Kay Fuzz clone

[rikkards]

That's exactly what I experienced as well with the heel down. One thing I noticed was you couldn't set the pot to the absolute limit otherwise the volume level would drop dramatically.
Out of curiousity what were the voltages you got in the end?

I have built the kay fuzz tone, I used the schematic you posted, and also changed it to the one that ustomp posted later with some alterations.  The schematic does work, but I had to build mine with trim pots instead of the resistors that feed the transistors from the +9 power and adjusted them till they sounded right.  I also built it into a crybaby volume pedal enclosure using the pot that came with it, a 100k pot, worked ok, but most of the change is closer to the heel down position, works fine though.  I did not breadboard it first though, the schem can be placed directly onto perf board if you look at it you will see.

[BRingoC]

I dont actually know about voltages, I have never taken any readings on it, I wont be able to try for quite a while either.  I have some volume loss with the pedal as well, but it 'appears' to have be unity with the amount of low end the pedal makes.  I have the pot in the pedal set to the extreme at heel down as well in order to get the pedal to create the shift in sound adequately. 

[rikkards]

I ended up finding where the volume starts to drop and then moved the pot a bit back so that is the heel down location.

I dont actually know about voltages, I have never taken any readings on it, I wont be able to try for quite a while either.  I have some volume loss with the pedal as well, but it 'appears' to have be unity with the amount of low end the pedal makes.  I have the pot in the pedal set to the extreme at heel down as well in order to get the pedal to create the shift in sound adequately. 

[blueherdim7]

Hey guys-

Thanks for your input and help.  I have completed the pcb and hooked everything up and, of course, I have problems.  I can power up the LED as it should and in bypass, ie LED off I get bypassed/dry signal.  The problem is when I activate the switch, all sound is lost.  No grounding issues, ie buzzing...just silent.  I have checked all connections and everything seems in order.  Any advice?  I am not sure about the power lugs and the etch build shows the jack hook ups incorrectly, I think.  Do you really use the sleeve on the input to the pcb, the tip to negative and ring to the switch or am I reading this incorrectly?

Thanks for your help and patience!

Jon

[Rodgre]

Do you really use the sleeve on the input to the pcb, the tip to negative and ring to the switch or am I reading this incorrectly?

Thanks for your help and patience!

Jon

The sleeve goes to ground on the PCB, the tip to the input lug on the bypass switch and the ring goes to - on the battery snap.

Roger

[blueherdim7]

Thanks Roger-
That's what I thought.  Can you help me with the pcb ground on this:  http://ustomp.com/files/kayfuzzbuild.pdf

Cheers.

Jon

[blueherdim7]

One more thing...Is it possible to wire the switch upside down?  I have it wired as in the diagram, but I didn't know how to id any of the lugs.

Jon

[rikkards]

Try Audio probe and see how far you get.

Hey guys-

Thanks for your input and help.  I have completed the pcb and hooked everything up and, of course, I have problems.  I can power up the LED as it should and in bypass, ie LED off I get bypassed/dry signal.  The problem is when I activate the switch, all sound is lost.  No grounding issues, ie buzzing...just silent.  I have checked all connections and everything seems in order.  Any advice?  I am not sure about the power lugs and the etch build shows the jack hook ups incorrectly, I think.  Do you really use the sleeve on the input to the pcb, the tip to negative and ring to the switch or am I reading this incorrectly?

Thanks for your help and patience!

Jon

[blueherdim7]

Cheers-
I have seen that in the debugging thread. I am away for the weekend, so, I am just thinking out loud. I will give it a go when I get back.
Thanks.
Jon

[rikkards]

It's highly recommended. I also use it to get each transistor to an optimum sound when setting up the circuit. Especially if I don't like what it sounds like at the default values.

Cheers-
I have seen that in the debugging thread. I am away for the weekend, so, I am just thinking out loud. I will give it a go when I get back.
Thanks.
Jon

[blueherdim7]

Okay, guys, I have worked through with the audio probe and have found that I in fact do have sound coming from the engaged effect.  It is just at an extremely low level.  When I go through with the probe it seems that the volume really drops at Q3 and Q4.  The base posts for each have unity but the both the emitters have almost no sound and both collectors have fuzz.  I tried to swap them and have checked the solder joints, but to no avail.  The voltages on each are:

Q1 B--1.152  C--1.852  E--1.147   2SC644
Q2 B--1.852  C--2.54    E--1.835   2SC945
Q3 B--1.226  C--1.890  E--1.222   2SC945
Q4 B--1.227  C--1.890  E--!.222   2SC945

Can anyone make sense of these?  I am using the debuggin checklist and it said to collect these, among others.  I thought I would start here since the volume drop seems to come from the transistors.  Also, is it possible I have a short at Q3 and 4 to cause the volume loss?
Thank you.
Jon

[8mileshigh]

Here's my voltages for my clone which really rips.

Q1     Q2     Q3 and Q4
1.8     8.7    8
.89     1.8    .89
.3       1.2    .3

BTW, I'm using 2N5089's throughout in my build.
Chris

[rikkards]

I will see about getting mine tonight. I can't remember what they were unless 8mileshigh has my last pm with them in it .
I used the original transistors

Here's my voltages for my clone which really rips.

Q1     Q2     Q3 and Q4
1.8     8.7    8
.89     1.8    .89
.3       1.2    .3

BTW, I'm using 2N5089's throughout in my build.
Chris

[8mileshigh]

See below for Rikkard's voltages.

"I set it up as per your voltages and it worked but I see what you meant about lacking sustain. Since I had pretty much done all pots for the transistors I tweaked the voltages and improved the volume and the sustain:
Q1         Q2          Q3 and Q4
5.54      6.17           4.5
0.89      4.42           1.7
0.3        3.82           1.1

[blueherdim7]

Thank you guys.  Is it possible that I have fried some components to have my voltages so far off from either of yours?  I know that it's possible that I have either contacted the battery incorrectly or had the dc power connected wrong (it is definately correct now).  I have been through the pcb for continuity and voltages and it seems that all voltage readings are lower than what I would think(no expert on ohms law here, though).  I have also checked the resistors and have found that many show no resistance at all.  I am going to replace the resistors and electrolytics this morning to see if that has any effect. 

[blueherdim7]

Guys...I am ready to bin this stupid thing!!  I replaced all the 100k resistors, both diodes and all caps and I still have the same problem.  Good sound in bypass and almost no sound when engaged...with no fuzz.  The only way I can get sound from the engaged effect is to put my ipod into the input at full volume and have my amp at full volume.  Then I can only barely hear the ipod.  The voltages at the transistors are the same as I posted before and nothing like what you guys have.  The information I have used to build this are here:  http://ustomp.com/?paged=5
I have followed it religiously and to the best of knowledge recreated it exactly...obviously not or it would work.  Rikkards and/or 8mileshigh, would either of you be willing to email me your phone number with location (read time zone) and a good time to contact you?  I have put too much time into this for it not to work.  But at this point, I am no longer having any fun.

Thanks for all your help.

Jon

[rikkards]

I feel your pain. I rebuilt the circuit from scratch 3 times (actually 6 if you take into account that I proto'd it each and every time. I was really picky on what I wanted. Try trimpots for all of the Collector (and base) resistors (total of 6). I also used a different schematic (http://www.flickr.com/photos/germanium/2289446334/) which is mainly different with the resistor for the collector for Q3 and Q4 which may also show some of the discrepancies. Adjust your build to use that schematic.

Guys...I am ready to bin this stupid thing!!  I replaced all the 100k resistors, both diodes and all caps and I still have the same problem.  Good sound in bypass and almost no sound when engaged...with no fuzz.  The only way I can get sound from the engaged effect is to put my ipod into the input at full volume and have my amp at full volume.  Then I can only barely hear the ipod.  The voltages at the transistors are the same as I posted before and nothing like what you guys have.  The information I have used to build this are here:  http://ustomp.com/?paged=5
I have followed it religiously and to the best of knowledge recreated it exactly...obviously not or it would work.  Rikkards and/or 8mileshigh, would either of you be willing to email me your phone number with location (read time zone) and a good time to contact you?  I have put too much time into this for it not to work.  But at this point, I am no longer having any fun.

Thanks for all your help.

Jon

[blueherdim7]

Thank you Rikkards...I appreciate the empathy.  Misery loves company!!  I have picked up some trim pots and will put them in the base and collectors to try to achieve the voltages you guys listed. 
Cheers.

Jon

[blueherdim7]

Rikkards-

What size trim pots did you use?  I have some 100k trim pots from Radio Shack that seem to trim from 39-96k.  Will these work?

Jon

[rikkards]

They should. Using the link I provided:
R2, R8, R12 - 100K trimpot
R4 - 50K Trimpot
R6, R10 - 10K Trimpot

Some tips.
Get Q1, Q2 to sound by ear
Get Q3, Q4 Base to same voltage

Rikkards-

What size trim pots did you use?  I have some 100k trim pots from Radio Shack that seem to trim from 39-96k.  Will these work?

Jon