My LLX arrived a couple of days ago. I can't understand why these aren't more popular; there seems to be handful of fans here, but the review space on the internet ex-Talkbass is a wasteland. Just plugging it in, everything flat, gain down, gives everything a lift, like a cleaner version of my Lightning Boy transformer (which I also love). For me, the EQ is perfect, slotting nicely with the Magellan at the other end.
The overdrive took a little getting used to. I keep my G&L L1000 dialled back quite a bit in my usual OMG setting, which gives me room to boost things when I want the single coil sound. Opened up, the pickup is too hot for pretty much anything its plugged into, despite being passive. The LLX opamp is very sensitive to the signal it receives, as you might expect, and much less so to the amount of gain dialled in on the pedal. I expected to be able to control the overdrive with the gain knob, but the effect was so subtle as to be practically inaudible, to the point that I contacted the dealer regarding my suspicions of a defective unit. He in turn contacted API, but while waiting for their response, I fiddled some more.
Using the instrument volume knob to control the overdrive is one solution, much like a fuzzface, I guess, but this has obvious potentially unwanted side-effects. I also found that switching in the -20 dB pad and dialling up the gain knob to compensate provides much more sensitive control of the overdrive. Presumably the pad is downstream from the opamp, so it's seeing say, +30 dB of gain when the final output is on +10 dB. Leaving the pad on all the time allows for seamless switching between clean and overdrive, and provides for much finer control. I can't foresee needing the full +40 dB of available gain, and the vast majority of boost pedals provide "only" 20 dB, but I could just forego the drive in those circumstances, should they arise.
Most of those here who've commented on the overdrive have done so in negative terms, but I wonder whether a combination of rolling back the instrument volume and applying the pad might make it more useable overall. I can see it being an always on switch on an always on pedal . for a bit of additional saturation. I tell you, if my tone develops any more character, it's going to be diagnosed with a personality disorder
. I'm thinking about adding a Hudson Broadcast, but that might get it admitted to the psych ward.
The overdrive took a little getting used to. I keep my G&L L1000 dialled back quite a bit in my usual OMG setting, which gives me room to boost things when I want the single coil sound. Opened up, the pickup is too hot for pretty much anything its plugged into, despite being passive. The LLX opamp is very sensitive to the signal it receives, as you might expect, and much less so to the amount of gain dialled in on the pedal. I expected to be able to control the overdrive with the gain knob, but the effect was so subtle as to be practically inaudible, to the point that I contacted the dealer regarding my suspicions of a defective unit. He in turn contacted API, but while waiting for their response, I fiddled some more.
Using the instrument volume knob to control the overdrive is one solution, much like a fuzzface, I guess, but this has obvious potentially unwanted side-effects. I also found that switching in the -20 dB pad and dialling up the gain knob to compensate provides much more sensitive control of the overdrive. Presumably the pad is downstream from the opamp, so it's seeing say, +30 dB of gain when the final output is on +10 dB. Leaving the pad on all the time allows for seamless switching between clean and overdrive, and provides for much finer control. I can't foresee needing the full +40 dB of available gain, and the vast majority of boost pedals provide "only" 20 dB, but I could just forego the drive in those circumstances, should they arise.
Most of those here who've commented on the overdrive have done so in negative terms, but I wonder whether a combination of rolling back the instrument volume and applying the pad might make it more useable overall. I can see it being an always on switch on an always on pedal . for a bit of additional saturation. I tell you, if my tone develops any more character, it's going to be diagnosed with a personality disorder
. I'm thinking about adding a Hudson Broadcast, but that might get it admitted to the psych ward.
