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.

Friday, September 23, 2022

Solid Gold FX Rosie

 Happy Fuzz Friday, all! Here's a cool silicon Tone Bender style fuzz from Solid Gold Fx. Aside from using silicon transistors, the first stage is a JFET. When the switch is closed it adds in a 4.7uF input cap in parallel with the 330pF input cap. You could replace the switch with a B100k pot (lug 1 to Sw1 pad, lugs 2-3 to Sw2 pad) to blend the two values. Set the trimmer to 4.5v for the JFET and adjust by ear as needed. 





Monday, September 12, 2022

EHX Small Clone

 The blog needs more modulation, so here's the classic EHX Small Clone chorus. Made famous by Kurt Cobain, the Small Clone has a wide range of chorus tones. I've laid it out two ways, one stock, and one with the Depth switch replaced with a pot. You can probably squeeze this into a 1590B, but I'd stick with a 125B if you want the board mounted to the pot(s). Schematic for reference.





Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Solid Gold FX Super Drive

 Here's an interesting take on the classic DOD 250/MXR Distortion + circuit. It's pushed by a simple BJT boost and has an added presence control and tone switch. Schematic here. Easy to fit in a 1590B or 125B.






Friday, July 22, 2022

Ghost of Kyiv

 Happy Fuzz Friday, everyone! Here's a very cool Big Muff variation designed by Zzoyd. Zzoyd lives in Kyiv and named the circuit after the famed fighter pilot defending the Ukrainian skies from Russian aggression. It reminds a bit of the Musket but with a 2-band EQ and a germanium pre section. Should fit nicely in a 125B. 



Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Rift Amplification EL34

 Almost didn't draw this up since it's just another Electra variant, but they almost always sound good, so why not? This one claims to emulate the sound of EL34 tubes, which sounds like marketing gibberish to me since it's just a diode-less Electra. Originals are all hand wired, point to point, floating in the 1590BB enclosure. Super cool looking, but a major labor of love to produce, hence its hefty price tag. This will fit in a 1590B, but has 2 footswitches, so the drill template reflects a zVex-style of layout. Schematic and cool teardown vid on FSB here.




Thursday, June 16, 2022

Greer Amps Soma 63 Preamp

Cool JFET preamp circuit from Greer. Its supposed to sound like a Brownface-era Fender amp. I'd be curious what it sounds like without the transformer. Should fit just fine in a 125B with top mounted jacks. Schematic for reference.




Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Earthquaker Devices Special Cranker

Here's EQD's newest offering, the Special Cranker. Developed from the Speaker Cranker, this one is like two basic Electra's with switchable hard clipping diodes in between (1N60Ps like the original Speaker Cranker or Soviet germanium D9Ks). Easy fit for a 1590B.

Here's the schematic for reference.



Normally I throw a demo in, but just go look those up on YouTube, there's a bunch of them. I leave you with this vid instead. It's waay cooler anyway.