Help needed for Nurse Quacky troubleshooting/tweaking

[AmpliFuzz]

I built the Nurse Quacky using the perf layout. After a swap from a supposedly compatible F245C to a real 2N3904 I believe it's working as it should.

Subbed a 22k pot for the 25k and 4n7 caps instead of the 5n.

Some questions:

Maybe it's just utter noobness on my part, but it seems to me that Torchy's layout has mirrored connections to the pots (1 instead of 3 on every pot).
Also it calls for B-type pots (log, right?) which I ended up using, but it seems that on my NQ the pots have weird taper action and only real effect in the last fifth of their rotation.

What is the omitted diode from the Dr.Q for? Is it worth putting it back in?

I'd like more sensitivity and a more even response from low strings to high (high notes on high E mistrigger, as usual), and I tried reading the archived threads but they're still a little over my head. What are the easiest mods I could try for that?

Thanks!
AF

[strungout]

Oy.

As far as tweaking goes, I wrote this out of my fiddling with the circuit and threads from this forum:
http://www.freewebs.com/fkstilt/fquack.htm
Should give you a good idea of what does what.

I've tried all I could but couldn't get an even response from every string, though you can make it more for highs or lows. The best thing to do is just to adapt your playing style, or get a better auto-wah (I found that I like the MXR Envelope Filter better).  

As a general rule:

A=log
B=linear
C=reverse


Ciao.