Can pedals “go bad?”

[G.G.]

I made a Lumpy’s Tone Shop Lemon Drop on vero like six or seven years ago. I came to really like it a lot and it’s been pretty much my main pedal since then. But lately I feel like the distortion has become kind of over saturated compared with how it usually sounds and there doesn’t seem to be as much volume even with the same settings I’ve always used. Or maybe my ears are shot? I’m not noticing this issue with other pedals or my amp, just this one pedal. Is it possible some of the components have drifted out of spec? Some of the electro caps are just some Tayda cheapies, was considering replacing them but if it’s unlikely they’re the issue maybe I should look at something else?

 

[jwin615]

I made a Lumpy’s Tone Shop Lemon Drop on vero like six or seven years ago. I came to really like it a lot and it’s been pretty much my main pedal since then. But lately I feel like the distortion has become kind of over saturated compared with how it usually sounds and there doesn’t seem to be as much volume even with the same settings I’ve always used. Or maybe my ears are shot? I’m not noticing this issue with other pedals or my amp, just this one pedal. Is it possible some of the components have drifted out of spec? Some of the electro caps are just some Tayda cheapies, was considering replacing them but if it’s unlikely they’re the issue maybe I should look at something else?

 

[jwin615]

Check the Jfet bias?

 

[Deperduci]

it's usually the caps give out, especially older stock alums.

 

[G.G.]

Good suggestions, thanks! This is the version I made. Having the 6.8k resistor as a trim pot might be worth doing too.