owned a bit better. Also gives you a vague idea on what omissions and additions to components in the circuit will do to the overall sound. It ia expensive though. I have 2 of them because the online shop I bought it from lost the first one I purchased which eventually showed up waaay after the second one they sent arrived. 2 for the price of one 👌
 
There's no single repository of schematics that is not without wheat and chaff.

Original stuff is harder to eek out, most original stuff is found in singles or small clusters — not a repository/depository.

Certainly you may be already familiar with some if not most of the following,
and you've already mentioned DIYstompboxes.com and ROG, but to aggregate for those unfamiliar, there's also:





Search out Tim Escobedo's collection of projects, if you haven't already. Great stuff to breadboard and some you'll want to build into an enclosure, too. There's a lot of dead links for his stuff, but eventually you'll come across his whole collection. Hit me up if you can't track the collection down, I may be able to help.






Vero layouts, but some schematics to be had here, too:


Perf, but often links to the schematic are included (mostly linked back to FSB mentioned above):


Click on "Pedals" here:


Gauss Markov was a great resource, but is alas gone. Some of the info is still found scattered around the Net, though.
[EDIT APR 18 2024: Markov's stuff can be found again in online archives]

Jack Orman's blog and his AMZ website are great reads.


RG Keen's an icon:


GGG is always worth a click (breadboard/build all the Dan Armstrong stuff!):



COMPARE SUBTELTIES:

Grey vs Mustard DOD 250
Black vs Tan Ross dirt (and indeed, compare with the DOD 250 and MXR DIST+ and Armstrong Blue Clipper etc etc)

Have a look at the BASS stuff. A lot of it sounds great on other instruments as well and/or can be tweaked to taste. For example the BazzFuss (Check out Hemmo's other circuits, too BTW, not just the Bazz Fuss) or compare the differences between the ubiquitous EHX Boost LPB-1 and the "Bass" version the EHX Hog's Foot/Mole — what happens when you use the Mole's cap values for the LPB-1 BUT skip the added-on caps of the Mole?



REVERSE ENGINEER!
Got a layout for an effect but can't find the schematic? Make your own schematic from the layout! This is a great exercise and I've learned a lot by doing it. Especially good here on the PPCB forum where a new PCB will drop before the schematic and build doc is ready. I've had to make my own schematics from a couple PCBs I didn't have build docs for — a year after I got the PCBs (ironically within a day or so after I made the schematic the build-doc finally dropped — 'twasn't PPCB, BTW). Lots of stuff to reverse from aforementioned sites Tagboard (vero) and Effects Layouts (perf), but also check out https://dirtboxlayouts.blogspot.com/, there's a few there that don't have schematics posted though most do.



There's a few more smaller sites of projects/schematics from the nooks and crannies of the Web that are rattling around in the nooks and crannies of my computer's HD, as well as the nooks and crannies in my grey matter — I'll try to remember to post them here whenever they momentarily surface from the N&C ethers to be dusted off...


EDIT:
Adding Fig's linked Revolution Deux , a long-time fave!
BEAVIS of course
MOOSAPOTAMUS! A LONG long-time fave of mine.
Viva Analog — check out the old and new sites respectively.
Aron Nelson's Gallery is a H U G E repository
http://davidegironi.blogspot.com/ ventures away from pedal-specifics, but worth a snoop.


More yet to come...

PPS: Joe Gagan, was going to include him in the first edit, but the mind-sieve ... Anyway, some cool circs from Monsieur Gagan.
 
Last edited:
There's no single repository of schematics that is not without wheat and chaff.

Original stuff is harder to eek out, most original stuff is found in singles or small clusters — not a repository/depository.

Certainly you may be already familiar with some if not most of the following,
and you've already mentioned DIYstompboxes.com and ROG, but to aggregate for those unfamiliar, there's also:





Search out Tim Escobedo's collection of projects, if you haven't already. Great stuff to breadboard and some you'll want to build into an enclosure, too. There's a lot of dead links for his stuff, but eventually you'll come across his whole collection. Hit me up if you can't track the collection down, I may be able to help.






Vero layouts, but some schematics to be had here, too:


Perf, but often links to the schematic are included (mostly linked back to FSB mentioned above):


Click on "Pedals" here:


Gauss Markov was a great resource, but is alas gone. Some of the info is still found scattered around the Net, though.


Jack Orman's blog and his AMZ website are great reads.


RG Keen's an icon:


GGG is always worth a click (breadboard/build all the Dan Armstrong stuff!):



COMPARE SUBTELTIES:

Grey vs Mustard DOD 250
Black vs Tan Ross dirt (and indeed, compare with the DOD 250 and MXR DIST+ and Armstrong Blue Clipper etc etc)

Have a look at the BASS stuff. A lot of it sounds great on other instruments as well and/or can be tweaked to taste. For example the BazzFuss (Check out Hemmo's other circuits, too BTW, not just the Bazz Fuss) or compare the differences between the ubiquitous EHX Boost LPB-1 and the "Bass" version the EHX Hog's Foot/Mole — what happens when you use the Mole's cap values for the LPB-1 BUT skip the added-on caps of the Mole?



REVERSE ENGINEER!
Got a layout for an effect but can't find the schematic? Make your own schematic from the layout! This is a great exercise and I've learned a lot by doing it. Especially good here on the PPCB forum where a new PCB will drop before the schematic and build doc is ready. I've had to make my own schematics from a couple PCBs I didn't have build docs for — a year after I got the PCBs (ironically within a day or so after I made the schematic the build-doc finally dropped — 'twasn't PPCB, BTW). Lots of stuff to reverse from aforementioned sites Tagboard (vero) and Effects Layouts (perf), but also check out https://dirtboxlayouts.blogspot.com/, there's a few there that don't have schematics posted though most do.



There's a few more smaller sites of projects/schematics from the nooks and crannies of the Web that are rattling around in the nooks and crannies of my computer's HD, as well as the nooks and crannies in my grey matter — I'll try to remember to post them here whenever they momentarily surface from the N&C ethers to be dusted off...
Well done.
 
Hey All,

Besides EVERY build doc on this site and other PCB oriented sites, where can I find a good depository of schematics? Specifically more original ones, but pedal clones are cool too. Runoffgroove is pretty good and you’ve got to dig through diystompboxes to find a decent one.
If you can find a PDF copy of Brian Wampler's How to Modify Guitar Pedals. There are a fair few good ones in there. Some a crap as well though.
Im happy to send you pics of any specific schematics from the book if you want them.
 
Here are a few more (the schematics are mixed in with the layouts):

https://vero-p2p.blogspot.com/ Guitar Effects - Vero - Point to Point - Tag Board Layouts
https://dirtboxlayouts.blogspot.com/ Dirtbox Layouts
https://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/ Fuzz Central
https://manticorefx.wordpress.com/ Manticore FX
https://www.sabrotone.com/ Sabrotone


Gauss Markov was a great resource, but is alas gone.
@Feral Feline - what was the original link to Gauss Markov? Have you tried looking for archived web snapshots of it using the Wayback Machine? I.e., https://web.archive.org/ Let me know the old links, and I can check.
 
Last edited:
...

@Feral Feline - what was the original link to Gauss Markov? Have you tried looking for archived web snapshots of it using the Wayback Machine? I.e., https://web.archive.org/ Let me know the old links, and I can check.
I did try the Wayback Machine with some success.


HOWEVER...

Just recently I found a good chunk of the Gauss Markov stuff has also been archived on Freestompboxes!



It had been a very lonnnnnggg time since I had last searched for any of Markov's info — because the last time I did so I couldn't find a sliver of circuitry. Now, thanks to the FSB Museum, I have most of the schematics, layouts and BOMs I wanted for the circuits Gauss Markov wrote about.
 
I'll add here the datasheet I just wrote for my RockEngine (ex-Shockman, ex-Rock Brain). I hated every minute of writing it, (who likes writing docs?), but I had to do it if I'm hoping to sell any in this "eff it, you finish it!" format. Hopefully someone here will get something out of it. Maybe build your own, or part of it.
 

Attachments

  • RE Datasheet 2024-04-11.pdf
    1.5 MB · Views: 13
I'll add here the datasheet I just wrote for my RockEngine (ex-Shockman, ex-Rock Brain). I hated every minute of writing it, (who likes writing docs?), but I had to do it if I'm hoping to sell any in this "eff it, you finish it!" format. Hopefully someone here will get something out of it. Maybe build your own, or part of it.
That thing is really impressive!
 
Back
Top