• 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.

STAND-ALONE tone control PEDAL. Does it exist?

pb9717

pb9717

Supporting Member
Aug 18, 2006
2,539
5,695
#1
I have many active instruments that have boost/cut for 2 or 3 EQ bands. Normally these controls effect specific bass mid or treb frequencies. BUT if i want a tone control effect to span the freq spectrum/entire signal, identical to a passive tone control on a passive bass, i cannot find one. Now, I have a Sadowsky, and a Sire with a John East J-tone pre that both offer an onboard passive tone control in addition to the active circuit with bass/treb boost only or boost/cut. But my other basses do not offer such features. So my question is……..

Is there a pedal I can add to my pedalboard that has a Passive tone control for use with my other active instruments? I've had several active basses that simply do not warm up due to a lack of the ability to roll back the tone. Even with the treble control completely cut, the harsh frequencies I'm trying to roll off cannot be quelled…

So,does such a magic pedal exist?
 
  • Like
Reactions: bdplaid, DJ Bebop, Growling Woods and 2 others
#3
A passive tone control is really just a low pass cut, so wouldn't something like this achieve the same effect?

www.broughtonaudio.com

Low Pass Filter | Broughton Audio

The Low Pass Filter pedal can be used for taming harsh high end such as fret buzz, string noise, and artifacts from other effects such as distortion pedals. It is also useful for simulating the high frequency roll-off of speaker cabinets. At it's most extreme setting, the Low Pass Filter can...
www.broughtonaudio.com www.broughtonaudio.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: NotColinGrigson, DJ Bebop, mcnach and 1 other person
#4
The Broughton appears to be frequency specific ( which is not really what I'm looking for) the Saturnworks seems to be the solution. I just need to make sure it's usable with an active circuit coming into It. I imagine it is, just gonna check. Much thanks for the help.
 
  • Like
  • Sad
Reactions: DJ Bebop and mcnach
#8
pb9717 said:
The Broughton appears to be frequency specific ( which is not really what I'm looking for) the Saturnworks seems to be the solution. I just need to make sure it's usable with an active circuit coming into It. I imagine it is, just gonna check. Much thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
A passive tone control is also frequency specific. The frequency specifies the knee frequency of the low pass filter. Your onboard ones just don't have labels for the frequency.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop, mcnach and JonathanPDX
#9
silky smoove said:
A passive tone control is also frequency specific. The frequency specifies the knee frequency of the low pass filter. Your onboard ones just don't have labels for the frequency.
Click to expand...
Yes, exactly this. The frequency is set by the capacitor. The only difference between active and passive is that an active frequency control can boost a frequency, by using the power source (typically a battery) while a passive control can only reduce or limit how much of that frequency is allowed to pass through, but it cannot add anything to the frequency, only reduce it.

You could probably even pop open your passive bass, look up the components, and see exactly what frequency that capacitor limits if you're really that focused on finding one specific frequency to roll off, though in that case you could do exactly the same thing with any kind of graphic or parametric EQ.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop
#10
pb9717 said:
The Broughton appears to be frequency specific ( which is not really what I'm looking for) the Saturnworks seems to be the solution. I just need to make sure it's usable with an active circuit coming into It. I imagine it is, just gonna check. Much thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
The frequency chosen with the Broughton is a roll of point. It's not a notch filter.
I think it will do the job for you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bdplaid, Lo-E, 6thplanet and 2 others
#12
i own a whirlwind bass ten EQ, but again, it doesn't seem to have the same effect as a passive tone control. I am also not looking to boost anything. I'm simply trying to emulate the effect the VTC creates on the active circuit. I can boost the treble on sadowsky slightly , then roll back the VTC and get the sound Im searching for. Id like to replicate that experience with my Streamer and Ibanez.
 
#13
Slevage said:
The frequency chosen with the Broughton is a roll of point. It's not a notch filter.
I think it will do the job for you.
Click to expand...
silky smoove said:
A passive tone control is also frequency specific. The frequency specifies the knee frequency of the low pass filter. Your onboard ones just don't have labels for the frequency.
Click to expand...
Yup. I get that the frequency being rolled off is dictated by the capacitor value, but the effect is far less specific, for lack of a better word, than say, a slide on my bass 10, which is NOT a soft knee EQ. So i was hoping a traditional tone circuit similar to the ones in my J-Tone or Sadowsky pre, were available as a pedal.
 
#14
broughton.jpg

The broughton also appears to provide the ability to select the capacitor value, but does not provide a POT to control the amount of tone reduction the pedal provides. ( unless I'm not seeing something)
 
  • Sad
  • Like
Reactions: RattleSnack and mcnach
#15
pb9717 said:
Yup. I get that the frequency being rolled off is dictated by the capacitor value, but the effect is far less specific, for lack of a better word, than say, a slide on my bass 10, which is NOT a soft knee EQ. So i was hoping a traditional tone circuit similar to the ones in my J-Tone or Sadowsky pre, were available as a pedal.
Click to expand...
pb9717 said:
View attachment 7346071
The broughton also appears to provide the ability to select the capacitor value, but does not provide a POT to control the amount of tone reduction the pedal provides. ( unless I'm not seeing something)
Click to expand...
You're misunderstanding how a low pass filter and a passive tone control work. The filter removes all frequencies above the knee frequency at a rate of X db/oct. In the case of the Broughton my guess is that it's a 12db/oct slope. It will do precisely what you're looking for.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bdplaid, ddnidd1, IanStephenson and 2 others
#16
pb9717 said:
View attachment 7346071
The broughton also appears to provide the ability to select the capacitor value, but does not provide a POT to control the amount of tone reduction the pedal provides. ( unless I'm not seeing something)
Click to expand...

That white knob is a pot that rotates that full sweep, it's not a selector switch that clicks into position. So yes you can "roll it down".
I think thats what you are asking about it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop and mcnach
#17
One thing I'll call out - if you really like a passive tone you may not like it AFTER your onboard active preamp. Preamps like a Sadowsky VTC the tone is before the preamp, so the signal going into the pre has the tone rolled off and then you can boost certain frequencies. It's a different signal path and sound if your onboard pre is acting on the full signal of your pickups AND THEN you have an EQ rolling off tone later.

I love the Sadowksy preamps because of that signal routing of being able to roll off the highs before it hits the pre and then having a boost only after.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John D Harris, DJ Bebop, Lo-E and 1 other person
#20
JonathanPDX said:
The only difference between active and passive is that an active frequency control can boost a frequency, by using the power source (typically a battery) while a passive control can only reduce or limit how much of that frequency is allowed to pass through, but it cannot add anything to the frequency, only reduce it.
Click to expand...
I just learned something :thumbsup: Thanks
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop and JonathanPDX

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back