New 3leaf Pedal???

[tigerbass]

I'm having the exact same issues as Scotch.
I have it in the loop of my X-Blender and have the boost engaged, and that certainly helps.

 

[scotch]

I think the pedal really would benefit significantly from a threshold adjustment. What bass(es) did you use to test with, Spencer?

 

[Spencer!]

I think the pedal really would benefit significantly from a threshold adjustment. What bass(es) did you use to test with, Spencer?

My main bass is an active Lull jazz bass. I tried it with my P bass and passive jazz and they worked alright, but I play with a pretty heavy touch.

 

[scotch]

My main bass is an active Lull jazz bass. I tried it with my P bass and passive jazz and they worked alright, but I play with a pretty heavy touch.

Hmm... Do you think an adjustment is possible? Or are the prototypes exactly how you want them? It's very possible that the pedal "just isn't for me", but there's a lot of potential there if the filter opened at a greater range of input volumes. I'm really only able to use the last 25% of knob travel.

 

[tigerbass]

Hmm... Do you think an adjustment is possible? Or are the prototypes exactly how you want them? It's very possible that the pedal "just isn't for me", but there's a lot of potential there if the filter opened at a greater range of input volumes. I'm really only able to use the last 25% of knob travel.

That is exactly where I'm at.

 

[Spencer!]

Hmm... Do you think an adjustment is possible? Or are the prototypes exactly how you want them? It's very possible that the pedal "just isn't for me", but there's a lot of potential there if the filter opened at a greater range of input volumes. I'm really only able to use the last 25% of knob travel.

It sounds like I'm definitely going to have to rework the input circuit for the production model. I have a circuit I can use that works, but it's not a simple change - it requires another op amp section. Do you like the way it sounds if you run a hotter signal into it?

 

[Jon Moody]

I haven't had any of the issues anyone else has mentioned, but then again, all three of my basses are actives.

Spent a lot more time with it tonight.

First, I used the internal switch and went up to the band pass setting. It pulled a lot of the low end out for me. I quickly unscrewed the bottom and switched it back. Much happier.

I pulled out my fretless (Warwick Corvette $$ 6 string) to see how it reacted with that bass. Definitely matched and moved a lot better with the fretless; the nuances, variants in attack, etc.. I found myself with completely different settings that on the fretted I would've considered "meh," or too subtle that worked beautifully with the fretless.

 

[scotch]

It sounds like I'm definitely going to have to rework the input circuit for the production model. I have a circuit I can use that works, but it's not a simple change - it requires another op amp section. Do you like the way it sounds if you run a hotter signal into it?

Yes, I like the sound a lot better pushing it with a hot signal. It's also a more versatile pedal when I use a booster. This pedal slays the MXR filter I just flipped! Waaaay more organic & 'authentic', imo.
Problem is, the resulting overall volume jump while using an additional booster is significant enough to render the pedal unusable for me. In my line of work, I need to be able to provide fairly consistent volume levels (at least average volumes). With the amount of boost required to open up the filter where I like it, it starts clipping amps, preamps, other pedals, etc...

I'm not a super-light touch, either! I dig in harder than I probably should. I'm no tippity-tappity fusion guy with a featherweight setup! It's just that in order to really make the pedal speak optimally, I get less dynamic flexibility than I'd like.

 

[tigerbass]

Yes, I like the sound a lot better pushing it with a hot signal. It's also a more versatile pedal when I use a booster. This pedal slays the MXR filter I just flipped! Waaaay more organic & 'authentic', imo.
Problem is, the resulting overall volume jump while using an additional booster is significant enough to render the pedal unusable for me. In my line of work, I need to be able to provide fairly consistent volume levels (at least average volumes). With the amount of boost required to open up the filter where I like it, it starts clipping amps, preamps, other pedals, etc...

I'm not a super-light touch, either! I dig in harder than I probably should. I'm no tippity-tappity fusion guy with a featherweight setup! It's just that in order to really make the pedal speak optimally, I get less dynamic flexibility than I'd like.

Preaching to the choir!

 

[kesslari]

Hmm... Do you think an adjustment is possible? Or are the prototypes exactly how you want them? It's very possible that the pedal "just isn't for me", but there's a lot of potential there if the filter opened at a greater range of input volumes. I'm really only able to use the last 25% of knob travel.

Add another vote to this. I like the sound I can get, but if I have to completely change my playing and attack to get it, that's a non-starter.

 

[groooooove]

Add another vote to this. I like the sound I can get, but if I have to completely change my playing and attack to get it, that's a non-starter.

hmm. i've got only active basses and i tend to pound a bit when im playing most styles of music.. wonder if i'll have the same issue.

when the sensitivity all the way up you still need to dig more than you'd like? interesting.

spencer, how much reworking would need to be done? or is there a way to just crank up its sensetivity?

edit- as i typed that my pedal was in my mailbox. will report back in a bit with info.

 

[Spencer!]

spencer, how much reworking would need to be done? or is there a way to just crank up its sensetivity?.

I think I'm going to have to add another op amp section. We'll see.

 

[groooooove]

well, i was just using it for a bit. only with my main (active fretted 6) bass, into 2 differnt rigs, running on 9v power, in LP mode.

just recorded a 5 minute long noodling/testing, can anyone post it if i send it to them, i have no way to post it..

the review-
i saw none of the lack of sensitivity that everyone else was talking about. construction wise, theres nothing to worry about, everythings soilid, and the box is small enough and i dont think a new encousure is needed at all. it has without doubt, the brightest LED ive ever seen on a pedal, too..as "a filter" it sounds pretty nice, kept all lows, and has a volume spike but not too strong of one (i prefer a small volume spike rather than unity, this i liked.) now, this is the part that i wish i diddnt feel compelled to say- in all reality, it sounds very little like a mutron to me. it has a slightly similar flavor, at best.. i think the biggest problem is the decay- on a mutron the filter closes real fast, so every note will quack. on this one its a lot slower, so unless your playing stoccato, just the first note will have a noticable quack. i have a feeling if you shortened the decay to match a mutron it will sound much better, and more like the original.

these are all just first impressions and are of course subject to change, i have a gig tonight (will record it and share filter moments with you all- am still going to bring this along despite my initial reaction.)

as it stands right now, this filter is not going to take the place of the original mutron for me, without the production model being altered. i dont currently own a mutron to a/b it with, but i did own one for about a year, and used it at every jam / gig the whole time. after the test flight gig tonight i'll probably go back to my FX25 and hope for the best out of the production model.

will go and record more samples with my passive fender now, anyone willing to host these files for me?

 

[groooooove]

short followup-

was definately more into it with my passive fender, started to warm up to it and its mutron-characteristics. switched back to my active 6, and it definately does not like that bass as much, for whatever reason- but i do think if the decay can be shortened, to give it that "sharper" type of vibe that i loved about the mutron, it'll be great.

bouncing down my sound samples now. still need someone to host, PM me if you can.

 

[Spencer!]

as it stands right now, this filter is not going to take the place of the original mutron for me, without the production model being altered. i dont currently own a mutron to a/b it with, but i did own one for about a year, and used it at every jam / gig the whole time. after the test flight gig tonight i'll probably go back to my FX25 and hope for the best out of the production model.

Was your Mutron original? I built mine around my Lsound-modded Mutron and it sounded identical, to the point where if I did a blind test you couldn't pick out the original. Decay is a function where the sensitivity control is set, so if your Mutron had a short decay then it was because you set the gain control low. I can change the decay, but where it's set right now is about as close to the Mutron as it gets.

 

[scotch]

short followup-

was definately more into it with my passive fender, started to warm up to it and its mutron-characteristics. switched back to my active 6, and it definately does not like that bass as much, for whatever reason- but i do think if the decay can be shortened, to give it that "sharper" type of vibe that i loved about the mutron, it'll be great.

bouncing down my sound samples now. still need someone to host, PM me if you can.

I agree about the decay time.

I still wish the threshold was different. I'm using pretty much "standard" instruments and have average (if not a little heavy) right hand attack. It's just that to get the most out of the pedal, I have to really yank the strings. Not ideal & not classic "Tron".

 

[groooooove]

Was your Mutron original? I built mine around my Lsound-modded Mutron and it sounded identical, to the point where if I did a blind test you couldn't pick out the original. Decay is a function where the sensitivity control is set, so if your Mutron had a short decay then it was because you set the gain control low. I can change the decay, but where it's set right now is about as close to the Mutron as it gets.

yes, mine was original.

i understand the relationship between sensitivity and decay- but sensitivity is when the filter opens, decay is how fast it closes- not neccesarily the same (in a way..). the more i play it the more i think thats the one thing thats throwing it all off.

like, if im playing any groove, the filter will open (and sound amazing) on just the first note. you need a moment of rest before you can attack a note and get a full sweep out of the filter. is there any semi-simple way to do such a mod to the circuit, to make it pop open the same, but close much faster? if you add that, then youll get that "bubbly" vibe i'm looking to recreate from the mutron.

i keep trying just setting the gain lower to make it close faster, but thats just not the same, it needs to open the same (or very similar) and just close much faster.

 

[scotch]

yes, mine was original.

i understand the relationship between sensitivity and decay- but sensitivity is when the filter opens, decay is how fast it closes- not neccesarily the same (in a way..). the more i play it the more i think thats the one thing thats throwing it all off.

like, if im playing any groove, the filter will open (and sound amazing) on just the first note. you need a moment of rest before you can attack a note and get a full sweep out of the filter. is there any semi-simple way to do such a mod to the circuit, to make it pop open the same, but close much faster? if you add that, then youll get that "bubbly" vibe i'm looking to recreate from the mutron.

i keep trying just setting the gain lower to make it close faster, but thats just not the same, it needs to open the same (or very similar) and just close much faster.

Thats just it. I think it's the issue with the "gain" control. It makes the decay work differently then we're used to with a Mu-Tron.

 

[Spencer!]

yes, mine was original.

i understand the relationship between sensitivity and decay- but sensitivity is when the filter opens, decay is how fast it closes- not neccesarily the same (in a way..). the more i play it the more i think thats the one thing thats throwing it all off.

Not exactly. Sensitivity is like the threshold control on a compressor. It sets the level at which the filter opens and closes. If the sensitivity is set lower (meaning higher threshold), the filter will decay quicker because the level doesn't have to drop as far to trigger the decay.

Changing the decay is a simple change of one resistor, but I set it based on the decay of my Mutron at the settings I use, so I don't know if you'd like the change as much as you think.

 

[behndy]

man i want to try one of these little buggers.