help with my fuzz

[emerson lane]

i just finished putting together my build your own clone fuzz face. when turned on only the heavier strings can be heard and the high b and e strings cant be heard at all. Also, it does not have a lot of sustain. i have checked over the circuit about 6 or 7 times and everything is in place and solder well. any help would be appreciated. thanks

[emerson lane]

also would running a bass thru this fuzz hurt the circuit?

[aron]

This is a classic bias problem. Could be:

wrong resistor values
improper orientation of transistor (likely?)
bad solder joint
wrong wiring
dead battery
and more.... see the what to do when it doesn't work sticky.

[emerson lane]

ive checked everything and nothing is out of place or the wrong part. also i was messing around and if i plug my tubescreamer in front of the fuzz, the fuzz works perfectly; even if the tubescreamer is not on. i dont know what this means, however.

[octafish]

Are you using Germs or silicon? I'd be guessing a bias problem especially if you aren't using a trimpot to bias with.

Ahhhh just read the last post again, your tubescreamer is not true bypass and it acts as a buffer even when not switched in, so if its working when buffered the problem could be incompatability between the pickups and the fuzz face. I don't know much about fuzz faces, maybe someone else can help. Tell us what guitar/pickups you are playing with and that should help narrow the problem down.

Some effects don't let enough bass frequencies through to be really effective with bass but none will be damaged by playing bass through them.

[ibanezts808]

yeah this is definetly a bias problem from what is described.  I had this on my first pedal also, it has a kind of attack feel to it also.  post the voltages so we can see.

[emerson lane]

i used the germanium transistors. the kit has a bias pot in it but no matter where i set it, it doesnt sound much better. the only guitar ive tried it with is my gibson sg with p-90s. i do have other guitars so maybe ill tryone of those.

[emerson lane]

i guess im gonna leave the fuzz alone. it seems to work fine with the tubescreamer in front of it. thanks for the help guys.