This is a library of perfboard and single-sided PCB effect layouts for guitar and bass. I'm not an electrical engineer by any stretch of the imagination, just a DIY'er who likes drawing layouts. It is meant for the hobbyist (so commercial use of any of these layout is not allowed without permission) and as a way to give back to the online DIY community.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

BMP Tone Stack

Had a few requests for adding a Big Muff tone stack to a few existing layouts. Call me lazy, but it's easier to draw this up than make a whole bunch of random alternate layouts. 😁  Anyway, it should be pretty handy. I've included a layout for just the tone stack, and one for the tone stack plus the gain recovery stage that typically follows the tone stack in a Big Muff. You can use different values for various responses (values listed in the image below).

Monday, May 29, 2017

Jack Deville Deuce Coupe

Here's a modified version of the Deuce Coupe. It's an opamp based drive with a charge pump so the circuit runs off +/-9v. The originals have relay bypass switching and a boost function (that I've not included in this layout). You can probably fit it in a 1590B, but a 125B will be a little roomier.


Friday, May 26, 2017

Black Arts Toneworks Revelation

For Fuzz Friday here's the Revelation from Black Arts Toneworks. There are 2 versions of the Revelation: the Super Bass and Super Lead. The Super Bass is a stripped down Pharoah without the tone control, no clipping diodes in the 2nd gain stage, and an input gain control. The Super Lead version is the same circuit, but with the values of the Black Arts LSTR.





Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Run Off Groove Omega

Here's a nice little boost from ROG that originated from trying to design a FET-based Rangemaster treble booster. I've laid it out for a 1590a with board mounted 9mm pots. More info, schematic and sound clips can be found here.

Monday, May 22, 2017

EarthQuaker Devices Talons

A while ago I laid this out for board mount 9mm pots at the request of someone on FSB. Always intended to modify that original layout for use with more common 16mm pots. Turns out it was easier to just lay it out fresh. Anyway, the Talons is a very versatile OD with an active 3-band EQ, and can run off +9v or +18v power supplies.



Friday, May 19, 2017

Crazy Tube Circuits Starlight

Here's the Starlight fuzz from Crazy Tube Circuits for Fuzz Friday. Much like the Ziggy Overdrive from Crazy Tube, it's a string of FET stages in a row, only with a lot more them (and also some MOSFETs as diodes thrown in). It's laid out for board mounted pots and designed to fit in a 125B with top mounted jacks.


Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Smallsound/Bigsound Sparkle Motion

Stumbled across this one on the old Smallsound/Bigsound blog. The Sparkle Motion is based on the classic Rangemaster treble boost, but with a lot of extra controls. Schematic and more info can be found here.


Monday, May 15, 2017

BBE Boosta Grande

The Boosta Grande is a simple opamp-based boost that's pretty similar to the MXR Micro Amp. Only differences being where the pot is in the circuit and component value changes. Offers up to +20dB of boost. Should fit in a 1590A if you don't board mount the pot.


Friday, May 12, 2017

FuzzHugger FX Algal Bloom

Here's another cool fuzz from FuzzHugger for Fuzz Friday. The Algal Bloom is transistor based with a wide range of tones, from mild overdrive to full on fuzz. It has the Gain and Level controls you'd expect, along with a Bloom control (expands the fuzz tone), Clean (blend), and Power (voltage sag), along with 2 toggle switches for more things to tweak. Originals have the Clean control internally, but who doesn't love more controls? It's laid out with board mounted pots to fit in a 125B enclosure with top mounted jacks.


Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Auto Swell

Someone showed me this circuit and it's a cool addition to this library. It's an old project from Electronics & Music Makers magazine and allows you to ramp up and down your volume. It's not a true-bypass pedal, but essentially an always-on boost that increases your volume when the momentary footswitch is pushed. More info and schematic can be found in these scans:



Monday, May 8, 2017

Black Arts Toneworks Black Forest

This is Black Arts' take on the Colorsound Overdriver. There are a few component value changes and 6 different caps on a 2 pole, 6 position rotary switch at the input. It's got a wide range of tones, and goes from boost to overdrive to fuzz. It's laid out for board mounted pots and would fit in a 1590B if it weren't for the rotary. If you wanted to skip the rotary and just use one input cap, just populate the capacitor you want and jumper its corresponding pad to the SwA pad.


Friday, May 5, 2017

Hornby Skewes Zonk Machine II

The Zonk Machine II was the more budget friendly version of the Zonk Machine. It was a simplified circuit and featured silicon transistors in place of germanium. Originals used 2N4061 PNP silicons, but other could be used. Because it's silicon based, it shouldn't be too hard to make the swap to NPNs so it can be daisy chained with other negative ground effects. I've laid out 2 versions of this, one for BCE pinout transistors (like the original 2N4061s) and one for CBE pinout transistors. The perf layouts reflects the original positive ground configuration, and the PCB layouts reflect negative ground configuration. Note that the 3.9k resistor isn't always necessary (it's there to make the Fuzz pot value 2k). Here's the schematic for reference.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Frantone Vibutron

Here's another one of my Eagle creations. The Vibutron is a great sounding tremolo from Frantone that uses a ICL8038 to produce the LFO. Originals use a rotary switch for selecting the waveform, but as lvlark pointed out on the Tagboard Effects blog, a on/on/on DPDT switch can be used instead (check out his layout for switch wiring). For you perf builders, this might be a bit difficult to translate to perf (especially with 3 traces under the 8038), but I'm sure one of you out there will make it work. :D This layout has also been uploaded to OshPark if you want a fabricated board–click the OshPark tab above.





Note: Red lines are jumpers

Monday, May 1, 2017

Way Huge Green Rhino Mk II

Here's the newest version of the Green Rhino from Way Huge. It's similar to a Tube Screamer, but with a few extra stages and lots of modifications. I've laid it out for board mounted pots in a 1590BB. Here's the schematic for reference.