tube screamer question

[jason h]

Does anyone know why I need to turn the level on my tubescreamer up to 3 o'clock to get the effect sound and bypass sound at the same level? Any idea where to start? Every thing else is cool, just low output level?

any help would be great,
Thanks
jason h

[brett]

Hi,  This sounds strange.  

Sounds like you may have "dry" signal coming thru at the same time the effect is switched on.  So you might be mixing the dry and wet signals, and you'll mainly hear whichever is greatest.  So when the effect level is turned down (below 3 o'clock), you'll get mostly dry signal, and when the effect level is turned up (3 o'clock and up), you'll hear the effect (but the dry signal will still be in there too.)

Check your bypass switch wiring and associated stuff.
Cheers.

[80k]

i don't think Jason H is having a problem with the dry signal coming in.

i'm interpreting "effect sound and bypass sound at the same level" as meaning that he has to turn the level up a ways to achieve unity gain.

the tubescreamer i built is unity gain at slightly more than 12 o'clock, so perhaps there is something wrong with yours.

besides the output, how does the pedal sound?  i have a germanium fuzzface type pedal i have to turn to almost max output to get unity gain, but it's a beautiful fuzz sound, and i just live with it.

if you really want more output, you can try putting a small capacitor (.01, or .022) in series with one of the clipping diodes.  this is Backstepper's mullet mod.  i did the mod on mine, and got tremendous output... unity gain at only a quarter turn!  i ended up putting it back to the non-mulletted version though, as i liked the more compressed sound.

[jason h]

80K-
  Your right about the unity gain thing. I'm somewheres between 2 and 3 o'clock to get the outputs to match. With the muttet mod, do I replace the exsiting cap, or add one?
 Other than that it sounds awsome. I did an A/B with my ts-5 and mine is far and away the better unit. I ended up using the JRC chip. I tried some of the other substitues but could not really hear a difference. I would also like to get more range out of the tone control. Any ideas?

jason h

[80k]

80K-
  Your right about the unity gain thing. I'm somewheres between 2 and 3 o'clock to get the outputs to match. With the muttet mod, do I replace the exsiting cap, or add one?
 Other than that it sounds awsome. I did an A/B with my ts-5 and mine is far and away the better unit. I ended up using the JRC chip. I tried some of the other substitues but could not really hear a difference. I would also like to get more range out of the tone control. Any ideas?

jason h

with the mullet mod, you just lift one end of a diode, and add a cap in series with it.  it also matters whether you put it on the anode or cathode side of the diode, but i can't remember which, so you'll have to try both.

yea, the tone control is iffy on mine.  it is a nice range and then in the last tiny bit, it gets a sudden increase in treble.  

2-3 o'clock is not so bad for unity gain.  i would leave it alone if you like the sound of it.