My first DIY pedal is not working, can anyone help me ?

[Undertone]

Hey guys I hope everyone is well, I just completed my first DIY project, it's supposed to be a blues breaker (more like a blues broken  ). I think I soldered everything correctly and there's no short circuit, but I'm an absolute novice so maybe someone could help me figure out what's going on.
Here are pictures of the PCB and everything else. I'm really not the best at soldering as you can probably tell, so maybe I did something wrong, sorry it's a bit of a mess :















Here are the schematics:




And an audio recording of the sound it's making :

https://youtu.be/7DbLgRRd8o8

Thanks for your help !!

[antonis]

Hi & Welcome..

Plz follow this: https://aronnelson.com/diywiki/index.php?title=Debugging

P.S.
It seems to me like whining due to grounding issue..
Could you plz check IN-OUT-PCB for GND continuity..??

[EBK]

Welcome to the forum!
Things look generally ok.  The soldering is not the greatest, as you've admitted.  It's possible you could've overcooked something. 
I'm wondering about the stomp switch.  I can't fully tell from the pics, but it looks like some things may be shorted together there.  It's also very easy to ruin a switch if you dwell too long with your soldering iron and don't let it cool down between making each solder joint.

Do you have a multimeter?  Can you measure the DC voltage at each pin of the IC?

Also, and perhaps first even, check the continuity of your switch contacts (with the power disconnected) to make sure it is working how you expect it to.

[Undertone]

Welcome to the forum!
Things look generally ok.  The soldering is not the greatest, as you've admitted.  It's possible you could've overcooked something. 
I'm wondering about the stomp switch.  I can't fully tell from the pics, but it looks like some things may be shorted together there.  It's also very easy to ruin a switch if you dwell too long with your soldering iron and don't let it cool down between making each solder joint.

Do you have a multimeter?  Can you measure the DC voltage at each pin of the IC?

Also, and perhaps first even, check the continuity of your switch contacts (with the power disconnected) to make sure it is working how you expect it to.

Thanks for your answer everyone ! Yes I've got a multimeter, I'd love to be able to troubleshoot on my own but I don't even know how a footswitch works, that's why I bought this kit, to figure it out along the way  , I will read the debugging guide, nothing seems to be shorting on the footswitch, here are more pics :

[EBK]

Looking at your pics, I'm now suspecting a bad solder joint (perhaps more than one) is causing your woes. I'd recommend reheating the joints on those jacks, making sure to heat the actual lugs on the jack, not just the solder and/or wire.

[Undertone]

It's possible I overheated the switch, I've got a spare one, I'll try to resolder the jacks and will report back

[EBK]

Meanwhile, here's a diagram that explains how the foot switch works:




Essentially, it is three switches in one package that change simultaneously when you click the actuator.  Each column of lugs is an electrically-independent switch.  The right-hand side of the diagram shows how the lugs are electrically connected internally.
Hopefully this helps.

[GibsonGM]

Eric, do you happen to have a larger pic?  My old eyes aren't what they used to be    

Welcome, Undertone - keep with it, and you'll learn proper debugging here and get that thing working!   
Follow the 'debugging page'...

When I get done making a circuit, I use jumper wires to connect the PCB to a couple of jacks, and the battery, with all their grounds, and test the thing with my amp...this way future problems are probably with the switching or shorting out to the enclosure!  This approach may help you some time.

[Undertone]

Hey guys, quick update, so I removed the circuit from the case and tried it again. This time there is no sound at all when the pedal is on. BUT it does work when it's bypassed!
Where do I start? Thanks

Here's a picture of the pedal :

[rankot]

If you have multimeter, then first make sure there's voltage where it should be.

So connect battery and input jack (if it is wired as a battery switch) put black probe on ground or battery minus, then measure voltage on IC pins, counting from 1 to 8. Write voltages down and report.

Also read this: https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0

[duck_arse]

from another thread ....

rule number one: meter your jacks and footswitch before you first apply power.

the jack on the right of picture has the tip connected to ground. goodbye signal. I can't see enough of the other jack lugs to say good or bad, but that is what your meter is for.

[Undertone]

Hey guys, after resoldering the input jack I managed to make the pedal work! But I feel like it's reacting a bit weirdly...
The overdrive seems to kick in only when the knob is close to max, + there's a weird rattling sound sometimes when I play...
I recorded a quick video if you want to listen. I asked my friend to play while I was tweaking the knobs, I can record my amp with a mic and reupload if you want to have the best sound.
https://youtube.com/shorts/52a5ij9vyZ4?feature=share

I'd love to hear your thoughts, thanks!

[Undertone]

Here's a miced up recording, you can hear this ugly rattly fizzy thing going on...

+ seems like it's introducing noise inside the chain. At the end of the recording I'm barely pulling down the gain knob

https://soundcloud.com/blurryeyes/test-blues-breaker/s-pgF7U1SnwyH?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

[radio]

To me it sounds that you made some mistake that turned the circuit in a sound generator

However I dont know what part you could have swapped by accident.

And Klaus of Musikding also happens to sometimes send wrong parts

So check if every component is at the right place.

As the bypass works,the switch is soldered the right way

[Undertone]

Check my last comment, got it working but it's reacting weirdly!