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If you don't have a scope, just audio probe pin 7 & 8 of each BBD while adjusting its bias.

The compander is self biasing but to an internal 1.8V reference. The additional resistor is to offset that and provide the most signal swing for the supply voltage.

Don't forget the pedal originally used a battery so optimum isn't always... optimum.

Oh, is that what those are for, yeah, that sounds important.

It's not as complicated as it looks, no different to any other delay circuit really, just everything's split and doubled but to reach the BBD's, the signal must past through IC2.

I see tantalum capacitors, you didn't get them from Tayda, did you?

Sure, post some up of that area.

Okay, you've gone a bit off course with your probing.

IC2 pin 7 is where you should listen for audio, should be loud and compressed.
Then, assuming that checks out you can follow to Q5 emitter and then pin 3 of each BBD.

If you get signal at pin 3 of the BBD and it wont pass at pin 7&8 with adjustment of the bias trimmer, might have to consider the BBD or clock again.

IC1 pin 1 voltage reading I'm going to assume is a mistake.

Niiiice! Glad I could be of assistance in your endeavor.


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Thanks Jimi, there are only a couple videos on youtube showing this pedal and your video was more focused in getting the best sounds out of it rather than just showing that it exists. Huge help.

So very clean

For any future readers that may feel there's a little bit of a volume drop, I suggested reducing R4 to 62k here.

That was my frustration also.


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Did I get you to do the same thing? If so, I'll have to have Keefe change it in the build doc.

Do you get any tone change when you adjust the switches?

Just checking the BBD's aren't passing audio but static... best way to check that would be audio probe on pin 7/8 of the BBD.

Otherwise, voltages for IC1, 5, 7 & 12.

Bias on IC3 is too low but otherwise, in range.

Next up, companders.

I'm a cruel mistress.

So very clean

For any future readers that may feel there's a little bit of a volume drop, I suggested reducing R4 to 62k here.

Voltages

  As soon as my wife is done dragging me around looking for 6 cabinet knobs    I'll get some. Since there are a gabillion IC's I'm hoping you just want the BBDs or all gabillion?

After that traumatic experience, I'll let you off with just the BBD's to start

Voltages

My Pirate Shift is allright, except for background noises in the signal path when I turn up the delay pot.

Sounds like sampling/aliasing noise, some of which is to be expected but if it's too loud it could be an incorrect cap value, could be your power supply or it might be worth trying different PT2399, some are just quieter than others (PT2399 from Tayda are not recommended).

It's also worth trying a tantalum capacitor for C3.

https://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=31389.0

But Drew basically covered it already.

Nah the Hot Tubes is an original design, but the Red Llama is a Tube Sound Fuzz.