Debugging Mosrite Fuzzrite

[tjdracz]

Hi there! Just build Fuzzrite from this layout: http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/mosrite-fuzzrite.html and not getting any sound whatsovere. Curious thing is, I started looking for any solder bridges between stripboard copper strips and haven't found any but when certain points are touched with multimeter leads, thus completing a circuit, I can get some sound out of it, a clean one and a really quiet fuzz in one another point. Also, pots does not seem to do much, if one is not turned all the way clockwise and the other all the way ccw, then there also is no sound at all when making the bridge connection. Seems like pots only work the properly in the extreme range of turn.
Any idea what would be good place to start looking for an issue in the circuit?
Cheers, Tom

[Vince]

Posting front and back pics is always good so people can have a look and maybe spot something.

[tjdracz]

Problem solved, I stupidly soldered two caps across the two holes instead of three. Breadboarded the circuit first from a schematic and only then I've realized that. Now it works (I think) as it should, nasty buzzsaw fuzz. Will try it out with 2n2222a's tomorrow and see which is better.
But one more question to the people that build and used Fuzzrite. I wonder whether the behaviour of Depth knob I'm getting is correct.Basically with the knob turned all the way down (CCW) I get mild distorted sound, then with just a fraction of turn, this scuzzy type of trebly fuzz appears but really quiet and gains in the intensity getting to the full scary fuzziness in the all the way up position. Is that what should happen? I'm only getting into electronics now but I assume the Depth is kinda balancing between the two trannys, right?

[Beaker]

So it's loud full counter-clockwise, goes quiet in the midddle of the sweep, then gets loud full clockwise, with the tone changing all the time as you sweep the knob?

Yep, that's normal.

Some thing else that is "normal" about this pedal, is that the tone changes according to how you set the volume knob, so it really crammed full of different tones making it fantastic for recording use - no matter how dense a mix is, you can always find frequency holes in mix, then dial the pedal in to get it to poke right through.

Finally, try taking the battery out - my ones will work without it. sounds like the guitar signal is being beamed back from intersteller space by Voyager I, and played on a broken transistor radio, but it works!

[tjdracz]

Thanks for the reply! Will try the no battery tip for sure, but now I'm enjoying my Satisfaction/All Day and All of the Night/Ventures tones.Really brilliant pedal!

[johnk]

I built three completely different versions of the fuzzrite. Mark's silicon version is my favorite, but I modded it quite a bit to make it more bass friendly, give it more versatility, and more output by adding a pre-gain, a tone control and a JFet clean boost on the output.

here's a couple of pics of it:

[induction]

John, your builds are always beautiful, inside and out.

[johnk]

thanks!
BTW, if anyone want to use my modded layout, here it is: