Troubleshooting my Arkaim Fuzz, Part 1

bifurcation

Well-known member
Hey all,

I'm about to build a tester setup, which will probably help me get further, but I wondered if folks could give me some initial insights based on the pictures below.

CONFESSION: I already built this into the case (I know, I know...) and the lower knobs cover half the board, so if I really dig into it... I have a lot of unsoldering to do. :cry:

So, symptoms:

1.) With the pedal off, the signal goes through fine.
2.) With the bypass switch on, I get a proper LED light, and still hear the guitar, but completely uneffected in any way. The knobs and switch do nothing.
EDIT: As PedalPCB pointed out, I mixed up which stomp button does what. It looks like the real behavior is the when the LEFT light is on, the effect is engaged. So what's really happening is when the effect is engaged, the pedal goes completely silent (no hiss or hum) and none of the knobs of switches (including the right "heavy switch".)

IMG_20191202_150452187.jpg
3.) When I click the "More Heavy" button, the second LED lights, it goes completely silent (no hiss or hum, nothing.)
IMG_20191202_150456371.jpg
4.) I *cough* (probably stupidly) used super glue to hold the diodes in their holders. :cautious: (Notice that I later found the far left one was loose and properly soldered it in.)
IMG_20191202_150903601.jpg

5.) I'm pretty sure I soldered the switches and power correctly.
IMG_20191202_150912850.jpg IMG_20191202_150920544.jpg Annotation 2019-12-02 153011.png
6.) And I think the power and jacks are okay?
IMG_20191202_150947071.jpg

Any thoughts before I take this whole thing apart?
IMG_20191202_150903601 (1).jpg
 
Last edited:
I can’t 100% see it but the red wire on your 9v jack looks like it’s on the shunt connection instead of the sleeve, if so move it up.

(board + connection in this image)

9B82E94A-4ED7-43BF-A68D-327CB4DF57E3.jpeg
 
One thing to note, your first pic shows the More Heavy switch engaged while the pedal is still in Bypass.


Looking at the face of the enclosure the Left footswitch is Active/Bypass, Right footswitch is Heavy.
 
One thing to note, your first pic shows the More Heavy switch engaged while the pedal is still in Bypass.

Looking at the face of the enclosure the Left footswitch is Active/Bypass, Right footswitch is Heavy.

Ohhhhhh... dammit!

Ok, noting that, I just tested it again and the pedal goes silent when engaged and the knobs, "heavy" footswitch, and toggle switch all do nothing.
 
Hmmm... also, if I accidentally coated my diodes in super glue, then the circuit wouldn't even be reaching them.

Maybe I'll try to replace the remaining two first.
 
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