Mike Outram

I just got a nice DIY electronics kit. Why? Well let me tell you. But first, sit back, relax, maybe put the kettle on, have a biscuit if you’ve got a minute…

Settled?

OK, I have several effects pedals. These effects pedals are very broken, and have been sitting on my shelf, in pieces, for many years. Here, then, are my potential avenues for joy:

1. Take them to bits, have a poke around, change the battery, try a mains power source, tighten things up, check for obvious things like dry joints or a cracked circuit board.
2. Ask my Dad. He’s trained in the dark art of electricity and can solve any problem known to man. But, I like to picture him doing something he actually enjoys, and not staring at a circuit board, bored.
3. Figure it out myself.

At this point I realise I don’t know what I’m doing. So that’s why I’ve bought this kit; to try to understand what everything is, what it does, how it’s put together, and so on. So far, I can turn on some LEDs.

Looks pretty good, I think. Maybe I should forget about the pedals and just have a party with some Smurfs or something.

So, that’s it. Top marks to anyone who can tell me what effects pedal the circuit board at the top of the page is from. And, if you can, and god knows how you could, maybe you know how to fix it? Or, maybe somebody out there knows someone who will fix effects pedals [In London]. But best of all, maybe there’s someone out there who will teach me how to fix them. Or, perhaps I’ll just figure out a way of using my awe-inspiring LED machine to power my glockenspiel. It’s a modern world kids – watch out…

So, you made it to the end? Well done you! You have my sympathies if you came here expecting something to do with music. Somehow, I think the comment count for this will remain at zero. But then, somebody must have the capacity to comment, cannot resist it? Ohm my god, etc.