Orange Squeezer and Volume

[rik]

I built an Orange Squeezer using the GGG layout and it sounds nice, very similar to my production orange squeezer.

I substituted 2 parts-- instead of 5457s, I used NTE457s, and instead of a 10k pot for the volume, I used 25k. (They were just what I had.)

The only downside to the unit is that with the volume knob maxed, it is still lower than unity output. I'm wondering which is the more likely culprit, the 457s or the pot?

My guess is that changing the value of a volume pot that goes directly to the output in a circuit works much like one in a guitar-- a bigger one gives more signal and is brighter, but a lower one has more control. Is that basically true?

[bwanasonic]

The only downside to the unit is that with the volume knob maxed, it is still lower than unity output. I'm wondering which is the more likely culprit, the transistors or the pot? I am leaning towards the 2N2222s, which gave me lower volume (but still a boost) in a Big Muff circuit, but I was not sure of the affect, if any, of using a different value pot?

I had a similar problem with my OS build, but to make matters worse, it's intermittent. When I first plug it in, unity gain is around 10 o'clock (and there is plenty of gain to spare). After a few minutes, I need to crank it all the way up to get slightly less than unity. I always suspected that I damaged one of the tantalum caps, but I've never got around to fixing it.

Kerry M

[Mark Hammer]

Ummm, there ARE no bipolar transistors in the Orange Squeezer.  Not 5088s, not 2222s.  There ARE, however, a pair of FETs.  Those could be 5457 or 3819, or maybe even MPF102.  Maybe your problem is you used the wrong transistor type in the first place.

[rik]

Heh heh, um, yeah. I used NTE457s instead of the 5457s. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Mark Hammer]

No problem.  That's a reasonable sub, and clears up one potential source of disfunctionality in your pedal.