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I have fluctuating volume coming out of my CJ.

I found it out when I was switching switches I think.
I'd expect them to be consistent. E.g. with the first last switch with boost off: first doesn't always have the same volume. If fluctuates. Just like last. But without boost engaged one would expect same sound at both directions?
Same goes for e.g. the Q toggle switch, it's not consistent.
As if signal weakens sometimes.
Any idea how to solve this?

Does alternating the switching quickly after another do something with a condensator? Like it remains unloaded or something?

Seems when I gently drop the cj on the table it works again. Loose contact somewhere????

If it's fluctuating in volume spontaneously (i.e. when you aren't touching/adjusting it) then this is probably a bad connection somewhere. While it's most likely a weak solder joint , it might also be an internal issue with a pot or one of the toggle switches. If so, this can often be confirmed by turning or wiggling these components and seeing if you can make the problem come and go. If that doesn't turn up something, I'd suggest going through THIS PROCESS.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

When reflowing everything, how to deal with solderppints under pots and so... I can imagine desoldering them and resoldering them can cause new connection problems like broken eyelets etc...

You don't need to remove the pots. The PCB is double sided. Just reflow from the top side of the PCB. In fact, for reflowing purposes, it's probably better to do it from the top side. If there's something like an IC socket that you just can't get to from the top, and it's under a pot, just bend the pot out of the way. Bend it back when you're done. The legs are fairly malleable.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Is there a way to 'bypass' the first last switch as in: solder a wire from one point to another, to see if the first last switch is the element that causes the volume drops?
I'm not sure whether it is the right suspect, but when I switch this switch left right L R L R L R etc.. after a while the volume drops. Just now, it happened after the first time already.
Sometimes the volume drops after a while without touching the CJ.
But I want to eliminate this option.

Also, is this behaviour typical for say resistors, or capacitors etc...?

Let me make sure I understand this:

Is this only happening with the overdrive stage on and the boost stage off? Does it happen whether the first/last switch is only is the first or last position, and not in both positions?

Something else I would try is to pull out and re-seat all of the IC's. Make sure that the pins are closely aligned with the sockets and that each IC is pushed all the way down.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Volume drops when switching first last switch to and fro. And also sometimes when not touching anything at all. Mostly the switch is in first position. Ill try what happens if i leave it in last position for a while.

Good idea about the ic's.
Thing is: when volume drops and I "bang" the CJ on the table the volume comes back again!! Sounds to me like theres something loose. Or could this still be a bad solder point??

Yeah, a bad joint is still a possibility.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

tried the IC's. So far so good but...
when I first played through the CJ after taking out and re-inserting the IC's, the signal was even worse.
I pressed on the IC's and the sound changed (weakened and become stronger and vice versa). But this also happened when I pressed on a random cap in the middle of the board.
As if if weren't the IC's but the board moved and on the other side (which I cant see because its still inside the enclosure) there's something wrong.
Strangely, after half a minute, everything seemed settled.

Maybe I should get the PCB out and resolder also the other side? While I take it out, other things to check?

It could be stress on the PCB caused by the pots/switches. If you have a desoldering iron/sucker/braid, You may want to get the solder out of the outer potentiometer lugs, then reheat the center lugs so it all settles. If you decide to do this, be sure to be very careful as solder has a tendency to seek out eyeballs. Use goggles if you have them, or move your head away right before heating. Trust me, you don't want to experience a ball of slag hitting the corner of your eye.

All of this would be done while everything is still mounted. It's a little bit of an advanced procedure, but can potentially fix your issue in specific, and is just a good idea for the longevity of the pedal as a whole; not having tension between the board mounted components.

To make this post a little longer than it has to be, I'll make a quick mention of how I place the pots and switches in all my builds:

Place the potentiometers onto the board, only soldering the middle lug, leaving about 1/8 inch between the board and the thick part of the potentiometer. I do the same thing with switches, except I place them with no gap between the switch body and the board. I can then line them up both vertically and horizontally so that placement into the enclosure isn't an hour-long job. After everything is installed into the enclosure, I hand tighten all the above-the-enclosure nuts. Then I go through and reheat the center lugs of everything until there is no tension on anything. After that's done, I finish soldering all the lugs and boom, I'm my own grandpa, all the hardware and the board are installed.

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

Nick, if I understand you correctly, you are saying that the tention on the pots can cause these volume fluctuations?

Not necessarily that specific, I was more speaking to this:
"I pressed on the IC's and the sound changed (weakened and become stronger and vice versa). But this also happened when I pressed on a random cap in the middle of the board."

But it may be the cause, like I said, it might help this situation, but more importantly, may help prevent this sort of thing in the future.

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com