help! please... fuzz factory circuit :( :(

[guitarbobby]

ok so I'm wiring the inside of my guitar. everything is tested and is going well except for the actual fuzz circuit.



I am testing the wiring by holding the pickup against the vibrating strings of another guitar, and plugging the thing into an amp. the new guitars wiring seems fine, sound comes out, and i can use the series/parallel and coil cut switches for the pickup, but as soon as flip the fuzz circuit switch, the sound cuts out.





the schematic is at http://membres.multimania.fr/davpseudo/ffactorx.htm and I am using the second schematic.

have I done anything obviously wrong? looking at http://forums.musity.fr/showthread.php?t=2091&page=3 I think I have the pots wired the other way round than what they have. would this cause the circuit to cut out? (or just mean I turn the knobs the other way?)

I have bought a digital multimeter but I really dont know what I should be measuring! if anyone can help me out with this I would be REALLY grateful, I tried this circuit before and it didnt work, so I remade the PCB and ordered new components and it hasnt worked again...

thanks

[joegagan]

try reading the 'debug'page 'what to do when it doesn't work'in this forum. follow the steps and then report what you find. then we will know more.

since the guitar itself works, apply the debugging steps to the ff circuit itself.

[kaboom]

Hi there man! I also did that fuzz factory(but in a stompbox) so I think I can help you.

Did you mirrored the image of the pcb? Because i think you have a reverse PCB. At least mine has the 2n3904 on the right.
I'm sure that will put out some problems: Transistor position, electrolitic position...and the pots will sure work reverse(you can fix this by reverse connecting them in the pcb)

Just to be sure about this: when you did the pcb, you should be reading the letters "FUZZ FACTOR X".
The point is that these letters should be right, not reversed(i.e. you don't need a mirror to read them)
Believe me, it's better to start out with the PCB instead of hoping how the transistors will work

[guitarbobby]

thank you kaboom, thank you I thought I would never fix this - yes I see now I have reversed the PCB...



so I have wired the pots in backwards, but if I have a reverse PCB will they now be wired right? I think the caps will be OK, even tho the board is reverse, the polarity still seems to be the same the way I have done it. I guess all the rest of the 3 prong components, ie transistors, will need the outer legs switching round? I will try unsoldering them and re-hackjob-soldering them right now I still doubt it will work... I guess I will just get a perfboard and redo it all it doesnt

thanks again, I never would have got that, at least now I know what I need to do!

[guitarbobby]

holy spaceballs it only freaking works now! thanks man you're a genius         :worship: