Hi, I'm building this project for the second time (had the wrong op-amp first time). At first I thought getting the proper op-amp would solve my problem (no distortion).
I got it built the second time, and now I get a noticeable fuzz (a slight warmth), but it's nothing like the full-on distortion I've heard from the original DOD. I don't have RA pots, and I'm wondering if this makes a difference.
Would there be any way to substitute a resistor for the gain pot in such a way that I could get the maximum gain possible? (just to troubleshoot).
Also, one of the capacitors needed is 25pF (C3). I only had a 24pF and I'm wondering if this makes a difference.
Also, I'm not using an LM741 (digikey didn't have any), but the LM741CN which I understand is an acceptable substitute. I've noticed that this project leaves some of the pins floating, might it help to ground the unused pins?
I can make and post all my voltage readings if anyone is willing to help me troubleshoot this. I've read other people with the same problem, and people tell them to check the gain pot, but mine seems to be hooked up properly.
EDIT: Now this thing is getting all intermittent on me. I tried grounding some of the pins on the LM741CN (the unused ones), and I would get intermittent cracks of nice distorted signal, but it seems that this requires extremely hard strumming, and the effect dwindles to nothing when the strings volume goes below some arbitrary threshold.
Also, would having really long capacitor leads effect this circuit in any way? I don't feel like clipping them down till I know this works, but if it would impede the circuits ability to function, I'd consider clipping them.