SOLVED Blues Breaker Loud Squeal/Screaming Noise

SCTTWTR

Member
Hi All-

I just finished a Blue Breaker. It worked out of the box in my test rig and when I got everything together it makes this loud squealing/screaming noise that modulates with the pots being turned (gets worse or better but still really loud).
I've systematically removed it from the box and basically clipped everything back (except the 3PDT switch) and put it back in the test rig and squeal is still there.
I tested the 3PDT with my ohmeter and it seams fine.
I swapped the TL072 and no change.
Even when the board is switched to bypass I can still hear some faint squeal when I touch the pots (ie. ground them to myself).
I started touching with an audio probe and bad noise comes in at R2.
VRef I measure there and at C9 anode is 4.45 volts.

Any thoughts ?
 
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Lesson Learned ... again ... if it was working before you put it in the box it was probably something you changed in the process of boxing it. I was wiring the pots off board because this is a combo build along with Rangemaster clone (I'm making it my Bluesbreaker / Beano kind of box even though Clapton apparently never used either ... oh well I like the tone from both.)
Anyway I must have tweaked the 3rd pad on the Gain pot pad .. I was wiggling things and the screatch went away ... at first I thought it was C2 because that is what I touched when it stopped but it turned out to be the pot wire ... wire wasn't broken and I just reflowed joint and works fine now.
Funny how you can build 5 pedals in a row with no problems and then one gives you a headache ... and this is a pretty simple build !
Great circuit ... thans PedalPCB (and Marshall :))
 
Photo Apr 30 2023, 7 33 03 PM.jpg Photo Apr 30 2023, 7 42 23 PM.jpg Photo Apr 30 2023, 7 33 56 PM.jpg
Finally got this put back together and enclosure finished ... I spent a lot of time on the decals because I had a lot of time invested already (I've never tried to wrap the deacal image around the sides and it is a pain but if you are careful it comes out good and the clearcoat hides the seams) .
Very happy with final sound ... I had intended to just have a combo pedal where I could have a clean boost (the Rangemaster) and a crunchier overdrive/Boost but they actually sound awesome engaged at the same time . Sort of my British sound pedal :) hence the artwork. The transistor I used in the Rangemaster measured about 72 for Hfe so it is not terribly gainy and I didn't bias it as high as I could go.
 
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