Cherrybomb, I am cursed damnit

[Cortexturizer]

This has been my nemesis, the one that got away. I tried building this thing 5 to 6 times, I lost count. First I tried vero a couple of times, it worked but poorly. Then I tried doing madbean's pcb, and I thought it worked fine but I just noticed that the bass control doesn't work. This is something that happened to me twice on vero as well. I am really fed up with this circuit, but I am really stubborn as well, and will continue with troubleshooting, but damn am I pissed right now.
I cannot get this bass control to work damnit, best I get is a very very subtle subbass that's hardly noticeable and even that's with full on fuzz, absolutely nothing that I can hear when fuzz backed off. The one thing that almost everybody is experiencing - the gated ugly note decay, I don't have that, it sounds glorious. I have a sweet trio of BC184Bs in there but alas, still the problem with the bass control remains. Such a low parts count. It's driving me mad.
I can't believe I am having problems, repeatedly, with such a simple circuit.
Pray for me guys.
Out.

[Bret608]

Try raising the 220pf cap at C4 to 560pf. A forumite who goes by Diamond mentioned a while back that it can bring some bass back to the circuit. I haven't tried it myself, but he said it can make the bass knob function more as it should.

Just out of curiosity, did you orient the electro at C9 as per the build doc? Someone suggested once that flipping it could fix the fizzy decay that so many have reported. It does look like a lot of the DIY versions of the CSOD have the electro at that position reversed compared to the Sola Sound factory schematic. I'm hoping to build one of these sometime soon as I've had most of the parts kicking around for ages. Just curious!

[Cortexturizer]

Hey thanks for stepping in and sharing the pain
C9 is oriented properly I am sure about that. I have no fizzy decay at all it sounds glorious but the bass control doesn't seem to do much. I will definitely take on your recommendation and try a different cap instead of the 220pF. I did do an audio probe event through the whole circuit and i can definitely hear a large difference when turning the bass knob on some points of the circuit but when I take the out from the entire circuit, the effect on bass is minimal to none. It's really driving me mad.

This video actually convinced me that the bass control IS fairly subtle. I am definitely not expecting that much out of it anymore - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1nf9uda8gU
Although, mine is even more subtle I'd say, gonna verify when i come home. Damn.

[Bret608]

Right, I've watched that clip before and I agree it's subtle. Definitely let me know if a higher value pf cap does the trick as I'll need to think about that going into my own upcoming build.

When you probe, do you find you can hear more difference with the bass know before C4?

[midwayfair]

If you want the bass control to do more, you can lower C8. Try 22nF.

Right now, I don't see how the bass is really doing anything above the low E string. It might be more noticeable if you're using a bass.

[Cortexturizer]

Good ones guys.
I'm gonna report tonight.
All those pots I've tried thinking that ones before them were malfunctioning....

[Cortexturizer]

Not a big change with the 22n in place, but I don't care anymore. Here's a sound sample -
[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/kuato-design-stompboxes/colorsound-overdriver-demo[/soundcloud]
All the time fuzz is on max, first notes are with the volume on the guitar on 3, then on 7 for the riff, and then on full for the riff and solos.
Not my best work but it flows. Dat joy of liquid fuzz. I LOVE that pedals that really make me play like crazy, you literally FEEL the power in your hands, you have sustain, you have the toan, you're in heaven.

[Bret608]

Well, that is what I imagined this should sound like! Love the clip. Glad you're happy with it now as well! 

[playpunk]

now I want to build one, too

[Cortexturizer]

I don't know guys the power I feel in my hands while soloing is maybe only comparable to a fuzz face but the overdriver is equally defined on the neck as well on the bridge pickup. Actually the first solo here is on the neck pickup and the second one (starts with the high bends) is on the bridge pickup - not much of a difference in sound right hahaha. And I can assure you that the two pickups are vastly different in sound.

[Stig]

I have build the cherry bomb and ditched it too. I got the irritating splatter note decay, tried with different transistors to compensate but with no luck. I build one from tag boards and it is absolutely amazing. Great tones from mild overdrive to fuzz. I have no noticeable bass issues though. I think it is a really underestimated pedal. So diverse and just plain great sounding. I ended up with two bc184s and one bc108 in it.

[garfo]

How does lowering the value of the cap on C8 would accentuate more the bass? Doesn't normally work the other way around, or are we talking frequencies here?

If you want the bass control to do more, you can lower C8. Try 22nF.

Right now, I don't see how the bass is really doing anything above the low E string. It might be more noticeable if you're using a bass.

[garfo]

Perhaps the transistors used do make a difference. I can't seem to find any BC184 in Portugal or Germany. Aren't these made anymore? Also, would less gainy(hfe) transistors be a better choice for less splattering?