A 10-20 decibel cut pedal

[scuz]

Is this even possible? Is an input pad only possible within the amp itself? My LM1 keeps clipping (18v worth of preamp doesn't help) and it doesn't have a switch to accommodate active pick ups. I just got the amp, so I don't wanna sell it right away cuz I love how it sounds, I just want it to be louder.

[bongomania]

Lots and lots of pedals are able to turn your signal down. Many hundreds of options out there, literally. Plus it would be a simple DIY, just a pot, two jacks, and some wire in a box.

[bongomania]

Oh and BTW, have you tried turning down the level on your bass?

[JonathanD]

Also, I think a compressor would be in order. It would take off the peaks and allow you to play louder
Jonathan

[bongomania]

Good point, I missed that in the initial post, that he wants his amp to be louder. Yeah, the only ways I know of to make an amp "louder" are (1) use a more sensitive speaker cab, (2) boost the mids and roll off the lows, and (3) use a compressor.

[niftydog]

Options a-plenty:

• wind the pickups down
• turn down the bass
• install a pedal with a gain control
• use a volume pedal
• make a pad box
• or even build a pad into a jack housing!

What's your amp? Does it have an input gain control?

[beyondthe48]

you could expirament with the MXR 10 band EQ. other then the 10 freq's there is a volume and gain control that can boost or cut 10db if i recall correctly. its a damn good eq pedal also.

[beyondthe48]

"too worried about tone to be punk" HAHA I love that!

[bigchiefbc]

Boss LMB-3. Set Enhance to zero, ratio to max, then set threshold and level down to the point where the clipping stops. Does exactly what you want

[scuz]

Originally Posted by beyondthe48

"too worried about tone to be punk" HAHA I love that!

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I have tried turning my bass down, but I lose some growl.

niftydog, I like your idea of putting a pad into the jack housing, but the compartment with the pots, preamp, etc is so crowded that I can't fit anything else inside. My amp's a MarkBass LM1 450.

A compressor is something I've been thinking about for a while, maybe I'll look into that. Any suggestions for a quality compressor? I know Aphex made one a while back that was kinda neat.

Looks like the Boss LMB-3 would work pretty well. I've heard stories from boutique people about Boss messing with your tone a little bit, even with something as basic as a limiter. Any thoughts on that?

[bigchiefbc]

Originally Posted by scuz

Looks like the Boss LMB-3 would work pretty well. I've heard stories from boutique people about Boss messing with your tone a little bit, even with something as basic as a limiter. Any thoughts on that?

There are a lot of true-bypass nazis around here, but honestly, I think Boss's bypass is pretty good. I've definitely heard a lot worse (my EHX Bass Micro Synth, as a quick example). I've used the LMB-3 for a few years now, and I love it. There are people who report hearing artifacts (popping noises) when you hit the threshold really hard, but I've never heard it.

[grace & groove]

Originally Posted by scuz

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I have tried turning my bass down, but I lose some growl.

niftydog, I like your idea of putting a pad into the jack housing, but the compartment with the pots, preamp, etc is so crowded that I can't fit anything else inside. My amp's a MarkBass LM1 450.

A compressor is something I've been thinking about for a while, maybe I'll look into that. Any suggestions for a quality compressor? I know Aphex made one a while back that was kinda neat.

Looks like the Boss LMB-3 would work pretty well. I've heard stories from boutique people about Boss messing with your tone a little bit, even with something as basic as a limiter. Any thoughts on that?

Suggestions for a compressor is what you ask for? Go look at Bongomania's sig.

[whacker]

I was just thinking about starting a thread on this topic, as I play a G&L L2500 into a Zoom B2 into a GK 1001RB-II, and with the extra hot output of the bass, I believe I'm clipping the input of the B2. I'd rather not simply turn the bass down, but instead figure out a way to make either a fixed resistor pad or even a variable pot like Bongo first mentioned. I could even try to fit it into one end of the cable I use before the effect.

What I would need suggestions on then, is what value of components, and should they be in series or parallel across the signal line (lay a schematic on me). I'm shootin' for simple, and just probably not even as dramatic attenuation as you'd find on an amp pad. Just enough to quell the clipping.

[Vic Winters]

Wouldn't it be as simple as:

DPDT switch, 2 mono jacks, a linear pot, some wires and a housing?

[whacker]

What, would you just put the pot in series with the center (tip) lead (in one leg, out the wiper?)? Are there low resistance pots, like, say, 100 ohms or less? Would this have any negative effect on the signal, perhaps altering the frequency response?

[Hookus]

Originally Posted by Vic Winters

Wouldn't it be as simple as:

DPDT switch, 2 mono jacks, a linear pot, some wires and a housing?

Take a 100K audio taper pot, wire the input to one side, the output to the middle, and the other outside leg to ground. It is that simple, now you have an adjustable pad. You want a higher value pot because this way when the volume is all the way up, it looks more like the pot is not there to the signal.

Just do a search online about how to wire true bypass switches.

[Taylor Livingston]

Originally Posted by whacker

I was just thinking about starting a thread on this topic, as I play a G&L L2500 into a Zoom B2 into a GK 1001RB-II, and with the extra hot output of the bass, I believe I'm clipping the input of the B2. I'd rather not simply turn the bass down, but instead figure out a way to make either a fixed resistor pad or even a variable pot like Bongo first mentioned. I could even try to fit it into one end of the cable I use before the effect.

Man, I am totally befuddled by this topic, and this post in particular.

Just so I understand, you want to lower the volume coming out of your bass, but you don't want to use the volume knob on your bass. Am I right so far? So instead, you are going to install a "variable pad" into the cable? Do you get that a variable pad is the same thing as a volume knob?

What about the volume knob on your bass do you object to, if you don't mind me asking? Is it the convenience, or the fact that it's free?

But seriously, .

[whacker]

Well, first of all, I'm into electronics, but a bit rusty as to component values and implemenatation into instruments.

I appreciate the high output of the G&L pickups (did they really need to be THAT hot?), but am starting to find with my setup that I'm clipping the B2 on peaks.

There really is no good visual or "feel" reference point I could use to set the volume control on the bass that would be completely repeatable all the time (coolest thing would be something like a "trim" control on the B2). Thus, I would prefer to keep it up all the way most of the time. Also, most basses' volume controls seems to have an effect on the output beyond just voltage attenuation. And so, since I could easily build something for less than $5 in parts that would solve the problem (just a tiny little bit of attenuation), I'm posing the question here, and getting some good info. Lots of things can take a little fiddling with to improve them.

[Hookus]

Originally Posted by whacker

And so, since I could easily build something for less than $5 in parts

Probably more like $25 for normal stomp-box components.

[spideyjg]

Originally Posted by whacker

There really is no good visual or "feel" reference point I could use to set the volume control on the bass that would be completely repeatable all the time (coolest thing would be something like a "trim" control on the B2).

Find your sweet spot, take off the knob, and put it back on where you can see the set screw when you look down.

Jim