I have just been investigating & sometimes the Red dot can be the Emmiter also so I need to confirm all the Writing on your Transistor.
If you have a tester, put it on that & it will confirm pinout, The Tang on the PCB is Emitter!
This was built a while ago & was detailed in a seperate thread with Top Jack mods.
I have listed here as sadly, Skidmark Pedals Cees van Eijk has pased away. R.I.P Dutch66
He was great to interact with & I had planned to build his Sonomatic...
You could try changing C12 -10nF for 4n7.
I was watching a Pete Thorn video & he makes a comment that he only likes using the Pedal with Amps that have a Bright switch!
I always turn the Screws anti clockwise until I feel a jump & then I screw them in without issue.
The reason I do this is the Screws can try and tap a new thread!!!
Sometimes there can be some Paint in the thread so it will be a little firm & I take the screw back out & give it a tap on the...
They are designed to the same leg spacing so you can just drop them flat down & Solder the 3 pads then you can bend them upwards if they interfere with the trimmer adjustment:
I would wait until you get the Genuine replacements
You can write these transistors off by cutting the black top off & leave the resistor legs in place if they are long enough so you don't have to unsolder from the PCB again so you can solder the little PCB boards on, your decision!
Is this a Build or on the Breadboard, it is not normal as you describe.
Have you checked Resistor values as there are a lot of variable 1k,10k, 390r, 39K, 8K2, 82K ect. in this circuit.
The 4th band catches alot of Members out!
If or when you start getting some Volume happening, turn down the Volume control as it will destroy your Speaker, it's got plenty of Volume on tap when working correctly!
It is standard practice to post a good Picture when Troubleshooting so we the Members can see what we are dealing with ie Resistor values, Electrolytic orientation & general solder quality.