Blue Clipper - Volume problems

[rex.himself]

Built the pedal as per this layout http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/dan-armstrong-blue-clipper.html
the only changes I made are using 2x 220K resistors in place of the 200k and 240k (all I had on hand)  and using 1n4148 diodes.

The effect works but is really low volume until I squeeze part of the vero board, depending on how hard I squeeze, the volume will increase the harder I squeeze.

I've checked all the connections  and there doesn't appear to be any cold solder joints.

I can provide photos and voltages if required...

[Neil mcNasty]

Did you use a socket for the IC?
Sounds like you got low conductivity between the socket and the IC.
I've had the same problem a couple of times, and swapping/re-soldering the socket helped.

[rex.himself]

Yeah I used a socket, checked that and it looks OK. I went over the circuit and double checked and replaced some resistors that I might have clipped too short and it didn't work

Then I actually rebuilt the whole circuit from scratch and still have the same low volume problem

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Date: Sun, 1 May 2016 09:56:16 -0700
From: [hidden email]
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Blue Clipper - Volume problems

Did you use a socket for the IC?
Sounds like you got low conductivity between the socket and the IC.
I've had the same problem a couple of times, and swapping/re-soldering the socket helped.

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[rex.himself]

ok so I made a few changes as per http://www.runoffgroove.com/newclipper.html 
namely changing the 220k resistor to ground to 100k and the pot to 100k and now I have the volume, however there is a high pitched whistle when not playing (that goes away if you turn the tone down on guitar)

Any ideas? I've swapped out the IC for a few different ones and still no go.

[Neil mcNasty]

Ok, so it's one of those old "below unity level" type of circuits...
Very typical for the early days of pedal designs.

If you want to keep it as it is now, but remove the high pitch whistle...
You could either put a small cap (somewhere between 10 and 100pf) from input to ground, to roll off the very top end of your signal (like what happens when you roll off some highs with your guitars tone control...
Or... you can insert the cap between pin 1 and 2 of the IC to prevent it from amplifying the same frequencies. This bypasses the high frequencies in the feedback loop of the IC (which is what is creating the amplification)

Personally I would go for option nr.2 (cap between pin 1 and 2)
There is a perfect spot for it between the 150K and the 4.7uf cap.
I use the "straight in line" sockets (where you can break of single sockets) for these things, so that I can try out different caps and find the one that does the job without rolling off too much highs.
Then I remove the socket and add the cap directly.

[rex.himself]

Thank you so much sir!
I finally have it working without the whistle, I had to tac sockets to the under side of the board in the place you suggested.

In the end I couldn't decide which cap to use so I have DPDT switch to choose.

Added a blue LED for shts and giggles.

I will definitely give you props when I do a YouTube video!
Thanks again

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Date: Mon, 2 May 2016 03:52:40 -0700
From: [hidden email]
To: [hidden email]
Subject: RE: Blue Clipper - Volume problems

Ok, so it's one of those old "below unity level" type of circuits...
Very typical for the early days of pedal designs.

If you want to keep it as it is now, but remove the high pitch whistle...
You could either put a small cap (somewhere between 10 and 100pf) from input to ground, to roll off the very top end of your signal (like what happens when you roll off some highs with your guitars tone control...
Or... you can insert the cap between pin 1 and 2 of the IC to prevent it from amplifying the same frequencies. This bypasses the high frequencies in the feedback loop of the IC (which is what is creating the amplification)

Personally I would go for option nr.2 (cap between pin 1 and 2)
There is a perfect spot for it between the 150K and the 4.7uf cap.
I use the "straight in line" sockets (where you can break of single sockets) for these things, so that I can try out different caps and find the one that does the job without rolling off too much highs.
Then I remove the socket and add the cap directly.

---

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