Trotsky not loud enough

[geddy_lee_isgod]

Hi
I am new to this forum and fairly new to stompbox building. And for the past few weeks a have been
able to find answers without posting. However I recently built a trotsky overdrive from beavis audio.
I plugged it in last night and it sounds great. The only problem is that there is an obvious volume
drop when the pedal is engaged.I changed a few things in the circuit mainly using a germanium
transistor and putting the gainpot on the emitter of the transistor. I also did the diode cut switch
and switched the ground to +.If there is anyting obvious you can think of that might be
wrong please let me know.Also I can attempt to draw a schematic or take a
picture of the pedal guts if required,
Thanks

[kurtlives]

I would definitely remove that germanium and replace it with silicon. Then move the gain pot back to the original spot.

The Trotsky dosent have a ton of output. Mine is at unity at about 2 o'clock on the volume control.

[doug deeper]

i acquired one of the prototypes and it has a gain drop too, so there is most likely nothing wrong with your pedal, its just the nature of the beast.
you could try tacking the volume recovery stage from a big muff on there, or something of the like.

[ayayay!]

Mine doesn't have a volume drop and has a fair amount to spare, both in the pedal chain and isolated.

Are you using a fresh battery?  I know that's sounds like a rookie question, but if it's not on a power supply then you need to measure that battery with a meter, even if it's new out of the package. 

Are you using this schem?  If so, I recommend the 2n3904 tranny, and 1n4001's for clipping diodes.  Hope that helps. 

[Dragonfly]

you could also add a bypass cap (maybe 10u or so) from Q1's emitter to ground.

that will raise the output level.

changes the tone a bit too....maybe better, maybe not.

[ayayay!]

you could also add a bypass cap (maybe 10u or so) from Q1's emitter to ground.

that will raise the output level.

Intriguing.  Can you explain that a little more?  Seems like a great trick but can you explain the theory? 

[Dragonfly]

you could also add a bypass cap (maybe 10u or so) from Q1's emitter to ground.

that will raise the output level.

Intriguing.  Can you explain that a little more?  Seems like a great trick but can you explain the theory? 

It increases the gain (level). The size cap helps determine what frequencies are "boosted"....a 10uf should sound good and increase the overall output level without getting too "muddy" sounding...should add some real "kick" to the circuit. I would also suggest using either a 1k in place of the 680 ohm resistor, or using a 5k trimmer there and just dialing it in to your liking.

[doug deeper]

mine has the weird russian transistor and germanium diodes i think, that why i have the ever so slight volume drop.
but it sounds great!

[Caferacernoc]

Double the amount of diodes to double the amount of volume.

[ayayay!]

Double the amount of diodes to double the amount of volume

It would increase some volume, but your gonna sacrifice a whole lot of clipping on a circuit like this.  It might come out sounding like a loud fart.