Rangemaster

[nopainkiller]

Has anyone built a rangemaster here? I got some 2Sb77 germanium transistors from small bear. They came with a note saying they were tested for specific resistor values. 41k and 2.7k. The schematic I used had 68k and 3.9k. After building it, and plugging it in, it cuts signal instead of boosting it. This is supposed to be a treble booster. Any idea what's wrong with this thing? Is it the bias values?? Could it be the LED?

They reffered to a "redrawn schematic" on the small bear website. I can't find this anywhere. And the schem on geofex is totally different, tho it uses an asian transistor like I do.

[Enzo]

nopain, I really don;t think starting the same thread over in a new spot will change anything.

If you cannot find something on the small bear web site, ASK them where it is and TELL them you can;t find it.

WHAT LED? I see no LED in this circuit.

Are you sure the input jack is wired correctly? The battery goes to the RING contact.

[R.G.]

More to the point, there is a well-thought-out and time-tested debugging guide over at aron's stompbox forum (diystompboxes.com) where many many people have received help in getting effects working. I don't want to reproduce several years of typing at that forum over here. The link is on the entry page for this forum.

[nopainkiller]

I've tried twice to get into that forum. I send the e-mail like they want, and wait. I tried logging in a couple weeks ago to see if they activated it and just didn't tell me. But the username didn't exist anymore, so I had to do it all over again. Still waiting, I doubt I'll get in.

[nopainkiller]

And yes, the + side of the battery is wired to ground.`

Also, I added an LED. Also true bypass.

[R.G.]

I've tried twice to get into that forum. I send the e-mail like they want, and wait. I tried logging in a couple weeks ago to see if they activated it and just didn't tell me. But the username didn't exist anymore, so I had to do it all over again. Still waiting, I doubt I'll get in.

There is no attempt in diystompboxes to keep anyone out except spammers. If you didn't get activated, it's likely because of an email problem. Try it again, and don't use a throwaway email address from some of the free-email spammer havens. Those may be discarded by spam filters before it ever reaches the intended recipient.

I reproduce the instructions here:

You must send an email to: join@diystompboxes.com with your login name in the subject or message. If you do not send a request, your account will not be activated.

So
1. Fill in the form with your desired username, password, and a good email address, including using the code letters in the form.
2. Then send an email from the same good email address to join@diystompboxes.com, following the instructions to the letter.

If this seems to be difficult, curse the plague of spammers which make more than 75% of all internet traffic be spam emails, and support legislation to make spamming punishable by death.

[nopainkiller]

That is exaclty what I've done. Twice. I'm still waiting. The username still exists for now. But no response from address. I've received the e-mails from that address after sendning mine saying that it was received and to wait for activation!

I'm using a yahoo address. That's totally not throw away.

[drewl]

I've built a rangemaster and several germanium PNP fuzzes after I found a bunch in some old test equipment.
I also love to hane out at DIYstompbox forum as they really know their stuff!
Anyway, it can't get much easier than a rangemaster. The one I built sounds incredible, and I have a switch to vary the input capacitance for different tones.
So, if yours is cutting there's something wrong.
You have a meter? What voltages are on the legs of the transistor?
The collector should be around 4-5v.
Do you have the transistor in backwards?

[Enzo]

I didn't ask if the battery polarity was right, I asked if you wired the input jack correctly.

[nopainkiller]

tranny's not in backwards. Just measured. There is 8.5 volts on the collector!

[nopainkiller]

btw, to do that input cap mod, what value caps did you use? You just switch between input caps, right? Might do it to mine if I can get it working

[nopainkiller]

is that what biasing is all about?? Is the reason I'm getting too high a voltage because I got the bias wrong? The tranny came with a note saying it was tested for bias at 43k and 2k7 resistor values. I used 68k and 3k9. Which schematic did you use, drewl?

[nopainkiller]

If the rangemaster is getting more volts than it needs, how come the signal is cut?