Build kits

[Alex Kenivel]

I've been working on my soldering game more ever since I got my "helping hands" contraption to help work on my Strat. I've pulled out a TRS cable I made a few years ago and after opening it I gasped at my previous ugly work and proceeded to redo it with my newfound skills and tools.

I really enjoy this kind of tinkering and it's really got me gassing for some build kits. I really want to build an amp but I think I should start out small and build something like a drive pedal.

Who here is into this kind of stuff and what should I look at or stear clear from?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

If you're US based head over to https://www.pedalpcb.com Robert has pcbs for damn near everything. The forum there is super helpful if you have technical questions or need troubleshooting help.

 

[norminal]

If you're US based head over to https://www.pedalpcb.com Robert has pcbs for damn near everything. The forum there is super helpful if you have technical questions or need troubleshooting help.

Another vote for Pedal PCB.

HOWEVER, they do require some pretty intricate soldering due to how compact their layouts are. If you’re looking for something to ease your way into soldering, I’d suggest General Guitar Gadgets. They offer complete kits (or just PCB’s) with lots of space that’s much easier to get your iron into:

General Guitar Gadgets Store

DIY Stompboxes, DIY Electronics, DIY Guitar Effects Kits and Projects

store.generalguitargadgets.com

These days I just use Pedal PCB’s boards and order all my cases and components for TAYDA Electronics.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Another vote for Pedal PCB.

HOWEVER, they do require some pretty intricate soldering due to how compact their layouts are. If you’re looking for something to ease your way into soldering, I’d suggest General Guitar Gadgets. They offer complete kits (or just PCB’s) with lots of space that’s much easier to get your iron into:

General Guitar Gadgets Store

DIY Stompboxes, DIY Electronics, DIY Guitar Effects Kits and Projects

store.generalguitargadgets.com

These days I just use Pedal PCB’s boards and order all my cases and components for TAYDA Electronics.

Has the offboard wiring from GGG gotten any better? It was a complete faff last time I used one of their boards.

 

[norminal]

Has the offboard wiring from GGG gotten any better? It was a complete faff last time I used one of their boards.

It’s still not as nice and consistent like others. Pedal PCB, for as you probably already know, has adopted an almost standard layout for off-board wiring. I did a GGG Klon clone and getting it wired into the enclosure was rough with my fat fingers, but that experience helped me with later projects.

 

[norminal]

If you're US based head over to https://www.pedalpcb.com Robert has pcbs for damn near everything.

And there is a sale going on right now!

 

[SillyOctpuss]

It’s still not as nice and consistent like others. Pedal PCB, for as you probably already know, has adopted an almost standard layout for off-board wiring. I did a GGG Klon clone and getting it wired into the enclosure was rough with my fat fingers, but that experience helped me with later projects.

Yeah I ordered a few pcbs years ago but none of the pots or switches were board mounted and it was a pain in the ass. I might as well have just used vero.

These days I only order from pedalpcb, Madbean and Fuzzdog.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

If you're US based head over to https://www.pedalpcb.com Robert has pcbs for damn near everything. The forum there is super helpful if you have technical questions or need troubleshooting help.

I don't see any kits. I'd have to look up and order all the components separately?

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Another vote for Pedal PCB.

HOWEVER, they do require some pretty intricate soldering due to how compact their layouts are. If you’re looking for something to ease your way into soldering, I’d suggest General Guitar Gadgets. They offer complete kits (or just PCB’s) with lots of space that’s much easier to get your iron into:

General Guitar Gadgets Store

DIY Stompboxes, DIY Electronics, DIY Guitar Effects Kits and Projects

store.generalguitargadgets.com

These days I just use Pedal PCB’s boards and order all my cases and components for TAYDA Electronics.

I'm decent at soldering, guitar electronics and cables mostly but I like the idea of these full kits. I wonder how they compare to kits from places like https://guitarpedalparts.com/

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I don't see any kits. I'd have to look up and order all the components separately?

Yeah it's just pcbs. Fuzzdog pedal parts in the UK sell kits and Aion fx sell kits in the US - https://aionfx.com/. Aions build guides are also fantastic

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Yeah it's just pcbs. Fuzzdog pedal parts in the UK sell kits and Aion fx sell kits in the US - https://aionfx.com/. Aions build guides are also fantastic

Those look slick. I like the options. A bit pricier than what I was looking at previously but I'm interested in the Bluesbreaker build.

I kind of want to paint my own enclosure too

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Those look slick. I like the options. A bit pricier than what I was looking at previously but I'm interested in the Bluesbreaker build.

I kind of want to paint my own enclosure too

Everything at Aion from the kits themselves to the build docs are incredibly well thought out and really high quality.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Those look slick. I like the options. A bit pricier than what I was looking at previously but I'm interested in the Bluesbreaker build.

I kind of want to paint my own enclosure too

Sorry I just read the bit about wanting to paint your own enclosure. Fuzz dog in the UK is pretty much exactly what you're looking for, with the £ so shit against the $ now it might be worth just ordering from there. He'll drill the enclosure so you'd just have to paint it.

Lee's customer service is also top class and he has great build docs.

Fuzz Dog's Pedal Parts

DIY guitar effects pedal kits, super switches, perfect PCBs.. All you need for DIY effect pedal building.

shop.pedalparts.co.uk

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Sorry I just read the bit about wanting to paint your own enclosure. Fuzz dog in the UK is pretty much exactly what you're looking for, with the £ so s**t against the $ now it might be worth just ordering from there. He'll drill the enclosure so you'd just have to paint it.

Lee's customer service is also top class and he has great build docs.

Fuzz Dog's Pedal Parts

DIY guitar effects pedal kits, super switches, perfect PCBs.. All you need for DIY effect pedal building.

shop.pedalparts.co.uk

If only!

"We're only building for UK customers right now. Please don't order from elsewhere as we'll simply have to refund you. You're currently looking at two weeks for pre-built pedals. Hang tight!"

Shipping a kit from Aion brings me close to $100 for my first kit build - too expensive, might as well just buy a pedal at those prices.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

If only!

"We're only building for UK customers right now. Please don't order from elsewhere as we'll simply have to refund you. You're currently looking at two weeks for pre-built pedals. Hang tight!"

Shipping a kit from Aion brings me close to $100 for my first kit build - too expensive, might as well just buy a pedal at those prices.

I'm pretty sure that's just if you want him to build it for you. He'll still ship kits anywhere.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I'm pretty sure that's just if you want him to build it for you. He'll still ship kits anywhere.

Yeh, look to be so. Just ordered their Angry Chuck V3 kit for around $82USD including shipping and taxes - a pretty good price for an Angry Charlie. No idea when it might get here but I'll have a cool project to work on at some point!

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Yeh, look to be so. Just ordered their Angry Chuck V3 kit for around $82USD including shipping and taxes - a pretty good price for an Angry Charlie. No idea when it might get here but I'll have a cool project to work on at some point!

If I know Lee it will be posted on Monday. The pedalpcb site I mentioned above has a very active forum of you do need any help or trouble shooting. It doesn't have to be a pedalpcb build to post about it.

Keep us posted I like looking at pedal gut shots

 

[Alex Kenivel]

If I know Lee it will be posted on Monday. The pedalpcb site I mentioned above has a very active forum of you do need any help or trouble shooting. It doesn't have to be a pedalpcb build to post about it.

Keep us posted I like looking at pedal gut shots

I'm excited and only slightly nervous for not getting something simple to start out with, but I wanted something I might like and use more than a simple fuzz clone.

This may be the start of a new addiction!

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I'm excited and only slightly nervous for not getting something simple to start out with, but I wanted something I might like and use more than a simple fuzz clone.

This may be the start of a new addiction!

It's unbelievably addictive. In 6 months you'll be planning builds in batches of 4 to 6 and ordering 100 resistors instead of the 5 you need to get the price breaks. In 12 months your build area will look like this

And in two years you'll finally realise you could have saved a shit ton of money by just buying the fucking pedals you wanted in the first place

 

[Piing]

Great resource:

DIYstompboxes.com - Index

DIYstompboxes.com - Index

www.diystompboxes.com