Help! Built up a bass fuzz and barely get any noise

[stratking]

Hey all!

This is my second project that I have taken on and I must say, I am heading in the right direction.  I built up the Bass Fuzz v1 at Runoffgroove.  I built it up, plugged it in and, after figuring out one of my guitar cables was shot, replaced the cord, plugged in the bass, and guess what, the notes were actually coming out of the amp.  Much better than my first project  .  Anyway, although you can hear the bass coming through, you really have to crank it up to hear it and it makes a very loud hum while doing it.  I have the transistor socketed so, while plugged in, i desided to take the transistor out, it didn't change the sound of the bass at all so it sounds like whatever it is is bypassing the gain stage completely.  Below are some quick pictures that I took, if anyone has any ideas, please please help me out.




Since you can't see it to well, the yellow wires are gound and red is the signal path.




Thanks,

stratking

[Sic]

lol, guess y ou can't link the pics... it looks funny tho.

[stratking]

stupid free picture hosting.  now the pictures should be up.

stratking

[Chris S]

Are you sure the transistor is the right way round?

I built a deluxe bazz fuss but I can't check it for you right now as my bands bass player has it

[stratking]

I wasn't sure of the orientation of the transition, so i took it out and turned it around and got the same sound, thats when i completely took the transistor out and still heard the same sound.

[Chris S]

sorry double post

[Chris S]

Mmm I'm out of ideas if you have put everything in the right way round. Except maybe your transistor is dead. If you try building the deluxe Bazz fuss I can compare it to mine if you like.

[B Tremblay]

What is the part number of the transistor?  If you used a 2N5088, it is backwards.

[petemoore]

IIRC [which I should by now] and correctme II wrong...NPN's flatsides  face the 'right' or output side of all my boards.
 Take some voltages on the transistor pins from ground and post em.

[D Wagner]

Stratking,

You should try the circuit on a breadboard and see if you get the same results.

If you are still having problems and want some help, maybe we could meet up at Attina's Music.  I'll look over the circuit with you, and we'll get it sorted out.  I drive by there every day on my way home from work.

Drop me an e-mail at datilderek@excite.com.

Derek

[D Wagner]

This may help:  http://www.runoffgroove.com/bazz.html

From your pictures, it looks like your input capacitor is backwards.  The stripe with the minus (-) signs in it needs to be connected to the input wire.

Compare your component placement, especially the electroylitic capacitor, to the picture of the perfboard layout.  The stripe on the side of the cap is the negative (-), while the positive lead (+) is opposite of that, and faces the transistor.

Fuzz coming right up!

Derek

[petemoore]

Looks like you have alot of room left on that board !!!

[stratking]

Thanks for the help guys, been extremely busy with work and school and havent gotten a chance to check the replys.  

The transistor was oriented the wrong way when I took the picture.  I turned it around and still got the same noise.  I completely took it out of the socket and still got the same thing.  Sounds like it isn't even making it to the transistor.  I am trying to keep my solder connections small but I can't seem to find smaller solder.  When I'm connecting the small socket to the board,  the pins are so close that they are almost touching.  I am going to try to rewire it without the socket to see if can get a cleaner connection.

D Wagner, I'd love to get together, unfortunately I will be out of town this weekend.  Maybe we could get together next weekend, I have no idea how to use my breadboard, I'm sure you could point me in the right direction.  

P.S.  I am driving up to Nashville this weekend and applying at Gibson, hopefully for a position in their shop.  Wish me luck guys, I'm going to need it!!!.

[Marcos - Munky]

P.S.  I am driving up to Nashville this weekend and applying at Gibson, hopefully for a position in their shop.  Wish me luck guys, I'm going to need it!!!.

Hope you get the job. Good luck!!!

[D Wagner]

I am going to try to rewire it without the socket to see if can get a cleaner connection.

Check the input capacitor orientation first.  I believe that is your problem!

Derek

[stratking]

Ok, I switched the input cap around and also resoldered the trans. socket since it looked like the connections were touching, and the ckt. now works.  Just one thing.  if you play the notes lightly, it sounds like the effect is being bypassed, as your pick attack is a just a little bit harder, the pedal all of the sudden seems to kick in, and theres the fuzz.  It makes the pedal sounds sorta crappy since you cant really let a note fade, once it goes below a certain volume, it pretty much just cuts off.  Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks,

stratking

[B Tremblay]

What transistor did you use?

[stratking]

2N5088, are there any others i should check out?

[B Tremblay]

No, that's the right one.  However, the BF does have a bit of a gating effect at times, especially if the guitar volume is turned down.  A BF needs the guitar volume at maximum for best results.

[stratking]

The gating of this pedal is really annoying especially since it sounds so good besides this little problem.  Even plugged into my strat, the fuzz is great.  Would building the deluxe bf help out at all or is it just the way the pedal is going to sound??