Recommend some pedal kits for Christmas?

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ChalkyChalky Frets: 6807
edited November 2017 in FX
I'm thinking a pedal kit is a nice present for me when people say "What can we get you for Christmas?" I've built a Klone from a Chinese supplier and a Lovepedal Eternity from Bitsbox. 

Which supplier would you recommend? Which particular kits/pedals? I'm more looking for light dynamic crunch and fuzz, but are there any other pedal types that maybe you built and they turned out better than you expected? Any to avoid?
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  • Pedalparts (aka "Fuzzdog). Absolutely brilliant. 

    Do you have a Rat? Everyone should have a Rat. 
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • ThorpyFX Warthog ;)
    Link to my trading feedback:  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59452/
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  • Rats are too fizzy, maybe a rams head style muff or a tonebender variant?
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    Mad Professor Sweet Honey clone from fuzzdog is pretty light and very dynamic.  I can’t comment on the kit but have used the pcb a number of times and it’s excellent.

    https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/Bee_Juice_Overdrive/p847124_11961814.aspx

    Timmy clone
    https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/Candyman_Overdrive/p847124_11614726.aspx

    He also has a full section of fuzz kits though I haven’t built any of them.  If you want a full kit with zero hassle I can’t think why you’d look anywhere else.

    if you don’t mind ordering the parts yourself then Rullywow and Madbean have some cool PCBs you won’t find anywhere else.  Their BOM are really great so ordering the parts is pretty stress free.  Madbean even has some carts preloaded at mouser you can order so you don’t even have to pick your own parts.  
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  • TateFXTateFX Frets: 114
    tFB Trader
    Fuzz dog kits are always good (y) 
    Formerly Stu_Tate
    Tate FX
    www.TateFX.co.uk
    Instagram 
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  • ChalkyChalky Frets: 6807
    Thanks folks. Any more suggestions or recommendations? No bitsbox fans?
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    Chalky said:
    Thanks folks. Any more suggestions or recommendations? No bitsbox fans?
    I started with vero Chalky and compared to working with a pcb it’s a total faff IMHO.  I still use it when I can’t find a decent pcb for a circuit I want to build but when I can find one it’s an easier, neater and quicker build.  Less chance for mistakes as well when you’re not having to put links and track cuts in etc.  

    If you do order more bitsbox kits order some NPO ceramics separately as well and use those instead of the ones in the kit.  I swopped out all of the cheaper ceramics from my earlier builds and every single pedal sounded better with less noise when I was done.  
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  • I can certainly recommend Bitsbox for small orders of electronic bits and bobs, but if I was ordering a kit I'd be much more inclined to go for a PCB based one, particularly for anything remotely complicated- totally agree with Adam_MD- stripboard can be a total faff and it's much easier to make mistakes. 

    I've only used BYOC for kits in the past and can recommend them in terms of the quality of the kits and the instructions. I think Fuzzdog are probably better value though. 

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

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  • ChalkyChalky Frets: 6807
    Good points @Adam_MD and @english_bob and exactly the wisdom I was looking for, especially regarding the benefits of pcb vs vero.
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  • ellangusellangus Frets: 250
    These:
    http://www.gasfx.co.uk/gasfx.co.uk/The_Kits.html

    I got the Thru Drive kit a few years ago and it's great. really good quality too.

    Put together by Huw Price who was really helpful.

    Highly recommended.
    Along with many others, I got Scammed by J Collingridge 'Award Winning' Photographer. Full details about his behaviour on this and other forums can be found on this thread. If you have been Scammed by J Collingridge 'Award Winning' Photographer, let us know and even if you haven't, putting a similar message in your own signature will help us warn others.
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  • OctafishOctafish Frets: 1937
    edited November 2017
    Chalky said:
    Thanks folks. Any more suggestions or recommendations? No bitsbox fans?
    I'm a Bitsbox fan for components. I started out with a couple of kits from Bitsbox, then once I figured out what to do just started using the Tagboard schematics (which all Bitsbox kits are based on) and ordering all my own bits. I know some don't like it, but I do vero for all of mine. I actually enjoy it and it doesnt take more 20 min or so to cut out, drill, link the board and is way cheaper and i can build on the spur of the moement. I built the Sweet Honey OD for about £15 including pots, switchs, jack and an orange enclosure. With Fuzzdog you're heading towards £50 for such a build, but each to their own.

    Here's my Ge Sun Face clone. Little voltage inverter to the left, fuzz circuit to the right. Best fuzz I've got/played!

    https://i.imgur.com/sJahreb.jpg

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  • OctafishOctafish Frets: 1937
    ellangus said:
    These:
    http://www.gasfx.co.uk/gasfx.co.uk/The_Kits.html

    I got the Thru Drive kit a few years ago and it's great. really good quality too.

    Put together by Huw Price who was really helpful.

    Highly recommended.
    Not cheap for a simple overdrive kit though :o
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  • DesVegasDesVegas Frets: 4510
    edited November 2017
    Build a square wave tremolo and a fuzz kit. Ask Devi Ever for some skermaticks
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    ellangus said:
    These:
    http://www.gasfx.co.uk/gasfx.co.uk/The_Kits.html

    I got the Thru Drive kit a few years ago and it's great. really good quality too.

    Put together by Huw Price who was really helpful.

    Highly recommended.
    Wow that’s expensive for what it is.  I’d also take the Pepsi challenge to say I don’t think anyone could tell the difference between those PIO caps and poly film.
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    Octafish said:
    Chalky said:
    Thanks folks. Any more suggestions or recommendations? No bitsbox fans?
    I'm a Bitsbox fan for components. I started out with a couple of kits from Bitsbox, then once I figured out what to do just started using the Tagboard schematics (which all Bitsbox kits are based on) and ordering all my own bits. I know some don't like it, but I do vero for all of mine. I actually enjoy it and it doesnt take more 20 min or so to cut out, drill, link the board and is way cheaper and i can build on the spur of the moement. I built the Sweet Honey OD for about £15 including pots, switchs, jack and an orange enclosure. With Fuzzdog you're heading towards £50 for such a build, but each to their own.

    Here's my Ge Sun Face clone. Little voltage inverter to the left, fuzz circuit to the right. Best fuzz I've got/played!

    https://i.imgur.com/sJahreb.jpg

    In fairness your comparing buying a kit to ordering your own parts.  I just buy the boards from fuzzdog and order all the other parts separately.  The pcbs range from £4.50 to about £7 so it’s not like they’re expensive.  
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  • ChalkyChalky Frets: 6807
    Octafish said:
    Chalky said:
    Thanks folks. Any more suggestions or recommendations? No bitsbox fans?
    I'm a Bitsbox fan for components. I started out with a couple of kits from Bitsbox, then once I figured out what to do just started using the Tagboard schematics (which all Bitsbox kits are based on) and ordering all my own bits. I know some don't like it, but I do vero for all of mine. I actually enjoy it and it doesnt take more 20 min or so to cut out, drill, link the board and is way cheaper and i can build on the spur of the moement. I built the Sweet Honey OD for about £15 including pots, switchs, jack and an orange enclosure. With Fuzzdog you're heading towards £50 for such a build, but each to their own.

    Here's my Ge Sun Face clone. Little voltage inverter to the left, fuzz circuit to the right. Best fuzz I've got/played!

    https://i.imgur.com/sJahreb.jpg

    Which Bitsbox kit is the Sun Face clone?
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  • tampaxbootampaxboo Frets: 487
    edited November 2017
    Fuzzdog is my absolute favourite. his circuits sing and his mods/tweaks and quality control are second to none. and his pricing is also damn reasonable, espesh if you buy a few pcbs at once to piggyback the postage. his site is well organised too, so if you want dirt just go to the dirt section and browse. new stuff appears on his facebook a couple of times a week, so befriend if you want regular updates.

    some of the Madbean guys do some interesting pcbs too. worth checking out the PCBs section of the forum. a lot is US based which is sometimes a pain for postage. but often very doable.

    Grind Customs worth checking out. i made Rej Bernier's De Profundis (with Modulation board option) which is fab. def worth getting the pcb as it makes it tons easier to build than vero and also supports the designer. not an expensive way of keeping the wheels on the bus.

    Lectric FX another one. i made a modulation of theirs but forgotten which. but v good.

    would recommend all of those.
    i am the hired assassin... the specialist. i introduce myself to you... i'm a sadist.
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  • DesVegas said:
    Build a square wave tremolo and a fuzz kit. Ask Devi Ever for some skermaticks
    give the girl some money! god knows she's earned it after all she's been through for the love of pedals.
    hopefully she's doing some kind of kits now. i know she recently bought back her brand from dwarfcraft (i think) so she's back in the driving seat re new things and rereleases/revisions.
    i am the hired assassin... the specialist. i introduce myself to you... i'm a sadist.
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  • I'd put a good word in for musikding, too.  They do their own range of kits, plus packaged kits from a selection of DIY resources (GuitarPCB, TH Custom, etc).  Prices are good, shipping from Germany is reasonable, documentation is always available to download, and the few I've built (a Buzzaround clone and a ROG TriVibe) have both turned out really well.
    New fangled trading feedback link right here!
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    I'd put a good word in for musikding, too.  They do their own range of kits, plus packaged kits from a selection of DIY resources (GuitarPCB, TH Custom, etc).  Prices are good, shipping from Germany is reasonable, documentation is always available to download, and the few I've built (a Buzzaround clone and a ROG TriVibe) have both turned out really well.

    Musikding are also great for components even if you get the PCB from elsewhere.
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