Orange Squeezer that won't squeeze

[guitarzan25]

I just got finished building my second project. let me add, it's my second non-working project. I'm doing this uscientifically. I went over the effect debugging page on geofex and went through that stuff as best I can without the psyg-mo-man-o-meter thing that measures current. I've checked my solder joints and even tried to use heat sink on the components so as not to burn up the Ge diode or the two transistors. I'm getting a signal when the effect is bypassed and I can get the faintest bit of signal (plus loads of scritch scratch) if I touch the ins/outs/and power leads while it's engaged. I've checked my cables, the amp is a TopHat thats practically brand new and I unwrapped the battery to put it in this thing. what's left besides a lost builder?

somebody save this thing. I've gotta convince my wife that I didn't waste our money buying this stuff.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Paul Marossy]

Do you have a DMM (Digital Multi-Meter)? You need to measure your voltages and see if your JFETs are getting the right voltages. You also need to verify that you have power actually being supplied to the circuit. If you built it on perfboard, it's not too hard to forget connecting something together.

If you can determine that you have power, then the next thing to do is build an audio probe and see if you can find where the signal dies. That will probably the area where something is wrong. Here is how I built mine: http://www.diyguitarist.com/PDF_Files/DIY-AudioTester.pdf

Also, you need to verify that the pinouts on your JFETs match how they should be connected to your circuit. (And the opamp, too. There is one in that circuit, isn't there?)

[guitarzan25]

YAAAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!

I just got my Orange Squeezer working. It turns out it was one cold solder joint.  

...I just want to thank all the little people that made this moment possible... my mom, my dad, God, Mrs. Copeland from the 4th grade who said I could make something great...

[Paul Marossy]

Darn cold solder joints...  :wink:
Glad you got it working.

[guitarzan25]

the solder joints have barely cooled off on this one and I'm already looking at my next build. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

-c

[Fret Wire]

What other effects do you want for your sound, that you can't find, can't afford to buy commercially, or that they don't make anymore?