Zonk Machine fuzz,

[Reg18]

Did you use a pull down resistor on the input and output?

This is the basic schematic I followed, but swapped the electrolytic caps around and positive ground for the pnp transistor. Looks to be a 2.2m pull down input resistor but unsure if it has an output one?

[NippleWrestler]

How did you bias the Q? The Lovepedal uses a fixed 3.3k (and like 99% of Lovepedal builds is just a modified Electra).

If you installed a trimpot instead of the 3.3k you could find the sweetspot you need for your specific transistor's hfe and leakage.

There's no pull down resistor on the end there which could cause popping, but it might simply be electromechanical noise from the switch, or the LED turning on (if there is one) as even that sends a spike of current across the circuit.

[Reg18]

How did you bias the Q? The Lovepedal uses a fixed 3.3k (and like 99% of Lovepedal builds is just a modified Electra).

If you installed a trimpot instead of the 3.3k you could find the sweetspot you need for your specific transistor's hfe and leakage.

There's no pull down resistor on the end there which could cause popping, but it might simply be electromechanical noise from the switch, or the LED turning on (if there is one) as even that sends a spike of current across the circuit.

Thanks for the advise, I hadn’t added a trim
To bias the transistor but could easily do that. It’s not the pop I’m worried about so much as the volume drop when you disengage and then gradual volume increase back to unity. Almost like a cap recharging or something.

[NippleWrestler]

A trimpot would be my first port of call regardless. Just swapping out transistors doesn't normally go smoothly and even modern silicon transistors of the same type vary hugely and germaniums are a different breed.

Have you tried jumping the switch so it's permanently wired? I'm thinking if the switch is open and then suddenly closed all that signal is hitting the electrolytic in an instant which is probably doing as you say, dumping the old charge and gathering the new.

[Reg18]

A trimpot would be my first port of call regardless. Just swapping out transistors doesn't normally go smoothly and even modern silicon transistors of the same type vary hugely and germaniums are a different breed.

Have you tried jumping the switch so it's permanently wired? I'm thinking if the switch is open and then suddenly closed all that signal is hitting the electrolytic in an instant which is probably doing as you say, dumping the old charge and gathering the new.

I already have it hardwired in, but I suspect that may be the problem area as the gain pot doesn’t really do anything so I’m guessing it’s in that area somewhere.

[sizzlingbadger]

How did you bias the Q? The Lovepedal uses a fixed 3.3k (and like 99% of Lovepedal builds is just a modified Electra).

If you installed a trimpot instead of the 3.3k you could find the sweetspot you need for your specific transistor's hfe and leakage.

There's no pull down resistor on the end there which could cause popping, but it might simply be electromechanical noise from the switch, or the LED turning on (if there is one) as even that sends a spike of current across the circuit.

Thanks for the advise, I hadn’t added a trim
To bias the transistor but could easily do that. It’s not the pop I’m worried about so much as the volume drop when you disengage and then gradual volume increase back to unity. Almost like a cap recharging or something.

Sketch out your switching circuit and post it up here.

[Reg18]

Turned out it was a simple miss placed output wire. It wasn’t connecting to the output capacitor at all but it was directly to the collector of the transistor.
So I moved the wire over one of the vero and I’m
Back in business.

[Snarblinge]

your enclosure prototype, looks to have a lot of space up top? pop some knobs on there and just look at how they sit, to me your design looks like a four knob one at present. Main consideration when bending your own is to leave space for a footswitch inside, and big enclosures are unpopular on pedal boards. id say 1590bb footprint is about the most you could get away with, if you made a tiny one 1590b size, you may have something noone else really does. And make sure they are aluminium or prepunched, working steel at home with a hand drill sucks. Depending on the final costing i could be interested in a few. On the pedal front ... consider adding pull down resistors and a cap across the led to avoid switch pop (both googlable, not easy for me just now). and buy a few boxes of russians, totally worth it.

[Michael]

your enclosure prototype, looks to have a lot of space up top? pop some knobs on there and just look at how they sit, to me your design looks like a four knob one at present. Main consideration when bending your own is to leave space for a footswitch inside, and big enclosures are unpopular on pedal boards. id say 1590bb footprint is about the most you could get away with, if you made a tiny one 1590b size, you may have something noone else really does. And make sure they are aluminium or prepunched, working steel at home with a hand drill sucks. Depending on the final costing i could be interested in a few. On the pedal front ... consider adding pull down resistors and a cap across the led to avoid switch pop (both googlable, not easy for me just now). and buy a few boxes of russians, totally worth it.

Where do you suggest getting Russian germaniums?

[Miza]

your enclosure prototype, looks to have a lot of space up top? pop some knobs on there and just look at how they sit, to me your design looks like a four knob one at present. Main consideration when bending your own is to leave space for a footswitch inside, and big enclosures are unpopular on pedal boards. id say 1590bb footprint is about the most you could get away with, if you made a tiny one 1590b size, you may have something noone else really does. And make sure they are aluminium or prepunched, working steel at home with a hand drill sucks. Depending on the final costing i could be interested in a few. On the pedal front ... consider adding pull down resistors and a cap across the led to avoid switch pop (both googlable, not easy for me just now). and buy a few boxes of russians, totally worth it.

Where do you suggest getting Russian germaniums?

Prussia?

[Miza]

But seriously, I'd like to know too.

I've got a Rangemaster circuit I'm keen to start on soon, but I don't have any decent Ge trannies to throw in it.

OC44's seem impossible to get these days?

[Reg18]

But seriously, I'd like to know too.

I've got a Rangemaster circuit I'm keen to start on soon, but I don't have any decent Ge trannies to throw in it.

OC44's seem impossible to get these days?

This seller has a few and they put the equivalent British version as well. Other wise you have to read the spec and hope for the best, the hfe is often not listed either.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MP36A-AC183-10 ... Sw6EhURzvY

[Reg18]

your enclosure prototype, looks to have a lot of space up top? pop some knobs on there and just look at how they sit, to me your design looks like a four knob one at present. Main consideration when bending your own is to leave space for a footswitch inside, and big enclosures are unpopular on pedal boards. id say 1590bb footprint is about the most you could get away with, if you made a tiny one 1590b size, you may have something noone else really does. And make sure they are aluminium or prepunched, working steel at home with a hand drill sucks. Depending on the final costing i could be interested in a few. On the pedal front ... consider adding pull down resistors and a cap across the led to avoid switch pop (both googlable, not easy for me just now). and buy a few boxes of russians, totally worth it.

I think the nose of mine isn’t as long maybe but I’ve made the end square to give a little bit of extra height for a foot switch due to it being smaller. Do you think the top bit (where the knobs go) needs to be a bit shorter? I am planning on a 4 knob one anyway so I don’t want it to small but still want it looking reasonable authentic too!
I got some blue/greeny hammer finish paint mixed up this week so pretty keen to get that on an enclosure for a reasonably authentic Zonk clone
Some pics of original examples for comparison.

[Snarblinge]

if you want 4 knobs then you probably have the right amount of space. I'd get some of the knobs you want to use and stick them on there before you commit. chickenheads need a lot of space if there are four. but could make a four knob one look pretty good with two knobs. i prefer the folded nose to the sharp point, the way you have it. you know what you want, just get all the parts you want to use and test fit, or mock fit, all of my drilling mistakes have been made while waiting for parts to arrive.

For the Russian Transistors, I have bought a variety from eBay and purchased an atlas DCA to test them. start with the spec sheets, but expect lower gains. IF you search on DIYstompbox.com there was quite a discussion there about which ones are good to get. then just test in place, in these simple fuzzes the change in transistors is drastic. socketing and testing setups is best. I made a bunch of Fuzz faces with Is Ge hybrid which sounded bexst to my ears. and thats the best measure. but you have to have them to play with. but for $20 ish for a box, it's worth starting a collection and using whatever works best. or you can buy pretested from smallbear, or banzai, but its an expensive route.

[Reg18]

I had put aside all guitar projects for summer as I’ve been scrapping paint off my copper guttering which has been many many hours of labour so far, however my knee popped out of joint whilst jumping on the trampoline with my kids leaving me unable to do anything requiring much movement for a while.
So I had a go at doing some engraving on Arcrylic and using it as a pedal topper. I think this looks like it could be a great way to get a professional look without having to spend to much.
What do you think? I’ve done some engraving on metal plates as well but it doesn’t stand out quite the same.