EP Pre

[jimmyp28]

I recently found out that loads of guitar players i love the sound of, use the EP-pre pedal (The pre amp section of the echo-plex)

Now i think that this really does make guitar sound amazing, well to my ears, but does any one have any exp what it will do do bass? I have a sadowsky umv70mb4.

I really am considering getting one if it has the same effect but i had a look on you tube to check to see if there where any demos and as ever nothing for bass. any ideas?

[Silent Fly]

Interesting question. I was thinking to the same thing a few days ago.

Xotic produces the EP-Booster that, accordingly to their web site, it is a "simple pure boost that pays reverence to the magical EP-3". Translated and filtered through my knowledge of both circuits it means that they may sound similar but the two circuits are actually quite different. I am not saying that one is better or worse of the other but as far as I know the circuits are different.

Clinchfx produces a pedal that is “a faithful reproduction of the preamp section of the Echoplex EP-3”.

I never tried either of them but I know that the Xotic EP-Booster has been discussed in this forum.

[bongomania]

FWIW, I have placed an order for the Clinchfx version, in the "pico" format (those teeny-tiny square boxes). I'll report in when it arrives, but I have no idea when that will actually be.

[Silent Fly]

Originally Posted by bongomania

FWIW, I have placed an order for the Clinchfx version, in the "pico" format (those teeny-tiny square boxes). I'll report in when it arrives, but I have no idea when that will actually be.

I look forward to reading your comments.

I can't find any photo of the "pico" version. Could you point me in the right direction?

[bongomania]

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...d.php?t=745439

And here's an interesting recent thread from clinchfx about their circuit/build:
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...d.php?t=750340

[Silent Fly]

Thanks for info Bongomania.

(Very cute pedal)

[FreaqyFrequency]

Though I know too little time has past for Bongo to have received it, I'm going to go ahead and bump this. Curious to see if basically nothing but a bit of phase shift can indeed be such a marvelous "tone enhancer."

[RCCollins]

my hopes are not high but i am certainly curious

[bongomania]

Yeah I have to admit the only reason I bought it was because the curiosity was killing me. I have no spare money for such things, and no need for a "tiny tone enhancement" box, and really any "naughty" usage of credit should go toward compressors, or other pedals that I'm actually interested in owning (half of [sfx]'s product line, for example). But I just had to find out for myself what this box sounded like, since so much time had passed without a TB'er taking the bullet.

[Silent Fly]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Yeah I have to admit the only reason I bought it was because the curiosity was killing me.

I know the feeling

Originally Posted by bongomania

(...) or other pedals that I'm actually interested in owning (half of [sfx]'s product line, for example).

[bongomania]

OK, it's here!



I ran it through RTA:



Although it looks like a terrible drop in the lows, note the scale--40 Hz is less than 2dB down from the middle "flattish" part, and 30 Hz is less than 3dB down from the middle. So actually the rolloff is not a problem, even on a 5-stringer. IMO it "tightens up" the lows, rather than losing them per se.

Also it does give an emphasis in the highs: that hump is centered around 6 KHz. So it brightens the tone, maybe emphasizes some "clank", but it drops off before getting to the range of highs that would increase noise.

It overall seems to tighten up the tone. I was playing through it
(passive Rickenfaker --> Picopre --> Focusrite ISAone)
and thinking to myself "this box doesn't do anything at all!" Then I removed it and plugged directly into the ISA, and suddenly my tone was all furry and fat and dark sounding.

So it's one of those boxes like the Submarine or even the Sadowsky outboard, where it gives a tighter, more modern, crisper sound. Not really an effect, and not dramatic, but useful if you want that variation on your tone. As cool as the pico box is, I think the one with the footswitch is more practical--unless you want this crisp active sound all the time.

[FreaqyFrequency]

Glad to have some confirmation on what exactly the box is doing from a man who knows what he's doing.

Seems that it could be a useful little box in practice. Thanks for the overview, Bongo!

[Taylor Livingston]

Originally Posted by bongomania

As cool as the pico box is, I think the one with the footswitch is more practical--unless you want this crisp active sound all the time.

It's just going to take an enterprising guy with a soldering iron to make the LED turn on when the effect is bypassed. Then it will become the ToneMojo Instant Vintage-izer.

[bongomania]

Exactly! That's how it seemed to me. Although in seriousness, from a "vintage tone" perspective, if I was stuck with a bass that was too thin and modern sounding, I'd pay good money to get the sound of my passive Fakenbacker direct-to-desk!

[jimmyp28]

Cheers bongomania for taking one for all the bass players.

I think i will bw getting one of these little boxes of better very soon.

Just wondering could you put up an A/B sound file so i could have a listen. i know its a lot to ask but i would be cool.

Cheers for the insight any way, this was my first thread on talk bass and it has been a great help, thanks to every one for the help.

[bongomania]

I'll try to post some clips either late tonight or sometime tomorrow.

[jimmyp28]

Cheers dude

[bongomania]

OK, here's a rough/quick clip. I'll try to do something "better" later... maybe.
http://www.ev-b.com/mp3s/PicoPre.mp3