Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Hi,
I have a fuzz pedal I am building and I wanted to make sure I have the germanium transistors inserted properly. I soldered sockets to the PCB. One of the transistors has a triangle shape of arrangement of the leads. I'm assuming that shape should match the socket shape, right? The other transistor has the 3 leads in a row. I'm assuming the one in the middle goes to the bottom of the triangle shape in the socket holes? Does all that make sense?

It all makes sense, yes. Transistors vary, so you need to check to see how to arrange the legs. Look up the pinout of the type of transistors you are using, and compare them to the schematic or PCB layout to make sure they're connecting in the right place.

Is this a BYOC kit build, or are you working on something else? We can take a look at it and help either way.

_________________
Scott

My band, Austin Hollow

It is a Sunflower Fuzz from PedalPCB. Also, based on what one of the guys on their forum did, I am copying his modifications to make it battery only power. I have a IT308B in Q1 and a NKT275 in Q2

OK, so the NKT275 in Q2 isn't an issue since that's what the build document calls for already. For the other transistor, I found this Reddit thread that seems to suggest that it goes B-C-E as it appears in your image. (The collector is the middle, and the emitter is marked with the dot on the brim.) Since the NKT275 goes E-B-C as oriented in your photo, and the PCB calls for Q1 to be an NKT275, I think you're going to need to swap the middle and right legs of the IT308B from how you have it installed in order to make it work.

_________________
Scott

My band, Austin Hollow

I see. However if the arrangement of the holes for the transistors on the PCB are:

E B C (with E and C at the top of an inverted pyramid, and B on the bottom)


based on the shape of the NKT275 having that arrangement, then shouldn't the IT308B be rotated so the dot is on the left - then swap the middle and right legs?


However, I found this which, if true, would indicate that I have the NKT275 in wrong, right?

I found an image that disagrees with yours, hence my post above. But mine was based only on the package (shape), and yours indicates the actual device (transistor), I would go with that one.

I am assuming your NKT275 is installed correctly because your socket matches the screen print on the PCB as shown on the PedalPCB website. Given the pinout you've found, I think it should be safe to assume your idea of what to do with Q1 is correct.

The schematic doesn't mark C-B-E unfortunately, but the Sunflower is just a clone of the Sunface, which is based on the Fuzz Face, so I bet you could track it down if you wanted to get into the science of it.

_________________
Scott

My band, Austin Hollow

Thanks!