Colorsound Overdriver - Has anyone built one?

[foxfire]

well i finally got to put one of these together. in fact i just finished it so i can't say how it sounds through one of my big boys but, it does sound good/cool coming out of my "kick ass" little peavey. right now Q1 is an unidentified texas inst. tranny, Q2 is a 2n5089 and Q3 is a bc548. i may end up getting rid of the gain pot. it seems like all the action is right at the end and, i don't need another boost. it was my first build in a month or so do to a large amount of hell at work so i'm happy.

[foxfire]

well i finally got to put one of these together. in fact i just finished it so i can't say how it sounds through one of my big boys but, it does sound good/cool coming out of my "kick ass" little peavey. right now Q1 is an unidentified texas inst. tranny, Q2 is a 2n5089 and Q3 is a bc548. i may end up getting rid of the gain pot. it seems like all the action is right at the end and, i don't need another boost. it was my first build in a month or so do to a large amount of hell at work so i'm happy.

i just got to play it through my sound city and, holy poop! for my money it's the best sounding pedal i've made so far. i think i will get rid of the gain pot unless i can figure out how to spread out it's "usefull" range. now i just need to come up with the money for a box. sure wish i had tried this one sooner. what a cool pedal.

[slideman82]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah! It's one of the best, you bet! I like it with humbuckers better. A master volume is necesary, and, if you want to find the best soundturning the gain pot, you'll have to install a multiturn 1K in series with the gain pot, fixing it to the inside part of the enclosure with hard glue, and making a little hole (3 mm) to te top, so you cn use a screw driver to find the right point of distortion. If not, try a multiturn normal pot, they're expensive here, but they'll help you. ANyway, I use it at full gain.

Try Ge trannies, it sounds softer, makes me remember that Brian May sound (boost + AC30 combo).

[foxfire]

yup, all my guitars have humbuckers and, i did add a master vol. i'm not positive but, i believe that the unidentified T.I. in Q1 is a GE and i found the bc548 in Q3 gave me almost the volume of a 5089 but, was a bit smoother/softer which i wanted. what i really like about it is that it just sounds like a really good distortion. it doesn't sound like a pedal to me.

[pahurst]

I actually bought a new ColorSound Power Boost from the Macari shop in London, Engalnd.  Then, recently I built one from scratch for my friend.  So far, I love the one I built, and it's screaming those Floyd leads out for me.  Coupled together with a good dyna comp, those two pedals nail those super sutain leads of The Wall, and Animals.

The one I bought however, just doesn't break up all that much.  Like all mass produced pedals, maybe I just got a dud off the assembly line.  Whatever the issue,------I've never been that happy with the real one I bought!  I guess I shouldn't be surpirsed, since all reissues usually suck!

Here's a good recipe for success with cloning the powerboost though!
I built my version with almost all NOS Mullard (tropical Fish) polyseter capacitors, NOS BC109s, and carbon film resistors.  But, it's for my friend, so----I'm rebuilding another with all Allen Bradley Carbon Composite resistors.  Screw metal film anything!  That's right,----I said it!  The extra quietness you get with metal film, isn't worth the pitchy high end, and loss of tone!

Despite what I always here and read about carbon comp resistors, every pedal I've ever moded or built with carbon comp allen bradley resistors, has come out decently better sounding on the other side!  They have that smooth vintage tone, and the distortion always seems better, or more saturated----- or something.  I know they say you have to be pumping way more voltage into carbon comp resistors than 9v's, to even hear that extra sweet distortion they produce by them selves, but----there is something there still!  It's got that mojo that has been missing in the newer equipment since the 80's!

This is one of the best pedals out there to clone!  But,-----yes----- do go with the master volume, especially if your buddy plays live gigs and switches pedals alot!