Messages

Found my problem. I twisted the wires coming from the pot tighter. Thanks to all for the help

I tried grounding the shaft, to no avail.

First, wow. Thanks for the fast response. I've tried a few different caps at the input, a couple improved reception. I did discover that if I touched the circuit side, pin 1 of the pot the volume of the RI increased. A lot. Maybe if I shorten the patch wires from the pot to the BB? Also on GP l placed an elec gangbox over my BB as a shield. no noticeable improvement. Also, I'm using a 9v batt to power the BB.

I'm trying to build a Bazz Fuzz on a breadboard and have perfected a single station Spanish speaking radio receiver. I hear fuzz over it, but right in the mid-range of the pot is the best radio reception. I have cut down all the component leads, to no avail. What are the usual suspects? TIA

Benny,
  First, thx for the link, it was very informative. I tried the reverse audio pot, and yes, much better results. During the course of my travels, I found that the trans I was using weren't all they could be, and swapped them out with a known good "set". Much better. My next step is to test the gain of all the trans l have in my stash, and match them up in pairs, then swap them out a pair at a time until l find the set(s) l like.

Thx Benny, I will post the results

OK, I know how to try a different pot,
off to to Love My Switches
THX

I have just bread boarded a fuzz face, and although the fuzz sounds great, it only kicks in the final third of the pot's range. Is this normal, or do I maybe have a bad pot? I am using a 1K audio pot for the fuzz, but I did try a 1K linear, but only a slight difference. Also I am using a Bass as my input, as I don't have a 6 string available.
Don't know if it's related, but I get different amounts of fuzz depending on how I pluck the string. I am using notes that are in the range of a 6 string.
TIA

Ok, I found the hum (it was more of a hum than a buzz). Upon a closer inspection of the switch pcb, I feared I may have tanked it due to the repeated soldering/de soldering, so l started over with a fresh board and switch. The sound improved greatly, but there was still a little amount left. Unplugged the headphones, and wallah...nice clean sound (note, I'm an insomniac, so the Mrs was a *tad* miffed to hear Bass, even softy, at 12:30am ).
Being anal, l first wired to two jacks together straight, then added the switch, one side at a time (by-pass, the out to the "circuit"), to eliminate all variables.
Hey the whole point of this is to learn, and l have learned something.

I am currently building a break out board to help me try different components before committing to solder , sorta my own take on the Bevis board. To test the board itself before adding a circuit, I tested it by jumping the circuit in and circuit out, as I read somewhere on line, to simulate a perfectly working circuit. In by-pass the sound is clear as a bell. When I turn on the board I get a buzz. I can hear the guitar over this buzz, whether there is power to the board or not. I am quite the newb so I don't know who would be the usual suspects in this case.  I feel I can rule out the jacks, as I get a nice signal in by-pass. Maybe my wiring/soldering to the dc jack, because it acts like it doesn't care if there is power or not. Then again, maybe the 3PDT switch/board. Or maybe because the wires leading out the the box to the terminal strip are much longer than the jumper on the switch for bypass. I have twisted the heck out the those long wires. I don't know where to start looking.
TIA

I would guess the same as perf board

Thank You Oakey. What is the standard size for the hole, if I may ask?

I don't rightly know how to phrase the question for google, or a search. When you guys etch a pcb, do you etch the holes for the components in the pads, or leave the pads solid so there is copper all the way to the holes? TIA

[I also believe I can completely remove the 12v potion altogether and connect the 9v to ground, and pin 6 of both IC1 and IC2 via a switch and D3.]

First, sorry for the delay in answering. Second, thank you for the kind words about my build.

C5 is a power supply filter cap (I would keep it)
Now that you mention it, C5 does look like a filter, thx

Connecting the input jack as you've suggested will work, but LM386 amps seem to work better with a buffer before it (look for the runoffgroove ruby)
Are you saying that the circuit "as is" doesn't include a buffer, or that my proposed mods eliminate it?
I also guess you'd like me to look up "runoffgroove ruby"

I also believe I can completely remove the 12v potion altogether and connect the 9v to ground, and pin 6 of both IC1 and IC2 via a switch and D3.
I'm not sure what you mean by that, but what I think could be the simplest is to remove C16, C17, D4 and IC3 and connect your power supply in place of the battery (and use the existing switch as an on-off)
We were talking about the same thing, we just called it different. 

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts

This will be my second build.
I know what I want to build, but...What I want is to be able to practice my Bass with my pedals and an aux (i.e. mp3 player, laptop, etc.) using headphones as not to disturb the Mrs. And to try to best re-create the sound I would have if I played though my regular amp, I want to also be able to use the stand alone tube pre-amp I built (note: the pre-amp alone will not drive headphones):

http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=28666.0

I also would like to be able to use a standard pedal 9v wall wart to power the headphone amp.
I found a schematic that is all SS with an aux on The Project Asylum:

https://www.theprojectasylum.com

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post it here. It's under Electronic Projects/ Musical Instrument Related /
Now, I can read schematics just enough to make myself dangerous. What I want to do is be able to plug my Bass/pre-amp/pedals into an input that wont need any pre-amping, mix it with the aux, then amp it enough for headphones. I think all I need to do is remove the instrument pre-amp portion of the circuit, although I'm not sure what all that includes, and wire a 1/4" mono jack for the instrument input somewhere going into the output stage. My guess is + to the plus side of C4, and the - to ground, and eliminate everything left of, and including C5, which I'm guessing is to remove DC before amping.
I also believe I can completely remove the 12v potion altogether and connect the 9v to ground, and pin 6 of both IC1 and IC2 via a switch and D3.
I don't think I have to worry if it will pass lower frequencies, as the  Bass pre-amp should have that covered. As to any other concerns, or a better way of doing this, I wouldn't have a clue.
I know I am showing my ignorance (defined as just having never been told yet) here, but I am a firm believer that the only stupid question is one you ask of someone who you already know doesn't know the answer, and I am sure the vast majority of posters here do.
TIA