My first translation from schematic to DIYLC (diy layout creator) on stripboard

[burymyteeth]

I thought this might be a fun "haha look at this newb" moment for some people out there. I've had this kit for a while and I just kind of winged it when I put together. Lo and behold it didn't work. I took it back apart and decided to try DIYLC out, so I could start building whatever effects I want and not have to rely on wiring diagrams.

I was wondering if anyone would A. be willing to look at both of these and tell me if it will work and B. Critique the layout, because I have absolutely no perception or incite into how you can be skilled at creating layouts, this is just a puzzle that I haphazardly (hopefully) threw together correctly.

The thing I think I probably messed up is the footswitch, I searched high and low for someone to logically explain to me how the schematic symbol translates to the actual footswitch, and I'm still not sure.

Thanks for your time anybody that bothers to look!

[Jazz P Bass]

Nice component layout.

That is all that can be said as the rear of the perf board is not shown (the actual hook up).

The switch should be relabeled.
There are two separate switches inside one package.(you could cut it in half)
The center pole is usually Common.
Then. activating the switch will connect one or the other poles.
Use your meter to verify this.
The left side is one switch.
So label that NC (normally closed), then C (common) & then NO (normally open)
These labels are typically for a Momentary switch.
As yours will be a Maintained switch, the NC & NO can be interchanged.

[burymyteeth]

Thanks for checking it out. Since it is a stripboard you can get all of the information from looking at this layout, correct? I've put breaks in the leads where they need to be, everything else is connected horizontally because it is strip or veroboard.

[52 Bill]

A couple of things that I see are that yes the switch is wired wrong and you have the two pots reversed as to type.

The signal from the input jack does not connect to the input of the circuit. If you look at the drawing of the switch, in one position the top two and the center two will be connected together (right and left sides separately). In the other position the center and bottom two contacts will be connected. Connect the input signal to terminal #2, the input to the circuit to #4 and connect #6 to ground.

The 10K pot is probably used to set the dc bias of the circuit, while the 5K pot is used to add the effect of the bypass cap to the emitter of the second transistor. So the 10K should be the trimmer and the 5K the panel mount pot.

One last thing that I would do, I would cut the strip that is to the left of the input capacitor connection open so that there is not a length of copper strip connected to the input of the circuit for no reason.

[burymyteeth]

Thanks for this, Bill. I took your advice and cut the strip to the left of the input capacitor. The pots however I could not screw up because they were supplied to me in the kit, so the 5k is the trimmer pot on the board and the 10k is mounted to the chassis for tone control. I fixed the switch as well, figured it out by testing for continuity with my meter. after all of that, it doesn't work! yay! I haven't had time to trouble shoot it yet. Everything gets power, but when I switch the footswitch there is no si

[burymyteeth]

Thanks for this, Bill. I took your advice and cut the strip to the left of the input capacitor. The pots however I could not screw up because they were supplied to me in the kit, so the 5k is the trimmer pot on the board and the 10k is mounted to the chassis for tone control. I fixed the switch as well, figured it out by testing for continuity with my meter. after all of that, it doesn't work! yay! I haven't had time to trouble shoot it yet. Everything gets power, but when I switch the footswitch there is no signal. Onward . . .

[Jazz P Bass]

If the circuit does not work, get out your ohmeter.

Start at the beginning.
With your meter set to read resistance, get on the Audio In pin with one lead & put the other lead on the 0.1uf capacitor.
It must connect with the switch toggled one way & not the other.

Now jump to the end point.
One lead on Audio out & the other on the wiper of the 100K pot.
There must be a connection & then not when the switch is toggled.
(The Audio Out must connect On in the same switch position that the Audio In is On)

If these two conditions are met, then the circuit itself is miswired.

Note: you did get a 'maintained' switch, correct?

[52 Bill]

And where have you set the trimpot?

This is basically a Fuzz Face/Tonebender circuit, there can't be much to go wrong. Double check your soldering, parts placements and most importantly the transistor lead orientation. I would hope that the kit came with some basic voltage readings so that you can compare what you get and what is supposed to be there.

Signal trace the circuit from the output jack to the switch, to the pc board, to the output cap, etc.