Help with my second build - LITTLE GEM!

[bancika]

Try with GUITAR speaker, it made much difference with my little gem mk2

[Dr Ron]

Have you put in the gain pot and turned down the gain?

There are only 2 places to generate distortion: the op amp or the speaker.
Turning down the guitar volume or using the gain pot will lower the op amp gain.

On the other hand, I recall reading that this op amp wasn't considered to be that good for audio.
Perhaps they were referring to the distortion sound you are hearing.

I'm getting a significant buzz from my little gem at all times,
until I unplug the guitar chord from the amp, then it's gone.

Any suggestions?

[Joecool85]

There will be no difference between having a gain pot in and set to no gain, and not connecting pins 1 and 8 at all.

[B Tremblay]

There will be no difference between having a gain pot in and set to no gain, and not connecting pins 1 and 8 at all.

Technically, with a 5k Gain pot at its minimum, there will still be slight increase in gain when compared to leaving pins 1 and 8 open.  In that case, the 5k pot is in parallel with an internal 1.35K resistor for a total resistance of 1.06K.  Whether that difference is audible is another matter entirely.   

[Joecool85]

OK, so, there may be a little difference, in the WRONG direction, since he wanted it clean.