Ultisol Distortion Muffled Sound

[zenrev]

This is my second build of this distortion pedal. This one is quite muffled compared to the first, almost no top end. Here are the IC readouts:

IC1

1. 4.78
2. 4.80
3. 4.19
4. .2
5. 4.62
6. 4.62
7. 4.59
8. 9.25

IC2

1. 4.52
2. 4.62
3. 4.62
4. .2
5. 4.62
6. 4.58
7. 4.54
8. 9.25

I've double checked the clipping diode orientation and some of the capacitor values. I know some of the parts are the wrong size for this build, but the values are correct. One thing I'm going to try, no insulator under the pots--will insert a plastic shield.

 

[Robert]

Make sure C6 is 68n, that's an awfully big cap for that value. (it looks suspiciously similar to your 6n8 at the top)

Insulating the pots (and verifying the values while you're in there) would be my next guess.

 

[zenrev]

Thank you. It is the same value. I'll replace it and post the results--but don't have one just now.

 

[SpringReverbFan1234]

check C15 value. should be 4.7nf

 

[zenrev]

thanks to both of you. I was using a conversion chart to match values, should've stuck to a calculator. I've replaced both, no signal. I'll take it back apart tonight and see what's up.

 

[zenrev]

I burned a pad on one side of C6 and haven't been able to remedy with point-to-point wiring. The schematic shows it lives between a leg of the gain pot and R5, a 4.7k resistor, but wiring direct to these points doesn't work. Any ideas?

 

[Robert]

 

[zenrev]

Thanks Robert. It’s amazing to me that people have such a depth of knowledge. I’m away for a few days, but excited to try this when I get back