Bazz Fuzz question: Am I hooking this up correctly?

[deschete]

I built the Bazz Fuzz but when I do connect it, I get a very low volume output (I have to really hit the strings hard to hear anything) with 60-cycle hum.  Am I hooking this up correctly:

Input Tip to IN on board
Input Sleeve to GROUND
Input Ring to - Battery

Output on board to Lug #3 on 100k Trim
Lug #2 on 100k Trim to Output Tip
Lug #1 on 100k Trim to GROUND

Output Sleeve to Ground

+ Battery to +9v in on board

I don't have any switches or LED's right now, I just want to see if I have the board built right.

[foxfire]

it looks good to me

[jayp5150]

Voltages for the tranny?

Sounds like a horrible mis-bias. Double check all your solder joints, especially looking for solder bridges.

[nordine]

show pics of your build

hum sounds like youre shorting something, or forgot a capacitor

[deschete]

Thanks guys.  I'll have to wait for tonight to snap pictures of the board, it's at home while I'm at work.

I thought that I had damaged the diode due to solding heat, but replacing it didn't change the outcome - I just made a mess of the board.  I'm thinking about starting over since the circuit is really simple to see if I can get it the second time around.

[jayp5150]

I've had good results at times just scrapping and starting from scratch lol. Sometimes that second time through you seem to have a clearer head, and of course, a clean canvas to work with.

It's frustrating, but it's all part of the learning curve. (the giant learning curve, in my case lol)

[deschete]

I'm also building a Flipster much more slowly.  I hope it doesn't have as many problems!

I did build Aaron's "beginner project" and that's what got me hooked.  It worked immediately and flawlessly.

[deschete]

Okay, second time around... same problem.

Voltages i measure are:

1.04V at the collector
0.56V at the base
0.0V at the emitter

I get lots of ground noise and a very weak signal.

Is that expected?

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Are you absolutely certain that the transistor is oriented the right way? Have you tested that it's not faulty?

[deschete]

Are you absolutely certain that the transistor is oriented the right way? Have you tested that it's not faulty?

According to the package the transister came with, if I'm looking at it from the top and holding the flat part up, the leads are Emitter, Base, Collector.  That's how I have it in the socket, with the Emitter towards ground.

I'm not sure how to test a transistor, but I did plug this one into the socket straight from the package.  I also opened a fresh 9v battery to be sure that it wasn't the battery.

[nordine]

with lots of ground noise and very weak signal, chances are you didn't connect ground or something along that

try posting some pics, it'll be easier that way.... pics of the bottom and the upper side of your board (showing also external wiring, jacks etc)

[foxfire]

Are you absolutely certain that the transistor is oriented the right way? Have you tested that it's not faulty?

According to the package the transister came with, if I'm looking at it from the top and holding the flat part up, the leads are Emitter, Base, Collector.  That's how I have it in the socket, with the Emitter towards ground.

I'm not sure how to test a transistor, but I did plug this one into the socket straight from the package.  I also opened a fresh 9v battery to be sure that it wasn't the battery.

have you tried putting it in the other way? if not i'd suggest doing it. if for no other reason than it can't hurt.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Are you absolutely certain that the transistor is oriented the right way? Have you tested that it's not faulty?

According to the package the transister came with, if I'm looking at it from the top and holding the flat part up, the leads are Emitter, Base, Collector.  That's how I have it in the socket, with the Emitter towards ground.

I'm not sure how to test a transistor, but I did plug this one into the socket straight from the package.  I also opened a fresh 9v battery to be sure that it wasn't the battery.

A lot of multimeters have transistor testers. You just plonk them in and read the forward voltage. If you get nothing, turn it around. If you still get nothing, chances are it's fried!

[mac]

Voltages seem right.
What transistor are you using, and what collector resistor? Diode is in the right direcction?

mac

[deschete]

Voltages seem right.
What transistor are you using, and what collector resistor? Diode is in the right direcction?

mac

I'm using a 2N3904, just like the v1 drawing specifies.  I am pretty sure the diode is facing the right way... there's a black ring on the diode, and I read that the mark indicates which direction the current is pushing (so i have the black ring on the diode pointing towards the + of the 4.7uf input cap.

Man, I really feel like a total failure!  I've built this circuit twice and breadboarded it and it does the same thing.  I'm following the schematic exactly!

[ambulancevoice]

Voltages seem right.
What transistor are you using, and what collector resistor? Diode is in the right direcction?

mac

I'm using a 2N3904, just like the v1 drawing specifies.  I am pretty sure the diode is facing the right way... there's a black ring on the diode, and I read that the mark indicates which direction the current is pushing (so i have the black ring on the diode pointing towards the + of the 4.7uf input cap.

Man, I really feel like a total failure!  I've built this circuit twice and breadboarded it and it does the same thing.  I'm following the schematic exactly!

did you build it on perf board or vero??
ive got a vero board layout that has no trackcuts and is just straight up!

[deschete]

did you build it on perf board or vero??
ive got a vero board layout that has no trackcuts and is just straight up!

I built it on perf board.  It looks like I can use the breadboard to duplicate the Vero.

I have a question about the input/output jacks in the diagram...  what goes to input tip, ring, sleeve and what goes to output ring, sleeve?

[mac]

A 2n3904 may need more than 100k to bias if hfe is low. Try 250k/500k trimpot.

mac

[ambulancevoice]

did you build it on perf board or vero??
ive got a vero board layout that has no trackcuts and is just straight up!

I built it on perf board.  It looks like I can use the breadboard to duplicate the Vero.

I have a question about the input/output jacks in the diagram...  what goes to input tip, ring, sleeve and what goes to output ring, sleeve?

in tip goes to the dpdt bypass switch
in ring has the negative side of the dc jack/battery connected to it (so when you unplug the pedal, say when using a battery, the power disconnects and you save battery power)
in sleeve goes to ground on the pcb

out jack is mono so it has no ring, it has tip and sleeve only
tip goes to the dpdt switch
sleeve goes to ground

on that layout, ive wired it on the input jack as if the tip is where the ring is on a real 1/4" jack and visa versa
i didnt properely save the file so i cant fix it...

[deschete]

I finally got it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The black ring on my diodes meant that was the NEGATIVE side, not the POSITIVE side.  Once I flipped the diode, everything magically worked!

THANK YOU ALL so much for helping with this!  I no longer feel like a total failure; I've stepped up to feeling like a complete newbie who can only make very simple things.  Your efforts are sincerly appreciated.

Now that I have sound, I need to figure out the resistor/input cap/output cap values and how they relate to the actual SOUND of my bass passing through... hopefully actually the FUN part that involves SOUND!