SOLVED Sunflower fuzz-very low output

[fuzz]

Just built this last night. Q1 measured 79, Q2 I think is 150 or so? Maybe a bit less. Biased Q2 to -4.5v, and the clean bias trim is all the way down.

I hardly get any fuzz, I have to dime both volume and fuzz, and even then it’s pathetic.

Built to specs, the only thing I did different was use a 1u film cap instead of a 1u electro alu cap.

Any ideas?

 

[jwin615]

Did you test your transietors for leakage?

 

[fuzz]

I did not. I have a breadboard set up to do this but iM still new enough at all of this that I need a visual vs. the schematic. I know it’s a simple set up but alas…

 

[harmaes]

Try the clean pot to max to see if that brings in fuzz. Also reflow your pots, they seem kinda “cold”. Are you trimpots the right values?

 

[fuzz]

I’ll reflow and report back. I believe the trim pots are the right values, unless I managed to mix them up. I can double check that as well.

I did remove the fuzz from a pedal efx loop in was in, and some volume and fuzz returned. But the fuzz is super farty sounding…

 

[harmaes]

Was the clean pot not set to max clean and not to no clean? Did you validate?
Your fuzz shouldn’t sound farty if you biased at 4,5v. Do you have some other PNP germaniums to try?

 

[fuzz]

Honestly I have no idea what’s changed. The bias knob is fully counter clockwise.

Taking the fuzz out of the 29 Pedals EUNA effects loop seemed to wake it up. I swapped the original q1 308B (I think, GT308b?) back in, and it’s great now. I don’t think the other transistor was the issue though cause it sounded fine also. Maybe it wasn’t socketed firmly enough…

 

[Harry Klippton]

Fuzz faces sound like garbage after a buffer.

 

[fuzz]

Indeed. However the loop on the EUNA shuts the buffer off and activates whatever pedal is in it.

 

[harmaes]

Having the external bias fully counter clockwise leads to a gated/splatty fuzz sound if you've biased to 4,5v with the external bias in the middle? The internal clean trimpot can also be set to the wrong side so having maximum "clean" and no fuzz.
But you've seemed to resolved your issue. GT308 are great IMO.

 

[fuzz]

I set the external bias knob to noon, then bias to -4.5-ish volts.
I suspect it was a combination of clean trim, lack of bias and maybe the original Q1 transistor just not being happy with everything lol. The 308 seems to be much more "accepting" of an idiot's approach that I seem to employ prior to sitting down and sorting all of the trim pots/bias out.