RC Clone power problem - BS250 weirdness

[robmay]

Hey all, so I'm currently building an RC Boost clone for a friend as part of a 3-in-1 bass pedal. I'm building each piece on separate boards so I can test along the way, expecting that I would run into problems with each. Well, that's turned out true pretty quick...

So here's the current problem I've got. I built it according to the schematic here: https://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/IvIark_2006/Layouts/Schematics/xotic-ac-rc-booster_schematic.png~original (using the RG Keen polarity protection)

My layout is here: http://oi63.tinypic.com/14xphj5.jpg

The issue I'm having is super strange. When I first plugged it in, as laid out, I got no signal. I started probing and got as far as Q1, and I had nothing aside from the input on the base. I checked voltages, and saw that I had 9.08V on the collector, and 0.00V on both the base and emitter. Swapped Q1 and C2 and still the same issue.

I started checking power supply voltages next. I was reading 9.08V on one side of R18 (where the polarity protect output is), and 9.02V on the other side (where I should have 4.5V for VB), then 9.01V on the other side of R16 (where I should have 3V for VA)... unless I'm bending Ohms law, I'm not sure how. Obviously this throws off all the readings at the op amp (which I didn't leave in the socket for long...) and everything else.

Just for reference, Q1 had 9.08V on collector, 7.88V on base, and 7.55V on emitter. Not sure that's right either.

As I was re-checking voltages elsewhere for this post, my BS250 for polarity protection popped and blew up! So I took that out and wired the 9V right to R18. When I checked again, same thing. 9.08, 9.02, 9.01.

Any ideas? I breadboarded the power supply section and tested just to make sure I'm not crazy, and I read the right voltages... It doesn't appear that there are any shorts, and the resistors read at the appropriate values when tested. The capacitors aren't shorted, and other than that I can't figure out what to do from here... ideas?

Thanks!

[PRR]

Bad joints. Likely R3 and R17 are not really connected. Finding two such troubles means you probably have more.

[robmay]

R3 and R17 are connected just fine, and reading 1M and 15k Ohm respectively on my meter... That's what's really messing with me. If R17 is connected properly, and properly rated, why am I not getting the right voltages? It's as if the resistors aren't doing anything, yet they read correctly on the meter and everything is connected.

Edit: here are pictures of my board, front and back (click to enlarge)
 

[induction]

R3 and R17 are connected just fine

I must admit, they don't look connected to R16 in the picture. But we'll have to take your word for it. Camera angles, shadows, etc.

Other thoughts:
- R8 is awfully close to pin 8 on the IC. Are you sure they aren't shorted?
- I notice you didn't include R7 or C4. Was that intentional?

[robmay]

Other thoughts:
- R8 is awfully close to pin 8 on the IC. Are you sure they aren't shorted?
- I notice you didn't include R7 or C4. Was that intentional?

-Checked R8 and pin 8, no short there. Good look though, they are close.
-The schematic is for the AC Boost, for the RC Boost it says to jumper R7 and omit C4

[induction]

I see. I missed that note.

[robmay]

I appreciate the eyes and comments so far, thank you all!

EDIT: Ughhhh... So after swapping out every component on the power section it's up and running. I always hesitate to do my normal -take it all apart and put it back together- because one of these times I'd love to find out what I actually had wrong, but you know what? It works, and I can move on to the last issue...

Does anyone have any insight into why the BS250 for polarity protection would have blown up on me? If it's possible that it was related to whatever wrong voltages were happening, that makes enough sense, but if it's something about how I have it wired up, that would save me from blowing more of them later >.<

I'd rather not plug all this in and give it to someone if my main polarity protect is gonna explode after a few hours of use, so anyone have any ideas on what the issue could be?