Problem with astrotone clone, please help!!!!

[KaosCill8r]

Hey guys, built an astrotone clone from a kit. Works kind of. Bypass fine, gets a fuzz tone but that's all it gets. Very nasty, glitchy and just weird sounding. Kind of octave up sound. Was wanting it for high gain overdrive meets fuzz tone and it's everything but. Checked and double checked and everything seems in the right place. Re soldered all my connections in the hope that one was dicky. But still sounds like 10 shades of shit. The kit build doc can be found at fuzz dogs pedal parts. Sorry don't have access to a camera so I can't post pics. Sorry!!! Built a lot of clone kits a lot more complicated than this and they all worked fine. I'm baffled...

[TweedBassman]

that sucks. here's where i would start:

solder joints.

simple mistakes that just slip by: backwards caps, backwards transistors, parts in the wrong place or swapped.

check the build versus online videos of the same circuit; maybe it's Ok?

bad components. you'd be surprised the percentage of new parts that are just no good these days. start with transistors and electro caps.

[KaosCill8r]

Thanks TweedBassman. Yeah checked all the joints. They are fine. Checked the component order and they are fine. Looked at all the YouTube demos and mine sounds more like an unpleasant surprise (only not as pleasant lol) than a vintage fuzz/overdrive sound. Just sounds fugly. I,m guessing a rooted component or two. Will probably be scrapping the pedal and buying one already made. Don't have the patience for building anymore. I don't have the skills for troubleshooting when something goes wrong. I'm kind of just flying blind.

[Nocentelli]

Don't scrap it just yet! What transistors are you using? Check the pin-out orientation: The instructions at fuzz dogs pedal parts don't make it clear which way they should be oriented and just shows the TO-92 plastic package (i assume they have the pinout right), but if they''re metal can 2N2222's, the tags need to go so they are pointing towards the outsides of the board. Is there no way you can put some pictures up?

[Ben79]

Yeah, don't scrap it! Keep at it, you'll learn something and have a working fuzz at the end of it.

[KaosCill8r]

Don't scrap it just yet! What transistors are you using? Check the pin-out orientation: The instructions at fuzz dogs pedal parts don't make it clear which way they should be oriented and just shows the TO-92 plastic package (i assume they have the pinout right), but if they''re metal can 2N2222's, the tags need to go so they are pointing towards the outsides of the board. Is there no way you can put some pictures up?

They are the TO-92 plastic package trannies. I have them in the way the document states. I won't scrap it. Might get a loan of a camera later in the week from the in-laws so I can post the board. I have already spent 8 or more hours trying to find the fault, I think there has to be a time when you just have to say "fuck it". It was getting in the way of just playing and having fun. I will however give it another go. On a happier note I ordered a Fuzzhugger Arc Flash from Tom earlier today to soften the blow of my building failure.

Yeah, don't scrap it! Keep at it, you'll learn something and have a working fuzz at the end of it.

Will give it another go sooner or later. I never really give up on anything.

[chutneyfarmer]

Have you sent him a message on facebook? Maybe he's come across this before. He's a friendly chap!

[KaosCill8r]

I tried to send him a message on his site but the link wasn't working. I don't have Facebook. I.L.F is my only form of social networking. I found most networking sites were just time bandits. Got in the way of my music. I.L.F is just easier to deal with.

[eatyourguitar]

I spent 5 hours troubleshooting a SWAH from guitar pcb that has a mistake on the PCB that was not documented. I am the kind of guy that never gives up on a guitar pedal. its my job to fix them. but in this case, the lesson learned was that sometimes you gotta say "fuck it". building another smaller project will get your confidence up. next time measure each resistor with a meter before you put it in. practice good soldering technique with a good soldering iron. read the documentation closely. you will go far.