axewrecker
New Member
Hi I am trying to put together a circuit that will make LEDs flash when the output of a guitar is put through it (i.e. when you strum the guitar). The idea is to put these under pickups or scratchplate to give a nice backlit effect.
Anyway I found a project online that also had a youtube video showing it working, so assumed it would work fine (mistake number 1!), the basic design is shown below.
![Optional-extra-fe.jpg Optional-extra-fe.jpg](https://www.electro-tech-online.com/data/attachments/34/34424-b40b5e7d9ab6474d3d0c53a739600ca9.jpg)
When I connect this up before I even put anything to the input the LEDs light up. I have tried increasing the resistor values in front of the LEDs but this just dims the LEDs. The amplifier just seems to be outputting a constant voltage.
I am thinking that this is probably because the 386 is designed to have a 8R load at the output? Would it help if I put a 8 or 10R resistor in parallel with the leds? From the other 386 circuits I have now looked at it seems that I may be missing other components that will make this work (capacitors at output etc). Any help with this would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Anyway I found a project online that also had a youtube video showing it working, so assumed it would work fine (mistake number 1!), the basic design is shown below.
![Optional-extra-fe.jpg Optional-extra-fe.jpg](https://www.electro-tech-online.com/data/attachments/34/34424-b40b5e7d9ab6474d3d0c53a739600ca9.jpg)
When I connect this up before I even put anything to the input the LEDs light up. I have tried increasing the resistor values in front of the LEDs but this just dims the LEDs. The amplifier just seems to be outputting a constant voltage.
I am thinking that this is probably because the 386 is designed to have a 8R load at the output? Would it help if I put a 8 or 10R resistor in parallel with the leds? From the other 386 circuits I have now looked at it seems that I may be missing other components that will make this work (capacitors at output etc). Any help with this would be much appreciated.
Thanks