Today, we're embarking on a brand new adventure: building my very first guitar effects pedal. homemade. A truly complete pedal that you could use in the studio, practice room, or at home. The amazing thing is, you could do exactly the same thing, even if you've never touched electronics in your life! A soldering iron, a little patience, and you might be surprised by the results.
In this video, you were able to follow the step-by-step assembly, like a LEGO set, to ultimately obtain an authentic pedal. reverb with a very successful sound.
This video was made in collaboration with Pedal Parts and Kits, who kindly sent me the kit Nostalgia Tone Spring Reverb. I thank them for their trust, because this is the kind of project that every guitarist should try at least once.
So, get your soldering iron ready, grab a good coffee, and let's get started right away!
The Action Plan (and Materials)
Here is the structure of our building session:
- Necessary material And Basic precautions.
- Unboxing from the kit.
- Assembly method step by step.
- Final test of the pedal.
Essential Equipment:
Make sure you have:
- A soldering iron (ideally 45W or more) and the welding (a tin/lead mixture is easier for beginners).
- Of the wire cutters, of the long-nose pliers, and a small tweezers (tweezers style).
- A wire stripper.
- A few basic screwdrivers and a 10 or 12 mm socket to tighten the connectors.
- A multimeter (even a hardware store model) to check resistance values and continuity.
- A support or a vise for immobilize the circuit during welding.
Safety first:
- Work in a place well ventilated or use a small smoke extractor.
- If you are using leaded solder, wash your hands thoroughly after use.
- The soldering iron is very hot: always use its stand and turn it off Immediately after use. Never leave it unattended.
Unboxing and Identification of the Nostalgia Tone Spring Reverb Kit
The Pedal Parts and Kits kit includes:
- There printed circuit board (mainboard).
- A small printed circuit board for the foot switch and a 6-conductor ribbon cable to connect them.
- The switch 3PDT for the true bypass.
- The input/output connectors (jacks), the power connector.
- A Pre-drilled and painted aluminum case (powder coated in white) – a highly recommended option to avoid the hassle of drilling and finishing.
- The complete set of components: resistors, capacitors, diodes, potentiometers, trimpots, regulator, and the heart of the effect: the Acutronx BTDR-3H Brick module (the module of reverb digital).
What I appreciate about a kit from Pedal Parts and Kits is that the components are of quality and that the design is thoughtful, making the assembly clean and reliable. The starter guide and parts list are clearly labeled, which makes learning electronic abbreviations (R for resistor, C for capacitor, etc.) easier.
The Sequential Assembly Method
For the initial build, we rely on the markings directly on the printed circuit board. It is best to follow this logical sequence:
Phase 1: Lowest components (Resistors and Diodes)
- Resistances (R): They are not polarized (no direction). I insert them, checking that the values correspond to the equipment list.
- Diodes (D): They are polarized! You must respect the orientation by matching the line on the diode with the line on the printed circuit board.
Soldering Tip: To speed things up, insert the components, bend their pins slightly at the back to hold them in place, then solder them all at once. Apply heat quickly and precisely to the pin and the pad. The solder must melt from the heat of the components, not from the soldering iron itself, to avoid overheating.
Phase 2: Supports and Capacitors
- Install the integrated circuit sockets, the small adjustment potentiometers (trimpots) and transistors.
- Continue with the capacitors, starting with the smallest ones. Most are not polarized, except electrolytics. For these, the circuit marks the on the positive side, which must be aligned with the appropriate pin.
I then installed the module Accutronix on the back of the main circuit.
Phase 3: Enclosure Preparation and Wiring
- Mount the input/output and power connectors onto the case.
- Standard wiring: Solder a wire to each of the pins. Ideally, use:
- Red : Positive nutrition.
- Black : Grounding/Earthing (power and signal).
- White : Audio signal.
For the large potentiometers, I removed the insulating cover, straightened the pins, and only temporarily soldered them on one leg to facilitate insertion.
Assembly Problem: The circuit board was too tightly packed in the housing and wouldn't fit. I had to remove the cables from the connectors and wire as many things as possible directly onto the printed circuit board before inserting everything.
Phase 4: Foot Switch and LED
- Foot Switch (True Bypass): It's a fragile component. I soldered the pins quickly, in short sessions (one or two pins at a time, then I wait) to avoid overheating it.
- LED resistor: I soldered the resistor that controls the intensity of the function LED.
- Function LED: The longer pin (the positive side) must align with the "+" sign on the circuit. I added a small piece of heat shrink tubing on the LED pins (not supplied, but recommended) to prevent short circuits, as it is placed close to the integrated circuit contacts. Its final position is adjusted after insertion into the housing.
Once all the connections are made, including the potentiometers and the LED which find their final location, I inserted the regulator (respecting its profile on the printed circuit board) and the integrated circuit (respecting the small dot/indentation for the correct orientation).
The Final Test (and the Wiring Gap)
I closed the case (after installing the buttons secured with small Allen keys) and went to test the effect… and no sound came out!
I had to do the troubleshooting by removing the circuit from the casing. The problem was simple, but critical: I had reversed the neutral and the signal on the input cable. The black cable (ground) and the white cable (audio signal) had to be swapped on the input jack.
After unplugging and rewiring the input, the pedal finally worked!
Conclusion: Mission Accomplished!
I have my first DIY pedal finished, which sounds good and which look Very good! Congratulations to those who followed the build You have just learned how to weld and assemble a complete kit. It's a confidence-boosting project, because you now know that it's within everyone's reach with a little motivation.
A huge thank you again to Pedal Parts and Kits The second part of this adventure is coming, where we will delve deeper into the electrical diagram and the philosophy of the circuit.
If you enjoyed the video, subscribe! More DIY projects are coming soon (a second pedal, a pedalboard…), all accessible with a little information and motivation.
Leave me a comment with your own experiences combining effects! Until the next video, let's tinker with our guitars and experiment. See you soon!
