stutter box #1

finally figured out my tremolo box!
uses a 555 timer to control an infrared LED shrink tubed to an infrared receiver transistor that turns signal on and off.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• tremolo
• stutter
• effect
• pedal
• diy
• circuit
• bending
• pedals atarimatt atari
• guitar

[atarimatt]

just running it straight through. using it as a switch.

[chaosface]

Say. I have this bread-boarded. I can't seem to stop the thing from popping as it shuts the audio on and off. I stumbled across your video and I can't tell if you have a slight popping going on also or if you found out how to do it clean. I used a 4093 instead of a 555 as the trigger but don't see how that should make much difference. If you have any advice I'd appreciate it.

[atarimatt]

@chaosface

Are you using radio shack infrared led/emitter? I made this a couple years ago and there is no pop tone from the 555. I tried to make another one recently and ran into the same problem as you. The radioshack led/emitters were letting the 555 frequency through...I ordered some different ones from Tayda Electronics and now have ZERO pop from the timer. You can use a regular LED and LDR and that will not have a pop, but you wont be able to get the really quick on and off thatway.

[chaosface]

@atarimatt

Ordered! Thanks for the Tayda suggestion! Great prices on stuff! Normal shipping is kind of long to wait, but cheap!

[atarimatt]

@chaosface

Tayda is really good, but it takes a good 7-10 days to get your stuff....comes from Thailand.

I got some of those octocouplers to see if they would work and they don't work as good at the infrared leds...there's still some singal leak, but not as bad as the radioshack stuff.

[OMGSpiderMonkey]

You can do the same thing with any LED and LDR duct taped together..

[atarimatt]

@OMGSpiderMonkey

yup, but you get a much more defined on/off at higher speeds with the infrared combo than with a normal led/ldr.

[zanyguitar]

@atarimatt thx man. pop city. I'll try the thai one instead of homemade Radio Shack.

[zanyguitar]

@atarimatt is the transistor biased?--are you running the signal right through it from collector to emitter, or is it attached to the power supply Vcc in some other way? thx.

[chaosface]

@atarimatt

Darn it. Yes I am using the Ratshak stuff. I guess, if I am going to order some stuff I will prolly get a few optocouplers too and see how those go. I guess there's no way to shield the thing without disrupting the signal. Darn, darn, darn...