Runoffgroove Ginger: 2N5457 Pinchoff Voltage measuring way too low?

[noisette]

Hi everybody!

I´d like to ask for your help concerning my 2N5457 JFETs that I wanted to use in the Ginger Bass Preamp:
http://www.runoffgroove.com/ginger.html

These are used as ´Fetzer Valves´ and to optimize the Source resistors individually in this circuit (shown generalized as 390R in the schematic), I measured IDSS and V(p) and while the IDSS were all about 3,0mA - 3,4mA, V(p) measured -0,53V to -0,56V. This seems very low, meaning I have to attenuate the signal from my Jazzbass to not even clip the first stage. I could accept it in a singular FET as freak value, but all 5 FETs I have measured consistently low (while the Runoffgroove guys, who seem to have their shit together, give values of about -1.5V as common.
http://www.runoffgroove.com/fetzervalve.html#12

Questions:
- Is it probable, I made a mistake or are these measurings possible? I checked thrice, but...

- I have some 2SK30s, which measured about 3,0mA IDSS and 1,9V V(p). These specs are much closer to the given values of the Ginger circuit. If I use them, will they sound drastically different?

Thanks in advance, Noisette (Jörn from Hamburg/Germany)

[duck_arse]

to the breadboard! or socket your build.

or, use the 2sk30a, and pretend the other fets never happened. where did you find those 2n5457's? maybe they counterfeits, w/ j201's under the hood.

[noisette]

I got them from UK-electronics, which is a well regarded seller.
Problem with the 2SK30, I have to redo my layout

[Gus]

https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/2N/2N5457.pdf

IDSS 1ma to 5ma 
Vgs off -.5VDC to -6VDC

[R.G.]

Problem with the 2SK30, I have to redo my layout

Bend the leads.

[Cozybuilder]

If you have space, you could put in a SIP socket with 4 pins, connect the two end pins, which allows DGS and GDS pinouts to be used, then just insert the transistor. The ROG perf layout can be modified as suggested- Q2 and Q3 each have an open space on an end. Q4 requires rotating the 2u2 cap 90deg to free the space then make the connections, and Q1 just needs to redo the D1 to G connection. Of course, you may be using a different layout.

[noisette]

Thank you all for instant council!

https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/2N/2N5457.pdf

IDSS 1ma to 5ma 
Vgs off -.5VDC to -6VDC

Ok 
Where´s a Gaussian distribution, when you need one 

Bend the leads.

This is the way to go, but while the 5457 on hand will give me very high gains, that I don´t think I want, the SK30s will give me gains around one, which seems a little, hmm, odd for a preamp... So what to do?

If you have space, you could put in a SIP socket with 4 pins, connect the two end pins, which allows DGS and GDS pinouts to be used, then just insert the transistor. The ROG perf layout can be modified as suggested- Q2 and Q3 each have an open space on an end. Q4 requires rotating the 2u2 cap 90deg to free the space then make the connections, and Q1 just needs to redo the D1 to G connection. Of course, you may be using a different layout.

I´m using this layout
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts72QXZFato/Uz5i-9acw-I/AAAAAAAAGgQ/fTXBwE1ZNAg/s1600/0002-Ginger-Verified.png