SOLVED Germanium fuzz not working

[Johnnyorange500]

Hi,



I’m having a bit of trouble with my Germanium fuzz face build. I seem to think I’ve soldered every wire correctly but I’m not getting any fuzz through the pedal. There’s just a dry guitar signal coming through the bypass and it also switches it off too. So I’m guessing the foot switch and input and output jacks are fine. I’ve just bought a new 9v battery too. All the capacitors and transistors are giving off an electric reading so they haven't burned out. I’m completely baffled as to why it’s not working. Would be very great full for some advice.



Johnny

 

[benny_profane]

BTW, I'm looking at the pictures and it looks like you sent the red wire to the pot ? and black to the board. I would suspect that to be reverse polarity. You red should be the + and go to you board.. no ?

Positive ground? Also, I think this is a production unit.

 

[EGRENIER]

Positive ground? Also, I think this is a production unit.

Well standard 9V battery connectors would have positive on the red wire and negative on the black wire. I can't see a red wire going to the board form the battery, it look like it's going to a pot or to a jack... that would make me think he's sending positive to the ground rail and the ground wire to VCC rail.

 

[Johnnyorange500]

Well standard 9V battery connectors would have positive on the red wire and negative on the black wire. I can't see a red wire going to the board form the battery, it look like it's going to a pot or to a jack... that would make me think he's sending positive to the ground rail and the ground wire to VCC rail.

Hi, so I’ve made a mistake? What do I need to do to rectify it so it will work. So follow what you’ve said on this about changing the battery wires.

 

[EGRENIER]

Hi, so I’ve made a mistake? What do I need to do to rectify it so it will work. So follow what you’ve said on this about changing the battery wires.

Ok before you change anything please confirm the following:

Where does the red wire of the battery connector go ?
Where does the black wire of the battery connector go ?
If you put your red probe on the solder point of the red wire battery and your black probe on the solder point of the black wire, do you read +9V or -9V ?

 

[Johnnyorange500]

Ok the black wire from the negative 9v goes to the board and the red positive goes to the tone pot is that wrong?

 

[EGRENIER]

Ok the black wire from the negative 9v goes to the board and the red positive goes to the tone pot is that wrong?

And if you put your probe on respective colors, do you read -9V or 9V ?

Red probe to the pot and black probe to the board soldering point.

 

[EGRENIER]

Ok the black wire from the negative 9v goes to the board and the red positive goes to the tone pot is that wrong?

Also do you have a schematic you worked from ?

 

[Johnnyorange500]

Also do you have a schematic you worked from ?

This one! Hope I’ve not got mixed up and this is a silicon schematic?

 

[Johnnyorange500]

And if you put your probe on respective colors, do you read -9V or 9V ?

Red probe to the pot and black probe to the board soldering point.

Just trying will get back to you.

 

[EGRENIER]

This one! Hope I’ve not got mixed up and this is a silicon schematic?

OK that help... did you test with you DMM the 2 points I suggested. we want to make sure you have the voltage right.

 

[EGRENIER]

One more thing, any voltage test you do you must plug in a cable in the input jack, that's what switch on the power to the board.

 

[EGRENIER]

Ok the black wire from the negative 9v goes to the board and the red positive goes to the tone pot is that wrong?

Just so confirm red goes to tone pot... it should go to your middle lug of the input jack.\

 

[Johnnyorange500]

One more thing, any voltage test you do you must plug in a cable in the input jack, that's what switch on the power to the board.

Hi, I’m getting a reading of 7.19

Just so confirm red goes to tone pot... it should go to your middle lug of the input jack.\

View attachment 31261

Sorry it does go there I got mixed up

 

[Johnnyorange500]

One more thing, any voltage test you do you must plug in a cable in the input jack, that's what switch on the power to the board.

It’s getting a reading of 9.00 but keeps going crazy and changing values!

 

[EGRENIER]

Hi, I’m getting a reading of 7.19

Sorry it does go there I got mixed up

OK, so the 7.19 where were your probe ? Black on the boar and and red on the jack ?

 

[Johnnyorange500]

OK, so the 7.19 where were your probe ? Black on the boar and and red on the jack ?

Hi, I’ve swapped my multimeter as it was faulty found another one. And I got a reading of 9.20 from the wires from the battery into the input jack and from the wire going into the board (positive into the input jack (negative into the board.

 

[Johnnyorange500]

Q2 has a voltage of 7.50 and q1 is -0.22

 

[Johnnyorange500]

OK, so the 7.19 where were your probe ? Black on the boar and and red on the jack ?

Yes correct buddy

 

[EGRENIER]

Q2 has a voltage of 7.50 and q1 is -0.22

Q2 is too high, I believe it should be at 4.5V.

Check the following points:


Green should be -9V
Blue should be -8.7V

 

[EGRENIER]

If you get the right voltage, let's measure the next voltages:



Green -8.7V
Blue: -4.5V