EAE Beholder Static/Buzz

[sethwitz]

Hi all,

I hope you can help with an issue I'm having with this circuit. The main problem is that I'm getting a lot of static and buzzing whenever I engage this effect. I'm not entirely sure if I'm right about this, but I think there's also some clipping occurring while playing that is not supposed to take place as part of the fuzz circuit.

Here's a video demonstrating the sound I'm getting when the effect is bypassed vs. when it's engaged:

Spoiler: Video

And here are some photos of what the board looks like:

Spoiler: Photos

I've tried a number of things to resolve the issue, including the following:

1. Swapping in fresh 2N222s for Q1 and Q2,
2. Swapping in TL082s for the TL072s,
3. Re-flowing the I/O and DC jack connections,
4. Re-mounting the Belton brick using VST connectors instead of a perf daughterboard,
5. Swapping out each pot,
6. Rewiring both footswitches,
7. Using different power sources
8. Re-flowing all components, and
9. Gently cleaning the board with rubbing alcohol (I read that excess flux can cause some noise issues).

I added this as a caption in the video, but I figured I'd also mention that this buzzing and static was present even when I had the circuit enclosed and it's enclosure. I'm at a bit of a loss right now cuz I'm not sure what else to try. Any suggestions are welcome. I'm really hoping I can make this circuit work because it really does sound phenomenal!

 

[Erik S]

Can you add some pictures of the board from the component side?

 

[sethwitz]

Can you add some pictures of the board from the component side?

Certainly!

 

[Erik S]

Your Dwell pot doesn't have a cover on it. It's bent away from the board in the pictures, so it doesn't look like it's touching anything now, but is there any chance the back of that pot was touching a solder joint on the board when you were testing it?