Fuzz Face help

[johnny5]

I have been working on a fuzz face build that I started from a GGG kit. It's the boutique 60's FF with bias (input trim) and contour control. Seems simple right? Well, I can't seem to get the thing to sound right. I built in NPN configuration so I could use Si trannies or some select NPN Ge ones (AC187, etc).

I can get the circuit to bias with Si trannys but not at all with Ge ones. I have a 25k trimmer for bias, but with a Ge tranny in Q2, no matter where I have the trimmer, I get 9v (or whatever the battery voltage is) on the collector of Q2. I have tried several different Ge tranny's here with the same results. I already swapped out the 2.2uf cap and the 1k fuzz pot thinking maybe it wasn't grounding correctly.

Any idea what might be happening? I am stumped. I have looked over the board many time and all looks to be correct but I figure there has got to be a short or a bad component , somewhere.

Thanks!

[peterg]

Have a look at this thread:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=105357.0

[LucifersTrip]

I have a 25k trimmer for bias, but with a Ge tranny in Q2, no matter where I have the trimmer, I get 9v (or whatever the battery voltage is) on the collector of Q2.

did you check to make sure you have a good ge?  have you checked continuity with dmm between Q2C and 9v? 

if you can't find a problem, post full voltages of both transistors and a closeup of the board

[dwmorrin]

I have a 25k trimmer for bias, but with a Ge tranny in Q2, no matter where I have the trimmer, I get 9v (or whatever the battery voltage is) on the collector of Q2.

This means Q2 is cutoff... or just "off."  The "on" switch is the base to emitter voltage.  Try measuring the voltage between base and emitter (put one meter lead at the base, and the other at emitter) and see if you have a Ge diode drop (~0.3V) across there.

[Thecomedian]

Well which kit is it?

Is Q1 working?