◊ Printed Circuit Boards

We build a lot of our own gear, and lead building workshops. Custom PCBs from these activities are for sale here.

Lockdown has provided a chance to create production versions of various Synth DIY circuits we’ve been using for a while:
- The Mix Chicklet mixer PCB and Utility LFO can be built as individual modules, or used to expand existing designs.
- We have a Piezo Preamp to tame the tame the high/tinny sound of raw piezo discs used as pick-ups.
- And the standalone Fourses Tarp (Ciat Lonbarde touchable synth) is a noizeworld wormhole from which you will not soon recover.
Workshop PCBs came out of the Electronoize Playshops, which featured simple CMOS-based noise devices (sometimes called "Lunettas") originally built on wireless breadboards.
- The The Looney Board provides a 5 different building-block circuits that can be built individually or interconnected in a myriad of creative ways.
- The 40106 HexOscillator is a simplified 1-chip version of one portion of the Looney, still suitable for multiple configurations.
- the Videffektor (originally by James Schidlowsky/Javier Plano) mangles analog video.
We also sell PCBs based on early Buchla synthesizer modules. Long out of production, original 100 series modules fetch collector's prices; these PCBs allow folks to experiment with these wonderful "obsolete" circuits

All PCBs are provided on an as-is basis for personal use only. Only PCBs are supplied; additional parts and assembly are required. These are minimally supported projects meant for experienced DIYers; you need to be able to read schematics, source parts, stuff and solder the boards, wire off-board components, troubleshoot, and figure out the mechanical aspects such as front panels and housing.

PCBs shipped postpaid in the US, additional $10.00 postage/handling (per order) outside the US. Use the Paypal "Add to Cart" buttons to purchase. Make sure your shipping address is included in the paypal transaction.

SDIY PCBs

Micro Mixer ("MixChiclet")

Utility mixer PCB

Tiny 6 channel mixer, "chicklet" style on a panel-mounted pot. Flexible dual-inverting circuit with just a handful of parts, can be configured for all sorts of mixing/buffering/level shifting jobs. Very handy to add to/extend other modules. Based on the DC Mixer by Ken Stone

Tiny (1.825" x 0.7"); skiff-friendly (0.7" deep, depending on mounting)
Can be built with either through-hole or SMD parts
DC-coupled for mixing CVs if required
Can be battery powered for portable use
Build docs & BOM

$15.00 for 2 boards

Piezo Preamp

Dual Hi-Impedance Preamp for piezo pickups

Ultra-high impedence preamp for use with piezo elements used as microphones. Tames high frequency harshness typical of piezos (which is caused by impedence mismatch creating a HP filter into most mixers/amps).

Two separate preamps on one PCB (1.5" x 2.3")
Suitable for building as a dual unit in a standard 125-B enclosure.
10-meg input impedence.
Based on a schematic from Jensen, can optionally be built with transformer for a completely isolated piezo Direct Box
Build docs & BOM

$15.00

UtilityLFO

Bare-bones LFO with multiple outputs

Bog-standard LFO, based on ElectroNotes design. Variable positive ramp/triangle/negative ramp output also provided as its inverse, for crossfades or synchronized filtering.

Three controls: speed and shape pots, range switch
Four outputs: square, pulse, ramp/tri, inverse ramp/tri
For general-purpose CV dutes, sequencer clocks, etc.
Build docs & BOM

$15.00

Fourses Tarp

Touchable noize synth

PCB version of Ciat Lonbarde paper circuit

Chaotic noize synth with four interconnected oscillators and 40 touch-points.
Played via 4 pots, and by interconnecting touch points with fingers or other (semi)conductive materials
PCB version of paper circuit originally designed by Peter Blasser/Ciat Lonbarde
Documentation including BOM, building tips, and links to the original design docs..
Good for workshops, easier than the paper version – if you're doing a workshop, contact us for quantity discounts.

$25.00

Workshop PCBs

Simple, flexible, standalone projects, suitable for intro SDIY workshops. Documentation includes detailed step-by-step instructions suitable for beginnners. Quantity discounts availalbe to educators.

LooneyBoard 1

One board, 10 oscillators, one "ring modulator", a 386 amplifier, and hundreds of build options.

An open-ended platform for implementing your own CMOS noise-making designs. Preconfigured to support 40106 chip (6 square-wave oscillators), 4093 (4 gated square-wave oscillators), 4011 ("ring modulator"), 386 amplifier, and a couple of passive mixers.

Looneyboard documentation: in-depth explaination of each sub-circuit, and tips on how to make it your own.
Crucial context: Nic Collin's excellent book Handmade Electronic Music, which gives additional applications for these circuits and more.
Also see the Lunetta forum on Electromusic.com.

$15.00

40106 HexOscillator

One chip and a handful of components let you build up to 6 simple oscillators, in various configurations

Each of the 6 Schmitt-Trigger Inverters on the 40106 CMOS chip is configured as an oscillator, the frequency of each is controlled by 2 resistors and a capacitor. Inputs/output points for each one are provided, outputs are also routed to a resistor or diode mixing matrix.

Project page for the 40106 PCB board.
Complete step-by-step documentation for a 40106 workshop using this board (3 oscillators controlled by photocells).
Earlier Breadboard-only instructions from the Electronoise Playshops (if we have time, I get folks to breadboard first to select component values, then transfer to PCB).
A similar circuit from Andreas Siagian (3 separate oscillators + 3 oscillators chained together) that could easily be built on our PCB.
If you're doing a workshop, contact us for quantity discounts.

$20.00/3 boards

Videffektor

Simple glitchy video distortion project

Ultra-simple analog video distortion effect

Complete circuit description and step-by-step build documentation.
Based on a circuit idea by James Schidlowsky via postings to Electro-Music.com; revived and refined by Javier Plano (@Videonic) who designed and published a simpler PCB design which you can freely download. Our design provides additional features and build options.
Modifies an external video signal (from a CCTV camera or recording device); does not generate video on its own, and requires an external coverter for S-video, VGA, or HDMI sources.
Ideal for introductory workshops – if you're doing a workshop, contact us for quantity discounts.

$15.00