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Finally got this thing working... It was the recovery stages transistor biasing resistors. The Creamy dreamer spec layout did not work w/ the 2n5088 transistors, so I changed that section to the "mayo" values (r21, r22, r20, and r23). Once I did this it immediately sounded great and needed no other fixing, or tweaking. I actually don't think it was my fault on this one because my solder joints, component values, and wiring were perfect. It just wasn't working w/ the creamy dreamer values on the recovery stage. I don't know if it was the transistors I was using, or if theres an error w/ the values on the layout, but if anyone else ever has this problem w/ the q4 transistor, try reverting to one of the other big muff specs for this section, and it will work. Sounds really nice now! I'll post pics ASAP. Thanks for all the help guys!

Has anyone actually built the Creamy Dreamer/Mudbunny on the single-sided version?

Using the audio probe, it doesn't start sounding weak or messed up until after the 3rd transistor stage. That's when it gets all crackly and weird. I've replaced it, I've checked all the values of every part, I've done everything I can think of. Still the same thing. I'm at a loss. 

It's just a 270r and a 120r.

Here's one side.

 I just finished building a single sided mudbunny, to creamy dreamer-esq specs w/ the exception of using 470pf values for all the gain stages, instead of the 560pf values, and 47n caps instead of the 50n's.

My problem is it when I have it on, it sounds farty and weak, and generally just wrong... I went through w/ an audio probe and it seems everything sounds right up until q4 transistor, where it just sounds flabby and weak at all three legs of the transistor, like it's misbiased or something. Also, all the transistors voltages measured normal except for the q4 one, which measured really low (I think it was like .25 on the collector)... Ive tried replacing resistors, capacitors, and of coarse replacing the transistors in that area, but it's still not working properly. Ive also went through and checked all the values, pinouts (2n5088's have flipped pinouts compared to the bc549c on the single side layout), and wiring to make sure they were all correct, which they were.

I was wondering if anyone has had this problem before, or any suggestions/help. Thanks

Hey.. yea I do go over everything multiple times. With the cheap paints, I usually have to do about 3 layers, sometimes more, to get a nice solid/opaque look. This is the very first one I painted over powder coat, and it's the same principle. The finish is def more durable though than the clear coat we used before (even though we never really had an issue with it). The only thing is when you bake the powder clear coat over top of the acrylic, which you have to do at a much higher temp than regular clear-coat or laquer, we have learned that it tends to yellow the artwork a little. Not too bad, but enough to notice sometimes. We're still trying to figure out the best thing to do to avoid that or lessen it at least... I'd love to see some of your hand-painted ones! Do you have pics anywhere?

That is a gorgeous pedal.  Ive got to get into powder coating.  Ive done hand painted pedals before, but i havent found a clear coat method that is very durable.  I know it costs a bit to get set up, but its obvious from your pics and from what ive seen from others, you can get some great results with the clearcoat.  Did you use any special arcrylics or just the standard craft store type? 

Hey, thanks a lot!!!   As far as clear coat, we normally would use (up until now) Rustoleum's Ultra Cover 'gloss clear' and that was def our favorite. We literally just got into powder-coating and this was our first one. It is pricey, but well worth it if you plan on doin it for a while like we do. I mean, one coat of powder color, super fast curing, apply your art/design, one coat clear powder and another fast cure and bam! you've got a professional quality, super durable paint-job on your pedal! Sorry for ranting... haha. Anyways, I just use standard, cheap craft store acrylic, although I have 2 or 3 nicer ones that I found in the clearance bin marked down from $11 to .97 cents!! Can't beat that!

Thanks Jimmy! and thanks to everyone for the compliments as well!

Hey, thanks so much guys! It's great to get such a positive response!!! 
Pics will def be posted when she's all boxed up! My boyfriend will post them I'm sure. I just paint 'em and photograph 'em n give him moral support ... the real beauty is how these things sound though!
Thanks again guys!!

-britpeace

Wow, it came out perfect!!! Here's a pic attached! 

Yea, that's exactly what I was thinking too. I think we're gonna go ahead and try it out. I had a terrible mishap once with a really awesome hand-painted pedal, and I didn't take it too well, lol... but this is a fairly simpler design, I won't be too heartbroken. 

I'll post pics when it's done!

Thanks for the response..

-britpeace

Hey everyone,

We just started using the powder-coating system and were wondering if anyone else hand-paints with acrylic over top of powder-coat and than clear powder coats over tops of the hand-painted design. Will this work, or has anyone been through this before and learned anything about it? Will it react weird or mess it up?

Any help would be greatly appreciated... I've got one hand-painted/ready but wanted to ask on here before we went ahead and clear-powdered it...

thanks!
-britpeace