# DIY kits for effect pedals



## bogoboy (May 21, 2006)

It seems that it's easy to assemble most stomp pedals - all you need is solder a few components (carefully following the instructions) and with any luck, it'll work. 

I found this company online, General Guitar Gadgets anyone bought anything from them or know someone who has?

Bogoboy


----------



## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

bogoboy said:


> It seems that it's easy to assemble most stomp pedals - all you need is solder a few components (carefully following the instructions) and with any luck, it'll work.
> 
> I found this company online, General Guitar Gadgets anyone bought anything from them or know someone who has?
> 
> Bogoboy


No, but I'm planning on a few BYOC kits from axeandyoushallreceive (waiting for the 10band graphic EQ and a slowgear).


----------



## Guest (Apr 5, 2008)

GGG is great. Ditto for BYOC. I've built kits from both of them with good results. Recently used a BYOC Large Beaver board to make a my Messy Muff pedal. Kind of an extreme take on an already extreme pedal. Sounds like...wall of noise. :smile:

For me the hardest part is always getting things into enclosures. I have issues when it comes to soldering lugs to wires. I keep meaning to pick up some liquid flux...


----------



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

JD Sleep, who "runs" GGG has been a fellow hobbyist for years now, and is as trustworthy as the day is long. In some instances, the ONLY difference between GGG and BYOC (which actually came on the scene later if memory serves) is the layout of the board. Certainly the components are no different, but anyone selling a clone of a pedal that either is or used to be commercially available is obliged to come up with their own PCB layout. Some are based around a Hammond 1590B chassis and some around a Hammond 1590BB chassis. Some are based around THIS size/brand of capacitor, and some around THAT brand. Some around THIS layout of controls, and some around THAT one. Another useful source for well-made and well laid-out effect boards/kits is http://www.tonepad.com 

Not having ordered anything from either, though (I do all my own boards, soup to nuts), I can't speak to delivery times/charges.


----------



## Guest (Apr 6, 2008)

I will say I have a few minor gripes with the BYOC kits. I dislike their enclosure sizes. I prefer BB-sized enclosures (like Barber uses) to the 125B-type enclosures that BYOC uses (which I find too tall). I also dislike that they use rotary switches on a lot of their designs as the float for the PCB board. It wasn't always this way. They seem to be slowly redesigning all their boards around the same rotary switch and doing away with standoff posts. On some pedals the rotary switch is all the float support the PCB gets.


----------



## Kapo_Polenton (Jun 20, 2007)

That GGG blues breaker pedal looks and sounds sweet to me.


----------



## bogoboy (May 21, 2006)

Has anyone emailed general guitar gadgets? (http://www.generalguitargadgets.com) I've sent him at least two emails and nothing. I'm a bit nervous doing any business with what seems to be either a lack of organization or a bad attitude.


----------



## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

I've been making my own effects pedals for 2 weeks now. I've already made 2 that turned out really great. I've also moded my Ibanez TS-7.

The universal circuit board kits take more time to build than the PCB kidt. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the circuit of a fuzz pedal, for example. It will still take longer to assemble than a PCB version of an amp emulator.


----------



## Wheeman (Dec 4, 2007)

I think half the fun of building a DIY pedal is getting the parts and designing the board. It may not be feasible for most, which the kits come into play, but its just my opinion.

If parts aren't exact, it'll still work but it will sound different.

And after building, finding and modifying a suitable enclosure is the other half of the fun. You can use anything: electrical junction boxes, old switch-boxes, an old clock radio, etc.

Meh, just my $0.02.


----------



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

bogoboy said:


> Has anyone emailed general guitar gadgets? (http://www.generalguitargadgets.com) I've sent him at least two emails and nothing. I'm a bit nervous doing any business with what seems to be either a lack of organization or a bad attitude.


The perennial problem with web-based businesses is that what is essentially a one-man operation can APPEAR to be far more organized or well-staffed than it really is. The fact is that, no matter how professional the web-site looks, you shouldn't necessarily expect the same thing you encounter at Mouser or Dell. If one of JD's kids gets sick, or if JD gets the flu, or if somebody comes to his street and accidentally cuts a cable while digging for a new sewer pipe, the client is effectively cut off. When the one man in a one-man operation goes to the dentist, the business is closed.

Trust me, JD is *very* attentive to clients, and very honest, but GGG is not a full-time job, and he does not have a staff of dozens to take orders and respond to customer concerns. Be patient, and your patience will be rewarded.


----------



## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

Wheeman said:


> I think half the fun of building a DIY pedal is getting the parts and designing the board. It may not be feasible for most, which the kits come into play, but its just my opinion.
> 
> If parts aren't exact, it'll still work but it will sound different.
> 
> ...


My approach is not as artistic. I use the standard sized enclosure with the holes already drilled.


----------

