Tonepad Tubescreamer not working - No sound at all! Please help!

[Hav]

SOLVED.

Very silly of me.. but I still can't see how I got it wrong, please could someone explain?

The transistors were in the wrong way, even though I had double and triple checked, I just decided to see what happens when I flip them... and it worked.

I will update the working voltages tonight for anyone who is building this too. The 1uf caps seem to be in the right way too, will confirm which way they face later in the day.

I didn't build an audio probe after reading LucifersTrip's advice, which actually is the reason I just flipped them, but I will be building one to help debug.

Could someone please help me understand why I STILL think I have the transistors in the wrong way?

Here is the data sheet for the 2n5088: https://www.futurlec.com/Transistors/2N5088.shtml

and here is TonePads diagram: http://tonepad.com/project.asp?id=1

Am eager to learn what's going on, so if anyone could educate, that would be amazing!

Thank you for all who contributed to this :-)

[GibsonGM]

Glad it's working!  Just have to stick to these things, and usually they work out 

You're probably assuming there's some connection between the transistor pinout and the schematic, how the thing is drawn on there...there isn't.  None, zero, zip.    You literally have to hold the transistor, maybe have emitter to the left, and look at what hole is for "E".   Like moving some kind of reactive chemical - gotta keep it level, straight, put it in direct, ha ha.     There is NO importance to the flat on the transistor, it is only a means of creating a "reference point"....so there are many pinouts for different transistors.

Just make a mark right on the PCB, red marker or something, for "E".....then be sure the E leg goes there.   Same for base and collector....on your TS, that means the "left leg", emitter, would go "down" in the drawing!   Gotta rotate it.

[Hav]

Thanks for that Mike!

However, (and sorry if i'm still sounding like a total noob), but i'm looking at the two diagrams and...

Looking at Tonepad's Diagram in the link I gave above...

Tonepad says that Q1 has the emitter on the left most side (has the arrow pointing to it - I believe this is how you know it is the emitter?)

and

that Q2 has it on the right - again just looking at it from the diagram.

The data sheet for the 2n5088 also shows that the emitter is on the left (if looking at the flat side) which actually corresponds to the way it is represented on the diagram with Tonepad

Currently, I believe I actually have them in the wrong way round! but it works, so I Must be wrong. just can't see how...

Unless what you are saying, that even the data sheets do not show the correct representation and you actually have to measure it all out! - SURELY can't be as what is the point in the diagram then... :-s

[karbomusic]

If you mean this layout:

http://tonepad.com/getFile.asp?id=81

That should be correct (opposing flat sides to get the collector on the power rail which agrees with the datasheet assuming you have that exact 5088) from what I see. Additionally, of the 3 different 5088s I just checked they were all the same pinout. I have some of the little jelly bean ones which are kind of weird but those are round.

[karbomusic]

duplicate - sure wish they'd move the "modify/quote" buttons from each other.

[GibsonGM]

LOL, we were all noobs, man!

ALWAYS use the data sheet pinout, is my 2 cents.  Even tonepad could make an error...

[Hav]

Thank you do much all :-) case closed. Will post up results soon.

[Ice-9]

You have to be careful with pinouts from transistors as on some datasheets they are described as looking from the top and on others it can be described as looking from the bottom. Always worth double checking on the datasheet or even the project build sheets..

Glad you got it working. 

[IndianMetalHead]

Hi Hav,

Is this the image of working version - http://havsingh.com/Guitar/TS808%20E.JPG . I am troubleshooting mine and I came across this thread!

Thanks!

[willienillie]

^That matches the Tonepad layout, as far as transistor orientation goes.  I'm not sure about the polarized 1uF electrolytics, they would both have around 4.5VDC on either side, surely that's the reason Ibanez used NPs.  I would recommend 2N5089 transistors over the 2N3904s that Tonepad lists.  Either will work, and the pinout is the same, but Ibanez specified 2SC1815-BL, higher hFE (350~700) than a typical 2N3904.  They are buffers and not used for gain, but the hFE is a factor in the input impedance, and has some effect on tone.