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I want to start building pedals and amps but I want to know how to, not just a do it yourself instruction. of course I will start with a do it yourself instruction but I want to get behind what circuits do, what limiters do all that good stuff. so in all I'm asking the information behind how pedals and amps are built and what I should get to build pedals and where to start.

you would have a hard time finding the best tutorials covering a broad range of subjects from manufactoring to electronics to physics to mains wiring and RF noise all assembled in one concise source. I suggest you use what you have, start where you are, and do what you can. if you truly have a passion for this kind of thing, you will get it after some time and research. the experience you will gain is a combination of both reading and practical application. you have to build test circuits, prototypes and other inevitable failures as part of the learning process. you will always succeed unless you give up. I can not begin to suggest reading material unless I know what your abilities are at present. if your abilities are not much, then I would suggest you read everything. totally serious. read everything.

Like Eatyourguitar has said, a mixture of study and practical application would be the best approach. Build a basic circuit, but put in sockets instead of components. Play around with different components, possibly while referencing some relevant tutorials. That way you can actually hear the results behind the theory.

I would also imagine taking an electronics theory course would be of great help as apart from educating you, it may also offer you a person you can discuss ideas and theories with.

Nick Dunwich recommended me this book, it has a lot of extremely useful information on tube pre-amps but most of it can be applied to pedals too.

http://amzn.com/0956154522 (second edition)

FWIW there is the second edition of "Designing Tube Preamps for Guitar and Bass" on Amazon that is $40 and NOT $300 - $1,000. I don't know if one is better than the other but I can't imagine that possibly being the case.

It's the second edition I have, didn't cop that I posted the crazy money first edition, I'll edit in the right one.

so what should I get to get started? a soldering iron and what else?

Soldering iron/station, desoldering braid/solder sucker, helping hand is really useful, solder, multimeter, a kit for your first build is a good starting point.

laxlover_bill369 wrote:so what should I get to get started? a soldering iron and what else?

a good multimeter, a good solder station, good set of clippers, good set of pliers (small ones), set of screwdrivers. A set of sockets to tighten parts to an enclosure or a wrench for this purpose. Hot Glue Gun, I know sounds funny but I use this all the damn time. Helping Hands, one of those things which can hold the circuit board for you.

Jeff-7 wrote: helping hand is really useful

new05002 wrote: Helping Hands

HELPING HANDS.

HELPING HANDS.

HELPING HANDS.

Seriously the most useful thing ever. Also would like to add that a solder sucker is way better than trying to use braid all the time IMO.

AxAxSxS wrote:

Jeff-7 wrote: helping hand is really useful

new05002 wrote: Helping Hands

HELPING HANDS.

HELPING HANDS.

HELPING HANDS.

Seriously the most useful thing ever. Also would like to add that a solder sucker is way better than trying to use braid all the time IMO.

Desoldering braid always pisses me off, it's so useless.

AxAxSxS wrote:

Jeff-7 wrote: helping hand is really useful

new05002 wrote: Helping Hands

HELPING HANDS.

HELPING HANDS.

HELPING HANDS.

Seriously the most useful thing ever.

most of them are cheaply made high margin crap that radioshack sells. there is nothing you need helping hands for unless you are soldering wire to wire. but even then, I can hold two wires in one hand. I can also tin one wire + solder with one hand. if I ever did need something like a helping hands I would lock the wire into the hemostat and lay it flat in the bench, wire sticking up. you can also tape wire to your bench and bend it up. if you are the manufacturer you would not need to solder two wires together, everything goes to a pad, or turret or terminal etc.. do not use helping hands to hold a PCB. it is not the right tool for the job.

Achtane wrote:

AxAxSxS wrote:Also would like to add that a solder sucker is way better than trying to use braid all the time IMO.

Desoldering braid always pisses me off, it's so useless.

since getting into SMD, desolder braid has allowed me to do things I could never do without it. it has also allowed me to get faster with assembly techniques for fine pitch components. it saved me from needing to buy hot air for SMD. I have 3 sizes from techspray. each size is for something specific from SMD, to through hole parts, to power harnesses, jacks etc.. the only disadvantage to braid is that you always need to buy more.

however, solder suckers can lift traces right off the pcb and they need to be cleaned regularly. it depends on how liquid the solder is when you attempt to snap up the solder from the pad. might be good to have both braid and solder sucker. get the nice japanese solder sucker with the flexible silicone tip.

eatyourguitar wrote:
most of them are cheaply made high margin crap that radioshack sells. there is nothing you need helping hands for unless you are soldering wire to wire. but even then, I can hold two wires in one hand. I can also tin one wire + solder with one hand. if I ever did need something like a helping hands I would lock the wire into the hemostat and lay it flat in the bench, wire sticking up. you can also tape wire to your bench and bend it up. if you are the manufacturer you would not need to solder two wires together, everything goes to a pad, or turret or terminal etc.. do not use helping hands to hold a PCB. it is not the right tool for the job.

disagree with you here but each of us has his/her own approach.

AxAxSxS wrote:Also would like to add that a solder sucker is way better than trying to use braid all the time IMO.

Achtane wrote:Desoldering braid always pisses me off, it's so useless.

This is exactly opposite of my experience. Are you guys using a quality product, or the cheap stuff? The cheap stuff does nothing-- it is just copper braid. The good stuff works miracles-- it is pre-fluxed and braided tightly.

This is what I use. $3.28 for 5 ft. It lasts longer than you think. And, they sell it in 10-foot lengths, too. http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDet ... 77-1811-5F

Place it on some solder, put a hot iron to it, and the solder is magically sucked up. This stuff works so good that you can often remove parts by hand from double-sided, plated-through boards after using the braid on only one side.

The other stuff I have tried was absolute junk. It did nothing, but it was cheap. I got my cheap stuff from MPJA, and it looks just like the stuff Smallbear sells. Avoid.

Give the good stuff a try!

Mike

new05002 wrote:

eatyourguitar wrote:
most of them are cheaply made high margin crap that radioshack sells. there is nothing you need helping hands for unless you are soldering wire to wire. but even then, I can hold two wires in one hand. I can also tin one wire + solder with one hand. if I ever did need something like a helping hands I would lock the wire into the hemostat and lay it flat in the bench, wire sticking up. you can also tape wire to your bench and bend it up. if you are the manufacturer you would not need to solder two wires together, everything goes to a pad, or turret or terminal etc.. do not use helping hands to hold a PCB. it is not the right tool for the job.

disagree with you here but each of us has his/her own approach.

I never built a tube amp so there is probably something you use it for that I know nothing about. although we may disagree I respect that you might have a really good use for it.