Need help understanding my EBS preamp pedal

[pbass-pbass]

Hey everybody. I just got my EBS Valve Drive preamp pedal in the mail and have been trying to get it to work properly.

I've plugged my bass into Input and plugged my amp into Output (This is the only pedal I'm using). All the lights go on and off as they should. When the pedal is set on Bypass, I get my normal tone, but when I hit the "Activate" switch, my signal goes silent. There aren't too many buttons or switches to mess with and I've been trying to work it for an hour now.

Any thoughts? I hope its just a bone-head thing that I'm doing wrong (I usually stay away from pedals for this reason) but if not, does this sound like its broken or something?

[pbass-pbass]

Some more info about what I've got going on:

I'm using two brand new Monster cables (Bass to pedal/Pedal to amp)

The bass is a passive Warwick Corvette.

The amp is my practice amp (little Fender Bassman, 25 watt)

The tube on this preamp pedal is glowing, so I'm assuming the tube is fine, I hope.

All of the settings are flat (so the problem isn't that the volume is simply turned down)

Bottom line: I'm perplexed and slightly annoyed that the pedal is either not functioning properly or that I'm an idiot and can't figure out how to connect ONE pedal to my normal, simple "bass guitar into amp" setup.

[bongomania]

I'd double-check to be absolutely sure you have the bass into the input and the output going to the amp. Some pedals position those jacks "backwards" from the norm.

Next I'd engage it, and work the output volume knob on the pedal up and down, and listen for any audible anything--rustling, hiss, changes of any kind that could be associated with turning up/down the volume.

Next I'd unplug the pedal and gently loosen the tubes and then gently (but firmly) re-seat them in their sockets. Then plug back in and try again.

Failing all that, I'd suspect something needed repair.

[MooseLumps]

^this

[pbass-pbass]

Got it working. Just kind of happened all of the sudden. Maybe the tube just needed to heat up for a few hours to get broken-in, like a new pair of strings.

Thanks for the posts.

[scotch]

Originally Posted by pbass-pbass

Got it working. Just kind of happened all of the sudden. Maybe the tube just needed to heat up for a few hours to get broken-in, like a new pair of strings.

Thanks for the posts.

Hmmm.... That's a long time- the tube should only need about 12 seconds to warm up fully (if that). You might have a bad tube. I'd consider finding another one before it craps out on ya'!

[RickenBoogie]

There are 2 switches on the back. One is a pad, (which you might want to use), and the other is a mute. If the mute is engaged, then turning the pedal on will mute your signal.

[grovest]

I'm also a new Valve Drive owner and I think you might be confused. My guess is you have the bypass/mute switch set to mute, and when you think you're engaging the effect you're actually disengaging it, hence muting.

That, or it's terribly broken.