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06-23-2009, 08:17 PM
|  | OVNIFX
EXAR pedals rep for North & Central America | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: PDX, OR | | | Am I underpowering my preamp?
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The battery that came with my bass died, and I can't afford a new one, so I made a battery using potatoes. But my guitarist says running my preamp at such a low voltage will send DC square waves out of the pickups and into the strings. I don't want to blow out my strings! So is underpowering it like this OK, or should I take my guitarist's advice and save up to buy the Monster gold-contact time-aligned Bass battery?  |
06-23-2009, 08:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: 21804 | | | Ummm... joke? |
06-23-2009, 08:28 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: metro Phoenix, AZ | | | It'll work better if you don't reverse the polarity on the potatoes!
edit: I prefer Duraspuds, myself.
Last edited by Bubba Ghanoosh : 06-23-2009 at 08:30 PM.
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06-23-2009, 08:29 PM
|  | Funkify your Life | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Bucket, RI. | | | You should try running your duel spuds in series, not parallel. I find it will increase output by about 25-30%
I also find the waxier red potato to give a smoother bass. You may have to modify the cavity to make them fit. |
06-23-2009, 08:31 PM
|  | no really, smokemeth&hailsatan | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pueblo, CO | | Pickles work better.
And they glow. 
Last edited by Joe Gress : 06-23-2009 at 08:33 PM.
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06-23-2009, 08:33 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Eastern Connecticut | | | I find that using lemons or another citrus fruit gives you a certain brightness or zing that really sounds good if you slap. Also, don't buy a MIM fruit, they don't have the type of QC that the MIA fruits in Florida do.
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06-23-2009, 08:34 PM
| | Funkify your Life | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Bucket, RI. | | | WARNING!
Carrots will over power and cause a time continuum rift between the pickups and strings. |
06-23-2009, 08:41 PM
|  | Dr. Jim | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denton TX, Kailua HI, New York | | | You need Percatelli strings. Jaco loved them, especially with a basil pesto.
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06-23-2009, 08:47 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Central Ohio | | Quote:
Originally Posted by bongomania  The battery that came with my bass died, and I can't afford a new one, so I made a battery using potatoes. But my guitarist says running my preamp at such a low voltage will send DC square waves out of the pickups and into the strings. I don't want to blow out my strings! So is underpowering it like this OK, or should I take my guitarist's advice and save up to buy the Monster gold-contact time-aligned Bass battery? | I have not tried the Monster bass battery (though I have always wanted one), but I heartily recommend their blowout-resistant strings. Might make your potatoes really sing! Keep us posted as to what you decide.
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06-23-2009, 09:19 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit, MI | | | dude...the potatoes are touching each other...I assumed that would result in a complete short circuit, but if not that would explain the low voltage, |
06-23-2009, 11:29 PM
| | OVNIFX
EXAR pedals rep for North & Central America | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: PDX, OR | | | OMG you're right! I should read the FAQ to see if it says anything about shielding a potato battery. Can I use aluminum foil? Would there be any issue with the potatoes overheating? |
06-24-2009, 12:06 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Metro Detroit | | | Red skins make a much rounder square wave. |
06-24-2009, 12:10 AM
|  | http://greenboy.us/forum/
greenboy designs: fEARful, bassic, dually, crazy88 etc | | Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: remote mountain cabin Montana | | | Eric Johnson knows when they're not from Idaho. |
06-24-2009, 12:12 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sumner,Wa | | | Should be fine as long as you replace the orange drop cap with a lemon drop- lemon heads give a nice vintage tone.
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06-24-2009, 01:39 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rochelle, Illinois | | | That's fine as long as you make sure you match the impedance (this is especially critical in a tuber preamp).
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06-24-2009, 02:57 AM
|  | Working on successful. Got the first syllable... | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Huddinge, Sweden | | | Considering the source of the power, I think you'll be OK as long as you only play the roots.
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06-24-2009, 03:01 AM
| | Registered User
Lead Designer, Zeibek Boutique Pedals | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hüstın, TX | | Quote:
Originally Posted by bongomania OMG you're right! I should read the FAQ to see if it says anything about shielding a potato battery. Can I use aluminum foil? Would there be any issue with the potatoes overheating? | You should use Canola Oil, it's simply the best. Other than that I saw people using fat with good results, however you need to make sure NOT to use any transfat. |
06-24-2009, 10:39 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ventura County, CA | | Not this again! read the FAQ!!!! You can NOT underpower your strings! Complete myth! Use your ears and listen. If your strings are making bad noises, then use common sense, and stop playing. Go watch tv or something instead, or take some lessons. 
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06-24-2009, 10:47 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Yuma, Az | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Chunk-O-Funk You should try running your duel spuds in series, not parallel. I find it will increase output by about 25-30%
I also find the waxier red potato to give a smoother bass. You may have to modify the cavity to make them fit. | Yeah, sure it increases output, but at the sacrifice of some of the mids he's going to need to cut through the mix! I ran my potato preamp in series for years, and then I switched back to stock wiring, it was like I had bought a new bass. You'll regret running your potatos in series, don't do it.
Don't get suckered in by the Idaho potato marketers, either, there's really only a few places that they grow potatos, and they're all the same. You could just as readily use a finger potato as a russet, and get the same results.
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06-24-2009, 11:53 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Austin TX | | | What about sweet potatoes? Or fries?
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