Q's about Joe Davisson's easy drive

[smoguzbenjamin]

I just breadboarded out Joe's easy drive, and it sounds cool! BUT I used a 2N2222 tranny instead of the one he recommends, and I used 1N4148 diodes and not 1N4002. Here's the glitch. Effect sounds cool, nice smooth but hard enough distortion, but when I pop the diodes in, the level is simply decreased. It doesn't seem to distort because of the diodes, but because the tranny is being used at the limit of its amlification... or is it my stupidity?

Here's the schem of what my layout is like:
http://scorpius.spaceports.com/~ubermaus/guitar/overdrive.html

[mattv]

You may want to try a different type of diode. Try LEDs if you don't have any  others laying around.

[smoguzbenjamin]

I tried my LEDs The forward voltage was too high on 'em, so that made zero difference. I also tried some 1N4002s I had, but their clipping sounded like rubbish... I must get some different diodes

[Paul Marossy]

Are you looking at the older version showing a 2N3904 or the new one that shows a 2N5089?

Mine is the 2N3904 version. If that's the one you built, try a 2N3904, they have more gain than a 2N2222. I think the old version uses 1N4001(2?) clipping diodes. Some 1N4001s might sound OK, at least you could try it.  

Also, different color LEDs can yield some cool tones.

[Joe Davisson]

This circuit really needs a high-gain transistor to work right, and the rest of the parts are somewhat critical and should be at least close to the values shown. The 2N2222 typically has less gain. A 2N3904 is better, but still not as good as a really hot 2N5089

The 1N4002 diodes are fine, no problem there. Any silicon diode is fine actually, but germaniums suck in that circuit I think. I think most of your problem is the transistor.

You might do a google search on "darlington pair" to learn how to link two low-gain transistors to equal a high-gain one. That works with the Easy Drive and lets you use low-gain parts (since the gain of one transistor multiplies with the other in that configuration.) So two 2N2222's with gains of 20 would be 20 * 20 = 400, which would be perfect.

[smoguzbenjamin]

Yeah, I was suspecting the tranny aswell... I used a 2N2222 for the beginner project on the forum, and I messed up once before redoing the ckt. I had parts lying around, so I decided to try the Easy Drive! Oh well, transistors are dirt-cheap, so I'll buy a pack of 2N5089s... Thanks!