please help. i think my first sadowsky is faulty

[ShowKing]

ok my first sadowsky is actually the preamp DI pedal.
but i have a feeling mine is faulty..

here's the email i also sent to Roger explaining the situation:

Dear Roger Sadowsky,

I have purchased the Sadowsky Bass Preamp DI pedal and just received it in the mail today in New Zealand.
I plugged in the pedal to my amp (Ampeg BA115HPT) through the "active" input and with a 9V AC adaptor.
When I switched on the bass preamp, there was a loud hum. I've also tried through the passive input and same result.

I tried again without the AC adaptor, and with the included battery.
The hum was gone, but the bass preamp DI made no difference when it's on or off to my bass guitar's tone/volume.
The bass I used is a Lakland 55-02. I tried with the Lakland preamp bypassed and both without bypass and the Sadowsky pedal still sounds the same even when it's on or off.

Someone else on Talkbass forums told me they used it with their Lakland 55-02 on bypass, and the preamp made a huge improvement.
It didn't make any difference to my bass. I had the pedal on full volume and EQ on 0 as suggested in manual.
The treble and bass knobs work on the pedal but when it's on flat there's no difference in tone to my Lakland whether it's bypassed or on active.

Another thing I noticed with my preamp DI is that the bass knob is very difficult to move. The other knobs move smoothly.

I hope you can suggest what I can do.

EDIT: I also tried it with my upright bass. The tone and volume is exactly the same to my ears when its on or off unless I boost the EQ.

 

[fenderhutz]

ok my first sadowsky is actually the preamp DI pedal.

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[Nino Valenti]

ok my first sadowsky is actually the preamp DI pedal.
but i have a feeling mine is faulty..

What I would do it wait for Sadowsky guitars to contact you.

 

[manutabora]

Maybe a stupid reply, but I'd think that that's how it's supposed to work, no?

 

[bongomania]

When I switched on the bass preamp, there was a loud hum.

That sounds like a bad connection. Did you try a different adapter? And are you sure the adapter you used was the right polarity, regulated, and correct voltage DC (not AC)?

The treble and bass knobs work on the pedal but when it's on flat there's no difference in tone to my Lakland whether it's bypassed or on active.

That's normal. The Sadowsky "tone" is not as dramatically audible as some people claim. It's just a nice EQ pedal and DI, nothing more.

 

[ShowKing]

Maybe a stupid reply, but I'd think that that's how it's supposed to work, no?

i heard from other people that it should sound different even with EQ on flat cos the preamp boosts the signal

 

[ShowKing]

That sounds like a bad connection. Did you try a different adapter? And are you sure the adapter you used was the right polarity, regulated, and correct voltage DC (not AC)?

That's normal. The Sadowsky "tone" is not as dramatically audible as some people claim. It's just a nice EQ pedal and DI, nothing more.

yes im sure its the correct adaptor because i use it for my effect pedals and works fine. 9V DC

hmm some people have said that the preamp DI should improve ur sound even if the EQ is flat because the preamp boosts the signal.

mayb a stupid question, but how is the sadowsky preamp's 2 band EQ different from a EQ found on amps or on basses?

 

[lindseyp]

I think the Sadowsky EQ is boost only. If everything is flat you should hear no difference between the pedal and your bass in a perfect world. The EQ/volume does not work when the pedal is toggled off. You will have to turn the volume all the way up to use it as a boost when turned on; the pedal is designed to match volumes between the on and off positions, it is not a volume boost pedal per se. Also, you did not mention what happened when you moved the Ground Lift switch, which should have cured your hum.

 

[bongomania]

hmm some people have said that the preamp DI should improve ur sound even if the EQ is flat because the preamp boosts the signal.

mayb a stupid question, but how is the sadowsky preamp's 2 band EQ different from a EQ found on amps or on basses?

"Improve" is a very vague term. It may improve the sound, if you like what it does. "Boost" just means it increases the level. It means nothing about tone. Boosting a passive signal can make it sound more "modern", and bring back some tone that might be lost due to a long cable between bass and amp. But for example if you are using a medium-short cable and a normal amp head then there won't be much of a noticeable change. After all, the preamp in your amp head is very similar (identical, for practical purposes) to the preamp in the pedal. And the Sadowsky pedal IS the EQ found on amps or basses. Same thing. Nothing more, nothing less.

It's only a question of whether you like the subtle differences from one to the next.

 

[GeneralElectric]

yes im sure its the correct adaptor because i use it for my effect pedals and works fine. 9V DC

Because everyone knows that every pedal requires the same power supply.

 

[bucephylus]

Shouldn't this be in the FX forum?

Putting it in Basses is misleading, and off topic.

 

[OriginalCrash]

Well, he DID verify that the adapter is 9 VDC, which is what the Sadowsky requires... So unless it requires a higher current than it can provide, and since the adapter works with other units, then yeah, that pretty much confirms that it's the correct power supply...

Brian

P.S. Of course, now that I think about it, the polarity could be wrong, too...

 

[20db pad]

Check your PM - I'll mention for all that the Sadowsky onboard/outboard preamp needs to be heard live in the context of a mix on a recording or live to be fully appreciated.

If, of course, the unit is functioning properly.

 

[NJL]

i bet it's the wrong ac adapter..

 

[Rimo]

The Sadowsky Preamp Pedal definitley is boost only tone controls as with their basses.

So if you run the controls completely off (turn full to the left) that is the flat setting which will not sound any different than if you bypass the pedal. To hear a difference make sure you turn the volume on the pedal up to at least 3/4 of the way then start boosting the tone controls. You should start to notice a difference. The tone adjustments are subtle and not extreme as some might believe. Also regarding the adapter, if the unit is fine with the 9V battery then I'd say it's your adapter which could be the problem. You need to make sure the adapter plug which goes into the pedal has the correct polarity. + surrounding the - or vice versa. Also make sure you completely by-pass the preamp on the Lakland or run it in passive mode to hear the biggest difference.

 

[Blues Cat]

I hate threads where the OP tricks you into looking at their thread.

 

[gillento]

i heard from other people that it should sound different even with EQ on flat cos the preamp boosts the signal

Nope! When the eq controls are flat, your tone stays the same.
That aspect of your pedal seems to be working right.

As for the humming, I have no idea.

 

[Munjibunga]

If your amplifier is grounded and the Sadowsky DI is not (it's not), you may have a ground loop. Since the hum went away with the effect on battery only, that's probably what's going on. If you have a ground lift on your amp, try that. Otherwise you made to buy a little hum eliminator box by Rolls or Ebtech or somebody.

As far as the EQ, it's flat when fully counterclockwise and, as others have said, it's boost only. It should not affect your tone when the EQ is all the way down. Start out with your amp set flat, your bass set flat, and the DI set flat. Then gradually boost the bass on the DI until it sounds bitchen to your ear. Then futz with the treble a bit until it sounds mo' bitchen. Then, when everything sounds completely bitchen, you're bitchen.

 

[tommixx]

If your amplifier is grounded and the Sadowsky DI is not (it's not), you may have a ground loop. Since the hum went away with the effect on battery only, that's probably what's going on. If you have a ground lift on your amp, try that. Otherwise you made to buy a little hum eliminator box by Rolls or Ebtech or somebody.

As far as the EQ, it's flat when fully counterclockwise and, as others have said, it's boost only. It should not affect your tone when the EQ is all the way down. Start out with your amp set flat, your bass set flat, and the DI set flat. Then gradually boost the bass on the DI until it sounds bitchen to your ear. Then futz with the treble a bit until it sounds mo' bitchen. Then, when everything sounds completely bitchen, you're bitchen.

THIS says it all...

Peace,

T