@barry
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As far as I recall all that needs done is
- R11 to 100k
- Gain Pot A250K
I am not sure the 3rd mention is necessary but up to you. It is subjective. Try it if you like.
There is a trace on the Bottom Layer that makes that connection when the switch is activated.
You can visually confirm the trace by looking at the bottom underside of the PCB.
B1 to C3
Then there is a trace on the top layer which carries it to the OUT pad which you can see on the Top of the PCB.
C3 to OUT
Those are the two traces that make the connection that you made via the wire.
So now I think I see the problem origin.
If C3 (Bottom Left) does not have a filled solder joint, or the pad was lifted then that ruins the connection from C3 to the Out pad.
Since I see some white around that C3 pad it does look like at least a partially lifted pad.
If that is the case simply leave it as it is with the wire. I personally would not mess with it further.
The photos are not high resolution so I am making suggestions from the best that I can see.
In the first set of photos posted it appears that the OUT pad on the main board needs re-flowed.
The 2nd set of photos is more visible to me. This time dealing with the GND pad on the main board under LED 2. Both views top and bottom appear to be consistent with what I am seeing.
You will need to very carefully re-flow these from the top sides only.
We still need photos to see what we can discover.
For now post a closeup, clear photo of the 6 connector pads on the Klon side of the main PCB Top and Bottom, and the 3PDT wiring board Top and Bottom. Make sure all 6 pads are visible with no shadows.
So this complete section, both sides, but clear with no shadows.
We may need a couple more later but lets start with that.
FYI: I will be out the rest of the day. That said my status is always online.
Thanks for following up. I appreciate it. Now marked solved.
When I look back through my support history over all of the years I have found that a careful re-flow solves about 80% of problems.
4.5v should be your optimal voltage for the least amount of overdrive.
My transistors are always genuine as you mentioned.
I’m not entirely sure what you mean by “practice amp with headphones,” but I definitely recommend trying it through a standard bass amplifier. There are two unique demo videos on the shop page, and I was able to dial in a wide range of tones using a small 25-watt Orange Crush combo. That said, keep in mind this pedal is designed as an overdrive. From your description, it sounds like you may be overloading the preamp on your practice amp.
Nice work on the enclosure, nice design, cool theme, and the burnt knobs gives it a unique look. Just because there’s no spaghetti monster of wires to show off, a gut shot is still helpful for others to see component choices, inner layout spacing, jacks, and overall build quality with everything put together.
Regarding the Delay runaway repeats simply dial back the Repeats to 8:00 where there is only a single repeat and start with that. It only takes a few tweaks from there to get it to three repeats and then you can start harmonizing with yourself while moving through a scale. I rarely have my Repeats past 11:00 unless I am using it for a runaway noises by turning it up and then playing with the Time knob for Spaceship fun.
Thanks for the update. I still highly doubt there’s anything wrong with the PCB unless there was visible physical damage, which should be apparent.
For context, I’ve personally built and verified this circuit before its release, and also assembled another unit that was sold to a friend without issue. Additionally, another builder has successfully completed one, which you can see here:
https://guitarpcb.com/community/topic/mule-kicker-pro-completed/These are all from the same production batch.
At this point, please upload clear photos of the solder side and a new Top side photo of the PCB. Since we’re supporting you remotely, we have to rely entirely on what we can see and what you describe—so detailed visuals are essential for spotting subtle issues like cold joints, bridges, etc.
Thanks for that answer.
The issue may be due to an intermittent connection. A full reflow of all solder joints should help resolve this and also prevent potential future issues in any weak areas. Given the size of the PCB and number of components, a careful reflow should take less than 10 minutes. Just be sure not to repeatedly bend the potentiometers more than necessary. Once you’re finished and have repositioned them, it’s a good idea to do a quick reflow on all of the potentiometer solder joints to ensure a solid connection to finish it off. As Billy mentioned reflow the switch as well.
I just downloaded the PCB image and noticed many questionable solder joints.
I suggest a complete board re-flow. The pads need to be filled in on every joint.
Have some solder handy and while working from the backside of the PCB touch your iron to every joint (suspect or not) to re-flow it. When a pad is questionable add some solder to it. You do not want a huge blob of solder but just enough to melt into the pad.
Here are just a few of the questionable solder joints I found when I zoomed in but re-flow the entire PCB (every component joint). There should be no spaces in the pads. Since you will need to bend the potentiometers back to get at them do so carefully with as few repeated bends as possible. Take your time. Then after you have re-flowed the entire components of the PCB and bend the pots back into position you will then need a light re-flow on every potentiometer because bending them will weaken the existing solder joint. A quick re-flow will fix that.
The difference between too much and just right.
So as I now understand both circuits are dead when the order switcher is flipped to the right. Regardless of ACTIVE or BYPASS. Squealing doesn’t count as functioning.
So again just to clarify (it is important), both circuits function normally whether they are used in tandem, or independently, and also produce clean guitar sound when bypassed as long as the order switch is flipped to the left.
Note that we have to completely understand what is going on since this is not normal, and we are basically trying to help you troubleshoot online without the ability to have a hands on approach.
Just to clarify, when you say there’s no sound in bypass, do you mean you’re still hearing the guitar signal as expected in bypass mode, or nothing at all?
Is the capacitor used in position C13 a ceramic or a tantalum type?
Note: If both circuits function correctly on their own—including both active and bypass modes (i.e., you’re getting clean bypassed guitar signal)—then the issue is likely not within the individual circuit components themselves. The first thing I would check is the order switch. It may need a quick re-flow, but keep in mind that these switches are sensitive to heat and can be easily damaged if overheated during soldering, so that’s something to consider.
- Does each circuit work independently with the order switch in either position? (Provide details)
- Is the power supply being used 9v and capable of at least 30mA?
- Did you make any part, or value substitutions?
- Is the capacitor used in position C13 a ceramic or a tantalum type?
- Do you have a RC4558D chip similar to all of the others used to try in IC1?
You’re not out of luck at all! Using 16V capacitors is perfectly fine for most pedal builds — especially since nearly all guitar pedals, including all of ours, are designed to run on 9V power.
The only time 16V caps would be a concern is if you were planning to run the pedal at 18V, which some builders do to increase headroom. But if you’re sticking with the standard 9V supply, those 16V caps will work just as intended.
