First of all - thanks to @Woodinblack for the above help… might be useful for folk more at my level (Ie idiots) to go through how I got it going…
Stuck a drum beat or demo from toy keyboard through it. Measured small voltage on input
measured slightly larger at test point 1, bigger again test point 2 none at the volume or output
tiny numbers wobbling around weren’t telling me much, so made an audio probe out of a Jack socket, a cap and two wires …. Ran that into my compressor at fasted and highest ratio… and into preamp to headphones…
followed the toy keyboard beat around the circuit - figured the third stage 2n2222 wasn’t working
switched it out for another one
soldered it together, followed the beat to the end
plugged in a bass and played!!