Another Cherry Bomb w/splat & fizz

[Mad Dave]

I've seen a few threads dealing w/this topic, though I think I've seen only one resolution, which had to do w/ poor solder joints.  Nor have I seen any definitive (i.e. correct) voltage numbers from the 3 transistors.

Originally I used 2N2222s (Which is what the /13 Joy Ride, also a Colorsound knockoff, uses.), but the distortion was awful: very coarse and gritty, and the decay was terrible.

Now I've got BC109s in there, and though they're better, the unit still isn't too good. The distortion is coarse w/ fizz on top.  And though the decay is better, it still isn't smooth; the distortion still cuts off once the signal is low enough.  

I've gone through the board and verified that all my components and values are correct.  Here are my voltage readings for the 3 Qs (with 9.36 battery voltage):

Q1  E 0.45V, B 1.02V, C 1.7V
Q2  E 1.04V, B 1.7V, C 5.36V
Q3  E 0.92V, B 1.56V, C 5.83V

My build is on the board w/ board-mounted pots.
I've attached a short mp3 in case that helps.

Assistance greatly appreciated!

[garfo]

My cherry bomb has exactly everything.I've tried everything and that annoying sound it's still there.