Why You Should Try to Build Your Own Pedal

PG's Nick Millevoi builds his own pedal using the StewMac Sun Fuzz Pedal Kit, StewMac tools, and their step-by-step instructions, proving even a novice can be up to the challenge, with a little help from StewMac's customer support!
Shop the Pedal Kit: stewmac.sjv.io...
Shop the Tools: stewmac.sjv.io...
#diy #stewmac #guitarpedals

[@stewmac]

Great Job! It came out great. Thanks for tackling one of our kits!

[@lilian896]

Awesome! Love the sound.🩵

[@SeattleScotty]

I've thought about those StewMac pedal kits, I have done a bit of soldering so I think I should be able to do it. Not a big fan of fuzz but I know they have a number of options. Good job on the second one. The first one is pretty hilariously roasted, no offense intended.

[@Dudeitsmeee]

Dudeitsmeee's tools n' tips for for n00b pedal builders.
1.) 30-40 watts max, little cone soldering tip. A weller wl-100 is great value for the money. The thick tip and hot temps you use wiring guitars (and especially ground wires to the back of guitar pots) are overkill. A golden sponge (or damp household sponge) for tip cleaning is essential, also keep tinning your tip.
2.) good quality wire stripper for thin gauge wire, think not much thicker than the tiny fiddly things on 4 conductor pickup wire
3.) pump action solder sucker and desoldering braid because everyone makes mistakes. (including some kit builders I've used in the past. I will say stew-mac did not make any mistakes on my fuzz kit)
4.) group your parts in little bins, by part type. Get a good magnifying glass, resistor bands and tiny printing is hard to read on tiny parts.
5.)If you want to drill your own box, a step bit. A cheap harbor freight one will do fine for hobby work
6.) Blue sticky tack (for posters) is heat resistant and helps stick down parts as you solder them.
7.) those helping hands devices aren't so helpful
8.) cold joints, partial joints.
9.) build an audio probe chord and find something that generates a tone for troubleshooting. Trace the circuit with it and it narrows down where the signal dies and signifies where to start looking for problems
10.) if you get frustrated leave it for a day or two then go back to it, life won't end if a fuzz won't fuzz. And start simple, don't dive into a delay pedal. Fuzzes are simple and great.
And should you become addicted, the forums at www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php are full of gurus and founders, and even some famous builders. It was and still is a launching ground.

[@PaperbagmanOfficial]

Very cool! great video!

[@CubbyVanLife]

This would be awesome to try…if I could solder! I have never been able to solder anything without melting everything 😢

[@BelovedDefender]

Thank you for sharing your experience with this!

[@rareform6747]

I cant get no ... Satisfaction

[@rabidgoon]

i suppose this appeals to a certain segment of the population who wants to see if they'd be interested in getting deeper into building pedal circuits and figures this would be a good intro into it, but for a cheap fuzz you're better off buying a used fuzz face style pedal off reverb

[@SeattleScotty]

It's also just kind of a fun thing to do, so it's not always about the absolute lowest price.

[@rickbluericksolomon4077]

Not worth the effort unless you’re gonna build more pedals