fuzzface debugging help!

[jmacdoug]

Hi all. This is my first post here - I registered a while ago when I decided to try my hand at making a pedal, because I had a feeling I would need some help
I'll just go ahead and list everything about the pedal as the debugging instruction thread says, so here goes.

1. The pedal works fine... in bypass mode. There is no signal when the effect is engaged.
2. It's a germanium positive ground fuzzface circuit (*forgive me if I say anything stupid, I know next to nothing about pedals as of now)
3. Here's the schematic or, well, diagram that I'm working off of because it looked easy: http://smallbox.zeonhost.com/projects/fface/
4. No modifications to the circuit versus what's going on in that diagram.
5. As far as parts substitutions, I'm using exactly the stock resistor values as seen in the diagram, though the transistors from Small Bear listed different values. Am I right in thinking that it will at least work with these stock values, but may not sound very good?
6. No ground conversion - positive ground like in the diagram.
7. Out of circuit battery voltage is 8.2 volts
    Voltage at the circuit board end of the red battery lead = 8.19 volts
    Voltage at the circuit board end of the black battery lead = the end of the black battery lead is soldered to the stereo input jack??
    *I notice that I get the same voltage at the circuit board end of the red battery lead when there is no cable in the input jack, though it's supposed to be wired so that
the circuit only has power when there is a cable in the input jack. This seems bad.

Okay, hopefully I do this part right.

Q1
C = 7.52v
B = 8.07v
E = 8.2v

Q2
C= 4.27v
B= 7.66v
E= 7.52v

I really don't know anything about what's going on, but those seem high..
Well, DIYstompboxes, what do you think, should I throw the whole thing in the garbage, or is there hope? I'm sure I screwed this post up somehow, so do not hesitate to tell me what other information you need. Thanks!

[hellwood]

thats not a positive ground schematic.

[jmacdoug]

great. would this be a positive ground fuzz face circuit then?
http://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/fuzzface/fuzzfacepnpschematic.gif

is there any way I can adapt what I have right now into that? thanks.

[hellwood]

yeah, switch your battery leads and all of your polarized caps. done!

[darron]

you shouldn't be getting power to the board without a jack in it. but power is there regardless, so, i guess that's not as bad as not having power at all. connect the ground (positive in this case) to the part of the stereo jack that makes contact with the enclosure. you can see the audio terminal which connects to the furthest tip, that's only for the signal. the other one will use part of your mono plug to short between the enclosure and the circuit positive.

i couldn't get a fuzz face to work for a little while and it killed me... supidly i got input/output mixed up, maybe because i was looking at it upside down in the enclosure.

[jmacdoug]

well, thanks for all the input guys. my first pedal is officially complete and it works and everything!
now I just need to decide what to make next...

[jmacdoug]

Actually, I guess I should ask this while I'm at it.. What sort of knobs will fit on alpha pots that have 24mm smooth shafts?

[hellwood]

whats the diameter of the shaft? 1/4 is common. if 24mm is the length, you can cut it. you can get knobs at radio shack, mouser, etc. dont forget to get knobs w/ set screws.

[jmacdoug]

ah yes, they look to be 1/4'' because the shafts will fit right into a mono jack. Could I get knobs without screws and just glue them on? I guess I need to be pretty sure that I don't need to take the pots out ever if I decide to do that..

edit: and the original reason I didn't order any knobs is because I don't even see where it tells the diameter of the hole for knobs on smallbear.. do you know if they're all 1/4'' on that site?