Mickguard Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 I'm building a tubescreamer kit I bought from General Guitar Gadgets. Here's the schematic In the lower left-hand corner, what is that D5 supposed to be? I'm assuming it's a diode, but which? On GGG's layout , the D5 is in the lower right-hand corner --from the drawing, it appears he means that to be the same diode used for the D1 and D2 positions. In the instructions he writes that D5 is optional, it is there to prevent reverse polarity power from destroying the IC. but he doesn't say what to place there. I've written to him about it, but haven't gotten a response yet (he might not be around, the last time I wrote to him he responded within hours). But maybe one of you electronics whizkids know this one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sock Puppet Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 It's common to use something like a 1N4001/2/3/4/5/6/7 in that position - does the kit come with one of these? S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted November 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 The kit came with three 1N914s --two of those are for the D1 and D2 positions--but it seemed like the third was meant for us as one of the mods (putting two diodes in the D2 position). Can I use the third one at the D5 spot? I have a couple of similar diodes pulled from an old circuit board--but they aren't numbers, just marked with colored stripes, and I haven't found a reference for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoughtless 7 Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 If worst case, you can probably buy one for about 2p. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted November 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 If worst case, you can probably buy one for about 2p. Well, it's a kit, everything's supposed to be in there. And besides, the nearest electronics place is an hour a way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sock Puppet Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 Looking at the parts list: http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_its8_bom.pdf D5 is shown as a 1N914. I wouldn't have thought it had enough current capability to provide adequate protection against reverse supply - it seems that it's designed to go short circuit in this instance. I would plumb for a 1N4007 in there (always handy to have around) but use it if you wish, or leave it out until you get one - can't remember the last time I had a power supply connected the wrong way. S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 My suggestion would be to solder in the 1N914 in that position - it's listed in the parts list, then get in touch with GGG about the possible missing diode - have they provided all other optional parts for mods? If they have then it's probably missing, if not, then I think you'll to source need the parts for the mods yourself (including that extra 1N914 diode). It's a safeguard against you soldering in the battery/power the wrong way round...though if you're switched on enough to wonder about the diodes like this, I doubt you'll make that kinda mistake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted November 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 Looking at the parts list: http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_its8_bom.pdf D5 is shown as a 1N914. Ha! That line isn't in the BOM I downloaded....he must have changed it, I didn't think to look again. Thanks for pointing it out. Since I didn't do the assymmetric clipping mod, I still have the third 1N914 to use there, so no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Just to follow this up. the guy from GGG contacted me pretty quickly, he had indeed uploaded new documents. I finished the box yesterday...really is an awesome pedal, I especially like the fat mod. Think my next electronics project might be an analog synth...gulp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Wow, cool stuff on that site. I like the idea of DIY, even if the cost-savings isn't always "spectacular". Anybody have an opinion on the TS vs. the Guv'nor vs. the BluesBreaker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Pretty cool stuff! I might have to get one of these boxes from there or BYOC and try it out for a rainy day. How does it compare to the original? That's always what I want to know. Well, that and why with all these boutique amps and tube-driven boxes, why everyone is still using the Boss DS-1 Congrats on finishing the box, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted December 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 I've never heard the original other than on recordings. I bought a TS-5 last summer because I was curious about the Tubescreamer legend, and the TS-5 pedal (cheap crap, bad switch, but only 25 euros) was already the best overdrive I'd found. And this pedal is just lightyears beyond that, especially with the added flexibiltity of the mods. I looked at the BYOC kits too, but I went back to GGG for a couple of reasons: the first is that BYOC throws in every single mod available in their kit, which just seemed too confusing for me (I'm new at this). I thought that GGG didn't include mods...turns out they do, but they're presented as just part of the basic build. The pcb is extremely well laid-out and labeled, I don't know what the BYOC looks like. The other is more silly: GGG gives colored-coded wires and plenty of solder. Just a little touch I appreciated. As for the price, finding an original, modded TS-8, if it's possible, would cost way more than the $60 I spent on this kit! One thing I'd like to do in the future is design my own multi-FX box --- take this kit, add an echo/delay, a tremolo and maybe a ring mod or other noise maker and slap them all into the same enclosure -- all wiring internal, single power supply...must be possible, right? I'll have to put a photo up of the finished pedal. That's another 'feature' of the DIY thing--you can make it look the way you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidlook Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 I built the BYOC kit and it was all easy to follow, the mods are not something to be confused about unless you want to. Haven't got around to finishing the box though, but it shure sounds good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 That multieffects pedal sounds great, Mick! I think Line 6 already builds one, though They call it the Pod, I think. All joking aside, though, I don't see how it could be all that difficult, assuming you put them all in the chain you want, and never hope to change the effects chain. You just need a bigger aluminum box! Well, you could even get around the effects routing, if you really planned for it. Just make a switching unit and wire it up with short patch cables. The back of your multieffects unit could look like a rack setup or something Keith Emerson might play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastertone007 Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Aww man, now i am gassing to build my own one from a kit. I once tried to make my own with out a kit. What a nightmare. I had to make the PCB board and everything. Safe to say it didnt work. Lol Rock on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted December 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 never hope to change the effects chain. You just need a bigger aluminum box! See, I really like simplicity. Don't want too many options. Really want something I can turn on and off, bang, there's the sound. That's a dream of course, too much cool stuff out there. Because now that I think of it, I'd have to find room for the tuner....and I just picked up a volume pedal I really like... I built the BYOC kit and it was all easy to follow, the mods are not something to be confused about unless you want to. I didn't mean to imply that the BYOC build wasn't easy --only that at the time I was looking, the way BYOC presented things just kind of overwhelmed me...too much to choose from, when I didn't know what I wanted in the first place. BYOC's approach is probably a big plus for someone else, so I don't see that as a negative thing, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoughtless 7 Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Congrats man. I've built a couple of BYOC pedals and i liked how they turned out. I've often thought about making a multiFX, or using a stereo cable to power onboard guitar fx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anti-Idiot Posted December 5, 2007 Report Share Posted December 5, 2007 your kit has 3 diodes, two for clipping and one for polarity protection (since the pcb doesnt have another place to put the third diode. your kit was meant to use symmetric clipping) if u want asymmetric clipping, get another diode (ge, si or led). if you need more help on stomboxes, check diystompboxes, they talk only bout stompboxes, so if u r into that, and also into diy guitars, then both forums will be a lot of help (i've learned a lot on both forums, there r such amazing people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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