Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Hi guys, here's the build doc for my 20dB opamp clean boost with optional clipping. Hope you enjoy. Ready-to-solder boards available from me, nice & cheap. And I'll email you the etch art on request if you want to make your own. This is an easy, inexpensive project that gives some really good results -- as long as you've got a nice-sounding amp! Feel free to post any questions, and I'll be happy to answer.

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Nice job on the build doc!

+1 on electric didgeridoo

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hahahhah always wanted one of those! you know, plus the ability to actually play one. although, I think I got that circular breathing thing down in college... at least as it relates to footlong glass tubes with water in the bottoms

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Looks neat!! Just out of curiosity, do you think this would this work as a headphone amp

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hmmm... I think you would have some minor issues with loading. Like, maybe smoking op-amp type issues.

This circuit wants to see a fairly high impedance on whatever you connect it to. Amps tend to be pretty high, at least in the kOhms. Headphones, on the other hand, tend to be real low - like in the "singles" of ohms. So I think you'd have a real hard time driving them. But you could easily use this circuit as a headphone PREamp, then run it into a minimal power transistor circuit that can produce enough current to handle a headphone load. Or find a cheap transformer to help with the same job... maybe. But I'm pretty hazy on transformer applications, so I haven't a clue what to recommend!

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can this fit into a 1590a?

absolutely! it was designed to. the boards are about 1" x 1.5".

I just made another batch, if you want a couple

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I actually grabbed two of those red ones. You wouldnt by chance have a preffered drilling layout for a 1590a would you?

ah, I thought so! I assume you got 'em? They shipped some time ago.

I've got a good drill layout that I actually just used about 20 minutes ago for my Codpiece project... it's for a 1590A with 1 pot and four toggle switches

but you could easily adapt it for just one knob, I think. dimensions of the thick outer rectangle should be 1.30" x 3.45". The red lines shooting off to the sides are to center the drill holes for the DC jack (next to the stomp) and the two 1/4" jacks. Fair warning!! If you drill for the DC jack where I did, you'll have to use an outside-nut jack, and you'll have to file one side of it down so it fits against the screw boss inside the enclosure. This takes a couple minutes, but also holds the jack nicely so you can really crank the nut down. Also, you might need to rotate the 3PDT to make it fit right. Test fit everything first, then install the LED and DC jack before installing the stomp switch. Here's the template:

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Nice!
That build doc reminds me of labs at school and using MultiSim!

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http://www.pdfelectronics.com/

Guess what I used to draw the schematic!

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That's how I knew it was MultiSim.

Great textbook op-amp circuit, great platform to experiment on.

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http://www.pdfelectronics.com/

Thanks, Chris. That was exactly what I was going for

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Hey Capt'n, when i bought this pcb from you, i had in mind of using it as a OpAmp tester........but then realised it was for single opamp IC(facepalm)

Is there a way to modifiy the layout with jumpers, trace cut...whatever, so i can test dual op amp, and switch between the 2 channel or have them summed?

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Hey Rej, what are you trying to test for? I'm not sure how easy it would be to modify this layout for a dual op-amp... I'm guessing NOT easy

And even if a dual fit on the board, you'd have to completely re-configure it to use both "channels".

But if you can give me some idea of what you're looking to test or the desired results, I can try to put together a board that would work.

j.

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I was looking at having a simple jig...to test out OpAmp for my pedal builds...since i now solder them directly to the pcb.....i've been using existing pedals at the moment that have sockets...

Thinking of it........i could simply vero a simple 1in 2out vero buffer.......

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Got two of these way back when. Was home from work today since I'm sick. Had the board populated. Drilled the enclosure and built my first mini pedal. Gotta hand it to you. This thing sounds great! Are you still making these?

I'm only still making them if people want them.

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Not sure if it's practical for you to only make 5 to 10 of these. Not sure if you want to gauge interest again. If not I may just take you up on the offer of the pcb art and try my first go at etching.

Necro-bump for sjaustin, who was asking about this boost board I made a decade ago. I haven't got any of these any more... in fact, if somebody has one, I'll buy it! Or maybe I'll just have to re-create the etch pattern and dig out my acid again after all these years....

Still an awesome, dead simple clean boost that sounds great and doesn't color your tone.

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I have an old board I'm going to build up this week... I had an old one in another build that sounds great.