Over-compressed Foxx Tone Machine help

[Ben79]

I've just finished a Foxx Tone Machine for a friend.

I love the sound but it's compressing a lot.  Play a couple of chords one after the other and you can hear the volume drop more than on any other fuzz I've made.  You really notice it when you stop playing then start and the first chord you play is higher in volume and clearer sounding than what you've just been hearing.

It's not SUPER pronounced but it doesn't seem right.

I'm using some NOS ME4003 http://alltransistors.com/transistor.php?transistor=40217 with an hfe 3-400 and I'm using some old Telefunken AA132 germanium diodes with a forward voltage of around 0.7 http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/87405/ETC/AA132.html. 

Haven't modded the circuit in any way.

I used a Fuzzdog PCB (never done that before because it's cheating! But I didn't have time to build a vero or perf board).
Here's the schem...



And the original schem...



I'll try different transistors and diodes but I'd like to learn something about why this is happening.  Can anyone suggest anything?

Thanks for any help.

[Mark Hammer]

Stick a 5k variable resistance (pot) between the ground side of the diode pair and ground.  This is a common technique for restoring dynamics to a clipped signal.  I've used it on a number of pedals.  It will reduce the intensity of the clipping.  But the Tone Machine will distort on its own, even without that diode pair.

[Ben79]

Many thanks Mark, I'll give that a try.

[Ben79]

Problem solved...turned out the hfe of q1 was just too high.  Swapped it for a 2n2222 and it's all fine.

[Mark Hammer]

Useful information.  Thanks for the tip, and congrats on fixing it yourself.