Colorsound Overdrive Buggin'...

[petemoore]

  I'm certain there's a problem...EDIT Fixed !
  One strand is all it takes, a bit of connection across that input cap [of course...I was typing and thinkin' gotta be a bad cap or...] found that, and working circuit..so far with 2n5089's and a 3904 Q3, I'm sure it can do better.
  When I turn the guitar volume past 7 / less than 4, it sounds as though it is altering the DC bias, the circuit gates, cuts out as I turn either way past 7/4.
  Strikes me funny though because I have a capacitor between the input wire and the testclip on the testjig...it should'nt by all my accounts be altering DC bias, but also I can't figure why/how else turning either guitar up would cut the signal.
  I think the voltages look pretty good, I use a 6k trimpot for Q2CR, all the components I retested with the DMM are close to the schematic except a 68k/270k string between V-/+ biasing Q3 base, that transistor is amplifying strongly, the bias readings...
Battery is 9.2v / 8.6v w/load
  Q1
C 1.78
B 1.06
E .53
Q2
C 4.37
B 1.78
E 1.10
  Something like FF bias...Although different than a FF, it looks similar to a FF in that it is a feedback loop...the circuit Q1 and Q2 are in.
  Q3
C 5.54
B 1.30
E .66
  Looks good and seems to be working well.
  a 20 pin IC socket for Q's, also Q3's base capacitor.
  Very strange behavior...with more time I'll probably figure it out, but maybe someones had a guitar volume exhibit such behavior and remembers what would make it do that.
  Otherwise the circuit is 'working* caveat is 'other than'...gain knob increases gain, both tone knobs are changing something, volume knob...
  I'll go recheck the grounds etc. lol !!!