Failure :(

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Hi there. I didn't follow my istinct to rush and be impatient; before doing anything, I started the journey in the diy world making my confidence boost, as you can see here: http://www.buildyourownclone.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20705. Then, happy enough, I moved to the Lazy Sprocket... Failed! I tried to follow the instructions with scrupolous attention, double checked every single step of the process... Nothing. No sound, no led, only bypass signal. Here's the pictures of the PCB:

Please help. I'm sure jacks and pots are connected well and sound. I'm also sure I place the polarized components correctly. Do you see any mistake here?

Thanks a lot!

mmarsh · **Posted:** Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:04 pm

Thanks for the pics, and sorry to hear it isn't working. Even though you feel the outboard wiring is good, could I get you to post pics of the switch and the jacks? I'm most interested in the switch wiring, given your symptoms...

also, have you adjusted the trimpot yet?

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Thank you mmarsh! No, I didn't work on the trimpot yet. Does it affect the functioning of the pedal? I also noticed that some preferred a longer swell, so they changed the pot to a 100k value. I'd also like to do it to mine, if it will come alive one day :lol:

This is the picture of the wiring:

mmarsh · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 1:42 pm

Deinitely, yes, the trimpot can actually be set to cut all sound! Try this: set the SENSITIVITY knob to about 10:00 o'clock and the ATTACK knob fully clockwise (CW). Turn the pedal on (i.e. make sure it's not in bypass) and strum hard. Bring up the trim pot and do it again. Any luck? Let me know...

mmarsh · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:16 pm

Any word on this yet? Did the trimpot fix it?

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

mmarsh wrote:

Any word on this yet? Did the trimpot fix it?

Sorry for the delay. I took off the guts from the pedal to repaint it, just to forget the disappontment of this build... Btw, I worked on the trimpot, checked everything again... Nothing. No led, no sound whatasoever. Bypass signal does work, that's it. When engaged, the signal buzzes a lot. I've tried to move the pots and the trimpot while strumming but the only change in this sadness is a tiny change in the noise frequency...

I have to tell you a strange thing though... I found a 100K resistor left in the package... does it mean anything?
Thanks always

mmarsh · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:34 am

OK, it's time to break out the Signal Tester. Do you have one? If not, get one from Keith http://www.buildyourownclone.com/tools.html

or build your own:

The technique is to plug a cable from the audio probe jack into your amp, clip the ground wire to the enclosure (or other ground), plug your guitar into the pedal in jack, turn the pedal on, then start at the IN pad of the circuit board touching it with the probe as you strum the guitar. Follow the trace to the next component and do the same until you get to the spot where you lose the signal. Report back where that is and we'll go from there...

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Fantastic! What's your name? I don't quite like to call you "mmarsh"

I've got a digital multimeter. Could I use that?

mmarsh · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:32 pm

Name's Mike, and thanks for asking

A multimeter will not work for what we are trying to do. We want to trace the audio signal through the circuit and see where it stops: that's what the signal tester/audio probe does. A DMM is great for checking voltages in the circuit which in our case is not relevant (yet!).

The audio probe thingy is really easy to build, but I would highly recommend getting a signal probe from Keith, it's easier to use and will last longer.

Mike

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Thanks Mike

. I've got the probe from BYOC, which came for free with the confidence booster. But I followed your instructions and I've built mine. Is it something like this?

mmarsh · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:12 am

That's it

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

All right, no signal whatsoever. I then plugged in gtr + amp in the usual way and it sounds horribly innatural-low and 'choked'.

mmarsh · **Posted:** Sun Nov 01, 2009 1:08 pm

OK, so let me get this straight: you plugged the cable from the amp into the jack of the probe, clipped the ground to the enclosure, played a chord or whatever and touched to probe end to the IN pad and you got no sound whatsoever? This means that you would get no signal when in bypass and you already said that you do. Hmmm. I think something else may be going on. Is that how you used the probe?

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Yes Mike. Let me explain what's happening... I'm building three pedals, so yes, one is functioning over three :lol:

The other two are Mouse and 2 Knob Bender (the latter works, incredible!). I'm going to post my Mouse failure elsewhere... But this one, the Sprocket, has no signal at all. Note: I thought it was a bit easier to build these pedals... I'm frustrated

but yet I keep the faith in your experience. Thanks a lot, Mike and BYOC forum!

if you wish to see the first thing that emits any sound, it's here: http://www.buildyourownclone.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=21440

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Please help! I'm stuck... :cry:

crbmoa · **Posted:** Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:32 pm

Maybe I am retarded, but that doesn't look like MY probe. I could have sworn it had a female 1/4 jack.

Naz Nomad · **Posted:** Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:41 pm

crbmoa wrote:

Maybe I am retarded, but that doesn't look like MY probe. I could have sworn it had a female 1/4 jack.

So you can plug a normal guitar lead into it, maybe?

crbmoa · **Posted:** Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:08 pm

Naz Nomad wrote:

crbmoa wrote:

Maybe I am retarded, but that doesn't look like MY probe. I could have sworn it had a female 1/4 jack.

So you can plug a normal guitar lead into it, maybe?

Yes. It looks exactly like the one on the BYOC web page, but for some reason I can't seem to scoop the picture and post it here, but y'all know what I'm talking about.

By the way - Not trying to jack the thread. Actually, we are trying to draw attention to it! :mrgreen:

Naz Nomad · **Posted:** Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:47 pm

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Guys, the two probes are identical! One has a female jack where you can plug a normal guitar cable to it, "Mike" version has a male jack, so you can plug it directly into the amp. If you see closely, the drawing also shows an "enhanced version" with the female jack. That's it... but this isn't the point. The probe works great; it's my circuit that doesn't

Naz Nomad · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:21 am

minimaltrace wrote:

Guys, the two probes are identical! One has a female jack where you can plug a normal guitar cable to it, "Mike" version has a male jack, so you can plug it directly into the amp. If you see closely, the drawing also shows an "enhanced version" with the female jack. That's it... but this isn't the point. The probe works great; it's my circuit that doesn't

We know ... I tried to trace your OB wiring from the photo but couldn't tell what wire went where ... I even tried over-drawing the wires in Photoshop but still couldn't untangle it.

Any chance of some pics with the wiring untangled a little?

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Naz Nomad wrote:

We know ... I tried to trace your OB wiring from the photo but couldn't tell what wire went where ... I even tried over-drawing the wires in Photoshop but still couldn't untangle it.
Any chance of some pics with the wiring untangled a little?

Yes of course. Nothing to loose here... :roll:

Here's now noon. I'll post it in around 4-5 hours (i need to get home first)

minimaltrace · **Joined:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm **Posts:** 33

Hy guys, sorry for the delay. I did my best trying to show the wiring... This is it:

The 'solder' side after perfecting the soldering:

BTW, I used a soldering iron with a conical tip, but I just get it yesterday this one, smaller and with a controlled temp:

Grazie!!!

TheAX · **Joined:** Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:13 pm **Posts:** 19

You have a multi-meter right? Check to make sure you've got power going from the in on the PCB to the out. The LED not turning on is the first thing that bugs me. Check your LED with your MM, make sure it's not bad, do that with the diode setting, it will light up if good. If not, make sure your LED is turned the right way. The long side should have went in the round pad, and the right in the square, not like the caps.

Another thing, go thru and make sure your resisters are in the right places. Double check them. Mine was doing the same thing (turned on no volume at all) and it turned out that I had my 390 and 390k resisters switched. Especially check to make sure the ones that look similar.

ParanoidAndroid · **Posted:** Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:12 pm

TheAX wrote:

You have a multi-meter right? Check to make sure you've got power going from the in on the PCB to the out. The LED not turning on is the first thing that bugs me. Check your LED with your MM, make sure it's not bad, do that with the diode setting, it will light up if good. If not, make sure your LED is turned the right way. The long side should have went in the round pad, and the right in the square, not like the caps.

Another thing, go thru and make sure your resisters are in the right places. Double check them. Mine was doing the same thing (turned on no volume at all) and it turned out that I had my 390 and 390k resisters switched. Especially check to make sure the ones that look similar.

Yes, that is good advice.
Also, check with the meter to make sure your switch is working by checking continuity (dont forget) to activate/deactivate the switch)

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