It's taken a lot...but getting frustrated...a simple request...

[rtman26]

I've read that changing the output resistor (300r) to 470 or even 1k will boost the output, so I'm going to try that....I have nothing to lose.  

Next question...it seems gated...meaning sound only comes out if I strum very hard and doesn't ring out completely.  Is this a biasing issue?  

3rd question...(I'm sorry)...It seems to be generating an ocatave below....which is cool because I intend to build the Fuzzhugger Octave Fuzz....but I would like this one to be just a fuzz.....any idea what's doing that?

Oh BTW...I built the one that Goran did....does yours octave down?
 

[induction]

Yes, it sounds like Q2 is biased badly.  From your description, I would guess that the voltage on the emitter of Q2 is less than 2.5V.  

To fix this, temporarily replace the 8k2 resistor with a 20k trimmer or a pot wired as a variable resistor and dial in a voltage of about 4.5V.  Then vary it a little in either direction while playing and choose the sound you like best.  When 'correctly' biased the fuzz should clean up a lot when you dial down the volume control on your guitar.  Going from 10 to 9 should have a drastic effect on the distortion level.  When the bias is low, like I believe yours is, it will be more gated and sputtery, and the volume will be lower.  When the bias is high, it will sound less fuzzy and more like a muscular, hard-edged distortion, and it will be louder.  So correcting the bias will also help with your low volume issue, but you may want to change the output resistor if it's still not loud enough.

Make your final biasing decision by ear, and then either leave the trimmer in place or remove it (without adjusting it), measure the resistance you ended up with, and replace it with a fixed resistor of a similar value.

On my fuzz face, I made the bias an external pot.  I have it wired in series with a fixed resistor, and I chose the value of the resistor and pot by trial and error so that I can dial in any bias between 2.8V and 6.8V.  

I have no idea about the octave issue, but it may resolve itself when the bias is corrected.

Good luck.