Sunflower fuzz won’t work

[JHKcustoms]

Ok so it’s been a min since I had any issue with a pedal, and after two days of tying various fixes I lay my poor non functioning circuit before you all.
I wired this beasty up and I have signal pass through when off and then it’s just kind of off when turn it on, I can hear the slightest bit of signal but it’s faint and dosnt seem to be affected by the fuzz.
I’ve double checked everything’s values, the wiring of the power and the jacks, I get power and the LED lights up. I can even hear the sweep of the bias’ when it’s on.
Any ideas ??

 

[hamerfan]

Just for sanity: you didn't mix up input and output?
Otherwise you need a signaltracer. If you hear the bias knob, the break must be before that point.

 

[HamishR]

What transistors are you using? They don't look like NKT75s. Are they PNP or NPN?

 

[swelchy]

What he said... what transistors are you using?... pnp and npn or pinout is what is gonna be important here

 

[jwin615]

Low degraded output is probably pinout issue.
What they said

 

[JHKcustoms]

I have a few but none see to change the issue but I haven’t checked the pin out, the ones in the picture are BC109s
I also have a pair of 2n1306 and some GT403Bs

 

[Locrian99]

I have a few but none see to change the issue but I haven’t checked the pin out, the ones in the picture are BC109s
I also have a pair of 2n1306 and some GT403Bs

This circuit uses pnp transistors. 109s are npn try the 403bs

In my experience with fuzz faces (and i believe its pretty well accepted.). You want q1 to be the lower hfe of the two. I ussuallt do like 70-80 for q1, 120-130 for q2 but those numbers arent set in stone.

 

[JHKcustoms]

Ok I’ll try the GT403s again and check the pins. These were the initial ones I had bought for this project but since they were NOS I wasn’t sure if perhaps they were the problem but it could just be the pin.

 

[JHKcustoms]

Alright, swapped to the GT403s and I’ve got signal when cranked but it’s def thuddy and crackly as it comes out. All the pots are functioning but it’s quiet and def barely coming through.

 

[Locrian99]

I’m

Alright, swapped to the GT403s and I’ve got signal when cranked but it’s def thuddy and crackly as it comes out. All the pots are functioning but it’s quiet and def barely coming through.

whats your voltsge at q2 collector?

 

[Locrian99]

For the sake of it with your bias pot at noon, adjust the trim for 4.5 volts at q2 collector

 

[swelchy]

you need to bias the pedal with the internal trim pot labelled "Bias"... the " clean" trimmer can be adjusted by ear to taste... all the way to one side will just about be clean signal on the " clean trimmer"

 

[JHKcustoms]

I adjusted the bias to 4.5 but no difference.

For the sake of it with your bias pot at noon, adjust the trim for 4.5 volts at q2 collector

It’s still a bit sputtery and quiet, I can hear how it could end up but when I bypass the effect my clean amp is a great deal louder than the effect pedal with its volume cranked

 

[Locrian99]

I adjusted the bias to 4.5 but no difference.

It’s still a bit sputtery and quiet, I can hear how it could end up but when I bypass the effect my clean amp is a great deal louder than the effect pedal with its volume cranked

Hmm. Did you check the hfe/leakage of your transistors? Whats your voltage at the c/b/e of each one. Do you have an audio probe, if not look up how to make one and trace the signal to where it goes south. Its a small circuit thankfully.

 

[JHKcustoms]

you need to bias the pedal with the internal trim pot labelled "Bias"... the " clean" trimmer can be adjusted by ear to taste... all the way to one side will just about be clean signal on the " clean trimmer"

So I’ve messed with these trimmers to no avail, I can hear theyre doing they’re job but I would think I’d have a great deal more volume and gain if over all circuit was working properly, I can hear that all of the potentiometers function but something still seems a miss.

 

[JHKcustoms]

Hmm. Did you check the hfe/leakage of your transistors? Whats your voltage at the c/b/e of each one. Do you have an audio probe, if not look up how to make one and trace the signal to where it goes south. It’s a small circuit thankfully.

I’ve not, I have a voltage meter but I’m unsure how to calculate or measure the HFE, as for an audio probe, I’ve got one somewhere I haven’t needed it in a bit so I may need to fashion a new one.

 

[Locrian99]

I’ve not, I have a voltage meter but I’m unsure how to calculate or measure the HFE, as for an audio probe, I’ve got one somewhere I haven’t needed it in a bit so I may need to fashion a new one.

RG Keen Transistor Test - an idiots' guide

Notice I put idiots plural - not "idiot's"... as I hope I'm not alone :block: But I don't think there is a correct simplistic explanation of how to do this here or elsewhere? So I thought it might help others if I put one up - it would have

www.freestompboxes.org

 

[JHKcustoms]

Ok so I made two discoveries and I’m not sure if it makes a difference or not. One I have a bit of solder on one of the extra lugs for the bias trim pot, would this cause an issue?
Two by accident the ground from the power touched lug 3 on the b1k fuzz pot and it all of a sudden sounded super full bodied and had sustain, could this be a grounding issue or perhaps a bad dc jack?

 

[JHKcustoms]

Also connecting r1 to the lug 3 also creates the same phenomenon

 

[PedalBuilder]

Also connecting r1 to the lug 3 also creates the same phenomenon

What happens if you do a continuity test between lug 1 and the negative terminal on your DC jack?