First Winter project. Cigar Box Guitar Amp

Been wanting to build this one for a while. It uses the Ruby schematic from http://runoffgroove.com


Connected circuit on breadboard to test.



Then put the components on perfboard.


Stuffed it all into an old cigar box.


It's powered on when the instrument cable is plugged in.

Continued in next post...

Re: First Winter project. Cigar Box Guitar Amp

Continued


Standing the box up reveals the speaker


Instrument in jack and optional 12V DC power jack.


Optional jack for external speaker. Flipping the switch toward the jack sends output to the external speaker.


I am pleasantly surprised at how good it sounds for what it is. It sounds especially good plugged into my 1x12 guitar speaker cabinet, and is surprisingly loud. There is more clean headroom using the 12V power, but for overdriven tones 9V power wins. Maybe I will add a little more circuitry to switch my 12V wall wart power from 12 to 9 volts.

Parts cost me about $40 including shipping. The cigar box was free. I already had the 12V wall wart. I probably have about 15 hours in the actual construction plus a few more figuring out the part sourcing. These occasionally sell on eBay for $60-$80 but for the amount of time it takes to make one I just don't see the point. I would however like to find some more nice cigar boxes and make a few more for family and friends as gifts.

Re: First Winter project. Cigar Box Guitar Amp

I like it. Nice work.

Re: First Winter project. Cigar Box Guitar Amp

WOW, that looks great!!!
Last time I attempted anything like that was high school, the board we used was copper on the one side
(but the perf board looks easier) and we had to hand draw the configuration with a felt pen, then dip it in acid to remove the excess copper leaving the schmatic, then drill hole, place components and solder.

Now what ever happened to the mosquito buzz and be gone I made?????

Re: First Winter project. Cigar Box Guitar Amp

rbh said:

WOW, that looks great!!!
Last time I attempted anything like that was high school, the board we used was copper on the one side
(but the perf board looks easier) and we had to hand draw the configuration with a felt pen, then dip it in acid to remove the excess copper leaving the schmatic, then drill hole, place components and solder.

Now what ever happened to the mosquito buzz and be gone I made?????

Click to expand...

I know exactly what you mean. I used a similar process on the one in the photo below. The method of printing the traces on the copper clad board were a little different than yours but the rest is pretty close. The etchant is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide. I forget the exact proportions. This was my first PCB. It is my opinion that this is easier than perfboard.

Re: First Winter project. Cigar Box Guitar Amp

i386 said:

I would however like to find some more nice cigar boxes and make a few more for family and friends as gifts.

Click to expand...

Here you go i386!

http://www.amazon.com/Darice-Unfinished-Cigar-Box/dp/B001767QPS