The Foxx Octave Fuzz not working properly

  • Hi there!

    I've just built a Screamer, an Optical Tremolo and both work just the way they should! However, I also built a Foxx Octave Fuzz, but it sounds like garbage... I mean fuzz isn't supposed to sound beautiful obviously, but it sure doesn't sound the way it should...! So I'm gonna try to explain:

    Pedal disabled: sounds passes through without problems
    Pedal engaged: led on, sounds passes through, serious loss of of volume, unbearable hissing sound that increases with all the knobs. All of them seem to work by the way, in the sense that volumes changes, so do tone and sustain. But basically all they do (except for volume) is increase the hiss.
    When I engage the octave button, I lose even more juice and the sound becomes so compressed that it barely goes through the pedal. Honestly I'm not even sure when the octave knob is on or off as both position sound different but equally bad...

    As far as I know the components sit in the right places and so do the cables... So I'm lost. Obviously I'm no expert so I don't really know what's my next step to troubleshoot the pedal so I'll welcome any help!

    Thanks a lot!

    [Blockierte Grafik: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4o41a7e05utwow3/8ACBDB04-B594-4E09-B4AD-3308D0CB15A8_1_105_c.jpeg?dl=0][Blockierte Grafik: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l3r8ln9lr9nvp6w/212EEA17-A492-4980-BD5F-126136AE7162_1_105_c.jpeg?dl=0][Blockierte Grafik: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1seo6vy0uzcsyh0/461C455F-66A6-4811-A12A-69AE34C79EE4_1_105_c.jpeg?dl=0][Blockierte Grafik: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ftkoh8il3kek6lh/DA041ADF-89DE-4226-9C6F-EAC36C7A893F_1_105_c.jpeg?dl=0][Blockierte Grafik: https://www.dropbox.com/s/x9s67go0eyr9p7e/F85409B4-47EB-4961-A061-544A9E23E0C0_1_105_c.jpeg?dl=0]

  • Hi,

    First take better detailed pictures in High-res. and upload it here !,on your pictures we can´t see Details,also take Pictures from the Solder Side.

    Troubleshoot:

    1. Component Values and Directions are all 100% ?? Check it !
    2. Solder Joints are all good? No Cold ones? Check it !
    3. Voltage Measurements of Transistors C,B,E to GND ?!,Pinout right?, Ge Diodes are not broken by bending them ? it could happen very fast, Check it !
    4. Wiring all the way o.k? Tip & Ring reversed? good Pictures pls.

    I build this Pedal in past,and i can say it is a very good Octave Fuzz with Lot of Bass and Mids without Octave and a Screaming devil with Octave on,but for this,all Components,Values and Directions,Voltage of Transistors must be 100% o.k.

    Check it all,take good pictures,upload it here or in Gallery,than we can go ahead.

    Edit: Pls link Shematics here for other members to help You !

    best regards,
    Micha

  • Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply!
    So I doubled checked everything again, removed some of the extra solder on some joints, removed and put back the transistors from their sockets after checking them and put the whole thing back together, and surprised it seems to work perfectly now... There's still a slight hiss on maximum volume but it's not as prominent as it was before, the octave switch works and the sound is really cool! The only real difference is that I tried the pedal directly into my sound interface, last time I had it through an amp, so maybe my amp is faulty... I have to check that again...

    But anyways, I just wanted to let you know that the pedal is working now!

    Thanks again! :)

  • I'm building the same kit and I'm having the same problem! I noticed from your picture that my germanium diodes are inverted (white point on the diodes are on the white band on the pcb). Are my diodes in the wrong direction?

  • Hi,

    The White Poin is only a Test Point from manufacturer,important is the Black Ring (Kathode),Test Points could be appear on Both Sides.

    And yes,if Diodes in wrong direction mounted,you had to reverse them,but be carefully,they broke very,very quickley,better you get replacment for them.Also be careful when bow them!

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