I know I'm new to this, but this makes no sense!

[Noplasticrobots]

I have a succesfully working Bazz Fuss. I made a socketed version so I can swap out components to see what I like best. I built the socketed version from the working model, but when I plug in my guitar, it doesn't work. However, if you pull out the guitar input one click so that the tip of the guitar input touches both metal contacts on the stereo jack, it works fine. So I assumed I had a wire misplaced so I started to debug and everything is in the right place.

I'm not using a polarized cap on the input, so I thought that might be the problem. I plugged in a different value polarized cap and it did the weird stereo tip thing again, so it's not the polarity of the capacitor.

Even as I'm typing this, I'm going over the schematic and the working Bazz Fuss comparing them and everything is in it's rightful place...but it can't be! Anyone have any idea what's wrong?

[bioroids]

Weird 

Have you tried replacing the input jack?

Miguel

[Noplasticrobots]

I haven't tried replacing the input jack. I don't have any spares lying around. Maybe I'll have to make a run to Radio Shack later.

[KORGULL]

Are you using jacks with a NC switch? How many lugs are on the input jack?
If you are using a NC switched jack, maybe you have it wired so that when the plug is inserted all the way it is opening the switch and breaking the contact you need for getting the signal to the rest of the circuit.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Korgull is probably right. It took me a while to realise, you can't test FX boxes wihtout all the leads plugged in!
I use switched stereo PCB mount jacks everywhere (it covers all possibilities & the numbers mwean I cn get them in bulk & only need worry about one type of jack) but the downside is, it gives scope to connect to the legs that are switched out when the jack is in).

[Noplasticrobots]

There are three lugs on the input jack; I'm assuming they're tip, ring, and sleeve. There does not appear to be a switch on the stereo jack. The mono jack has three lugs also, and when you insert a cord, it disconnects from the tip (there's a small bump normally connecting the two). I assume this is a switch?

What Korgull says makes sense to me, but if it's wired exactly like the working one, why am I getting this weird input problem? I have gone over and over the wiring and both circuits with my DMM, only to get the same results from each other. The only difference being that damn jack problem. Weird stuff. Probably just another simple fix that I'm overlooking...I hope so at least!

[petemoore]

  You have a TRS jack I believe and may have connected to the Ring [the 'middle' connector 'ring] of the jack instead of the tip connection wiper, which protrudes the farthest of the Tip Ring and Sleeve.
  Sleeve is for ground, Tip is for signal. [Ring is for nothing or Power supply defeat trick, which you haven't mentioned so is only mentioned here...as "N/C" [not connected].
  IOW you probably have the sleeve [ground] connections correct, and need to connect to the tip lug of the jack instead of the Ring lug.
  Use a DMM on beep mode, plug a cable in the jack, and see that continuity is had all the way from the 'guitar side' of the cable tip, through the jack tip, toward the input of the circuit [if you're using a BPSwitch or not].
  Basically you want to test that continuity from the tip of one end of the cable [that would plug in the guitar / source] goes through everything and to the circuit input.
  You might as well check ground connections through the sleeve of cable and jack while your set up.

[squidsquad]

I once had a jack...with the smallest bend on a contact...that shorted hot to ground...drove me nuts until I found it.

[Noplasticrobots]

Well, the stereo jack has three connections to it:

http://home-wrecker.com/bazz.html

The ring is in use at the input, and it's definitely connected. I've searched the lugs over and over looking for bits of solder that might be connecting some lugs on the jacks and everything is clean. Very strange stuff indeed. It just doesn't make sense considering it's built off of the working Bazz Fuss. I'll give it another go later tonight and see if I can find what's wrong.

[Noplasticrobots]

Alright, I don't know what I did, but I had it plugged in and I was fiddling with th input jack. I held up the ring contact and it started working fine. I released it, and it stayed working. it's still working now, s who  knows what happened. Thanks for all the help once again!

[Herr Masel]

I've had (still have) trouble with jacks and pots. First it was bad solder, amazing how much of a difference it made. Now I think I need new wire, it keeps breaking at connections, I think 90% of the problems I've had were caused by bad wire, I know this sounds like the bad dancer blaming the floor for being crooked but in my limited experience I've found these things make a huge difference.

[Noplasticrobots]

I realized that the very tip of my ring contact was bent downwards making a connection between the tip and ring, shorting the circuit. Damn Radio Shack and their cheap parts!

[petemoore]

  yeh, ya gotta watch those RS Jacks, especially the stereo ones.
  I can get enough torque 'grab' with my index finger to prevent a 'new' one from being loosened [the thing is stampe/clamped, if the ring portion gets turned when tightening the nut, it can turn around the circumferance and contact the 'supposed to be isolated from' signal metal, IWCase you have to turn it back so it's not touching]...anyway once they're in and working I haven't had problems...
  But tightening the nut can be tricky and you have to hold not only the body, but also the sleeve metal [what the plug goes through and is aligned by] when installing