So ive been trying to get better at drawing up schematics and thought id try Sams Distortion in a cereal box.
For some reason its not working =/
Imo its either a bad joint, bad transistor or im just bad lol
Front
Back
Distortion Schem
Attenuator (I used top schem)
Anyone fancy checking it over?
Voltage behaviour seems fine untill it gets to the transistor.
Im tempted to link up the dist’ and attenuator using the jack switches (Dist out to Atten in)
Fuzz for a fiver by ZIBRA - Issuu
your schem seems good except the pot (connection to GND on pin 1 and 2&3 for the signal)
like this
and maybe use the symbol for the transistor, more clear to read the pins
EDIT : sorry i just see “Back” on the pot = reversed pins (or write “Front” 
)
Sam’s schematic
has the diode between the collector and base, yours is connected differently.
And, as @Dud says, the disconnected pin on the pot should go to ground. (But your pot says “back” so in the back view it should be the right pin to ground, left to signal.)
Cool! Thanks for the pointers, ive updated my book and ill give it a go tomorrow n let you know if its fixed.
You know… I might just buy a book for this sort of stuff. Analog media for analog synthesis =D
This ones an old sketch book.
Now you have the diode from emitter to base, with emitter connected to nothing else and collector connected to ground
But it should be from collector to base, with emitter connected to ground and collector connected also to the 100k resistor and 100 nF capacitor
Ahh right! I see it now! So does the line in the trans’ symbol represent the back (flat) side?
Edit: it aint elegant, but it feels fixed now.
Ty! Ill get on with it tomorrow =) get me some fuzz going on =D
That would be nice, wouldn’t it? No, it just represents the base, and which pin is the base varies. See the pinout @Dud posted above for 2N3904. But don’t assume it’s the same for other transistors.
(Somewhere I saw an article a few months ago on how the transistor symbol came about but I have no idea where.)
Righty! I redid the board, still no dice. But turns out ive incorrectly labelled the 2n3904… so ill spin the damn thing 180 and I should have fuzz!
Haha! Smoke time, then fix time!
Gah! Im like a thing that fishermen use to catch fish and its made of frozen water…
Ice Hook!
Still not working. Ill try it again later.
This is what ive got, it all seems to check out…
Its going to be one of them obvious mistakes…
Im using a ‘simple osc’ as a tester
Tried switching out the 2n3904, wiggling things, reflowing solder.
Is there a veroboard schem of this already?
Its 5 components on a board… it really shouldnt be harder than the 1v/oct 3340 I made XD
I don’t see power connection on the pic
It’s the little header above the in/out jacks Gnd wire. 9v on left Gnd on right.
Me building basic things:
I haven’t figured out where that article was, but I found this one, about how it nearly got changed to something else.
maybe you can try with another signal input (guitar if you have, or something with a relatively clean sound)
i don’t know if the SSO is good for that (very very low signal)
and maybe also put a little socket instead of transistor for testing different one
have you a pic of the back ?
I do have a guitar here, I can try it with big jacks. Using a socket for the 2n3904 isn’t a bad idea.
Oh you don’t wanna see the back… its a mess haha! When I was desoldering parts I just spread the solder all over the copper strips.
I’m going to try the tips on a new bit of perf board n see if it works.
I did try again today, still no dice. Not sure what the issue could be… gonna stick at it tho. Its only a few components its only a matter of time lol
Ive got a plan set for tomorrow after my breadboarding fails today. (Its got to be something stupid (likely me))
Tomorrow’s plan. (I think it checks out)
You have IN and OUT labels switched around here. The one that connects to the potentiometer and then the unpolarized cap and from there to the collector is the output. The one that connects to the polarized cap and from there to the base is the input. (See Sam’s schematic, above.)
I noticed that after I’d posted haha! Fixed it in my book
Today’s effort went well, breadboard worked and in testing after i perf boarded it, it made some noise but it turns out I wired the Gnd from the Ecap instead of from the transistor… but it still worked, though more as a volume rather than an effect.
Ive made another to test tomorrow with the proper Gnd connection I’ll see how it differs. But hey! It’s progress lol
I was testing with the Performance VCO this time.
Ty all for the help as I bash my head through this one.
So I’ve tested the correct layout and I’m just wondering is it supposed to let a clean signal through and apply fuzz as you turn the Pot up or is it meant to work more like a volume pot with fuzz already applied?
Either way, I’ve got 2 layouts that seem to work the same. Lol
