Star Simpson's Circuit Classics Stepped Tone Generator

Not available from the manufacturer.

Forrest M. Mims III is a trusted name in the electronics world for good reason: his charming and engaging texts have drawn millions of people into the world of electronics for the first time. Star Simpson has created an electronic tribute to those hand-drawn circuits by bringing the projects to life. These kits are an exquisitely designed series of finely crafted and highly detailed boards. These are the Circuit Classics. They make a great gift for a first-time learner, an expert tinkerer, or even just as a fun conversation piece for your desk.


Three of Forrest's circuit designs are available in kit form: the Dual-LED Flasher, the Stepped Tone Generator, and the Bargraph Voltage Indicator.

Each kit includes:

  • Beautiful blue Printed Circuit Board (PCB): Includes the circuit itself, the circuit's schematic, and a description of the circuit, all in Forrest's iconic hand-drawn style, traced directly from his books.
  • Through-hole Components: All the components you need to build a working circuit. Easy to place and solder on the PCB thanks to clear footprints and large, friendly solder pads.
  • Display Stand: made of high-quality blond ash wood, each stand is crafted to let you proudly display your work.
This is the Stepped Tone Generator. This circuit gained a life of its own, jumping from the pages of the 555 Timer IC Circuits Engineer's Mini-Notebook and out into the world as the storied Atari Punk Console. Well-known for enabling the creation of sounds just like classic Atari console games from the 1980s, this kit from Circuit Classics provides a fun audio-centric project, as well as an interesting introduction to digital circuitry, feedback, and oscillators.


Kit includes:

  • 1 x Stepped Tone Generator PCB
  • 1 x Alcohol Prep Pad
  • 1 x Battery Clip
  • 1 x 556 Integrated Circuit
  • 1 x 1 kΩ Resistor
  • 2 x 1 MΩ Potentiometer
  • 1 x 5 kΩ Potentiometer
  • 1 x 10 µF Capacitor
  • 1 x 0.1 µF Capacitor
  • 1 x 0.01 µF Capacitor
  • 1 x Speaker
  • 1 x Black Alligator Clip
  • 1 x Red Alligator Clip
  • 4 x Rubber Foot
  • 1 x Wooden Stand
You'll need a couple of additional tools and materials in order to put this kit together: a soldering iron and solder. You can use the included wooden stand to hold the board while you solder.


Please note: Batteries are not included in the kit! You can choose to use the provided alligator clips to hook up a 9V battery or power supply of your choosing, or you can assemble the SMT Battery Clip to the reverse side, in which case you'll want to pick up a 3V 2032 coin cell battery.

Technical details:

  • PCB Dimensions: 127.25mm x 89mm x 1.75mm / 5" x 3.5" x 0.06"
  • PCB Weight: 34.4g / 1.2oz
  • Assembly Instructions

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