Temperamental transistors? Or am I doing something wrong?

[Guitarfreak]

I have a "temperamental" transistor, which seems to want to turn off and on at its own will.  Sometimes it will operate in a mode in which it looks to be misbiased, with base voltage of 1.4v, collector voltage of 2.4v with a 9v supply.  Other times it seems to just click on all of its own desire.  When it functions normally, it reads normally, with base voltage of just under 1v, and collector voltage of around 5v.

Pre-stage Voltage Divider
R1 - 470k
R2 - 100k

Transistor - BC550
Collector - 15k
Base - no resistor, base input is collector of previous stage which biases and functions normally.
Emitter - 2.4k

I've got replacements handy, does it sound like this is a faulty device?  Or should I try to move that R1 value up to 1M or so?  Reason I ask is that however its biased right now sounds PERFECT when it decides to work, so if I go around changing the biasing that will change the sound, which I do not desire at this time.  So I ask beforehand.  Thanks.

[runmikeyrun]

try changing the transistor, but it could also be a faulty solder joint, collector resistor, or emitter resistor.  It's possible you got the transistor too hot while soldering it in.  You should always socket transistors to make changing them easier. 

[Guitarfreak]

try changing the transistor, but it could also be a faulty solder joint, collector resistor, or emitter resistor.  It's possible you got the transistor too hot while soldering it in.  You should always socket transistors to make changing them easier.  

The transistor wasn't the problem, I changed that out being extremely careful not to overheat and it functioned exactly the same.  After many hardships today and spending the whole morning troubleshooting this unit, I think I have found the problem (or at least narrowed it down).  The problem leads back either to a bad switch, or a bad connection in the LED circuit which is wired to the switch via TB wiring.  The switch has been replaced and the LED is as of now removed from the circuit completely.  The biasing is no longer a problem for the time being.  While replacing the switch, one of the switch contacts heated loose and is no longer part of the switching device... go figure.  Luckily it was the LED pole and not one of the circuit poles.  I could live without an LED if I had to.  I might switch the circuit/bypass throws around though so that I can utilize an LED without throwing the entire switch away.  Still pissed that it happened in the first place, not to mention how many resistors I had to swap into and out of the bias circuit before realizing that the real problem was elsewhere.  Why do I love circuits again, someone remind me?