Could you fix my ToneBender?

[woolley]

I posted this before, but it wasn't resolved, so I thought I'd give it another try.

I perfed out my Tonebender clone (PNP PosGnd with SmallBear Qs). It only works when I put an engaged truebypass pedal before it, with it's power plug removed. So it's an engaged truebypass pedal with no power (in this case a Phase 90 clone).

When they're both bypassed I get the clean tone, but when i turn on the Tonebender, nothing. Then if i turn 'on' the unpowered Phase 90, i get fuzz.

So, is this impedence at work? Similar to the wah/fuzzface thing? And how can i fix it, coz it's got me baffled! Is it the same for all tone benders? it doesn't even work Guitar->ToneBender->Amp

I want to do a Pos to Neg ground conversion, but I gotta get this sorted first. It's fairly annoying when it sounds so cool, but i can only use it under these extreme circumstances. Please help me.  :cry:

[Mike Burgundy]

I perfed out my Tonebender clone (PNP PosGnd with SmallBear Qs). It only works when I put an engaged truebypass pedal before it, with it's power plug removed.

It's dead otherwise or does it work on it's own? If it *only* works with an unpowered pedal in front, I'm guessing you have at least a ground wiring problem. A battery can squeal when it's unloaded roughly in a circuit - litterally. This might be what's causing your oscillation.
It's a very weird problem, but have you tried taking resistance/conduction readings from the battery terminals to ground, and from signal to ground? You're not using switching jacks or anything that might be wired wrong without noticing?
This is not what a tonebender should do, especially not when it's all by itself between guitar and amp.

it doesn't even work Guitar->ToneBender->Amp

Well, there ya go. Okay, this says major wiring error, maybe compounded with a shot or reversed transistor or two. Double check *everything* from grounding (+) to power to pinouts to DC-blocking...Heck, stick in some Si's to get it going and keep those gremaniums safe while you're at it.
It's unfortunately very common to blindly stare at an obvious error for days. We've all done it and will continue to, as well.
By the way: I just noticed that most perflayouts (including Steve's) depict a top-view, while the stated pinout is, tadah, bottom-view. Double-check, recheck, have a cup of coffe and check again
(see here for an example of top-view layout and bottom view...
http://www.smallbearelec.com/Projects/3-KnobTB/3-Knob.html
)