# Resources



## fig (Aug 18, 2021)

Post links to supplies, tools, tutorials, cat videos, that turbo-lift blooper reel. Anything related to breadboarding (makes sense huh?)


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## Coda (Aug 18, 2021)

This was a big help…

http://diy.smallbearelec.com/Projects/FurFace/FurFace.htm

This too…

http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/fuzzface/fffram.htm


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## BuddytheReow (Aug 18, 2021)

This was really helpful for me when starting out. You don't actually need a beavis board, but the fundamentals and a handful of projects are there to build along with.



			beavis audio research
		


This one is incredibly important if you're interested in any theory. A must if you're interested in circuit designs and explains things very clearly if you're just starting out.


			https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/


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## Big Monk (Aug 18, 2021)

I built what I call "The Prototyper:















These pictures are when I first put it together and I've since added an LED, shielded wire, etc.:


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## Coda (Aug 18, 2021)

Another thing I'll add, though I'm sure not everyone would agree: clipped resistor legs make great jumpers...provided the distance is minimal. They also help been the board a little less cluttered, since you don't have all those long loopy jumper wires. Plus, everyone has tons of clipped resistor legs laying around, literally. Go ahead, look down, I guarantee you'll see one...


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## Big Monk (Aug 18, 2021)

Coda said:


> Another thing I'll add, though I'm sure not everyone would agree: clipped resistor legs make great jumpers...provided the distance is minimal. They also help been the board a little less cluttered, since you don't have all those long loopy jumper wires. Plus, everyone has tons of clipped resistor legs laying around, literally. Go ahead, look down, I guarantee you'll see one...



To piggyback on this for a moment: I tend to trim my resistors for use in the breadboard anyway. I do not generally use full leads and tons of wires. Everything is tidier, it's easier to swap stuff in and out, and I'll need to clip the leads anyway when I put them in an actual circuit anyway.

I keep a bin of pre-cut wires as well at various lengths for use as jumpers.


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## BuddytheReow (Aug 24, 2021)

http://www.muzique.com/ - Can't go wrong with that. Especially if you're a "tweaker"

http://www.geofex.com/ - Same here

https://www.coda-effects.com/ - great resource for pedal builders/modders

https://www.electrosmash.com/ - has some pretty good circuit analyses of Big name pedals


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## Chuck D. Bones (Aug 24, 2021)

Take electrosmash's analyses with a grain of salt.  Some are good, some are fairly close, and a few are not so good.

Here's one of the largest repositories of pedal schematics I've found.
http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.com/
They also have quite a few amp schematics.

Kit Rae runs the best Big Muff resource.
http://www.kitrae.net/music/music_big_muff.html

Bear in mind that any schematic you find on the 'net could have errors of one kind or another.


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## BuddytheReow (Aug 30, 2021)

How OD/Distortion circuits are designed with Opamps. Gives a good high level how they are designed. Actual component values are up to you, but this gives you a general idea.






						Design Your Own Distortion | General Guitar Gadgets
					






					www.generalguitargadgets.com


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## JetFixxxer (Sep 10, 2021)

Too lazy to repost everything 




__





						Vendor List Thread
					

Didn't see one.  Here's a few I use that some might not know.  I get my pickup and hook up wiring here. https://www.remingtonindustries.com/  Some instrument cable here. https://www.redco.com/Bulk-Instrument-Cable/  Spark-Fun https://www.sparkfun.com/  McMaster-Carr https://www.mcmaster.com/...




					forum.pedalpcb.com
				







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						A few websites and youtubers that deal with electronics
					

I get some useful information from these.  http://www.funwithtransistors.net/ http://www.funwithtubes.net/  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk0fGHsCEzGig-rSzkfCjMw https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSRTiJhBE5GsP-1fCbpFRWg




					forum.pedalpcb.com


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## BuddytheReow (Oct 7, 2021)

Principles of Transistor Circuits by Stan Amos and Mike James. 9th edition. I found this in my local library. Google it to find it as a pdf. Very in-depth and lots of math, but it goes through transistors and their different uses. Not everything in here is applicable to guitar pedals, but a great way to understand how many circuits are wired the way that they are.


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## bowanderror (Oct 8, 2021)

One of the best resources I've found for learning about guitar-specific electronics is Solid-State Guitar Amplifiers by Teemu Kyttälä. It does cover amplifiers, but the "Preamplifier Circuitry" chapter covers many pedal topics. It starts with basic gain stages & filters, but also covers tone/volume controls, clipping, and a smattering of effects like spring reverb, compression, tremolo, cabsims, etc. Teemu manages to cover the basic concepts as well as some math without overwhelming non-EEs. I highly recommend it!


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## BuddytheReow (Dec 3, 2021)

I feel weird throwing this on the list, but Electronics for Dummies. I found a pdf for it online (free with a Google search) and its about 1000 pages. Most of this is non-pedal related, but it will give you a phenomenal understanding of circuits that may or may not carry over to guitars. Many of the concepts here come with projects to help solidify the learning process and I would recommend for anyone as a beginner guide.


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## fig (Dec 3, 2021)

Sounds like it was written for me.


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## fig (Dec 3, 2021)

Edit: Preface - I've googled this but saw no runaway reviews....

Can anyone offer a book suggestion for introductory+ circuit analysis?


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## Chuck D. Bones (Dec 3, 2021)

Transistor and opamp biasing can be accomplished with a little algebra.  Anything beyond that requires a working knowledge of calculus and Laplace Transforms.  Unless you're satisfied to just run simulations.

I never had a decent circuit analysis textbook.  They were all very dry and math-centric, no practical applications.


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## BuddytheReow (Dec 3, 2021)

Hey @Chuck D. Bones can you recommend a good resource for learning applications? I.e. here’s all the things you can do with a transistor, diodes, ICs. You know, make shit


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## fig (Dec 3, 2021)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> Transistor and opamp biasing can be accomplished with a little algebra.  Anything beyond that requires a working knowledge of calculus and Laplace Transforms.  Unless you're satisfied to just run simulations.
> 
> I never had a decent circuit analysis textbook.  They were all very dry and math-centric, no practical applications.


I just read 20 minutes of Lapdance Transformers and I saw no math whatsoever. 
Then I read 20 minutes of Laplace transforms. Lots of probability and integral functions. Then it changed to some alien language and I lost interest. Fundamentals first fig. 

Thanks


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## Chuck D. Bones (Dec 3, 2021)

BuddytheReow said:


> Hey @Chuck D. Bones can you recommend a good resource for learning applications? I.e. here’s all the things you can do with a transistor, diodes, ICs. You know, make shit


I heard that Wampler wrote a good book on modding pedals.  Found a PDF online.  I'll get back to you on whether it teaches electronics or is simply a cookbook.


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## Chuck D. Bones (Dec 4, 2021)

*How to Modify Guitar Pedals* is a good book, but it's pretty much a straight cook book. Says what to do, but no details on why the mods do what they do or how to come up with your own mods or designs. You can buy a paperback from the Big A for $70 or you can perform a Google search for a pdf.


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## fig (Dec 4, 2021)

Those elusive electrons,
Hiding in holes,
Like tiny whack-a-moles.
Hurry, scurry along
Wait, something's wrong,
What's causing this delay?
Oh no, it's a burnt out relay.


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## Barry (Dec 4, 2021)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> I heard that Wampler wrote a good book on modding pedals.  Found a PDF online.  I'll get back to you on whether it teaches electronics or is simply a cookbook.


He has another book on design and building that goes more into how stuff works


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## Chuck D. Bones (Dec 4, 2021)

Barry said:


> He has another book on design and building that goes more into how stuff works


And the title is?


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## Barry (Dec 4, 2021)

"Advanced DIY Effects Pedals" How to Design, Customize & Build Effect Pedals


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## Chuck D. Bones (Dec 4, 2021)

Found and downloaded it.  More in-depth than "How to Modify Guitar Pedals."  Provides some discussion on why Brian did the mods he did and how they work.  I noticed a few minor typos and technical errors, but on the whole it's a good read for someone who wants to learn about how pedals work.

I'm probably the wrong guy to recommend "a book from which to learn electronics" because that's so far from how I did it.

My path to learning electronics was a long one that started at an early age.  In the beginning I learned a lot from reading electronics magazines and building Heathkits.  Then I started taking electronic things apart.  Sometimes I was able to put them back together again.  The gaps in knowledge were gradually filled-in by school, experimentation and on-the-job training.  

You guys with breadboards will learn a great deal from experimentation.  When you read a description of how and why a pedal does what it does, breadboard it and experience its operation first-hand.


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## fig (Dec 4, 2021)

Thanks guys, I'll check it out. Just to be clear, I have learned more than I ever expected to this past year, and all of you are the reason. If anyone ever walks away from here break-even, it's because they weren't paying attention.


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## BuddytheReow (Dec 4, 2021)

Breadboarding is SUPER helpful in learning how circuits work. Pedals or otherwise. I’m wondering if there’s a resource out there for beginner to intermediate that explains what you can do or make with many of the components for pedals or at least from Tayda (cheaper components) and the theory behind it. Kind of like the Electronics for Dummies book but with more projects. With the holiday season already here I’m trying to learn to make stuff that can do non-pedal things. Things like making Christmas lights where I can control the blinking. This may not be the forum to ask such questions


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## fig (Dec 4, 2021)

BuddytheReow said:


> This may not be the forum to ask such questions


I can't think of a better one. I've ran across quite a few projects at https://www.instructables.com/circuits/


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## BuddytheReow (Jul 7, 2022)

Here's a good one I've been meaning to share with you all. My favorite sections are discussions about various fuzz and distortion topologies.









						www.davidmorrin.com
					






					sites.google.com


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## Chuck D. Bones (Jul 7, 2022)

Good Stuff!


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## BuddytheReow (Aug 1, 2022)

I'm going through these in my breadboard thread now. Anyone who needs some circuit ideas check out Tim Escobedo`s circuit snippets. If the link below ever goes dead just Google circuit snippets.



			Circuit Snippets


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## Chuck D. Bones (Aug 2, 2022)

Good stuff!  I've seen or have almost all of these, but this is the first I've heard sound clips.


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## Mcknib (Aug 2, 2022)

Here's the PDF of Mr Wamplers book if anyone wants it 









						How to design customize and build effects pedals.pdf
					






					drive.google.com


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## andare (Aug 2, 2022)

Mcknib said:


> Here's the PDF of Mr Wamplers book if anyone wants it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you!


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## cwsquared (Aug 2, 2022)

BuddytheReow said:


> I'm going through these in my breadboard thread now. Anyone who needs some circuit ideas check out Tim Escobedo`s circuit snippets. If the link below ever goes dead just Google circuit snippets.
> 
> 
> 
> Circuit Snippets


As another option, I found them all as a linked zip file on https://forrestwhitesides.com/tim-escobedos-folk-urban-diy-circuits/


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