In my travels I have found that suckers want the cheap ass 2bit scene as a part of their life. I felt the need to let these suckers know the score. I don't like Radio Shack - but this is a Radio Shack project.

You're going to need the following:

First off, light a cigarette - put on F-11 Love Missile on your stereo - and stretch.

Clear some space off whatever you were working on last (free promotion for tom g's efm vca) and turn your iron on. Using the wire clippers, clip off both the black and red wires from the 9v snap. In-between the red wires, you should solder on a SPST switch. Center lug from the snap, other lug to the wire going to the PCB. Same goes with the 500ohm pot but with the black wires. In the picture they are backwards. Sorry.

Pot between black wires (pretend you don't see red).

Take off the wires going to the speaker. Wire the - tab to the ground of the 1/4" jack. Solder the other wire to the +/out of the 1/4" jack.

After this, you're going to want to cut two more wires. What you're doing is having two separate 1/4" jacks with the same connection. So wire the new wires between the grounds and outs respectively between the two pots.

Next you're going to want to rip off the round button on the PCB itself. Just bite it and rip it off and chew it and spit it out at someone.

This is the toughest part of this project - but don't worry. As you'll see, the grid under the button has two thorny looking tin traces.

You're going to need to solder wires to both ends of this. A helpful hint is to use your iron as a hot poker and poke small hole through the top and bottom traces. Then stick the wire in and solder on. The other end of these wires goes to the momentary switch.

Next you're going to need to wire two more wires to the both sides of the 'lil crappy recording button - as shown. These wires go to the last momentary switch.

So you know what? It's done for the most part! Try it out - wait till the end of F-11 Love Missile when the Spanish radio announcer is freaking out - and get a good 20sec sample. Play it back? That's right! It sounds like shit! So does all music these days!

Ok - now use your imagination. Test the circuit out. Mess with the pot - if you get right to the point where its not getting enough power - it will make it sound like its being gargled in Robitussin. This is a bit tricky - but worth the trickery.

Some things you could add? You could use a dpdt switch and add a led on power on/off? You could put 16ohm resistors between the 1/4" jack's ground and hot tabs - to improve internal impedance (do it!)

As your instructor for this project, I hope you get booked to play in a crappy art gallery and annoy a bunch of people who like Melt Banana. And no, I don't guarantee this will work for you - and you'll have to talk to my secretary.

dave wright, 2001