Rat distortion problem

[saemskin]

Hey there fellas.  Thanks to your fine tutelage I have completed the following builds with minimal hassle:

Green Ringer, Shin Ei Fuzz, Sans Amp GT2, BYOC Digital Delay, Bug Muff, Tube Screamer ts808, BSIAB2

Anyhow, the Rat is giving me trouble.  Everything is wired correctly, caps are oriented correctly, the pedal passes signal in bypass, but the thing doesn't work.  The only thing I can conceive of is the 30pF Cap I had to use a 500V 33 pf Cap instead because Small Bear doesnt carry the low voltage poly film caps in anything under 100pF.  So I used that one instead. 




I used those same types in the rebote 2.5 though, and it seems to work ok.
Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help and happy new year.

[petemoore]

 The only thing I can conceive of is the *30pF Cap I had to use a 500V *33 pf Cap 500v is fine and that small a Pf difference won't be noticable.
I would take voltage measurements on it, see Debugging page.

[GibsonGM]

Like Pete says, check all your voltages, check for shorts, check part orientation...if all looks good according to Debugging page, try an audio probe to see where in the signal path the problem lies...you'll get it 

[StephenGiles]

Solder bridge, bad IC possibly, there can't be much to go wrong really. Output jack wired correctly?

[saemskin]

Bear with me please.
I have a volt meter, but I dont know what I'm looking for.  I skimmed through the debugging page and I didnt see anything too specific on this. 
Also, I know how to compile a signal tracer, but not how to use it.  What am I listening for?

Thanks everyone!

[analog kid]

I have a volt meter, but I dont know what I'm looking for.  I skimmed through the debugging page and I didnt see anything too specific on this. 
Also, I know how to compile a signal tracer, but not how to use it.  What am I listening for?

  Uh, It depends. depends on what section or far along in the circuit you are probing as to what you are going to be listening for Obviously.  Follow the path BY the schematic.  You should have strongest Cleanest dry signal at the INput cap and then follow the audio path all the way through from there , again using the schem. 
   bypass works( obviously IF you have the TB switching wired , since that has absolutely nothing to do with the circuit , etc.. just a single "cable" straight through)

" but this thing Doesn't work"

you need to say more for help.  What do you mean it doesn't work?  NO SIGNAL at all? if signal then what is it doing? low volume, distorting, gating,  etc..  If you have absolutely NOTHING you've likely got something wrong.  I mean something grounded in teh audio path / Offboard wiring mistakes.
  IS this one of those BUY/ build your own Clone things you're doing?  How much electronics experience do you have , no offense intended just to get an idea of where you're at .  It looks like you're working pretty neat there though.
You say you don't know what to do with your Meter.  Well if you don't know what voltages to look for (which there's plenty of info to look at probably even the exact pin vtlgs on a RAT posted like a hundred times using the search function)  Nothing about Opamp/other  voltgages in the debugging section?   and if you don't have an understanding of how to and what vltgs to measure just set the thing to continuity and go tracing through the circuit( again with schematic) but with a 'pro' board the YOU didn't make it's probably not gonna be to easy to mess up and haev solderbridges so the continuity would be best to use to check INput / output from jacks to switches ...switches to crkt in/out  And GROUND BABY!!!
good luck   And SEARCH.