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 Ideas, tips and techniques from the LabThe articles notated with (pdf) are available for download in PDF format on the AMZ eBook page.
555 Astable Oscillator: quickly calculate the output frquency. New 20 Oct 2023
Capacitor Leakage: aluminum electrolytics will leak current. New 2 Feb 2022
Compressor Comparisons: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. New 28 Dec 2021
Op Amp Comparisons for low level distortion. New 14 Mar 2021
Using the LM358 op amp in guitar pedals. New 20 Feb 2021
Distortion in switching systems used in guitar pedals. New 11 Mar 2019
Get isolated 24v power from a 9v battery or power outlet. New 10 Feb 2019
Convert a 9v power source to an isolated output for less hum and noise. New 7 Feb 2019
Depleted 9v Batteries. Lower voltage and increase resistance? New 5 Jan 2016
6 Reasons Guitar Pedals Pop or Click New 11 Nov 2015
Calculate resistor values for a fuzz face circuit New 18 Mar 2015
Calculate resistor values for a Big Muff transistor gain stage New 18 Mar 2015
Bridged-T Notch tone control. Variations on an old theme. (pdf) New 12 Jan 2015
Transistor packages compared. New 29 Dec 2014
Comparing Signal Distortions in Three Types of Booster Pedals New 24 Oct 2014
Stupidly Wonderful Tone Control 3 - A new spin on an old tone control from the 1970s New 14 Dec 2012
Bypass Measurements - Revealing tests on pedal chains comparing true bypass and buffered pedals. New 11 Apr 2012
Simple Kill Switch - A quick and simple project to make a kill switch that will mute the audio when it is activated New 27 May 2010
Buffered Bypass for TS Clones - Modify your tube screamer clone for buffered bypass switching (pdf) New 30 Apr 2008
Guitar FX Patents - 50 audio and guitar effects patents, including the wah, Univibe and more New 18 Mar 2008
Metal Box Painting - buff the box before painting for some unusual 3D shimmer and design New 12 Feb 2008
Mosfet Body Diodes - find out more about this little understood aspect of mosfet transistors New 23 Dec 2007
TS-9 Tone Control Mods - expanding the sound of this versatile circuit (pdf) New 12 Nov 2007
More Saturation Controls - with some alternate diode clipping circuits New 12 Sept 2007
Leaky Transistor Buffer - What can you do with leaky germanium transistors? New 8 Sept 2007
Stupidly Wonderful Tone Control 2 - More designs of output tone controls that don't change volume as the knob is adjusted New 31 Aug 2007
AMZ Jfet Buffer-Splitter - A simple guitar pedal buffer with independent low impedance outputs New 26 Aug 2007
AMZ Dual Tone Control - Modify the Big Muff type tone control to have separate controls for the bass and treble New 8 Aug 2007
Adding a groundplane - Tutorial on how to add a ground plane in Cadsoft Eagle. Also includes a complete jfet buffer schematic and project (pdf) New 12 May 2007
Bypassing the BMP Tone Control - a simple mod for this common tone control circuit New 22 Mar 2007
Reverse Power Booster - flip that transistor for an interesting gain/clipping stage New 22 Nov 2006
More Diode Clipping - using Mosfets and Zeners to expand your clipping options New 1 Nov 2006
AMZ Double Tone - Improve the tone control filtering with simple mods (pdf) New 1 Jul 2006
Tone Clipping - A simple and effective method to expand audio signal clipping (pdf) New 1 Jul 2006
LED Noise - Prevent the LED indicator circuit from causing a "pop" in the audio (pdf) New 8 Apr 2006
Pedal Impedance - Some clarification of this often misunderstood aspect of pedal designs New 8 Apr 2006
Low Voltage Boosters - Alternatives to the traditional 9v powered circuits New 7 Feb 2005
Boosters, Gain & Distortion - Get some insight into why simple booster pedals can sound differently, and why some are "cleaner" sounding than others of similar design. New 15 Jan 2005
AMZ Super Buffer - Drive long cables and multiple pedal chains with this unique buffer circuit New 1 Jan 2005
The Case Against True Bypass? - True bypass and long cables? What about a buffer? Read on... New 7 Apr 2004
The Sound of Distortion - Take the test and hear the distortion! New 11 Jan 2004
PATENTS ON PARADE - We take a quick look at US patents related to audio electronic cicuits
Is the Rat true bypass? - A complete explanation of the Rat bypass switching system. Adapt it to your effects! New 17 Dec 2003
Shielding wood or plastic boxes - A quick and easy tip that is much easier than gluing foil inside them! New 3 Dec 2003
AMZ Online Calculators
Is it Legal to Clone? What about patents and trademarks? Brand names? Can you clone from a schematic? A brief legal guide to pedal cloning. New 12 Jun 2003
Compression & Limiting in Distortion Boxes - how does the signal get squashed and squeezed in your favorite pedal? (pdf) New 17 Jul 2003
AMZ Saturation Control - adjust the depth and response of your clipping circuit with this interesting control variation New 17 Sep 2002
Pickup Signals - a look at the envelope and output level of a typical guitar pickup New 20 Aug 2002
Menatone Top Boost in a Can - tweak the internal trimmers to get the best sound from this popular pedal New 12 Aug 2002
Cheap Boxes - Ideas for inexpensive enclosures from the local hardware and craft stores New 27 May 2002
YAFF fuzz - Yet another fuzz face, find out how to mod the basic design for lower gain and smoother tone New 27 May 2002
AMZ Presence Control - An innovative tone control network that adds another dimension to the basic single knob tone control (pdf) New 4 May 2002
Guitar Pickup Simulation - A simple circuit to shape the frequency response of a signal to imitate the impedance of a guitar pickup output (pdf) New 8 Apr 2002
TS-9 Fat Mod - Modify your Tube Screamer or clone to have more booty kicking bass response! (pdf) New 4 Apr 2002
Basic Buffers - A collection of circuit fragments that can be used for impedance matching in FX New 29 Mar 2002
Warp Controls - How to add some simple circuits that allow clipping to be adjusted between even and odd harmonics New 22 Mar 2002
Hum & Noise in Effects - And techniques to prevent it. New 21 Mar 2002
Power Supply Filter - A quick & cheap inductor filter New 1 Jan 2002
PNP Power! - Use a positive power supply with your pnp fuzzface and eliminate incompatibility problems with the rest of your pedals! New 7 Mar 2002
Simple Tips and Tricks - A collection of simple tips and tricks that do not rate a complete article. New 7 Mar 2002
The AMZ Mini-Booster - This classic circuit has been adapted by numerous do-it-yourself effects builders. It excels as a simple booster or smooth distortion component! Revised 17 Mar 2002
See some project pictures on my Instagram page.
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