Beginner Building stuff - where to learn?

LeedyGuy · Post by **LeedyGuy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:29 pm

I'm a total beginner when it comes to circuitboards, soldering and anything involving that. I really want to learn how to get into doing this and be able to get into something that says "This project is not for a beginner, but this is still pretty easy...just don't make it your first project ever."

What can be my first project ever? I want the Seventh Circle Audio pres, but I want to just order the kit and get to work, but I know I'm going to screw it up. I wouldn't mind taking a crack at the Art Tube Pre mod that is floating around here too. Make my own cables? I'd love to.

Any suggestions where I can learn any of this so I'm not such a noob? What's a good first project to take a shot at?

-Ken

helmuth · Post by **helmuth** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:55 pm

The jlm baby animal was my first project.
Made me a tube guitar amp and a tremolo stomp box since.

I wouldn't say the jlm was too hard, but some parts are a bit too expensive to fuck up so I suggest you get your soldering skills in shape. Why not buy a strip board and a handful of resistors and get to it?

LeedyGuy · Post by **LeedyGuy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:37 pm

That's really not a bad idea to get me to practicing and then I'll at least be able to build some stuff. That's great! Thanks!!

There's more that I need to learn than that though. I need a book on basic electronics or something. (At the risk of sounding like a total idiot) What the heck does a resistor DO exactly? Feel free not to answer that question, but if you learned stuff like that from a book that you loved, lemme know because I'm going to want to pick it up.

-Ken

ashcat_lt · Post by **ashcat_lt** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:53 pm

to kind of answer things backwards....

craig anderton's "electronic projects for musicians" is a classic, and really covers a lot of the basics.

technically, a resistor resists the flow of electricity. it doesn't conduct perfectly. (i'm sure that doesn't answer the question you were actually asking. have you tried google or wiki?)

the diystompboxes forum is great, with all kinds of links to interesting info.

as for where to start, I was going to say with a simple buffer like one of these until you mentioned making your own cables and that leads to the following question: "do you know which end of the soldering iron gets hot?"

cable building is a good way to get familiar with soldering. you then might want to try a passive circuit. got an electric guitar around?

edit: oh, i forgot! wanted to mention that a "breadboard" doesn't require solder, but allows you to try different circuits out.

ctmsound · Post by **ctmsound** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:29 pm

I'm reading, "Electronics for Dummies" right now and it is rather helpful.

LeedyGuy · Post by **LeedyGuy** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:42 am

ashcat_lt wrote:to kind of answer things backwards....

craig anderton's "electronic projects for musicians" is a classic, and really covers a lot of the basics.

technically, a resistor resists the flow of electricity. it doesn't conduct perfectly. (i'm sure that doesn't answer the question you were actually asking. have you tried google or wiki?)

the diystompboxes forum is great, with all kinds of links to interesting info.

as for where to start, I was going to say with a simple buffer like one of these until you mentioned making your own cables and that leads to the following question: "do you know which end of the soldering iron gets hot?"

cable building is a good way to get familiar with soldering. you then might want to try a passive circuit. got an electric guitar around?

edit: oh, i forgot! wanted to mention that a "breadboard" doesn't require solder, but allows you to try different circuits out.

That breadboard thing looks really interesting! There are great instructions on that site about soldering and some basic electronics stuff. Wow. Thanks a lot!!

And while I have tried Google and Wiki, the answers are far too vast and I was just wondering if people here had experience with anything they liked rather than just poring over tons of information.

drewbass · Post by **drewbass** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:10 am

you checked here, right?

under the diy gear forum

Sticky: Available kits for DIY assembly
[ Goto page: 1, 2 ]

you'll have better luck and millions of answers within the spectrum of your experience

LeedyGuy · Post by **LeedyGuy** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:33 pm

Whoa! I never read stickys. Time to start I guess. Thanks drewbass!

-Ken

drewbass · Post by **drewbass** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:24 pm

no problem ken- there are dozens of pages of info over there. bri roth is super knowledgable, fixed and upgraded a lot of my gear, like to answer questions.

the folks that hang out in diy gear seem to be less judgmental, more patient and eager to help and invested in finding the right answer for you. no questions are left unanswered.

drew

nick_a · Post by **nick_a** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:01 pm

someone put this link up a while ago, might be some help:

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

buncha links. i haven't gotten around to reading them yet but they might help you a bunch.

mingus2112 · Post by **mingus2112** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 6:02 am

kentothink wrote:Whoa! I never read stickys. Time to start I guess. Thanks drewbass!

-Ken

You had better read them now. When your "Recording the Beatles" book comes you won't have time to read anything else!

LeedyGuy · Post by **LeedyGuy** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:51 am

mingus2112 wrote:
kentothink wrote:Whoa! I never read stickys. Time to start I guess. Thanks drewbass!

-Ken
You had better read them now. When your "Recording the Beatles" book comes you won't have time to read anything else!

It's been shipped by the way....

goatboy · Post by **goatboy** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:38 am

Not sure if you are a guitarist or what but BYOC pedals are excellent starters projects the 250+ they do is really straight forward with an accompanying instructional video on the website. They are actually great pedals you end up with and they are pretty cheap too.

http://www.buildyourownclone.com/

madtho · Post by **madtho** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:30 pm

There are some handy soldering vids on YouTube.
-mad

ceilingcat84 · Post by **ceilingcat84** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:21 am

I'm building the PAIA TubeHead mic pre (with mods) right now- my first diy project- and so far so good. I just have to be careful with solder joints that are really close together on the PCB (like IC sockets) so I don't accidentally create a short. Been listening to wilco while soldering lately and that makes it even more fun!

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Beginner Building stuff - where to learn?

Beginner Building stuff - where to learn?

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