Fuzz face - overall gain?

[blackieNYC]

I've got a lovely sounding Ge NPN FF, my first ever.  Overall gain is barely above unity though.  With the fuzz pot down, it may be a bit below bypass volume. 
Q1: b: .1v.  C:  .5v.  Q2 E:  .42v.  b:  .52v.  C:  4.6v
My 2n214 and 2N1306 gains are 108 and 260, the circuit ishttps://www.smallbearelec.com/Projects/FurFace/BeginnerInst.pdf
Pots:  1kc for fuzz, 20kw for tone, 50ka for vol
I've tried changing the 330 to the collector of Q2 to 1k.  The pot I have on Q2 is set to just under 9k.
I know the tone control will drop the level a little bit, but I should have a little more gain, shouldn't i?  Other than this it exhibits no unwanted symptoms.

[GGBB]

Raise R3 and reduce R4.  The key to volume increase is to reduce R4.  Since that affects Q2 bias, you need to raise R3 to compensate.  Raising R3 alone changes the bias to increase gain which affects volume, but it does not change the volume directly.  EDIT: Well actually it does, but since R3 is much smaller than R4, the effect on volume is also small.

[Gus]

I would connect the tone and volume to the last stage collector and get rid of one of the resistors.

[blackieNYC]

Raise R3 and reduce R4.  The key to volume increase is to reduce R4.  Since that affects Q2 bias, you need to raise R3 to compensate.  Raising R3 alone changes the bias to increase gain which affects volume, but it does not change the volume directly.

When I substituted 1k for the 330R I did rebias to 4.5.  I suppose it was a reduction in R4. 

What resistor would you eliminate to put the tone control straight to the collector?  Aren't they part of the filtering?

[Gus]

Remove R3 or R4.
If you remove R3 connect the "top" of R4 to the supply voltage.  Connect C5 to R4, Q2 collector node.  Then adjust R4 value.

FWIW I am not a fan of this way of setting the bias (changing the collector resistor value)

[GGBB]

What resistor would you eliminate to put the tone control straight to the collector?  Aren't they part of the filtering?

Do what Gus has said.  Removing R4 effectively reduces R4 to zero and makes R3 the sole bias resistor.  You can leave both resistors if you want and just move C5 to Q2 collector - same thing as far as the circuit is concerned.  Taking C5 right from Q2 will give you the maximum volume possible.

[LucifersTrip]

You may try Q2C a bit higher than 4.6v. That's not set in stone..many like it much higher, even 6v+.

[blackieNYC]

Well moving C5 straight to the collector certainly adds some gain.  Thanks for the help!  One important question remains - why did I have to do this?  Seems like a fairly well established circuit     Are my transistors too leaky?  I can measure them again, but I did swap a few with no change. 
I won't hear the results until tomorrow - looking at the scope now.  Lots more gain indeed.  This seems like a significant mod - will it sound different?  Is it still a "real" fuzz face?  I don't care, if it sounds good of course. 

On another note, I going switch in an optional single Ge booster in front that I've been messing with, for that squishy bloomy sound. Just as an option.  Sort of like a tonebender mkII?  Is that what they sound like?  Crazy stuff.

[LucifersTrip]

Well moving C5 straight to the collector certainly adds some gain.

...and it pretty much changes the overall feel of the pedal, too...

why did I have to do this?

probably a combination of the tone control, your choice of transistors and where you set the bias

This seems like a significant mod - will it sound different? 

yes, I believe so...I experimented with that method a while ago and though, I got it to sound cool, I couldn't get it to sound like the stock version.
I remember that I had to decrease the size of the volume pot.

On another note, I going switch in an optional single Ge booster in front that I've been messing with, for that squishy bloomy sound. Just as an option.  Sort of like a tonebender mkII?  Is that what they sound like? 

no, collector voltage on the mkii is biased much higher, around 8V, so it won't be mushy...it can get saturated, but it's much dirtier.

[GGBB]

why did I have to do this?

This type of tone control - particularly R8-R9-R10 - acts as a voltage divider (think volume pot) on the signal so you lose volume.  A traditional Fuzz Face does not have this.  R3 and R4 also act as a voltage divider against the output of Q2c, so by connecting C5 to Q2c, you are moving the "wiper" of the "volume pot" to the top position which gives you maximum volume.