Kliche overdrive volume knob. PLEASE HELP!

[Dondutch]

I build many many many pedals. Unfortunately this pedal is kicking my butt. I built it with the best parts known to man as per usual. However the issue lays within the volume control. It works very well but it’s way to loud! I mean unusable almost if that makes sense?

If I don’t have the drive knob engaged, I can use the volume knob freely with no issues and it acts as any other volume know should. When I spin the drive know to even 9 o’clock the volume seems to just double or triple what it was prior to using the drive.

If I set the drive at noon the volume almost has to be in the off position and 1mm turn and your ears are bleeding…how can I fix this? Change pot value? Am I missing something? Everything in the pedal works great but as I mentioned, I can’t use this live in fear of bumping the volume even a hair!

I really like this pedal! Hoping I can fix this issue! Any help is greatly appreciated!

Below is how the knobs are set and this too is insanely loud. Volume is all the way right and drive is on the left.

Don

 

[jhaneyzz]

Could be a ground issue.

without seeing the guts or knowing more about the build it's hard to say.

Are you sure you have the knobs identified correctly? I was chasing down an issue with a klon build last week and realized I had labeled the Gain and Volume incorrectly.

 

[KR Sound]

Try an audio taper? What do you have in it now?

 

[Coda]

Volume control is on the right, gain on the left. The gain pot is prone to grounding out, so make sure it’s well insulated. How about your TC1044? Is it operating correctly?…

 

[Robert]

Post a picture of your PCB. Where did you get your germanium diodes?

Another member had a similar issue recently, not sure if the problem was ever narrowed down or not.

 

[Dondutch]

Here are a few guy shots.

-the spec sheet calls for a b10k

-voltage reg chip looks and tests fine.

- can’t diagnose any grounding issues from any of the pots so far.

 

[Dondutch]

Post a picture of your PCB. Where did you get your germanium diodes?

Another member had a similar issue recently, not sure if the problem was ever narrowed down or not.

I have several different diodes of which I tried 2 sets as that was my immediate suspicion as well. It’s not the diodes I don’t believe I posted photos below

 

[Dondutch]

Try an audio taper? What do you have in it now?

I have a b10k in there now as that’s what the build called for

 

[Dondutch]

Could be a ground issue.

without seeing the guts or knowing more about the build it's hard to say.

Are you sure you have the knobs identified correctly? I was chasing down an issue with a klon build last week and realized I had labeled the Gain and Volume incorrectly.

Gut shot below. Yes the knobs are correct as when I spin gain alone there is no sound

 

[Robert]

Did you insulate the gain potentiometer so it can't make contact with the back of the PCB?

Inadequate insulation on dual-gang pots is almost always the culprit.

 

[Dondutch]

Did you insulate the gain potentiometer so it can't make contact with the back of the PCB?

Inadequate insulation on dual-gang pots is almost always the culprit.

What does that mean?

 

[Robert]

See those metal parts on the dual pot?

They can make contact with the back of the PCB and cause the gain pot to behave oddly.

You generally want to put something insulative (plastic, etc) in between that and the PCB so they can't make contact.

Electrical tape almost never works. That's what these are for: https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/pot-insulator/

If you can slip something in between there like a thin guitar pick or some other thin plastic we can eliminate that as a problem.

 

[Dondutch]

Basically to sum up what’s happening…

The pedal sounds great and the volume knob is fully functional with the drive knob at zero. The issue I’m explaining only exists when the drive knob is engaged. Of the drive knob is turned up at all I only am able to use the volume knob from off to about 1 out of 10. Anything more than one is so loud. I thought it was something to do with the volume pot taper (B10K) but if that were the case it wouldn’t work properly with the drive completely off and that’s not the case.

This is the first pedal in over 50 pedal builds that I’ve come across this issue.

 

[Dondutch]

See those metal parts on the dual pot?

They can make contact with the back of the PCB and cause the gain pot to behave oddly.

You generally want to put something insulative (plastic, etc) in between that and the PCB so they can't make contact.

Electrical tape almost never works. That's what these are for: https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/pot-insulator/

If you can slip something in between there like a thin guitar pick or some other thin plastic we can eliminate that as a problem.


View attachment 43274

I will give that a shot tomorrow morning and report back! Thanks!

 

[Coda]

Basically to sum up what’s happening…

The pedal sounds great and the volume knob is fully functional with the drive knob at zero. The issue I’m explaining only exists when the drive knob is engaged. Of the drive knob is turned up at all I only am able to use the volume knob from off to about 1 out of 10. Anything more than one is so loud. I thought it was something to do with the volume pot taper (B10K) but if that were the case it wouldn’t work properly with the drive completely off and that’s not the case.

This is the first pedal in over 50 pedal builds that I’ve come across this issue.

It took me almost a year to get my Klon working…

https://forum.pedalpcb.com/threads/kliche-strange-issue….6978/

 

[JPK1]

Wow looks like I got lucky on mine. I did fear powering it up the first time. I think it's easier to build them than fix them.

 

[Phil hodson]

If I’m reading this correctly. I had the same issue.
Are you saying that the increasing the gain makes it too loud?

Things to double-check:
Make sure both Ge diodes are facing the correct direction.
Check that R15, R19, R21 & R22 are the correct values.

I had the wrong value in R15. I put in a 4.7k not a 47k and it made the pedal almost unusable! Swapped it out for the correct value and it made it perfect.

So have a look at those and let us know what you find.

Phil

 

[Dondutch]

If I’m reading this correctly. I had the same issue.
Are you saying that the increasing the gain makes it too loud?

Things to double-check:
Make sure both Ge diodes are facing the correct direction.
Check that R15, R19, R21 & R22 are the correct values.

I had the wrong value in R15. I put in a 4.7k not a 47k and it made the pedal almost unusable! Swapped it out for the correct value and it made it perfect.

So have a look at those and let us know what you find.

Phil

Yes sir that is EXACTLY what I’m saying! Checking resistors now

 

[Dondutch]

Wow looks like I got lucky on mine. I did fear powering it up the first time. I think it's easier to build them than fix them.

I totally agree! I’ve built probably 50 to 75 pedals myself. Only 2 of which have been problematic. I’ve also designed my own pcb’s and built and very rarely have issues. The problem solving is my least favorite part about building pedals

 

[Dondutch]

If I’m reading this correctly. I had the same issue.
Are you saying that the increasing the gain makes it too loud?

Things to double-check:
Make sure both Ge diodes are facing the correct direction.
Check that R15, R19, R21 & R22 are the correct values.

I had the wrong value in R15. I put in a 4.7k not a 47k and it made the pedal almost unusable! Swapped it out for the correct value and it made it perfect.

So have a look at those and let us know what you find.

Phil

The only other thing I could think of is an issue with the type of diode I used for the third diode placement. I used a 1n4742 here