pictures
The circuit board

(just realized it missing the 10k-Ohm horizontal-style trimmer 1....)

Possible problems and update on progress 
I have now completed the circuit  board and will upload a picture soon.
Problem number 1- I am massively behind due to the difficulty in finding the components and a general lack of any motivation to work over the summer. While the listed components on a website are all available via link. The website that is linked to does not have stores present in the uk and so therefore does not deliver which was pretty annoying to say the least. In the end instead of using the american radio shack I had to use a mix of amazon and maplin.
Problem 2 - I think I may have ordered the wrong type of transistor. Due to the difficulty in finding the right components the brand and design (but not function). Most of the time I had to fine a equivalent component to use and so the transistors I used varied heavily in type as you sound see.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062609
http://www.maplin.co.uk/medium-power-npn-silicon-transistor-19063

Problem 3 - I greatly underestimated how much knowledge I would need to solder the circuit board together. I now have great doubt in whether the final product will work as a result of some pretty crappy soldering which is a combination of a failure to plan or read into the actual process of construction.

epq rough plan

August

·         get back from Indonesia - 2nd

·         'live' research , menzingers at the Camden underworld - 3rd

·         research on: Components needed, the soldering of circuit board , the process of construction- 5-10th

·         order components needed 5-10th

·         research science of sound and history of distortion in music while waiting for components. Form research into rough notes 10th- 13th est

·         build prototype 15th-19th

·         Reflect upon what has been done and what needs to be done 20th

September

·         Build case for pedal using the DT department drills from school

·         Finish

Possible problems

·         Pre med exams revision

·         Its summer

·         Exam results 16th

·         Family leave for holiday on the 17th- loss of funding

·         Finding components

Live research (support band tigers jaw )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYDpA4P3qMw 

The schematic of the prototype circuit board found on instructables.com

uf or microfarad = electrical capacitance (the ability of a body to store an electrical charge )

V = volts ( electric potential energy )

K = ?

What the fuzz ? my extended project

My extended project idea is called 'what the fuzz'. My project aims to explore both the scientific and practical ideas involved when creating a fuzz pedal for a bass guitar. A fuzz pedal is a type of effects pedal that causes a distorted, 'warm' or' fuzzy' sound to be emitted from an instruments amplifier. The product of the project I hope will be a (what I hope to be) fully functioning bass fuzz pedal.

I will spend the first part of my project researching the science of sound, the properties of sound waves and how the components of the pedal effects the sound waves emitted . The second part of the project will be spent building and developing a prototype, a pedal of which a second more complexed model will be developed from. The second model and final product will also be the results of experimentation with different types of components to determine the effects that they have on the sound that the bass produces, and which properties I think are desirable in the sound the final product creates. An example of this is the type of resistor used, changing the type of resistor will cause the tone of the note produced by the amp to vary.

I would like this to be my extended project as it combines two things that I love, science and music. I also gain a fuzz pedal at the end of the project something which is always a bonus . The project will lead to me learning a new skill during the course of the project, I will learn how to assemble and solder together a circuit board. The research for the project will be aimed at gaining knowledge of circuits, electricity and sound that enable me to understand the effects the pedal produces.

(time line coming soon)