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I use the 3 count method. Tin the iron (must be a clean and tinned iron.... MUST), apply iron and solder to the joint, count out 3 seconds, remove iron.

I don't even wait that long, maybe one second at most, then I don't solder anything else on the chip for like 30 seconds, while holding it in front of the fan. I started premelting the solder and then just stick it onto the solder pad. I've double checked continuity with my meter so I know it's adhered, and the solder joint looks okay.

I figure sockets are cheap and desoldering is annoying as hell.

The thing is, for a short while last year I wasn't having any problems with it. I got away with soldering dual op amps, PT2399s, and some other stuff while using my cheapie Weller, but I've fried every chip I've ever tried to solder starting about the time I got the Hakko station, despite being able to set it a less heat. Every once in a while I get the urge to try out soldering the chip directly again and I invariably end up performing surgery on the PCB.

directly to the PCB.

Doesn't seem to matter what temperature I use, or how long I take between soldering each pin. 

Thanks, Dave 

And here's the demo! I like this fuzz more and more the more I play with it.

when I turn my guitar all the way does it hisses really bad.

I think you accidentally a word.

But the solution is a small resistor in series with the input, e.g. 1K. Or don't turn your guitar all the way ____.

Excellent work, and an auspicious 1590A debut.

The good news is the sumbitch snapped back in.

For now. I tried that. I came right out again.

Just thought I'd add something here: I finally got more of these from Smallbear after ordering the ones from BLMS, so I was able to compare them and the known Lumbergs I had from Jameco all at the same time. I don't know if the Smallbear ones are real Lumbergs, but unlike the ones from BLMS, they are very well made. The plastic is not brittle and the center pin seems much more durable (I broke the center pin on one of the BLMS ones, the one that went into the Bearbender).

I highly recommend not skimping on these. 50c each is tempting, but I figure the DC jack is one of the last things you want to risk going bad.

The triangles in the switching schematic indicate mechanical switch action. Its not switching to ground

Ah. It's hard to tell from the picture; it looked like it was indicating that they were switched to the sleeve or tip respectively.

What does it switch when plugged in?[/url]

When it's not plugged in, it connects the buffered out from Input 1 to the input of Q2. When it's plugged in, it goes to input 2 (and the buffer 1 > Q2 connection is severed).

I think the one you linked to still switches something to ground. I just bought a host of H11F1s and this is a paid project, so I think I'll just have to suck it up and use a $2 part if he wants it. It's almost too cool of a feature not to include anyway.

I need a switch that severs a connection when nothing's plugged into a jack but does not involve a connection to ground.

Input 1 > Buffer1 > etc.
                 |
                 |______
                            \
                           |
Input 2 > Buffer2 > Q2

I figure I can use an H11F1, and make the switched jack connect the LED to ground when nothing is plugged in, but I'd like to find something cheaper and/or easier.

Church. We must move on from this tragedy. But, as a wise man once said, "Gnomatter where you go...there you are."

Remember all his adventures?

You guys are too good at this! I just arrived gnome and see that you're still at it, glad I gave you something to keep you gnoccupied 

Paul

I'm glad you don't think we've just been trolling.

The upper octave is not really an octave up but it's SUPPOSED to be more of a fuzzy version of the dry signal. There's some octaving but not a ton. I can only get octaving by playing a certain way in a certain part of the neck with the tone control rolled off.

As far as your other questions: 1N60 is fine for the diodes. In fact, I just built one last night with 1N60 or 1N5817 in every diode position except R7. The diodes rectify the audio; you just need a low forward voltage. The composition of the diodes (germanium or silicon) doesn't matter especially for D1, D2, D8, and D9.

I'm not going to pretend to know all the ins and outs of this circuit (i.e., see my thread from last night), but I can at least tell you that clean +8va is impossible in an analog circuit. You can get it "somewhat clean" or you can get a more prominent octave -- the octave generated will sound dirty, because it's merely filtered harmonics, which is what distortion is to begin with. Cleaning it up involves actually filtering out the harmonics.

Also, per the build doc, omit C12 and reduce C10 to 1nF (or omit it). These are low-pass filters in the upper octave path, and they cut a LOT of treble after the "octave" has been generated. It would almost be like cutting bass after the octave downs have been generated.

gnomenclature.

Today I learned that ditching this stage makes it just a normal octave down, not two octaves! I kept thinking this was just a buffer stage while tinkering. What exactly is this doing? Is there some sort of summing or cancellation that kills all but the second down octave here?

And what happens if there's resistance between pins 6 and 7? Does it mess up the octave, or does it amplify? (Wondering if this is another way to boost the second octave down, but I don't want to cut the trace and experiment without some inkling that it might work.)