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Portable Guitar Amp with distortion / Bass Amplifier - 9vcommunity
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capth00k

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capth00k
Mesa Interactive

This is a really simple portable guitar amp project you can complete in an Follow 47
afternoon ; with the parts you need at hand. I used an old surround sound speaker
as my enclosure, and used the speaker. The unit also has 5 tone settings to allow Bio: I am a musician, internet developer,
you to go from clean to gritty. and a hobbyist pedal builder.

NOTE: if you are thinking about building one of these, see my newest addition first More by capth00k
based on the 'Little Gem' amplifier, using a few more parts. It sounds much better.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Little-Gem-Mini-Amplifier-Guitar-Amp-/

Tags: guitar amp ipod amplifier amp

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The diagram below explains this build in detail. If you want 5-mode distortion, then
you simply use the dip switch in place of the SPST switch on the 2.2uf-10uF

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 you simply use the dip switch in place of the SPST switch on the 2.2uf-10uF
capacitor. Remember that the speaker you use will make all of the difference in
how clean your new portable guitar amp sounds. Mine sounds pretty clean, I
achieve this by isolating jacks and components from each other, and I hot glue the
audio lines and PCB wiring to avoid leakage.

Parts List:

Enclosure: I used an old surround sound speaker as my enclosure. You could

make this unit into a box and use as a 'head' for speakers in mini-cabinets too.

9V Battery
9V Battery Clip
Input / Output Jacks 1/4 Mono
SPST Switch OR Dip Switch w/ 5 settings
PCB / Board material

LM386N IC
8 Pin IC socket (optional)
4.7uF Capacitor
10uF Capacitor
100uF Capacitor
470uF Capacitor

[optional - for multiple distortion modes]

0.01 capacitor
2.2 uF capacitor
00.47 capacitor
4.7uF capacitor
10uF capacitor

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 + higher cap values = heavier distortion

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1-40 of 66 Next »

Guii 1 year ago Reply

What's the role of the C2, C3 and C4 capacitors?

8 months ago
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 samtechpro Guii 8 months ago Reply

C4 filters input audio signals and C2 filters output signals. And C3

filters the Vcc coming from battery.

avianoguitarist 1 year ago Reply

Great tut, but why use a switch between pins 1 and 8???
A pot works much better and provides more tonal flavors.
For added distortion, use clipping diodes. These can be strategically
inserted and still use the switch to give different clipping options. Also, a
simple tone stack works great in the Little Gem. You new guys should
start with the BMP stack...then move up to the 3-Knob versions ;)

djurenas 2 years ago Reply

how do i know where i can put capicators - and + because it isn't clear for
me,

avianoguitarist djurenas 1 year ago Reply

Look at the schematic.

If you can't read schematics--go to runoffgroove dot com for the
perfboard layout.

cholo123 2 years ago Reply

how many voltage in the capacitor of 4.7uF Capacitor, 10uF Capacitor ,

100uF Capacitor, and 470uF Capacitor. Please reply ... tnx !

1 year ago
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 avianoguitarist cholo123 1 year ago Reply

Anything above the rated piwer source. I typically use 35 or 50v

caps.

pmakakatok 2 years ago Reply

how to add volume, bass and treble control?

avianoguitarist pmakakatok 1 year ago Reply

You build and add a tone stack.

blinkme 1 year ago Reply

OK so I completed the circuit .. Everything works great. But I dont know

why but the amp cant pick the B string on my guitar . Is it because of the
pickup or something else ?? FYI This is my first guitar effects project.

avianoguitarist blinkme 1 year ago Reply

It's your guitar. If the amp is putting out a signal on all other
strings--the amp is fine.

jsawyer 2 years ago Reply

Great 'ible. Built one, and it wasn't working well enough with a piezo
pickup. Found I could use a MPF102 as a buffer, and if you replace your
switch on the 10uf cap with a 1-2k resistor, you can have variable gain!

2 years ago
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 NunoMorna 2 years ago Reply

Hi! That's a great job you got there.

Now, I'm planning to build the amp, but I'm having a hard time figuring out
how I could add a volume pot... Can you please enlighten me?

Thanks

pogodike200!!! NunoMorna 2 years ago Reply

you can put a few 5k potentiometer, to connect you have to look at

it from the front and pin 1 is ground, pin 2 goes to the output of the
circuit, and pin 3 to jack TIP

pogodike200!!! 2 years ago Reply

the polarity of the capacitors is it right negative?

ghosty37 3 years ago Reply

Hy, I made it to. It works very well. Thanks.

I replace your dip switch by a rotary switch.

I add volume pot(100k lin.), like in another project I did at the same time.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Distortion-Pedal-With-Stutter-Effect/

What type of speaker did you use?

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 jorence 3 years ago Reply

wat r the voltages of the caps??

bgondes 3 years ago Reply

how to make the sound distortion is long?????

volney 4 years ago Reply

Great instructable! But how do i connect an on/off switch and LED?

jimdkc volney 4 years ago Reply

This circuit needs no on/off switch. The way the input jack is
wired, the ground circuit to the battery is completed when you plug
in your guitar. The sleeve of the plug shorts the ring and sleeve
connections on the jack. (The input jack is actually a stereo jack,
not mono.)

You could put an LED from the + battery terminal, through a

current limiting resistor, to ground.

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 andrezfen 4 years ago Reply

i followed your circuit and it is successful. than you capthook :D

coolguy2015 4 years ago Reply

for volume control how much k ohms of pot should i use?? reply me
plzzz....

capth00k (author) coolguy2015 4 years ago Reply

I would suggest building my other model (the little gem) mini guitar
amp, as it sounds much better to my ear. Try using a 50K A
(audio) PoT on your build.

Peace

Capt.

Thereyouhaveit 4 years ago Reply

I completed building it , as a preamp , it sounds so soft when i put it into

my power amp :(

Thereyouhaveit Thereyouhaveit 4 years ago Reply

as a guitar amp for a passive strat .

Thereyouhaveit 4 years ago Reply

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 Hey , can i use this as a pre amp ?

theVader75 4 years ago Reply

can I use MC1458CP1 or OP270GP for this application?

coolguy2015 4 years ago Reply

my input is mono, how can i connect it??

Teburon coolguy2015 4 years ago Reply

i'm wondering too. how did you solve this? just connect all the
grounds together?

coolguy2015 Teburon 4 years ago Reply

yes, i did connect all the grounds and the sleeve of the jack
together.

coolguy2015 4 years ago Reply

Its working but when i turn the switch, there is no distortion except clean
sound.. plzz any one help me......

Teburon coolguy2015 4 years ago Reply

did u use 10uF capacitor for the dirty sound? if you only used
Switch -> .01uF -> LM386 then you'll only get clean sound

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 coolguy2015 Teburon 4 years ago Reply

I've used 10uF capacitor

coolguy2015 4 years ago Reply

dude i have a 6 volts DC adapter, can i use it instead of 9v??

brainstromer 4 years ago Reply

hi there
i have some question
di ineed to use spesifik capasitor
like mylar or elco??
because on my country not all tipe capasitor avalaible
and i don't see "spesific type" on your diagram

sorry for my bad english

thanks bro..

warfighter brainstromer 4 years ago Reply

can u pls tell me if it is electrolitic (elco) or normal capacitor

thnx

capth00k (author) warfighter 4 years ago Reply

Normal Radial / Axial capacitors.

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 capth00k (author) brainstromer 4 years ago Reply

Just use Radials. Sometimes I use axials. The best 'tone'

capacitors are Paper in Oil however. Find those, and you're
golden.

dan95 4 years ago Reply

where do i plug the distortion dip switch

capth00k (author) dan95 4 years ago Reply

Where the 2.2 uf - 10 uf capacitor is after the 'clean / distortion'

switch. To do the 5 tone dip switch just bride one side of the
switch as 'negative', and wire em up as shown off the dip switch. If
you have more than one on, remember you will be adding (2.2uf +
1 uf = 3.2 uf, etc.) to make unique distortion tones.

Additionally, you can use a rotary switch to do the same thing

without having to fuss with a dip switch (cheaper) ; a 12 position
rotary switch is perfect for it.

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 1-40 of 66 Next »

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