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.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Heart Throb Tremolo

The Heart Throb is a Schaller Tremolo circuit modified by MarkM, and uses pretty standard parts that you probably have kicking around in your parts drawer(s). The SPDT switch controls the rate. I've added polarity protection and power filtering. The LED not only is an on/off indicator, but will pulse to the rate of the effect.



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48 comments:

  1. AnjangMarch 1, 2016 at 9:41 AM

    this a verified layout ?

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  2. AnjangMarch 1, 2016 at 11:02 AM

    Thanks.. good job. i built now

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  3. AlexJuly 18, 2016 at 10:56 AM

    hey, could i substitute MPSA18'S for the transistors in this?

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  4. UnknownAugust 9, 2016 at 5:31 PM

    hey do you have the schematic for this one?

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    Replies
    1. Effects LayoutsAugust 10, 2016 at 2:05 PM

      http://s167.photobucket.com/user/rocklander/media/heartthrob-tremolo-schem.jpg.html

      Delete
    2. UnknownAugust 14, 2016 at 6:37 PM

      Thanks men, hey i cant find the transfer image for this one, what brand is it?

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    3. Effects LayoutsAugust 15, 2016 at 12:24 PM

      It's in the Misc folder

      Delete
  5. fuss buzzSeptember 24, 2016 at 6:48 AM

    You experiencing any volume drop issue in this one brother?

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  6. Tate FXDecember 14, 2016 at 11:26 AM

    Just built it, sounds great however I'm. Getting a slight volume drop

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  7. Ian H NelsonDecember 18, 2016 at 1:45 AM

    Do these transistors need to be biased?

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    Replies
    1. Effects LayoutsDecember 18, 2016 at 2:27 PM

      I didn't match the ones in the 2 that I've built with no issues.

      Delete
  8. PorkbelliesMarch 8, 2017 at 12:34 PM

    Built this and it sounds great. My only problem is that the switch has no effect at all. Anyone have any ideas? For what it's worth the voltages at the switch are SW2 0.01-0.09 and SW3 0.02-0.33 with both pots at max.

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    Replies
    1. Effects LayoutsMarch 13, 2017 at 11:44 AM

      I've not run across that issue. Have you checked for any shorts or bad components?

      Delete
  9. MetalheadJune 11, 2017 at 4:03 AM

    Can i use 2N3904 instead of 2n5088?

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    Replies
    1. Effects LayoutsJune 12, 2017 at 9:11 AM

      Probably. Use sockets though. MPSA18, BC549C or BC550C or other high gain NPNs will probably also work.

      Delete
    2. MetalheadJune 13, 2017 at 2:06 AM

      Thanks man i will try it

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    3. CANEPLAOctober 22, 2017 at 5:45 AM

      BC549/BC550 works better than 2N3904 for substitute 2N5088?

      Delete
    4. Effects LayoutsOctober 23, 2017 at 10:33 AM

      Like I said above, the 2N3904 will probably work, just depends on the gain. High gain transistors have a better chance of working properly.

      Delete
    5. Zaraki1337March 12, 2021 at 11:42 AM

      Can i use bc547 instead of 2n5088?

      Delete
  10. UnknownFebruary 9, 2018 at 3:05 PM

    Hi I'm from Brazil. In a language for LAYERS, what exactly is SW1 for? In the demo I only noticed an increase in the speed of the effect. Should it be more than that?
    I want to build this pedal as soon as the 2n5088 I ordered recently arrived. Really enjoyed. Thank you for your endeavor to show good things here.

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  11. UnknownFebruary 9, 2018 at 3:07 PM


    Excuse me, I wanted to say Sw and not Sw1 ...

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  12. UnknownFebruary 9, 2018 at 3:09 PM


    Excuse me, I wanted to say Sw and not Sw1 ...

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  13. UnknownFebruary 9, 2018 at 3:10 PM

    Hi I'm from Brazil. In a language for LAYERS, what exactly is SW1 for? In the demo I only noticed an increase in the speed of the effect. Should it be more than that?
    I want to build this pedal as soon as the 2n5088 I ordered recently arrived. Really enjoyed. Thank you for your endeavor to show good things here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CANEPLAFebruary 10, 2018 at 8:59 AM

      eai fera beleza? o SW é uma chave de SWITCH, no caso seria uma daquelas de 3 terminais e um polo ON/ON, onde voce troca a velocidade do efeito, é bem interessante voce usar tambem uma HEAVY DUTY podendo ser DPDT ou 3PDT (usando so 3 terminais e isolando o que sobrar) pra fazer essa troca de velocidade do efeito com o pé no meio da musica, o meu ficou assim e ficou bem legal eheheheh meus 2n5088 ainda nao chegaram da china e usei 2n3904 e funcionou bem.

      Delete
  14. UnknownFebruary 9, 2018 at 3:52 PM


    One last question: I did not see the cap 100uF and the diode 4001 in the schematic. Why and for what were added? Thank you again.

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    Replies
    1. CANEPLAFebruary 10, 2018 at 9:02 AM

      esses dois componentes nao tem no esquematico, eles servem para proteger a polaridade (1n4007) e o eletrolitico é um filtro de ruido, podem ser omitidos ou ate mesmo usar valores mais altos no capacitor, se achar que tem muito ruido ainda; vale lembrar que o pedal fora da caixa de metal tem um ruido constante e normal que só some quando ce poe na caixinha de metal e uma lei da fisica ai que nao me recordo o nome entra em ação. Espero ter ajudado, saudaçoes candangas aqui da nossa Brasilia linda! Abraço

      Delete
  15. UnknownFebruary 10, 2018 at 10:36 AM

    Valeu André.
    E como ajudou!!!!!! Só continuo com algo mal entendido: se eu já tenho um pot (Speed) para variar a velocidade do efeito, a chave.....?!?!?!? Seria como se eu tivesse duas regiões distintas (uma alta e uma baixa, algo assim) para a atuação do efeito? Olha só, não entendo nada de eletrônica, por isso essas dúvidas "bobas", rs... Quanto à física não seria aquela "gaiola de Faraday" ou algo assim (chute!!!!!). Abraços carnavalescos aqui do RJ...

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    1. CANEPLAFebruary 10, 2018 at 3:15 PM

      isso! é uma chave pra duas velocidades difrentes, uma o pot varia de "x" a "y" e na outra posição de "y"a "z". E é essa lei ai mesmo! gaiola de faraday. salve salve rio!

      Delete
  16. UnknownFebruary 10, 2018 at 10:52 AM

    Ah, e na demo os pots não são acionados em nenhum momento, somente a Sw, o que dá a impressão (ou falsa impressão) que seria um tremolo de apenas duas velocidades.... rs...
    Volto a mencionar meu (des)conhecimento em eletrônica... mas pode rir assim mesmo, hehehe...

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    Replies
    1. CANEPLAFebruary 10, 2018 at 3:16 PM

      bom, o meu, ambos os pots desempenham os seus respectivos papeis de profundidade (depth) e velocidade (speed)

      Delete
    2. UnknownFebruary 15, 2018 at 12:25 PM

      Olá amigo.
      Depois do carnaval de volta às dúvidas. Tem uma ligação para LED no layout. Eu ligo ali o negativo do ed? E o positivo + um rsistor de 1K em algum ponto com 9V? E é esse Led que "pisca" na demo?

      Delete
    3. UnknownFebruary 15, 2018 at 1:39 PM

      Olhando com mais atenção, acho que me enganei: a ligação do led é ao contrário do que falei, certo? Naquele ponto do layout eu ligo o positivo do led sem o resistor de 1K que falei pois já tem um de 470R no próprio layout que eu acho que é justamente para atenuar a tensão para o led. O negativo do led vai para algum ponto GND da PCI ou fora dela. A outra pergunta continua: é esse Led que "pisca" na demo? Como sempre agradeço qq atenção...

      Delete
  17. UnknownFebruary 11, 2018 at 9:21 AM

    Ô camarada....
    Não tinha visto a tua resposta anterior aínda, rs....
    Agora está esclarecido... Valeeeeuuuuu!!!!

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  18. UnknownApril 30, 2018 at 5:09 PM

    Just finished this build but I've noticed some volume drop when speed pot is at min and switch is higher rate. Also when switching between rates the LED stops pulsating for around 2 seconds... Anyone know what could be the issue?

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  19. UnknownOctober 26, 2018 at 9:22 PM

    Did you conect the led in the same way as always conect to the 3dpt? or you have to conect it in a diferent way?

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  20. NickJune 14, 2019 at 6:42 AM

    Hi, i noticed some difference between the scheme you gave above (http://s167.photobucket.com/user/rocklander/media/heartthrob-tremolo-schem.jpg.html) and your pcb image. In cheme line C6>R13 goes to ground. In your pcb С6 also connected to Sw2/C8. Its mess of scheme/layout or it makes some sense? Thank you

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  21. rodrigosgJuly 7, 2019 at 4:43 PM

    Spdt switch is on/on????

    ReplyDelete
  22. jrdnSeptember 1, 2020 at 8:06 AM

    @Effects Layouts I built this twice, for myself and a friend. Still has the same issue. There is a slight volume drop. What do you think should I change to increase volume a bit at least to unity?

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    Replies
    1. Zaraki1337March 12, 2021 at 12:41 PM

      Maybe you used low gain transistor? Which transistor did u use?

      Delete
    2. jrdnMarch 26, 2021 at 12:15 PM

      Rahul, I used 5088.

      Delete
    3. Zaraki1337March 26, 2021 at 2:31 PM

      I cudnt make this work nicely

      There maybe fault in my components

      I cudnt find it out so i made colour sound tremolo instead

      Delete
    4. iShadyMinesMay 4, 2022 at 11:21 AM

      Mine is doing the same thing…

      Delete
  23. Zaraki1337March 24, 2021 at 10:40 AM

    I made heart trob with bc549b


    And its not working like it sud
    I che ked if there is any shorts but there arent. I tried changing 4nf also still same

    Video of it
    https://youtu.be/lwkyUwe7Vl4


    Plz help

    ReplyDelete
  24. iShadyMinesMay 4, 2022 at 11:23 AM

    Ok I have built this tremolo, the active signal is extremely low. What can I do to remedy this. Thanks

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  25. MassatonyNovember 14, 2022 at 4:56 AM

    Perfect, works exactly like it should. I don't know if it was the issue but at first it wasn't tremoloing (?) I checked for shorts... nada. Then I soldered the LED in as I hadn't before and then it worked. Thanks for a great layout.....again.

    ReplyDelete

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