Jordan Bosstone Schematic Breadboarding help

[XXISouthpaw]

Hi guys, been floating about in the shadows of this forum for a while thought it was about time I joined in.

So far I've been following a few Vero layouts for pedals, but I'm really wanting to push my self to be able to read schematics and be able to build them from that alone.

I'm in the process of trying to build a Jordan Bosstone Fuzz, I'll post the schematic, but I'd like to be able to breadboard it to have a play with different components before I finalize it, does anyone have any tips on how to transfer schematic to breadboard? I tried to do it from a vero layout as well, is this a bad idea due to the breaks in the board?

I've read beavis's breadboard tutorial which was helpful, but when I try it I end up trying to cram too many things into the one space, as well as I have trouble as where to have parts places in relation to everything. Basically I'm rubbish at it haha.

Cheers in advance guys, here's the schematic I'm attempting to breadboard:

http://home.centurytel.net/flanneldrawers/Jordan_Bosstone_schematic.jpg

[rousejeremy]

Jumpers, jumpers and more jumpers. In time you'll learn how to condense the size of the build.

[XXISouthpaw]

I've had a shot at it, but it's not working. Passing signal but no fuzz.





Any criticisms on tidiness or better ways to work are greatly appreciated, as well as where the mistake might be would be awesome.
Sorry for being the newbie, still really fresh to electronics in general.

[PRR]

> it's not working

DEBUGGING - What to do when it doesn't work

[EATyourGuitar]

make sure C1 and C2 are not touching. in that schematic, the curved line means it is hovering over the other wire but not connected to it. think of each junction like a net. some nets connect only two components and some nets connect 4 things together. when you double check your breadboard, count the number of items on each net and compare to the schematic. this is the best way to find if something is missing or should not be there.

[XXISouthpaw]

C1 and C2 are connected are they not, just with R3 inbetween?

[rousejeremy]

Looks like that second diode at 21 isn't connected to anything.

[rousejeremy]

Also, why do you have so many resistors soldered in series to another?

[EATyourGuitar]

C1 and C2 are connected are they not, just with R3 inbetween?

connected means directly connected. they are not directly connected. you are correct that R3 runs between them yes. I just want to make sure you understand how wires cross but do not touch in schematic.

[pappasmurfsharem]

Those sectional rails in my experience aren't connected together.  So you need to run jumpers between them.  From the looks of it must of your components aren't connected to anything as a result.

Although your breadboard could be different than mine, but it stand to reason if they were connect they would have just made them straight lines rather than sectional

[XXISouthpaw]

never had the exact values of the resistors so I daisy chained them so they were closer, don't have to largest amount of components to hand.

Components are a little off here and there, would that be why it's not working?

R2 - 157k (should be 150k)
R3 & R4 - 570k (should be 560k)
R5 & R6 - 20k (should be 18k)

C1, C2 & C4 - 0.01uF (should be 0.02 uF)
C3 - 47 pF (should be 50pF)

Transistors are 2n222A and 2N3906 as stated in schematic.

C1 and C2 are connected are they not, just with R3 inbetween?

connected means directly connected. they are not directly connected. you are correct that R3 runs between them yes. I just want to make sure you understand how wires cross but do not touch in schematic.

Yeah, I understand, I think I just worded that badly. Is it alright if they're in the same breadboard strip though yeah?

Those sectional rails in my experience aren't connected together.  So you need to run jumpers between them.  From the looks of it must of your components aren't connected to anything as a result.

Dang, I didn't even think about that, cheers for the heads up.

[XXISouthpaw]

Been pulling my hair out over this for hours, been through it countless times and can't see where the problem lies. Could any of the component values be effecting it? I'm not entirely sure about that aspect.

Attack Pot and Volume both work, I think I've sorted out the layout in relation to the clipping diodes, although the schematic confused me a bit. Also joined all the rails so that the power flows.

Clean signal but no effect, any suggestions guys?

[CodeMonk]

Those 2 resistors soldered together in the lower right don't appear to be connected to anything.

[XXISouthpaw]

Is that not how I would connect R6?

[CodeMonk]

One end of the 18k should be connected to your power source, the other end to Q2, C3, R4, and R5

[LucifersTrip]

Been pulling my hair out over this for hours
Clean signal but no effect, any suggestions guys?

PRR gave you the best suggestion...most importantly need the transistor voltages

[duck_arse]

replace the jumper wire at 14 with the 18k, then slap your forehead.

you are better off poking the resistors and capacitors into the same short strips as each other, and not linking backwards and forwards across the board. it makes for easier following, the breadboard layout begins to look like the circuit drawing.

[XXISouthpaw]

Been pulling my hair out over this for hours
Clean signal but no effect, any suggestions guys?

PRR gave you the best suggestion...most importantly need the transistor voltages

Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore that post at all, I just kept changing little bits here and there and knew it was wrong, kinda wanted to see if I could fix it but I lost where I was and had no clue what was even going on haha.

I just started again with a fresh head, totally understand now why jumpers are really helpful, makes more sense to me now. Feel like this is should be a really easy thing and I just can't get it to work. Does it get easier?

Got the voltages of the transistors, still passing a clean signal.
2n222a -  base & collector =  0.37
2n3906 -  emitter & base =  0.37

What can I do with this information?

updated circuit, is this more a logical approach to breadboarding?



Thanks for all the help on this, I realize it's probably quite annoying having a new guy asking all these dumb questions. I really appreciate it.

[PRR]

> 2n222a -  base & collector =  0.37
> 2n3906 -  emitter & base =  0.37

Sumthin's very wrong. (Q2e should be several volts, 4V on my fingers, +/- approximations and termperature effects.)

Verify that you have +9V at the tops of R4 and R5.

Might be a clue by removing Q2 and getting new numbers for Q1.

In general: that bredbord is made for 2-row DIP chips. When doing 3-leg transisors, it makes more sense to use only one half of the array. You never need to connect 8 wires together. The midboard jumpers are excess work, and ALL bredbord connections are dubious. Minimize connections.

I like Ground bus bottom, V+ bus top. This comes from boards with only one bus each side. Two buses per side is a luxury which you can ignore.

A simple transistor stage, set the transistor sideways (like you did) in _3_ holes (not 5). Resistor (or jumper) from E down to Gnd bus. Resistor all the way from C to V+ bus. You can often wire Base with one resistor down to Gnd and one up to B+ bus. Now Base row has 3 leads in a 5-hole row, you can take your coupling cap sideways to the left to your input jack or pot connections.

That Jordan plan is a little different from most. In fact you have R4 R5 C3 and Q2e all come-together kinda like a B+ bus, then R6 from that bunch (and nothing else) to the battery.

[XXISouthpaw]

PPR: This is the second time I've ever used a breadboard, first being the Bazz Fuss, do you think there's any other schematics that I should try before this one?