will need troubleshooting. Assuming
the components are not damaged, the
pedal will work. I built this very unit
according to these instructions and
it fired up, first shot, so I know the
instructions are correct.
A couple notes before we launch
into this badboy: I used 2n7000
MOSFETs, but these are some of the
lowest-gain devices around. 2n7000s
deliver a satisfying crunch with a hint
of fuzz, which is how I always heard
Fogerty’s tone. For more fuzz, try using
something like BS170 instead. You can
also socket the transistors to swap
them at your leisure.
Also, the output volume of the
original is low—lower than your dry
guitar signal, even when turned up
all the way. To combat this, I placed
an excellent Escobedo Duende boost
at the end. The Clipper’s original
volume potentiometer was turned
into a trimpot. You can then use the
trimpot to adjust the volume of the
Clipper before it hits the boost, which
essentially adjusts the range of the
volume knob.
NOW LET'S BUILD THAT
CIRCUIT BOARD...
PARTS NEEDED:
RESISTORS
• 1x 100 ohm
• 1x 1k
• 1x 2.2k
• 1x 5.1k
• 1x 47k
• 1x 100k
• 1x 640k
• 2x 1m
• 1x 2.2m
• 1x LED resistor, the value of
which controls the brightness. If
you’re working with a clear LED,
I like to make this 15–22k, and
2.2k for a diffused LED.
24
DIY //
CAPACITORS
• 1x 10pF (ceramic)
• 1x 47pF (ceramic)
• 1x 51pF (ceramic)
• 1x 100pF (ceramic)
• 1x 39nF (0.039uF, film)
• 1x 47nF (0.047uF, film)
• 1x 100nF (0.1uF, film)
• 2x 220nF (0.22uF, film)
• 1x 100uF electrolytic
SEMICONDUCTORS
• 2x 2n7000 (see notes above)
transistors
• 1x J201 transistor
• 1x 1n4001 diode
• 2x germanium diodes, I used
Raytheon ones from Smallbear
Build Your Own Kustom Harmonic Clipper