Basic LM386 Guitar Amplifier - Easy Step by Step Instructions - Cigar Box Amp

Solder your amp to breadboard - push pins through top ( top has no copper on it ) use printed breadboard from Radio Shack for easy results.

Step 1: 0.01 UF Polyester Film Capacitor

Solder 0.01uF Cap. To Breadboard. To pin#2 on left side.

Step 2: 10oHm 1/2-Watt Carbon-Film Resistor

Solder 10oHm 1/2 watt Resistor to pin#5 on Breadboard - do not solder other end of resistor - leave it unsoldered for now. You will solder it on another step.

Step 3: 220 UF Electrolytic Capacitor

Solder 220uF Cap to breadboard - solder next to pin #5 - make sure that + is facing the #5 pin. The - stripe is facing the right side of breadboard.

Step 4: 0.047 UF Polyester-Film Capacitor

Solder 0.047uF Capacitor to breadboard- you can now cut and solder the end of the 10oHm to the end of the 0.047uF. Solder other end to - negative strip on breadboard.

Step 5: 100uF Electrolytic Capacitor

Solder 100uF capacitor to breadboard- make sure you solder to + positive and - negative strip ; if you solder the wrong way then you will short out your amp. It only goes on one way... The stripe down the side must be placed on negative strip on breadboard...

Step 6: Add 1/4 Guitar Input

Find the center ring - that is the negative; sand or scratch the pin to help the solder stick to it. Find the third ring pin - that is the positive; sand or scratch the pin. Solder the wires into place. Then wrap pins with electrical tape to help hold the wires into place. Solder + wire to pin #1 & solder - wire to negative strip on breadboard.

Step 7: 5k-Ohm Linear-Taper Potentiometer

Start by sanding pin#2 and Pin#3 - pin #1 is not being used. Solder wire to pin #2 and wire to pin #3. Wire for pin# 2 is to be soldered to pin#1 on breadboard. Wire for pin #3 is to be soldered to pin#8 on breadboard.

Step 8: 25-Ohm Rheostat & 10 Ohm Speaker

Scuff up all three post on your Rheostat. The speaker I'm using is external (so I need to feed wires through the cigar box first), then solder them with wires to Rheostat. Prepare your cigar Box drill hole for speaker ( might need to take off wood on inside of box for wire protector to fit )

Step 9:

Find all parts. Make sure you trim off excess wire from your breadboard before soldering parts to it. You don't need extra long wires and pins soldered to the bottom of breadboard- it will short out your amp.