Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Hello!

Here's my story... Total newbie/rookie/terrible solderer here!

I got the classic fuzz kit as a gift a while back.
I managed to build it as a first timer.
I'm sure my soldering is terrible.
But... it worked! ..it lit up, made fuzz sounds (it was a little quiet, which may have been some issue.. not sure).
I used it on my practice board for a bit, and one day it stopped working so I just removed it from the board and forgot about it for a while.

So, now, I'm trying to get it back working again. Here's what I'm seeing... (pics: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wadjEND3ksmbouib6)

The LED works. When engaged, the LED lights up
It gets power via adapter or 9 volt battery
The bypass works (when disengaged, the clean tone comes through.)

So, ..I'm looking for some general and/or specific advice on how to start troubleshooting this...

I think I should clip off some extra long wire/solder that might be shorting something.
I see some straggly wires that need some cleaning up
I have a multimeter, are there certain areas I should check?
I don't have a de-solderer
Certain things I should be looking for?
pics linked... (terrible solderer here!) once again.. same link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wadjEND3ksmbouib6

While your soldering isn't very good, it's not very bad either! But the problem you describe--a pedal that was working and suddenly stopped--is typical of a failed solder joint somewhere in the build. So the first thing I would recommend is to work through this process: https://www.byocelectronics.com/board/v ... =9&t=52188

Read through the post carefully and follow it explicitly.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Ah, I hadn't seen that post before. Much appreciated. Will check out.

The PCB soldering doesn't look so bad. But there are a few spots where it looks as if you could put a bit more solder in, to fill the hole around the component lead (at least on the primary solder side). A good solder joint provides proper electrical connectivity, but also sometimes is needed for structural reasons as well. Too little solder may be an invitation for a joint to break under mechanical stress, so I would recommend inspecting all the joints to see if they need touching up.

You might start by just inspecting each joint visually, and perhaps prodding them to see if they have come loose.

That the pedal was working at one time is a good sign. But if a more specific problem isn't identified quickly, I would recommend going over the entire PCB with a reflow (that is, use the soldering iron to re-melt each solder joint to ensure that they form properly, adding a bit more solder where needed). You should of course avoid applying heat for too long, so as to not damage components.

As for the wires, there are a few places where some extra loose strands are sticking out that could well be invitations to short circuits. Trim those off (and keep the shards from falling onto/into the PCB or enclosure).

If after this sort of tender, loving care there is still no signal when not bypassed, we will go on to the next troubleshooting steps.

Much appreciated! Thank you!

So, I tried reflowing (as best as I know..), and added a bit of solder here and there.
Same issue. No change.

I added a video to the photo album above… https://photos.app.goo.gl/wadjEND3ksmbouib6
Maybe that’s useful to look at.

I tried the multimeter but have no idea what I’m doing with that.

So… any advice? …Should I just get a EHX Lizard Queen??

Are there specific parts that I should be looking at? I mean, some of it I probably shouldn’t touch because the input/output works, the LED works, and the clean signal works.

Anyway, any thoughts welcome. Thanks!

Was THIS PHOTO taken before or after your solder reflows?

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Before. But I can’t guarantee I touched everything. Do you see something there?

Can you get us a new set of (post-reflow) photos, especially of the side on which the soldering is done (in general, the side opposite from where the resistors and capacitors and transistors are)?

[As for the video: when the effect was switched in, it seemed that sometimes the LED would get dimmer or go out when you were moving the PCB around. That could well be caused by temporary short circuits being made during the handling (some conductor coming into contact with the enclosure, most likely), or it might be caused by some connection in the power chain being intermittent (due to an absent or failed solder joint; or maybe just the battery snap is not solidly snapped). The former (shorts) would not be surprising under the circumstances, but if it's the latter, that could explain a lot. Hence, our interest in proper solder joints.]

^ This. We need to see what the solder side of the PCB looks like now.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Thanks! …I’ve added new photos to the same link. The new ones have “4-15” written on them in red.
Cheers

Here are 3 of the new pics

I feel like the ugliest part of my work is the wiring, but… I guess that’s not the problem because the wiring is from the on/off (which works) and the in/outputs which also works. (I am obviously not an expert, but just trying to figure this out). Also, if a loose/shorted wire was the issue, I’d think having it all open and moving it around (while strumming) would probably give me a clue. …???

Doing the troubleshooting with the guts pulled out of the box can be easier in a lot of ways, but you do need to make sure you don't introduce short circuits while doing it. The enclosure itself is a prime short-creator, as it is connected to overall ground so can nullify any signal that comes into contact with it. This is possibly what was happening in your video. Note also that the potentiometer casings are also large conductors that can cause shorts, and there are often soldered, bare (trimmed) leads underneath them. You might consider just carefully putting some insulating material (electrical tape?) on the backs of the pots, even if only temporarily, to guard against that possibility. Try not to bend the pot leads too many times; the metal can eventually fail and break.

Some next steps would involve using a voltmeter to check some voltages. Do you have one?

I do have a multimeter, yes

My novice troubleshooting thinks it can’t really be just some wire ending or something touching something else and causing a short, since I’m strumming the guitar, moving stuff around with it all opened up etc. …like, I’d think I’d hear some pops and noises. But this just sounds dead.

Let's get a set of DC voltage readings on the legs of the Q2 (upper) transistor. The collector is on the left, the base in the middle, and the emitter is on the right. Set your multimeter to the DC voltage mode, indicated by a straight line above a dotted line; use the 20VDC range setting if it's not an auto-ranging meter. Of course, your power source needs to be connected and there needs to be a cable in the input jack. If the pedal is assembled into the metal enclosure, put the black probe into one of the corner screw bosses of the enclosure--this is your ground connection. If the "guts" are out of the enclosure, use the sleeve tab of the input jack for the ground connection. Then touch the red probe to the test point that you want to measure and hold it there until the reading is stable within a couple of hundredths of a volt. Repeat the process for each leg of the transistor. Do this with the Bias pot set three different ways: All the way CCW, at its midpoint, and all the way CW. Report all three sets of results (a total of nine individual DC voltage measurements) here.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Thanks! I’ll try and get on this tomorrow.

Hello! Here are my readings... (see attached pic) (also have a pic of the setting I used on multimeter).

FYI, I tested using the underside of the board, since the 3 solder dots were easier to test. Hope that's ok.

Thank you!

Those results don't make much sense, and they certainly don't reflect the voltage bias adjustment that should be evident in the Q2 collector voltages. Double-check to make sure that you exactly followed the directions I provided. You might also want to check the incoming voltage from your power source on the DC jack tab that's connected to the + tab--not the <+> tab--of the PCB. Keep in mind that you MUST have an instrument cable plugged into the pedal's input jack for the power to work. When you do that power source check, please take a photo of the meter face so that we can see exactly what the display shows.

BTW, what kind of power source are you using?

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

this is with a 9v battery

new pic attached...

You might want to check the battery itself--black probe on the -, red probe on the +.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

For reference, here's what I see on my own Classic Fuzz for the three Bias pot settings; the base and emitter don't change, but the collector voltage is strongly dependent upon the Bias pot setting:

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

hmm.. weird... my readings are nothing like that. Posting pics in a sec.