Build Your Own Clone

5 Knob Compressor
Kit Instructions

Warranty:
BYOC, LLC guarantees that your kit will be complete and that all parts and
components will arrive as described, functioning and free of defect. Soldering,
clipping, cutting, stripping, or using any of the components in any way voids this
guarantee. BYOC, LLC guarantees that the instructions for your kit will be free of
any majors errors that would cause you to permanently damage any components
in your kit, but does not guarantee that the instructions will be free of typos or
minor errors. BYOC, LLC does not warranty the completed pedal as a whole
functioning unit nor do we warranty any of the individual parts once they have
been used. If you have a component that is used, but feel it was defective prior to
you using it, we reserve the right to determine whether or not the component was
faulty upon arrival. Please direct all warranty issues to:
sales@[Link] This would include any missing parts issues.

Return:
BYOC, LLC accepts returns and exchanges on all products for any reason, as long as
they are unused. We do not accept partial kit returns. Returns and exchanges are for the
full purchase price less the cost of shipping and/or any promotional pricing. Return
shipping is the customers responsiblity. This responsibility not only includes the cost of
shipping, but accountability of deliver as well. Please contact
sales@[Link] to receieve a return authorization before mailing.
Tech Support:
BYOC, LLC makes no promises or guarantees that you will sucessfully complete your kit
in a satisfactory mannor. Nor does BYOC, LLC promise or guarantee that you will
receive any technical support. Purchasing a product from BYOC, LLC does not entitle
you to any amount of technical support. BYOC, LLC does not promise or guarantee that
any technical support you may receive will be able to resolve any or all issues you may
be experiencing.

That being said, we will do our best to help you as much as we can. Our philosophy at
BYOC is that we will help you only as much as you are willing to help yourself. We
have a wonderful and friendly DIY discussion forum with an entire section devoted to the
technical support and modifications of BYOC kits.

[Link]/board

When posting a tech support thread on the BYOC forum, please post it in the correct
lounge, and please title your thread appropriately. If everyone titles their threads
“HELP!”, then it makes it impossible for the people who are helping you to keep track of
your progress. A very brief discription of your specific problem will do. It will also
make it easier to see if someone else is having or has had the same problem as you. The
question you are about to ask may already be answered. Here are a list of things that you
should include in the body of your tech support thread:
1. A detailed explanation of what the problem is. (not just, “It doesn’t work, help”)
2. Pic of the top side of your PCB.
3. Pic of the underside of your PCB.
4. Pic that clearly shows your footswitch/jack wiring and the wires going to the PCB
5. A pic that clearly shows your wiring going from the PCB to the pots and any other
switches(only if your kit has non-PC mounted pots and switches)
6. Is bypass working?
7. Does the LED come on?
8. If you answer yes to 6 and 7, what does the pedal do when it is "on"?
9. Battery or adapter.(if battery, is it good? If adapter, what type?)

Also, please only post pics that are in focus. You're only wasting both parties' time if you
post out of focus, low res pics from your cell phone.

Revision Notes:
Rev 2.0 There are no known errors.
For Revision 1.0 click here to download instructions:
[Link]/[Link]

Copyrights:
All material in this document is copyrighted 2009 by BYOC, LLC
 5 KNOB COMPRESSOR
KIT
INSTRUCTION INDEX

Parts Checklist……………………..............…….....page 4 - 5

Populating the Circuit Board…………...................page 6 - 14

Main PCB Assembly…….........................................page 15 - 17

Wiring the Jacks.......................................................page 18 - 19

Footswitch Assembly................................................page 20 - 21

Operation Overview.................................................page 22 - 23

Schematic...................................................................page 24 - 25
 Parts Checklist for BYOC 5 Knob Compressor

Resistors:
2 - 1k (brown/black/black/brown/brown)
1 - 4k7 (yellow/purple/black/brown/brown)
1 - 7k5 (purple/green/black/brown/brown)
12 - 10k (brown/black/black/red/brown)
3 - 27k (red/purple/black/red/brown)
1 - 47k (yellow/purple/black/red/brown)
3 - 56k (green/blue/black/red/brown)
2 - 150k (brown/green/black/orange/brown)
2 - 220k (red/red/black/orange/brown)
5 - 470k (yellow/purple/black/orange/brown)
4 - 1M (brown/black/black/yellow/brown)
Capacitors:
1 - 220pf ceramic disc (small orange labelled 221)
2 - 1n0 film
3 - 10n film
1 - 33n film
6 - 100n film
5 - 1µf aluminum electrolytic
2 - 10µf aluminum electrolytic
1 - 220µf aluminum electrolytic
Diodes:
1 - 1N4001 (larger black plastic with silver stripe)
2 - 1N4148 (smaller orange glass with black stripe)
Transistors:
7 - 2N5088
IC's:
1 - BA6110
1 - 9 pin strip socket
Trimpots:
1 - 2k
Potentiometers: Be sure to snap off the small tab on the side of each panel mounted
pot.

1 - B500k linear (Sustain knob)

1 - C250k reverse audio (Attack knob)
2 - A100k audio (Level & Tone knobs)
1 - B10k linear (Ratio knob)

Hardware:
1 - drilled enclosure w/ 4 screws
1 - byoc 5 Knob Compressor PCB
1 - mono Footswitch PCB
1 - 2 x 4 pin header
1 - 2 x 4 pin header socket
1 - 3PDT footswitch
5 - knobs
1 - AC adaptor jack
1 - ¼”mono jack
1 - ¼”stereo jack
1 - red LED
1 - battery snap
hook-up wire
 Populating the Circuit Board

STEP 1: Add the diodes. Be sure to match the end of the diode with the stripe to the
layout on the PCB. The stripped end should go in the square solder pad. Note: The D4
diode in Rev2.1 is rotated 180 degrees from Rev2.0. FOLLOW THE LAYOUT ON
YOUR PCB!!!!
STEP 2: Add the resistors . Resistors are not polarized, so it does not matter which end
goes in which solder pad.
 Step 3: Add the 4 x 2 pin header socket and the 9 pin strip socket.

Make sure you are adding the “female” socket, not the “male” header.

Do not solder the actual BA6110 chip to the PCB or 9-pin socket. Only solder the 9-pin
socket to the actual PCB. You will insert the BA6110 into the socket once you have
completed the build. You will orient the chip so that the end that has the notch will be
pointing towards the word “LEVEL” printed on the PCB, or pointing towards the
footswitch. Note: The BA6110 will require a bit of force to get it securely into the
socket. You should not use your fingers. Use a pair of pliers. You will definitely be able
to feel when the chip is in the socket all the way. If the chip is even slightly loose or
wiggles at all, you did not put it in the socket all the way.
STEP 4: Add the film capacitors. These are not polarized so they can be inserted into
the PCB in either direction.
STEP 5: Add the transistors. Orient the transistors so that the flat side matches up with
the flat side of the PCB layout.
 Step 6: Add the 2k trimpot. Note that the PCB has 5 holes, but the actual trimpot itself
will only have 3 leads. This is so that the PCB can accomodate a variety of different
makes and model of trimpots. There should only be one way in which the trim pot
provided with your kit fits easily into the PCB.

ADJUSTING THE TRIMPOT:

Once you have completed your build, you will need to adjust the trimpot before the
compressor will actually work. There is no specific voltage that you should try to set it
for. Simply use your ears! You are setting it so that the compressor has the least amount
of distortion. Start by setting the knobs as follows:

1. Sustain - full turn clockwise

2. Tone - full turn counter clockwise
3. Ratio - full turn clockwise
4. Attack - noon
5. Level - to taste

Plug into your guitar and amp. Make sure you have power to the pedal and the LED
comes on. Strum a good hard chord. Slowly turn the trimpot till you find the setting that
gives you the cleanest sound. It will usually be right at noon. If you have an 18VDC
power supply, this is even better for setting the trimpot even if you don't plan on using an
18VDC power supply when you actually use the pedal. This because 18VDC will make
the trimpot more sensitive and you will find the best setting more easily.
 STEP 7: Add the aluminum electrolytic capacitors. These are polarized. The positive
end will have a longer lead and should go in the square solder pad. The negative end will
have a shorter lead with a black strip running down the body of the capacitor.
Step 7: Add the battery snap. Thread the solder ends of the battery snap into the strain
relief holes from the bottom solderside of the PCB and out through the top. Insert the
solder ends of the battery snap wires into the topside of their respective solder pads.
Solder on the bottom side of the PCB. Remember the red wire goes in the “+” hole and
the black wire goes in the “-” hole.
Step 8: Add wires to the IN, OUT, Ground, and RING eyelets. Start by cutting four 2.5”
pieces of wire and one 1.5” piece of wire. Strip 1/4” off each end and tin the ends.
Tinning means to apply some solder to the stripped ends of the wires. This keeps the
strands from fraying and primes the wire for soldering. Solder a 2.5” piece of wire to
each of the IN, OUT, and Ground eyelets on the PCB. Solder the 1.5” piece of wire to
the RING eyelet on the PCB. Load the wires in from the top and solder on the bottom of
the PCB.
 Main PCB Assembly
Step 1: Mount the DC adaptor jack to the enclosure.

Step 2: Connect the TIP (negative) terminal of the DC adaptor jack to the “-” eyelet on the PCB with 2
inches of hook up wire. Connect the SLEEVE of the DC adaptor jack to the “+” eyelet on the far right side
of the PCB with 2 inches of hook up wire. Connect the battery disconnect terminal of the DC adaptor jack
to the “+” eyelet more towards the center of the PCB with 2” of hookup wire. Load the wires in from the
bottom of the PCB and solder on the topside.
Step 3: Flip the PCB over so that the bottom or solder side is up. Insert the A100k(tone),
A100k(level), B500K(sustain), C250k (attack), B10k (ratio) potentiometers, and the LED
into the bottom side of the PCB. DO NOT SOLDER YET!!! The LED will have one
lead that is longer than the other. The longer lead goes in the hole with the square solder
pad.
Step 4: Hold the PCB in one hand so that the component side of the PCB is in the palm
of your hand and the bottom side with the pots, toggle switch and LED is facing up. Now
use your other hand to guide the predrilled enclosure onto the PCB assembly so that the
pots and LED all go into their respective holes. Once the PCB assembly is in place,
secure it by screwing on the washers and nuts for the pots and toggle switch. Only
tighten them with your fingers. You do not want them very tight yet. Be sure to keep
your hand on the PCB so that it does not fall off the PC mounting posts of the pots and
toggle switch.

Step 5: Turn the entire pedal over so that the component side of the PCB if facing up.
Lift the PCB up off the pots and toggle switch about 2mm just to make sure that the back
of the PCB does not short out against that pots. Make sure the PCB is level and
symetrically seated inside the enclosure.

Step 6: Solder the pots and LEDs. You will solder these parts on the component side of
the PCB. After you have soldered them in place, be sure to tighten up their nuts.
 Wiring the jacks

Step 1: Install the 1/4” jacks to the enclosure. Be sure to turn the OUT jack a 1/4 turn
counter clockwise so that solder terminal for the tip does not short out against the
enclosure.
Step 2: Connect the pre stripped and tinned wires to the 1/4” jacks.
 Footswitch Assembly

There are no actual number markings on the footswitch. Orient the footswitch so that the
flat sides of the solder lugs are running horizontally, not vertically. There is no “top side”
or “bottom side” of the switch until you actually solder something to it and designate it as
such.

Top Side of Footswitch PCB

Top Side of Footswitch PCB

Make sure that the footswitch and 2 x 4 header go into the underside of the footswitch
PCB. Not the topside. You will solder on the topside of the PCB. But do not solder
anything yet.
Also make sure that the shorter pins of the 2 x 4 header go into the PCB. The longer pins
of the header get inserted into the header socket mounted to the main PCB. But do not
solder anything yet.

Insert the header all the way into the header socket and mount the footswitch to the
enclosure. Adjust the height of the inner footswitch nut so that the footswitch pcb lies
flat on both the footswitch and header and is parallel to the main PCB, i.e., adjust the
inner footswitch nut so that everything fits nice. Now solder the header and footswitch to
the footswitch PCB.
 Operating Overview

LEVEL: Controls overall volume

RATIO: Controls the mix of dry & compressed signal. Clockwise = more compressed
signal. Counter Clockwise = more dry signal
SUSTAIN: Controls the amount of sustain and sensitivity of the compression
ATTACK: Controls how quickly the compressor reacts to pick attack
TONE: Clockwise = less bass. This is a bass cut tone knob used to add ”jangle”. So full
turn counter clockwise would be the closest to your original signal. Full turn Counter
Clockwise will not add bass. Nor does turning it Clockwise add treble.

DC power supply - Use a 2.5mm negative tip 9 - 18VDC adaptor (this is your standard
guitar fx style adaptor). If using battery power, only use a single 9V battery.
Current Draw - 5.5mA

Input Impedance - 470k ohms

Output Impedance - 100k ohms

 Please visit
[Link]
for any technical support

copyright 2009
B.Y.O.C., LLC