Pedal builds (aka Birthday Kit-AS)

stickyfiddle

Twas me birthday on Friday, and we were back home so I got some guitar-flavoured kit my way. Between pressies and stuff I ordered myself I now have a Les Luis kit, a Schaller tremolo kit, as well as the remaining bits I needed to turn the assorted Rat, Fuzz Factory and Big Muff parts I already had into proper actual pedals. All from pedalparts.co.uk. Full reports once I get them built

stickyfiddle

I also went to Scotland and bought some craft-type gins, which was nice

not_the_dj

Nice one. I love my Les Luis, just fantastic with a Tele.

stickyfiddle

not_the_dj said:

Nice one. I love my Les Luis, just fantastic with a Tele.

I'm hoping I will too. No guilt cloning that one either

I've never owned anything remotely tweed-flavoured but would thoroughly love a Cornell Romany so hopefully this'll get me some of the way there.

The Muff and Rat are intended to become mod projects rather than just straight builds, but I'll get them built and working first before I start poking around with changing them.

guitargeek62

Nice going! I keep meaning to pick up one of the Fuzz Face  BC108/Axis kits from there, maybe a Ross Comp too. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out

Also, where's the Les Lius from then? I love the demos I've heard but didn't realise it wasn't an original design!?!

rpr

stickyfiddle

guitargeek62 said:

Nice going! I keep meaning to pick up one of the Fuzz Face  BC108/Axis kits from there, maybe a Ross Comp too. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out

Also, where's the Les Lius from then? I love the demos I've heard but didn't realise it wasn't an original design!?!

I cant remember but I'm sure I read it was an copied circuit. Unless i'm wrong of course!

stickyfiddle

I don't normally make much effort with aesthetics on home-builds, but I thought I'd give it go with these, so I've been spraying.

Got some Krylon from the local "Ace Hardware" which sprays really well; very easy to get even, and dries super quick. I've done 3 so far. Next up will be the Rat, which will be a bit more special if I get it right- wanted to build some confidence on plain colours before going for anything as clever as 2 colours!

Onto the pics.

ROOG

Good start, looking forward to your completed 'gut-shots'.

Go on put a design on it.

not_the_dj

stickyfiddle said:

guitargeek62 said:

Nice going! I keep meaning to pick up one of the Fuzz Face  BC108/Axis kits from there, maybe a Ross Comp too. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out

Also, where's the Les Lius from then? I love the demos I've heard but didn't realise it wasn't an original design!?!

I cant remember but I'm sure I read it was an copied circuit. Unless i'm wrong of course!

A modded Elecrtra distortion circuit apparently. Never heard of that apart from in anti Lovepedal threads....all I know is it's a great sounding pedal. 

stickyfiddle

ROOG said:

Good start, looking forward to your completed 'gut-shots'.

Go on put a design on it.

Only trouble with a design is I have no idea if/where I can get the appropriate transfer paper here in Abu Dhabi, so that might have to wait!

stickyfiddle

Rat...

(yes, that's too many holes... :-B )

ROOG

stickyfiddle said:

ROOG said:

Good start, looking forward to your completed 'gut-shots'.

Go on put a design on it.

Only trouble with a design is I have no idea if/where I can get the appropriate transfer paper here in Abu Dhabi, so that might have to wait!

Bet the paint dries real quick!

guitargeek62

Looking good. 8)

stickyfiddle

Got one done!

I had a bash on the Les Lius kit this afternoon.

Board part-populated:

Test fit of components:

Initial wiring. This one had loads of off-board stuff for its size so was pretty fiddly to get it tidy.

Everything finished. And it worked first time

Not my neatest but pretty decent for the amount of wiring in there. Need to find a way to make LED wiring look better.



Could do with a washer under the pots to lower the knobs a smidge, but I'm happy. Sounds pretty good too, which is always a bonus 

Incidentally, this little widget is brilliant for anyone building pedals, or just with loads of pedals and not wanting to put them all on a board with a PSU. Just a battery snap wired to a Boss jack

Rocker

Nice work mate.  Clever using the toggle switch to secure the PCB.  Very clever to use a battery snap wired to a Boss jack. 

stickyfiddle

Rocker said:

Nice work mate.  Clever using the toggle switch to secure the PCB.  Very clever to use a battery snap wired to a Boss jack. 

Cheers. The switch-mounting for the PCB is very neat and the pots fit perfectly under it. A lot of the pedalparts kits come with board-mounted pots, which is brilliant IMO. Secures  the board without using the jacks, which neatly avoids putting major stress on the joints.

dindude

Yeah, I made up a battery snap / boss barrel thing like yours some time ago and agree, it's cracking just for trying out a pedal in an instant without needing to find power or having to get out the screwdriver.

Nice work on the pedal btw Including the finish), I tried a kit once and it wasnt very successful. Depends how you measure success of course, my measure was simply does it work? No.

stickyfiddle

I'm really pleased with the spraying. I've only ever had the guts to do Hammerite before, knowing it wouldn't be perfect, but this was actually far easier. Just a couple of quick coats, then light sand with 600 grit and a couple more coats on top. Brilliant!

The silver paint looks even better than the gold. That'll be the Muff so will get some black and red when I get my head around where I want it. Will probably build the fuzz factory next as that enclosure's ready to go!

I highly recommend pedalparts if you want another go at a kit. Their simple boosts are really simple- one board mounted pot and a handful of other parts makes for a very quick build with little to go wrong. He's even doing little daughter-boards for the switch to make that easier too.

Ianpdq

stickyfiddle said:

ROOG said:

Good start, looking forward to your completed 'gut-shots'.

Go on put a design on it.

Only trouble with a design is I have no idea if/where I can get the appropriate transfer paper here in Abu Dhabi, so that might have to wait!

How about this http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/.-Inkjet-Water-Slide-Decal-Paper_151.htm

stickyfiddle

Ianpdq said:

stickyfiddle said:

ROOG said:

Good start, looking forward to your completed 'gut-shots'.

Go on put a design on it.

Only trouble with a design is I have no idea if/where I can get the appropriate transfer paper here in Abu Dhabi, so that might have to wait!

How about this http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/.-Inkjet-Water-Slide-Decal-Paper_151.htm

Postage to Abu Dhabi is going to be huge though, not to mention we don't actually have a postal service...

I might be able to find some in an art shop in one of the malls. I sense a quest beginning!!