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I bet you didn't know I'm electronics savvy, but I was at one point studying to be an electronics technician. It's an old hobby of mine and I decided today on whim to create a single transistor stompbox based on the Electra Distortion schematics online.
Thing is, I'm a bit rusty and the wiring in this thing shows. This is Version 2, in which the first version was nearly finished until the Emitter lead snapped of the 2N3904 transistor (right at the case where it cant' be repaired >.<) forcing me to back track. With only $3 left in my pocket I was unable to reach RadioShack in time to retrieve a replacement. However an old electronics kit (the big black thing just beneath my pedal) coughed up a 2SC945 instead. What happened was magic!
Through a battery powered amp this little guy was loud! REALLY LOUD! Like so loud it could be heard through the wall and caused my brother grief as he lost his game! Second were some of the mod's I made to the circuit produced this beautiful bell-like sound like older tube amp on a clean setting. Most of the mods were accidental since RadioShack barely has what I needed, so I got close on somethings.
One example was the ground resistor at the Emitter is a 680-ohm, 1/2 watt resistor instead of 1/4 like the others. In place of the silicon/germanium diode pairing at the end of the circuit, I replaced it with a red and blue LED wired opposite of each other. I read somewhere that LED's somehow add some serious headroom and give a smoother drive, and they did! Though I think it would have been louder if I removed the 470-ohm resistor at the end of the pair. I figured 9 volts would burn them out, so I added it on. Go figure. XD Another odd setup was the 2.2 Meg-ohm resistor on the base of the transistor to provide positive feedback was replaced by a 10 Meg-ohm resistor since 2.2 Meg-Ohm wasn't available.
Unfortunately due to the wiring, Version 2 is now exactly that. Upon closing up the box and prepping to run it into my Marshall amp, it got knocked about. I think this caused a fatal short which ultimately resulted in the battery getting so hot it felt like it was melting! So what did I learn? Solder everything next time XDDDDDDDDDDDDD.
Version 3 coming soon. Hopefully... cheers!
Thing is, I'm a bit rusty and the wiring in this thing shows. This is Version 2, in which the first version was nearly finished until the Emitter lead snapped of the 2N3904 transistor (right at the case where it cant' be repaired >.<) forcing me to back track. With only $3 left in my pocket I was unable to reach RadioShack in time to retrieve a replacement. However an old electronics kit (the big black thing just beneath my pedal) coughed up a 2SC945 instead. What happened was magic!
Through a battery powered amp this little guy was loud! REALLY LOUD! Like so loud it could be heard through the wall and caused my brother grief as he lost his game! Second were some of the mod's I made to the circuit produced this beautiful bell-like sound like older tube amp on a clean setting. Most of the mods were accidental since RadioShack barely has what I needed, so I got close on somethings.
One example was the ground resistor at the Emitter is a 680-ohm, 1/2 watt resistor instead of 1/4 like the others. In place of the silicon/germanium diode pairing at the end of the circuit, I replaced it with a red and blue LED wired opposite of each other. I read somewhere that LED's somehow add some serious headroom and give a smoother drive, and they did! Though I think it would have been louder if I removed the 470-ohm resistor at the end of the pair. I figured 9 volts would burn them out, so I added it on. Go figure. XD Another odd setup was the 2.2 Meg-ohm resistor on the base of the transistor to provide positive feedback was replaced by a 10 Meg-ohm resistor since 2.2 Meg-Ohm wasn't available.
Unfortunately due to the wiring, Version 2 is now exactly that. Upon closing up the box and prepping to run it into my Marshall amp, it got knocked about. I think this caused a fatal short which ultimately resulted in the battery getting so hot it felt like it was melting! So what did I learn? Solder everything next time XDDDDDDDDDDDDD.
Version 3 coming soon. Hopefully... cheers!
Category Crafting / Miscellaneous
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 960px
File Size 225.2 kB
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