Safety Precautions, Warranty, and Disclaimer Improper soldering and handling of electricity can cause serious injury and damage to your property. Read and understand the instructions below before beginning your project. Follow the instructions, build carefully, and use the appropriate tools. Build at your own risk. DIY Recording Equipment, LLC is not responsible for any damage or injury resulting from the assembly or use of your kit. You are the manufacturer of your kit. It is your responsibility to turn this group of parts into a working piece of recording equipment. DIY Recording Equipment, LLC does not guarantee the success of your project and disclaims any Implied Warranty of Merchantability. Please visit the support forum for assembly support.
Damaged or Missing Parts All kits and parts are checked before being shipped to you. If something arrives damaged or if your kit is missing a part, please open a support ticket to inquire about a replacement. Missing parts will be replaced at our expense. Damaged parts should be returned for verification. If the part shows signs of use beyond what was necessary to determine that it was damaged, DIY Recording Equipment, LLC reserves the right not to replace the part.

Standoffs and Header (Bag 1) top

Insert Standoffs top

Note that there are two different ends on the plastic standoffs. The locking end has tabs with a right angle to prevent them from being removed after installation, while the non-locking end has smooth tabs. Insert the locking ends of the standoffs from the bottom of the PCB.

Populate 8-Pin Header top

Insert the 8-pin header into the holes marked “CON1.” Make sure to place the short, silver pins through the bottom of the PCB so that the PCB rests on the black plastic posts. Solder the header from the top of the PCB and do not trim the leads afterward.

Resistors (Bag 2) top

Bend Resistors top

Bend the resistor leads 90 degrees at the body so they can be inserted into the PCB.

Sort Resistors top

Resistor sorting made easy! Enter a value to find the color bands, or enter your color bands to find the resistor’s value. Type in the value of the resistor you need and this tool will show you the corresponding color code.

Place Resistors top

Place the resistors into their respective positions on the PCB. As you place each resistor, bend its leads against the bottom of the PCB so that it stays in place during soldering.

Place 1/2 Watt Resistors top

In this kit there are two bigger 1/2 resistors. These get placed and soldered like the rest.

Solder Resistors top

Solder the resistors to the PCB. Observe good soldering technique: heat the pad and lead for 2-3 seconds, apply a small bit of solder, and continue to heat the pad for another 2-3 seconds. The finished joints should be shiny and should have just enough solder to cover the pad entirely.

Trim Resistors top

Use clippers to trim away the excess leads. Clip as closely as possible to the joint without clipping the joint itself.

Diodes, and Capacitors (Bag 3) top

Populate Diodes top

Place each diode so that the line on the component matches the line on the PCB. Double check the orientation, then solder and trim.

IC Socket (Bag 4) top

Populate Small Capacitors top

Place the smaller capacitors in their respective places. These capacitors are not polarized and therefore can be placed in either direction. Solder then trim the leads.

Tape and Solder IC Socket top

Insert the IC socket so that the notch on the socket aligns with the markings on the PCB. Secure in place with tape. Then flip the PCB over and solder in place. Remove the tape.

Transistors (Bag 4) top

Place and Solder 2N3904 Transistor top

Place 2N3904 Transistor and bend the leads to hold it in place for soldering. Make sure the transistor is aligned so the flat edge matches that of the outline on the board. Then solder and trim.

Quick Question top

Place and Solder 2N2369A Transistor top

Place and bend the leads of the the 2N2369A transistor.

On this transistor, there is a little metal tab that sticks out from the metal case. Make sure this is aligned with the markings on the PCB. Then solder and trim.

Populate Large Capacitors top

These capacitors are polarized, so they must be placed in a certain direction. The positive lead is slightly longer, while the negative lead is marked with a stripe on the body of the capacitor. Place the capacitors with the positive lead in the pad next to the "+" marking on the PCB. Double check their orientation, then solder and trim.

IC (Bag 5) top

Place IC in Socket top

Using a flat surface and your finger, bend the leads of the IC so they are 90 degrees from the case of the IC.

Line up the IC so that the dot on its surface is on the same side as the notch on the socket. Then push tthe IC into the socket.

Final Checks top

Before you wrap up, check the following things:

Capacitor orientation: Is the stripe on the cap on the opposite side from the "+" marking on the PCB?
Diode orientation: Do the stripes on the diode match those on the PCB?
Transistor orientation: Does the shape of the transistor match the outline on the PCB?
Resistors: Are all the resistors in the correct positions?
Soldering: Is every solder joint shiny and clean? If one is cloudy or misshapen, try reheating it for 8 seconds and adding a tiny bit more solder.
Trimming: Are all of the excess leads trimmed down as close to the joint as possible?

Finished! top

All good? Congrats on finishing your build! Have a question or problem? Drop us a line.

FF1 Assembly Guide

Required Tools top

Optional Tools top

Component Sorting Sheet top