I know some folks have expressed interest in pedal building but weren't sure where to start.
I've designed a PCB for a circuit called a Bazz Fuss which is a very basic fuzz/OD/Distortion/Boost depending how you build it. It's the same circuit as the 7 minute fuzz but with some power filtering and a larger board which I think is easier to handle if you're not used to it. It makes the board a little bigger this way but it's still just over a square inch (30x30mm).
I can supply some building docs and help to get you started, all free, I'm not trying to make money here but can lend a hand in the building department if people are coming fresh to this as it's a fun hobby and you get to make your very own fuzz pedal that you can tailor to your own tastes.
It's a single knob pedal and the PCB looks like this and measures around 30x30mm.
Features:
- Made for true bypass switching.
- Wired for top mounted jacks, but you can run wires wherever your like.
- Has a PCB mounted pot, but you can run wires to wherever you want.
- Has LED and corresponding CLR situated on the board.
- Power filtered via the 100uf cap there.
- All wires (jacks, switch, power) connect to the PCB
- Uses a ground plane so it's quiet and saves running ground wires everywhere
I haven't ordered any but I can do so if people are interested and it wouldn't be more than about $1 for the effect PCB and the 3PDT (footswitch) PCB you'll also need (saves wiring switch lugs).
You'll need to source the components that go on the PCB (resistors, capacitors, transistor, diode, jacks, switch, DC jack, enclosure, LED, wire) so the total cost would probably run you about $30-$40.
The joys of this circuit are swapping components and hearing how the sound changes and learning a little bit about pedals/circuits as you go. Change the diode for more/less gain, change the IN capacitor for more/less bass, change the output cap for more/less fullness, change the transistor (Q1) for a nice chilled sound (use something like a BC550) or something like a thermonuclear fuzzapocalypse and use an MPSA12.
There's a huge scope here for a basic treble booster, a gnarly glitchy fuzz, a classic overdrive, whatever you want but you have to socket the components so you can switch them out easily. That means that instead of soldering in a component like a resistor or capacitor you instead solder in these little pins and insert the component legs into those pins, just snap off what you need (see here: https://www.taydaelectronics.com/30-pin ... -type.html) then you can change at your leisure.
But that's getting out in the weeds! Sorry.
Any interest?
FYI here's a naked pedal of mine before it's boxed. You can see the switch PCB at the bottom and how the wires from that board connect to the main effect PCB above it and also how the jacks and power are connected up top. Those 2 loose wires connect to the DC jack.