Frequently Asked Questions

About Our Products

"Support"

1. What do you mean when you say that you support many of the projects at Tonepad, GGG, etc.? Do you offer kits for any of them?

We don't offer kits per se, partly because we don't want to be breaking up packages when someone wants red or blue knobs instead of black. So you do have to put together a list of what you want in our shopping cart. This gives us your order in a standard format that we can process quickly. In effect, you "roll-your-own" customized kit.

We also do our best to stock all of the sometimes hard-to-find, obsolete parts that are essential to cloning the classic pedals for which these companies offer PC boards. Sometimes, we suggest work-alikes or replacements. To help beginners with shopping, we maintain a large library of spreadsheets with all of the parts for, for example, a Fuzz Face, Tonebender, etc. If you have questions, tell us which pedals you want to build and we'll e-mail you the right files.

Germanium Transistors

There is a whole FAQ on this subject in my How-Tos.

1. Why are the NPN devices so much more expensive than the PNP? What advantage, if any, do they offer?

According to R. G. Keen (who was doing this at the time), NPN germanium that is quiet and of suitable gain for Fuzz Faces was harder to make back in the day than PNP. So, today, raw NPN germanium stock is harder to find and much more expensive.

The big advantage of NPN devices is that they allow you to build a Fuzz Face negative-ground. Done this way, you can power the pedal from the same supply that runs everything else on your pedal board. If you build positive-ground using PNP devices, you must either install a battery or power from a separate supply.

To anticipate a question, it is possible to use PNP devices and wire negative-ground. However, because many intractable problems with motorboating noise have been reported with such builds, it's not recommended.

Germanium Diodes

1. I need a 1N34a.

The NOS germanium diode, SKU 2209, will work anywhere that the 1N34a is specified.

 

2. 1N100 for the Orange Squeezer?

SKU 2209 will work here, also.

LEDs

1. What value series resistor do I need to use?

The value needed depends on the type/size of LED, and on the compromise you make between desired brightness and battery drain. With a 9-volt supply, 5mm diffused types like SKU 2300 are readily visible with a series resistance as high as 2.7K. High-brightness water-clear types will be fine with up to 8.2K.

 

2. How do I secure the LED in one of your metal bezels?

--Insert the LED all the way into the bezel.

--Add ONE drop of Krazy Glue or similar adhesive in back.

--Slip the black plastic  retainer on and press in place.

--Wait ten seconds. Done.

Switches

1. I have a BOSS/Ibanez xxx pedal and need to replace the effect in/out switch?

We stock several tactile switches that are either OEM replacements or work-arounds. If we don't have the one you need, try contacting partsisparts.net or calling

Roland/BOSS Customer Service: 323-890-3700

Hoshino USA (Ibanez): 800-669-8262

 

2. I want to re-house a pedal. How do I know what kind of switch I need to replace the effect in/out switch?

If the existing switch has only two contacts, you want a momentary switch. That will provide a simple contact closure to trigger the electronic bypass in the pedal. There are several suitable choices in the Stock List: The Carling 110-PM-OFF is very rugged and has a solid, mechanical "ker-chunk" action. The Taiwanese X-wing SPDT Momentary is inxepensive, but less rugged, also has a solid mechanical click. The "Soft-Touch" Momentary is very rugged and inexpensive, with a completely smooth action.

If the existing stomp switch is a stomp switch with three contacts, it's probably an SPDT latching switch wired "half-bypass." This was common in older pedals when DPDT switches were much more expensive. Replace with a DPDT or 3PDT and re-wire for true bypass. There are numerous on-line references that cover how to do this.

For pedals that use a six-contact, DPDT switch, replace with Carling, Alpha or 3PDT, depending on cost, mechanical considerations and whether you want/need to drive an in-use LED.

Enclosures

1. Is your "B-size" enclosure exactly the the same as the one that ZVex uses?

It is the same enclosure, made from the same mold. When producing for us, the factory puts an insert in the mold that blocks the ZVex logo from being cast.

 

2. Will you drill/paint/powder-coat my enclosure?

We do not offer these services. One company that does drill and powder-coat to order is PedalParts Plus.

 

3. I would like to drill my own enclosure, but I don't know how to locate the holes correctly. Also, what kind of drill do I need for aluminum boxes?

My article on crafting a "Shell" for a pedal covers the use of paper templates for locating holes and gives an example. Ordinary twist drills are fine for drilling, but many DIYers like to use a step-drill, usually referred to by its trade name Unibit.

 

4. What are the advantages/disadvantages to using the inkjet decal stock as opposed to the laser material?

Because you use it with a laser printer (or color photocopier), you can get a higher print density on the laser stock. Also, the laser stock is compatible with Micro-Sol decal softener, which makes it easier to get a "painted-on" appearance. The decal softener will not work with the inkjet stock.

 

5.  How do I use the decal stock/iron-on transfer materials?

Here are links to the manufacturer's instructions for the inkjet and laser materials. The iron-on transfer material is Avery Label #3279.

PC Boards

A Sharpie permanent marker is workable for this, but a purpose-made industrial marker like the Dykem, SKU 0417, will give you a heavier, darker line.

Resistors

1. I have heard that composition resistors give superior tone. How come you don't stock them?

Composition resistors do make a difference in high-voltage tube amp circuits. See this piece by R.G. Keen: http://diystompboxes.com/pedals/rgccmp.html

 

2. How does the color code work?

Here's a reference: http://wiki.xtronics.com/index.php/Resistor_Codes#First_the_code

 

3. Carbon Film vs. Metal Film?

Carbon film will always work, and it's a little cheaper. Metal film sometimes helps to reduce noise in the signal path of very high-gain circuits like preamps and compressors.

Potentiometers (Panel-Mounted)

1. Will your SKU nnnn knob fit SKU nnnn pot?

   Unless otherwise specifically noted, All of the pots on the Stock List have a 1/4-inch diameter, smooth, full-round shaft. All of the knobs meet this spec, also unless specifically noted.

    

2. What style of pot do I need for my guitar?

SBE prefers to maintain its focus on parts for pedals. Guitar pots usually need to tolerate more rotations than pots used in effects. Also, they typically have a splined and knurled shaft that accepts a push-on knob. For these reason, I suggest shopping at specialty web sites like guitarelectronics.com or musiciansfriend.com. Mouser.com also now carries guitar pots, and the prices look better than what I have seen at specialty sites.

 

3. Pots For BOSS/Ibanez pedals?

The Alpha 16mm types with solder terms are adaptable to many of the older models. The 20K "W" taper is an exact match for the "G" taper tone pot in the Tube Screamer. For PC-mount types or styles that I don't carry, try partsisparts.net or the manufacturer's customer service:

Roland/BOSS: 323-890-3700

Hoshino USA (Ibanez): 800-669-8262

 

Wah-Wah and Swell Pedal Pots and Parts

1. Which pot should I buy for my Crybaby?

   Any of the Wah pots on the Stock List are mechanically compatible with the Crybaby, and will fit many other makes. That said, they differ in resistance and in taper, taper being the relationship between change in resistance and change in rotation.

   Resistance and taper both affect the "quackiness" and response of the pedal, and those qualities are very much matters of personal taste. If you are trying a type of wah pot for the first time, connect it with alligator leads. Wah pots can be exchanged as long as they are not soldered to or mechanically damaged.

    

2. My Dunlop/Black Top/ProPot has gotten scratchy. Can I quiet it down?

   All of these pots, as well as the SBE Black Bear, are variants of an industrial pot that was developed originally as a joy-stick control. Based on a lot of anecdotal evidence and testing by some SBE commercial customers, we conclude that the lubricant that the maker puts in these picks up dust in some environments, and that sometimes makes the pot noisy.

   The present version of the Black Bear is deliberately made without that lubricant. So far, we have not had complaints of shortened life, or of scratchiness. As for the other types, the scratchiness almost always disappears if you diasassemble the pot completely, wash the parts thoroughly with Deoxit or similar solvent, and reassemble.

    

3. What inductor do you recommend for modding my Crybaby?

   This is completely a matter of personal taste, and the same guarantee applies to these as to Wah pots: Treat gently, test without soldering, and they are returnable if you are not happy with the tone. NB: For the money, the Eleca halo is a very good value.

Capacitors

1. The article I'm building from specifies "poly film" or "polyester film" types. Which are those on the Stock List?

   You'll find these in Panasonic Low-voltage poly films. For 1 mf., you'll find the Cornell-Dublier DME radial and the BC Components box style. General GuitarGadgets Boards are laid out for the DME radial, while Tonepad standardizes on the box.

   The other poly film types, like Sprague and Mallory, are usually used for tube amp repair, though some people also use them to replace tone caps in guitars and Wah pedals.

    

2. Help!! There so many ways of expressing capacitor values!

   Capacitor values on the Stock List are Always expressed either as Microfarad (You'll see it as mf., mfd., uf., uF. in schematics and lists,) or picofarad (pf.). The use of mf. as "millifarad" is a change of recent years; it can be confusing, but the correct translation will be clear enough from how the capacitor is being used.

   1000 pf. = .001 mf. = 1 nf. (nanofarad) That last is a European usage that you'll see a lot.

    

3. How do I read the value code on the poly films?

   Briefly: The value is in picofarads (pf.), expressed as two digits and a multiplier. For example, 103 is 10 + 3 zeroes or 10000 pf. To convert to microfarad, move the decimal point six places left. So 10,000 pf. = .01 mf.

   The value is usually followed by a letter that indicates tolerance, or allowable variance from the marked value. J means +/- 5%, K means +/- 10%

    

4. What working voltage do I need?

At least 50% greater than the power supply voltage. For a 9 Volt pedal, a minimum of 15 volts is fine.

ICs - Op-Amps

1. I'm building a Ross/Dynacomp. What's the difference between the CA3080E  and CA3080A
? What about the LM308N/LM308AH for the RAT/Rodent clones?

"E" is plastic 8-pin dual in-line package, "A" is metal can. Either will work, though you have to bend the leads of the can package to fit the dual in-line format on a PC Board. The can has a reputation for being a little quieter. Same answers for the LM308: "N" is plastic dual in-line, "AH" is metal can.

 

2. What is the provenance of the JRC4558D chips that you sell? Is there anything to the reports of superior tone in Tube Screamers from the JRC4558Ds that were manufactured in the 70s and 80s?

The parts I sell are current production, purchased from an authorized distributor for the manufacturer, New Japan Radio. Knowledgeable professionals who have done A-B tests report no difference in tone between current-production and old-stock chips. Nonetheless, these reports persist. Let your own ears be your guide, and be aware that on-line offers of "NOS" JRC4558D are almost surely Not old-stock.

 

3. What ICs can I substitute for the JRC4558D in the TS?

Many other dual op-amps are pin-compatible and are known to work: TLC2262, TLC2272, LM833, TL072, RC4558P, NE5532, OP2134PA, OP2604AP.

Note that if you are willing to breadboard the circuit so that you can easily swap other components, you'll find that changing values and types of coupling caps, types of clipping diodes and the configuration of the diode loop, and the gains of the stages, create Much more pronounced changes in tone than changing chips. The "Bible" concerning these mods is R. G. Keen's article, "The Technology Of The Tube Screamer," at GEOFEX.com. Welcome to DIY pedal madness...

ICs - Bucket Brigade Delays

1. Any source for the Reticon SAD1024A, SAD512, SAD4096, R5101?

There are none left of the lot of SAD1024A that I had. As far as we know, that was the "last of the Dodos." I have seen discussion on the forums of possibly modding circuits to substitute an MN300x for the SAD1024A, but I have not seen a detailed, known-to-work recipe. If anyone does, please let me know.

As for the other numbers, there may be scattered pieces left in broker warehouses, but I have never seen any of them advertised for sale, at any price.

 

2. What about the MN3005?

At this writing (2010 Feb), I have no stock and I have stopped trying to source. While numerous lots are advertised on the broker market, I have had impossible problems with receiving chips that are either DOA or MN3008 that have been re-marked. If you shop for them, Caveat Emptor.

Knobs

1. What shaft size(s)/shaft style(s) do the knobs fit?

   Unless otherwise specifically noted, All of the knobs on the Stock List fit a 1/4-inch diameter, smooth, full-round shaft, and they have set screws.

    

2. I see the style I need on the Stock List, but my control has a "D" shaft...

   Make yourself an adapter by slicing a piece of metal rod or tubing in half and filing to size. Use this to "fill in" the missing half of the shaft.