• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

My preamp journey

#761
So I just got the Scorpion, the Solidfgold FX Beta V, a Mozztronics fuzz, and I have the Ultrawave on the way. Between all of those and the Lucy Dreamer, I'm planning on keeping only 1, maybe 2 dirt pedals on my board. It's dirt pedal thunderdome!

Initial thoughts:

The Mozztronics is an absolutely killer, killer fuzz pedal. You know how some distortion pedals say they "get into fuzz territory?" Yeah, this one starts in fuzz territory and just gets deeper. tons of low end and wet and dry knobs as well. By far the best pure fuzz pedal of the bunch, maybe the best pure fuzz that I have ever played.

The SG does good dirt but also has a lot of tones to cop as well. I'm digging the presence knob, which is a surprise for me. It also gets some booty thumping bass. I can see why folks like this, it's very flexible.

The Lucy Dream is all around great. There's a reason why it made it on my board in the first place. One of the best dirt pedals I've played through, the ?mix? is very organic and natural sounding.

The Scorpion is in a class of it's own. Very flexible dirt, and I really like that it can be transparent but also act as a preamp of sorts. I had one before and sold it, so this is the second time that I've owned this pedal. Sounds awesome and tons of options.

Still waiting on the Ultrawave, and I only have room for one on my board, so it's going to be a tough decision.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kevmac, Maxi Funkl and davelowell2
#762
Parzival said:
I’ve looked at the vids and reviews of the Beta V and eagerly await your findings.
Click to expand...
As noted above, I really, really like it. It does dirt very well, but it's strength is in the preamp capabilities. It's very flexible and has the only presence knob that i've ever liked, and that's saying something!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Parzival and Maxi Funkl
#764
moon-bass said:
Anyone have any experience with the Broughton RFE? Someone want to talk me out of GAS? Or not ... :)
Click to expand...

No experience with Josh's piece, but I'd be all over it if I didn't already build something similar (but noncommercial and DIY oriented) myself. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maxi Funkl, gtirard and moon-bass
#765
Passinwind said:
No experience with Josh's piece, but I'd be all over it if I didn't already build something similar (but noncommercial and DIY oriented) myself. ;)
Click to expand...
oh yeah, I've read about yours, and if you'd ever be interested in building another for me, I'd love to chat!! I mean, can't blame me for trying :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maxi Funkl and Passinwind
#766
moon-bass said:
oh yeah, I've read about yours, and if you'd ever be interested in building another for me, I'd love to chat!! I mean, can't blame me for trying :)
Click to expand...

My thing is open source DIY, but I usually have various spares and/or demo units kicking around and have sold a handful over the last seven years, I will PM you. Lately I've been concentrating more on builds for acoustic instruments like upright bass, guitar, and mandolin for bandmates and relatives, just to keep things fresh. I'd love to hear Josh's version myself, actually. Always looking to improve my craft, and comparing to successful commercial stuff is a good way to get there, I reckon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: moon-bass
#768
Maxi Funkl said:
That's wild you brought up the RFE I was wondering about that pedal yesterday after messing around with the Carcosa. If it could be used as a EQ with my SV-pre and Sushi Box UA. The Genzler has HPF but no LPF which would help taming peaks of Fuzz & Distortion.
Click to expand...
Yeah I need an HPF and LPF - takes the boominess and the fret clank. I hate fret clank.i think it's from all those years playing Iron Maiden lol. And I always have a good parametric for fretless, so this seemed like a no brainier. But, I read I to it more and there are tons of possibilities that a stand alone lpf, HPF, and PEQ don't offer. Check out the page on it. It's almost like an Alembic filter preamp.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DrHooper and Maxi Funkl
#770
moon-bass said:
Anyone have any experience with the Broughton RFE? Someone want to talk me out of GAS? Or not ... :)
Click to expand...
Jefe, I'll keep you talked into it. The feature set is what every live player with an amp needs. I have not used the boosts on the HPF/LPF much yet, but it's a nice option to have. Having that extra semiparametric boost/cut in the middle is always a nice adjunct to your amp controls. Josh says the Q for the mid control is 0.9, so it's right about an octave centered on the frequency chosen.

According to Josh, the HPF/LPF boosts are at the filter frequencies only. You could have +6 at a HPF filter frequency of 60 Hz, and still have the 12dB/octave rolloff below that - 30 Hz would be down -12 db.

I would disagree with the last poster- there is no need for a master level control, especially if you set and forget. The exception might be at extreme settings of the controls when switching the RFE in and out. I don't think that's the way most people would use it, though.

It's a very nice pedal to have, so maybe one will turn up on TB used. They are showing out of stock on the Broughton site, so you will have to play the Broughton buying game and hope for the best. I actually got mine on the first try. Got the email, clicked to the site immediately, and made it.

4b9583_c9e4e9b436bf4c71ab938e1ea1246a27~mv2_d_2369_3057_s_2.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: kevmac, Zbysek and moon-bass
#771
Michael Vee said:
Jefe, I'll keep you talked into it. The feature set is what every live player with an amp needs. I have not used the boosts on the HPF/LPF much yet, but it's a nice option to have. Having that extra semiparametric boost/cut in the middle is always a nice adjunct to your amp controls. Josh says the Q for the mid control is 0.9, so it's right about an octave centered on the frequency chosen.

According to Josh, the HPF/LPF boosts are at the filter frequencies only. You could have +6 at a HPF filter frequency of 60 Hz, and still have the 12dB/octave rolloff below that - 30 Hz would be down -12 db.

I would disagree with the last poster- there is no need for a master level control, especially if you set and forget. The exception might be at extreme settings of the controls when switching the RFE in and out. I don't think that's the way most people would use it, though.

It's a very nice pedal to have, so maybe one will turn up on TB used. They are showing out of stock on the Broughton site, so you will have to play the Broughton buying game and hope for the best. I actually got mine on the first try. Got the email, clicked to the site immediately, and made it.

4b9583_c9e4e9b436bf4c71ab938e1ea1246a27~mv2_d_2369_3057_s_2.jpg
Click to expand...
A fellow TB'er hooked me up with one, so I have one on the way!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zbysek, Passinwind, Michael Vee and 1 other person
#774
Michael Vee said:
Jefe, I'll keep you talked into it. The feature set is what every live player with an amp needs. I have not used the boosts on the HPF/LPF much yet, but it's a nice option to have. Having that extra semiparametric boost/cut in the middle is always a nice adjunct to your amp controls. Josh says the Q for the mid control is 0.9, so it's right about an octave centered on the frequency chosen.

According to Josh, the HPF/LPF boosts are at the filter frequencies only. You could have +6 at a HPF filter frequency of 60 Hz, and still have the 12dB/octave rolloff below that - 30 Hz would be down -12 db.
Click to expand...

I think if you measure that you'll find it'll actually be at -6dB at 30Hz, since the slope is 12dB/octave starting from that +6dB gain point an octave above 30 at 60Hz. Maybe this will help visualize that, although I used second order resonant LPF instead of HPF because I happen to be working on one of the open source ones today and already had that model open. ;)


6dB_at4k.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jim C, moon-bass and Michael Vee
#775
Thanks for the technical insights, Passin.

I don't have measurement equipment so haven't checked what the Broughton RFE actually does. I'm just going on what Josh B. said. Here is his exact quote from his email response:

"The resonance happens right at the cutoff frequency and has very little effect on the slope, even at high resonance. Going an octave down would be expected -12 dB attenuation."

Jefe, be sure and post your thoughts on the RFE after you get a chance to play it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: moon-bass
#776
RFE should be here today, but I am not sure if I will get a chance to mess with it much until the weekend, and i'm out of town for work next week, so may be the weekend after this one before I really get a chance to check it out.

I have a DCX inbound, I'm looking forward to trying that.

And for Dirt Thunderdome, the Ultrawave is coming out ahead. I still prefer analog as far as ease of use goes, but the UW can do OD, dist and actual fuzz, and I'm liking the flexibility.

I'll probably post the rest up for sale when I get back from my work trip.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zbysek, Michael Vee and Maxi Funkl
#777
Passinwind said:
I think if you measure that you'll find it'll actually be at -6dB at 30Hz, since the slope is 12dB/octave starting from that +6dB gain point an octave above 30 at 60Hz. Maybe this will help visualize that, although I used second order resonant LPF instead of HPF because I happen to be working on one of the open source ones today and already had that model open. ;)


View attachment 5057367
Click to expand...
this is very cool and I'm looking forward to trying it. I'm also going to stack the two boxes - I'm thinking that I can come up with some wicked tones a la Alembic :-)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back