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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: ironman180 on February 13, 2021, 09:26:43 PM

Title: DAM Meathead clone problems.
Post by: ironman180 on February 13, 2021, 09:26:43 PM
Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone could help me.

Today I decided to build DAM Meathead clone. I ordered kit parts from Bitsbox and went to build it but I can't get it to work. When it's turned on there's no guitar sound, only high pitched squealing that increases as I increase volume on the potentiometer (at least that works..).

I attached pictures of the schematic and my build. And I know I changed places of input and output, I think that should not matter.

Thank you all so much!!

P.S. I changed the 47uf capacitor that I got with the 100uf like in the schematic.

(https://i.postimg.cc/vxb3dxTy/IMG-20210214-014330.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vxb3dxTy)

(https://i.postimg.cc/hJmkDxDQ/IMG-20210214-020138.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hJmkDxDQ)

(https://i.postimg.cc/dhgMcnYK/IMG-20210214-020142.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dhgMcnYK)

(https://i.postimg.cc/mzG0tDkX/IMG-20210214-020220.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mzG0tDkX)

(https://i.postimg.cc/4mNR6m5j/IMG-20210214-020233.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4mNR6m5j)

(https://i.postimg.cc/0rVBqZYH/DAM-Meathead-compact.png) (https://postimg.cc/0rVBqZYH)

(https://i.postimg.cc/FkzGR5yC/16132698541773655892955931492619.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/FkzGR5yC)
Title: Re: DAM Meathead clone problems.
Post by: Elijah-Baley on February 14, 2021, 03:22:58 AM
I guess you built it mirrored.
Your top view board should look like the layout. It's better do it another.
Title: Re: DAM Meathead clone problems.
Post by: duck_arse on February 14, 2021, 08:52:01 AM
welcome to the forum, ironman180.

what you have shown is a layout diagram, not a circuit dia, but hey-ho. it is common for first-time builders to do a mirror of a layout, but I don't think I've ever seen a mirrored and corrected before. well nearly corrected [looking at it and translating it is doing my head in], I think, if all other placements are correctly mirrored, that your transistors are reversed.
Title: Re: DAM Meathead clone problems.
Post by: ironman180 on February 14, 2021, 10:38:14 AM
I turned the transistors for 180 degrees and it works now, thanks guys. I now realise I was watching the layout wrong.  ;D
Title: Re: DAM Meathead clone problems.
Post by: ironman180 on February 14, 2021, 04:55:36 PM
Ok, so there's this other thing I realized that when the pedal is turned on it acts strange. That 1 potentiometer controls both volume and gain, so you can't use it below noon, because it's almost inaudible. Can someone tell me why is this happening?
Title: Re: DAM Meathead clone problems.
Post by: iainpunk on February 14, 2021, 07:55:56 PM
that one control is actually just a volume control, but because there is an psycho acoustic effect, that louder volume gives a feeling of having more gain. or maybe its over driving your amp's input/clean channel with its volume...

the gain control on this fuzz is actually your guitar's volume control!!!!

cheers, Iain

Title: Re: DAM Meathead clone problems.
Post by: ironman180 on February 15, 2021, 11:36:30 AM
Quote from: iainpunk on February 14, 2021, 07:55:56 PM
that one control is actually just a volume control, but because there is an psycho acoustic effect, that louder volume gives a feeling of having more gain. or maybe its over driving your amp's input/clean channel with its volume...

the gain control on this fuzz is actually your guitar's volume control!!!!

cheers, Iain

Thanks man! :D