problems with a GGG Scrambler clone

[mlannoo]

hello!  have a GGG Scrambler i completed and it doesn't work! =)   i may be self taught when it comes to electronics, but this is NOT my first build ... in fact i've built several kit pedals and a 36watt marshall clone with zero problems!  but for some reason goofed this one up somewhere along the line.  i did read the debugging page completely and am in the process of triple checking everything and taking measurements ... BUT ... here's where my questions come it:

1. checking the wiring of the unit vs. the layout drawing -
well, the layout provided on the GGG page does not show the unit wired for a 3PDT true bypass switch.  i had to use another layout for that alone.  so basically i merged the 2 drawings.  simple enough, but here i am not 100% positive it is correct .... so if anyone would care to have a look and confirm that i did in fact merge the two drawings correctly that would be great!

2. transistor pin configuration - this may be another thing that i have gotten wrong.  i have no idea who the manufacturer of the transistors is.  and i don't understand how to check a transistor with a multimeter.  i may have the pins wrong but don't know how to tell.

3. audio probe -
i built one and understand what it does, but i don't understand what to look for (or listen for).  i was able to discover a cold solder joint and fixed that but the pedal still did not work when activated.  i continued to probe ... then at one point the volume of the signal i was sending through it dropped in half.  i don't know if that's what is supposed to be happening there or if that means there is a problem.

thanks in advance for reading and any guidance. 
matt

here's a link to the layout i merged from the Scrambler with the true bypass addition:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10495186@N03/2865986099/

i'll pull the layout off of Flickr once i get an OK that it is drawn correctly.  thanks!

[drk]

can you tell whats the transistors you're using? (just look at from of them, there should be some numbers/letters)

[mlannoo]

there are three: HT2N - 5306
and one:  2N 3904 H45

ordered from smallbearelec.com

[returntable]

I've built a scrambler too and I had the same problem. Everything was done properly, but it didn't work.
The problem was the Pinout of the 2N5306. I had to swap Collector & Base of the Transistor and then it worked perfectly.

[killerkev]

You MUST check the tranny pinouts! does your DM have a Hfe tester? But then again these are darlington trannies which are super high gain.  I'm recalling from when I built mine...still have some issues with it! The biggest deal was getting the tranny pinout right. post your voltages!...........

[mlannoo]

i'll check voltages when i get back into town next week - but thanks forthe replies.

if someone could help me along with actually checking the voltages that would be awesome.  like ... "set DMM to this, then put red probe here and black probe here ... make sure range is set to this ... expect to see a number around this  ..."   i literlly need handholding when it comes to using a DMM to test things i've never tested before ... because no one ever taught me.     

by the way .... did anyone have a chance to view my modified layout drawing to see if the wiring is correct?  i have a link to it up on Flickr on my original post.   again, the original drawing was not wired for a 3PDT true bypass switch ... so i had to combine a separate drawing for the switch with the original layout .... and that's where i may have goofed.

thanks!