Oh no.... another newbie!!! : )

Ok I posted these same questions over at Gearslutz and Kev (in a very round about way) pointed me here.. :thumb: Thanks Kev!!!

Sorry for the long post....

I think when you do something for so long it is easy to forget how much you take for granted and you might find it surprising how little people outside of your group actually know about what you do. DIY looks like black magic to many people, I am not scared of it but I also feel really lost. Baby steps are what I need I guess.
Okay here goes? I have never done a DIY project before. I am very mechanically inclined and I have done wiring jobs before but nothing on a circuit board.

My goal is to make an SSL buss compressor, I have seen the schematic posted.
So here are my questions.

What do I need to know before I start. I vaguely remember from years back how to read a schematic but I don?t remember much if anything now. What do I need to know to begin??

Do most DYI projects come with step by step instructions or do you have to wing it??

How hard is it to make something, can a novice follow instructions and got the job done??

Say you are working a few hours a week after work, how long to get a finished product, weeks, months, years maybe?? I know this is all relative to my speed and accuracy but, you get the idea.

Were do you find parts?? I assume some things are going to be Radio Shack off the shelf and some are going to be special order.

What kind of cost is there to the SSL comp??

We are playing with current here, should I be worried about it if I follow instructions??

I can guess that an SSL buss compressor is pretty complicated for a first project, think a newbie can handle it or should I start smaller??

Were and what is the best schematic for the best sounding SSL comp that you guys and gals have found and how close to the original do they sound?? Has anyone compared them to the "real deal?"

Well, lets assume for a minute that I have no skills or tools????.. because I don?t :wink: Where do I learn the skills and get the tools?? I thought I remembered seeing 1 and 2 rack space boxes to house this stuff, do I need to make these from scratch???

Oh one last thing. I am sure you guys / gals have run into this but what are the legal ins and outs of making gear from other designs?? Can you make it and just not sell it or are you really not supposed to even make it or...??? How does Vintech and others get away with manking a 1272 neve clone etc.. ??

Thanks and I really want to wish all of you the best of luck in your new home, you seem like great people (maybe remeber that when you think and post about your old home?? As they say, sometimes it is better to just let it go huh??)!!

Rock on..

I'll take a stab at some of your questions..

What do you need to get started? Well, the ability to read schematics is mandatory i would say. Also, you'll need a soldering iron and patience.. A novice can complete projects but as i said, it takes patience and a little persistance doesnt hurt.

Do DIY projects come with instructions? Not so much 'step-by-step' instructions but there are site's like Jacob's and Kev's which help alot and this forum of course. Everyone is usually quick to answer questions.

Where to get parts? Mouser, Digikey, Newark and Allied are the main suppliers for US folks. If you are not in the US i'm sure other people can point you in the right direction.

Cost of the SSL? Tough to say.. I'd estimate in between $200 - $300. Makes a great 1st project as well..

How to learn soldering? Use old PCBs from old computer cards or whatever you can get your hands on.. Buy some cheap component bags from radio shack and solder away.

You can get nice racks from www.par-metal.com

Hope this helps some!

-Jay

Ok, lots of good questions... I'll try and answer a few before I head off to work...

First go to Jakob's (from Gyraf Audio) web site. His schem/circuit board design is what most of us have been using: http://gyraf.dk Look on the left for the DIY link. Click and scroll down till you see the SSL section.

I guess you pretty much need to know how to solder and maybe basic electronic theory. Most DIY projects here do not come with step by step instructions, but that's what the forum is here for! You get stuck, you can come here for help.

If you email me at imacgreg (at) umail.ucsb.edu then I can send you my SSL Comp Bill of Materials (BOM) that a lot of people here have been using.

I have found that my SSL clone's have each cost around $500-$600US. This is with a nice rack case and a machined front panel from frontpanelexpress.com (who kick ass by the way, we should get sponsored!)

I have not personally compared my clone to the real deal, but one of the engineers where I work has some time on an SSL and with the Alan Smart clone. He said it's pretty damn close!

Hope that helped a bit, I'm sure others will chip in...

Ian

Not so new, you might want to also think about starting with a small beginner type project, first. That's how you get the experience, by just doing it. There's some good info in some books out there, too. Craig Anderton's " Electronic Projects for Musicians". Radio Shack has some interesting books, too. Basic stuff. The important thing about soldering, is too much heat is bad! Especially, for semiconductors. And, it doesn't take a lot of solder. Heat the part, until the solder touching the part flows; don't touch the tip to the solder. Practice makes perfect!

Hi Not_so_new, if you're not a guitar player, this probably won't help, but stompboxes can be a good intro into DIY. They are cheap (relatively), and kits are available with all parts and pre-fab'ed PC boards. There was a recent thread about this at TFFKATT* which unfortunately is off-limits now.

Check out www.generalguitargadgets.com and www.smallbearelec.com for some examples.

OldHouseScott

TFFKATT* = the forum formerly known as tech talk
How's that for some coinage?!

Build an LA2a first.
Scenaria even has kits to do that!
cj

Guitar pedals are a great way to start out! I think I built my first Fuzz face when I was 14. Been addicted to DIY ever since... :twisted: Check out http://www.geofex.com for guitar pedal stuff if that's your bag..

Ian

if you're not a guitar player, this probably won't help

Click to expand...

Actually funny you should say that I am a guitar player... :thumb: Big surprise huh

Thanks for all the advise guys, keep 'm coming. I think the stomp box is a great idea and one that I should heed but I might just jump in head first. I really have done many different types of things before (building servers to Chevy small blocks) so I am not complete a newbie but PCBs are new for me. I still am not 100% sure where to start. ??

I am going to post a few of the lingering questions I had from above if no one minds??

I vaguely remember from years back how to read a schematic but I don?t remember much if anything now. What do I need to know to begin?? Any web sites you could suggest that would give me enough knowledge to start with??? I could goggle it but if there is anything off the top of your head you can think of??

Were do you find parts?? I assume some things are going to be Radio Shack off the shelf and some are going to be special order. I have been digging around here for a little bit and it seems like some people sell kits?? Like the seventh circle stuff right?? Do they include everything and you just have to get the chassis and faceplate??

What tools do I need??

I am sure you guys / gals have run into this but what are the legal ins and outs of making gear from other designs?? Can you make it and just not sell it or are you really not supposed to even make it or...??? How does Vintech and others get away with making a 1272 neve clone etc.. ?? I heard EveAnna Manley came in a bit ago with guns blazzing, what is the deal. I don't like or want to steal anything ya know....

Thanks, really great everyone.

:green:

[quote author="Not_So_New"].... I heard EveAnna Manley came in a bit ago with guns blazzing, what is the deal. I don't like or want to steal anything ya know....[/quote]

Really? In this forum? What thread? She seems cool, was it about non-profit DIY or someone cloning and selling Manley designs?

Kelley

I hate asking so many questions of all of you but with the whole new site mess there is not a lot of research I can do....

Okay maybe I should start smaller..

I would like to try and DIY a folcrom like summing device, I would assume that is pretty easy, no power etc.

Were do I find the schematic and where would you recommend I get the parts??

Thanks for ll the help so far, get bunch of people here!!!

:guinness: :sam:

Start with some cheap PAIA kits. Start cheap and build confidence. Then go into the more expensive projects like SSL, LA2A, Neve clones, etc.

PAIA kits???

Hi Not So New!

There is no problem with DIY as long as you do not claim the designs are your own and most importantly...DO NOT TRY TO SELL THEM as a commercial venture.

As a learning project for your own use DIY is fine!

I have not built the SSL yet but as there are PCBs available, you could start really slowly, just add a few bits at a time and learn more about it as you go. There was a lot of information on the old site about the clone and I'm sure it will be back in some shape or form.

Maybe look in electronics magazines for small starter projects so you can practice your soldering and gain some knowledge while also working at the understanding the SSL. Things that apply to one thing can sometimes have a use in other projects. I find that looking at more than one thing keeps me from getting too focused on one thing.

Reading here will probably teach you more than any book!!

Lots of cool people here with a lot of knowledge. There were a few sound clips of the SSL clone in action a while ago...sounded great!

Good luck
Tom

Yup. go here.
http://www.paia.com/

[quote author="Not_So_New"]PAIA kits???[/quote]

ick
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 8:58 pm    Post subject:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Build an LA2a first.
Scenaria even has kits to do that!
cj[/quote]

Where can these be found/purchaesd etc...

hey not so new-

I think the best first project possible is a fuzz face. I use the first fuzz face I built a billion years ago on just about every record I do, it only has a few parts, it wont cost much of anything, its easy to start and finish and its easy to trouble shoot if you make a mistake as there are only a handful of connections. It will also prepare you for the ardour of metal work which I think up to a point is the hardest part of a diy project. Get the schem on geofex and read the dissertation RG keen wrote on the circuit, excellent primer on understanding simple transistor stuff. Buy a hammond die cast aluminum box from mouser to house it, the rest is just resistors and caps, I can even give you two germanium transistors if you cant find any. Its important to finish the first project, its good for momentum.

You can build something like the ssl comp without a good understanding of electronics, I certainly made a good sounding one with a very limited and stunted grasp of how it all actually works. Putting parts in the right holes and making good solder conections is nothing to be afraid of with due diligence, troubleshooting your mistakes is where a project like that can get complicted, not putting it together. But with this forum and the wide amount of peeps here who have built 'em, just about any answer to any question is a post away, so even that shouldnt be scary.

Fuzz face is good to start and if you have to abondon it, its cheap enough parts count is no big loss. The SSL project will cost lots more, some parts like the meter can be very expensive depending upon what you use, but all in all, if you follow the projects we discuss here, its very easy to do in comparison to others, its safe (most any tube project can kill you dead if put your hand in the wrong place, real death) and the end result of course isnt just some crap you built, its a really great sounding compressor, better than just about anything you are gonna get new or used for under $700 or so... Its a great sounding and immensely usable box, dont let the DIY fool you, much of the stuff you can make for yourself, if you follow the lead of the guys here, will sound better than much of the stuff you can go to the store and buy new, the power to make component decisions is a pretty world determining power to have for someone concerned with their audio path!

dave

Hi,

very informative board, I'm just reading thru some of the newbie posts now.

I have absolutely no experience whatsoever in electronics. In reading thru this post I thought http://www.smallbearelec.com/Projects/TweakO/TweakO.htm This would be a good place to start.

good idea? What I'd like to do is to be able to make myself some good sounding gear, like the ssl clone. I think I read in this post that project costs aroun $600, is that right?

Also, I'd like to get an analog console (right now I record onto digi 001) so I can use hardware effects and processing. I think I'll get cubase/motu eventually.

Do any of you guys modify your analog consoles? I'm imagining mixing on the analog desk, with the mix bus going thru an ssl clone and a pultec eq clone onto something like an alesis masterlink. I'll also need to get some decent a/d and d/a. So, I'm thinking if I start small, with that stompbox, I figure in maybe a year I can have all the $$ and enough experience with smaller projects to get going.

Decent plan?

thanks!

bp

badperson....
I started here as a total newbie - and still am (although I have been soldering for a month now)

I would definately buy, beg, borrow or steal the following books (which I have been reading all month)

Craig Anderton - electronic projects for musicians (some of the parts are hard to find - but read it and things will start to become clear)

The following pocket Babani books..
BP392 Electronic Project Building for Beginners 0 85934 392 8 R. Penfold £4.99 - This is a MUST for getting know how to do the metalwork..

BP309 Preamplifier and Filter Circuits 0 85934 254 9 R. Penfold
BP380 Advanced Projects for the Electric Guitar 0 85934 380 4 J. Chatwin £4.99
(both of the above are similar to the Craig Anderton book)

I wouldn't do a stomp box - but maybe one of these projects....

DI box
one of the opto compressors.... (see the META thread on this)

Don't worry you are not alone - I am only 4 weeks ahead of you - and already burnt my hand on a soldering iron (TIP... if you want to check your soldering iron is on after plugging it in the first time - don't touch the metal part)

[quote author="Not_So_New"]PAIA kits???[/quote]

yeah they have some simple and useable kits. www.paia.com . I built the Tubehead. The directions that come with the kits are really good.

I am like a newby+ now and started by rebuilding my tube guitar amps and learning how their circuits works. I got two books about tube design and still read them but you don't have to know all that to build stuff - just to design it.Then I built some kits and then I designed and built a tube preamp that I'm still using and also rebuilding right now. You can look at it.. the old version like coz right now it's in pieces on my workbench, at www.2tough.com/~kiira/rec/preamp.html

The thing is.. the hardest part is the hardware stuff, making the boxes and panels and drilling the holes. I finally got the idea and bought some stepp drills and a $50 chinese drill press. WOO! heaven.

I wouldn't start with a big make the circuitboard yourself project for the first time I would try a kit and some refurb jobs... then learn how to make simpler boards and all the while learning how to solder better and design stuff along the way, and buy a few test equipment thingeys too. hey if *I* can learn it anyone can.

that's a cool site, I think maybe the fatman might be a good option for me. I think it may be one of their tougher ones, but they said all their kits are designed for beginners.

It looks like it costs a little over $200, no?

also, how does their tube mic pre stack up to say, an rnp? Is it a good sounding unit?

thanks.
bp