• 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.

The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

#3,341
Alright, just sent the last of the shipping notices for January (except one, waiting to send some stuff together), I already dropped off the first half, I'll be heading to the post office in a couple hours to get the rest dropped off.

Out of curiosity I'm going to start keeping track of all the places I send pedals. This month they're going out to 14 US states and 3 countries outside the US.
 
  • Like
Reactions: willsellout, Real Soon, TodaysTomSawyer and 8 others
#3,343
NKBassman said:
Dr Wattson on it's way to Canada. Yay!

Up next: Westinghouse! :)

@Sushi Box FX Any word on those NOS EF86 tubes you picked up?
Click to expand...
I have a couple of X pedals on the way this month. Next month is the Echosaurus and then the long wait for the Westinghouse and Space Heater. Fun times.
 
  • Like
Reactions: letsgethandsome, NKBassman and Sushi Box FX
#3,344
NKBassman said:
Dr Wattson on it's way to Canada. Yay!

Up next: Westinghouse! :)

@Sushi Box FX Any word on those NOS EF86 tubes you picked up?
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, so they all tested strong, but I haven't plugged them in yet to see how they sound. It turns out the eBay seller was actually listing them for someone else and didn't know anything about them, was just using the description they were given. I decided I'm just going to keep them, because although they aren't what I thought I was getting, they are still every bit worth the price I paid. If they sound good I'll make 3 or 4 available for Westinghouse upgrades.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TodaysTomSawyer, NKBassman, Lowendtech and 2 others
#3,345
Sushi Box FX said:
Oh yeah, so they all tested strong, but I haven't plugged them in yet to see how they sound. It turns out the eBay seller was actually listing them for someone else and didn't know anything about them, was just using the description they were given. I decided I'm just going to keep them, because although they aren't what I thought I was getting, they are still every bit worth the price I paid. If they sound good I'll make 3 or 4 available for Westinghouse upgrades.
Click to expand...
Pencil me in for one, if you could. Right-to-refuse if you say they're no better than stock. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sushi Box FX and Lowendtech
#3,348
Sushi Box FX said:
Oh yeah, so they all tested strong, but I haven't plugged them in yet to see how they sound. It turns out the eBay seller was actually listing them for someone else and didn't know anything about them, was just using the description they were given. I decided I'm just going to keep them, because although they aren't what I thought I was getting, they are still every bit worth the price I paid. If they sound good I'll make 3 or 4 available for Westinghouse upgrades.
Click to expand...

As previously indicated, I'd be game for one of the NOS upgrades.

Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sushi Box FX
#3,350
Sushi Box FX said:
Yeah I figured they would go quickly :p Now that the January batch is wrapped up I'll see if I can get some A/B recordings done between the different tubes.
Click to expand...
Clips would be great, and otherwise I'm going to take your word for it whether you think it's a notable improvement or not. I'm not one for buying NOS tubes just for the sake of having NOS tubes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macmanlou and Sushi Box FX
#3,351
NKBassman said:
Clips would be great, and otherwise I'm going to take your word for it whether you think it's a notable improvement or not. I'm not one for buying NOS tubes just for the sake of having NOS tubes.
Click to expand...
A good stance to take, NOS isn't always better, NOS is just NOS. I had a guy try to explain why I needed a NOS rectifier tube in my amp. It's not going to affect the tone, and while actual NOS (new, unused) would be at least as reliable as a modern rectifier, I would actually worry about older used rectifier tubes as some amps (*cough* Vox AC30 *cough*) had a poorly designed standby setup that was really rough on the rectifier, so if it was pulled out of an old amp it could be on the way out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PeterH, bass4more, MT Hope and 2 others
#3,352
Sushi Box FX said:
A good stance to take, NOS isn't always better, NOS is just NOS. I had a guy try to explain why I needed a NOS rectifier tube in my amp. It's not going to affect the tone, and while actual NOS (new, unused) would be at least as reliable as a modern rectifier, I would actually worry about older used rectifier tubes as some amps (*cough* Vox AC30 *cough*) had a poorly designed standby setup that was really rough on the rectifier, so if it was pulled out of an old amp it could be on the way out.
Click to expand...
I've had such mixed up results in rolling, new, cheap, pricey, NOS"" tubes I just go with what I know will work. I haven't had such a problem where I needed to change anyway. Honestly had better luck with a different type tube rather than the age/brand for gain/headroom adjustment. Every time I hear someone praise a new old stock its just a change in volume, and for some reason people typically go for the louder "clip", or the one with more headroom. Not banging tube rolling, I've just come to my conclusion about the whole mater, I still have my fair share of NOS in storage, but that's probably where its going to stay
 
  • Like
Reactions: bass4more
#3,353
My experience with tube rolling has been limited, but ultimately the returns have never been worth the cost and effort. Does one sound better than the other? Sure, maybe. But like moving your right hand an inch or two closer to the neck makes WAY more of a difference than tube rolling ever has (for me).

Sure playing with different gain factors will make a difference, but I’m just talking about rolling tubes of the same type.
 
  • Like
Reactions: labeledbass, 1983L2000 and Sushi Box FX
#3,354
labeledbass said:
I've had such mixed up results in rolling, new, cheap, pricey, NOS"" tubes I just go with what I know will work. I haven't had such a problem where I needed to change anyway. Honestly had better luck with a different type tube rather than the age/brand for gain/headroom adjustment. Every time I hear someone praise a new old stock its just a change in volume, and for some reason people typically go for the louder "clip", or the one with more headroom. Not banging tube rolling, I've just come to my conclusion about the whole mater, I still have my fair share of NOS in storage, but that's probably where its going to stay
Click to expand...
So my main amp right now has all NOS tubes in it (besides the rectifier :P), but I own a tube tester and I won't trust any NOS tube without testing it first. I've had too many NOS tubes fail on me, including a pair of NOS power tubes during a show. Never trust it because it's NOS, trust it because it's good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tombowlus, 1983L2000, labeledbass and 1 other person
#3,355
NKBassman said:
My experience with tube rolling has been limited, but ultimately the returns have never been worth the cost and effort. Does one sound better than the other? Sure, maybe. But like moving your right hand an inch or two closer to the neck makes WAY more of a difference than tube rolling ever has (for me).

Sure playing with different gain factors will make a difference, but I’m just talking about rolling tubes of the same type.
Click to expand...
There are also audible differences in modern production tubes though, you don't even need NOS to roll tubes. A modern JJ/Tesla will sound different than a Sovtek, which will sound different than a Sino, etc.

My over-generalization based on my less-than-perfect ears:
Russian tubes are warm
Chinese tubes are bright
Slovakian tubes are punchy, right in the middle

Usually I like warmer tubes in my setup because I use bright pickups into a bright amp, so everything balances out, but in pedals I like JJ because they're a nice middle ground. Most of the NOS USA tubes I try are somewhere between JJ and Sovtek, warm but also punchy in the mids. Could I tell the difference in a blind test? Probably not. Do I have enough NOS tubes to never need to buy new stock tubes for myself ever again? Sure do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NKBassman
#3,357
So I've recently tried a Dr Wattson, and it's really wonderful - clean, a bit of breakup, higher gain overdrive - love it. My only problem is that its output is HOT. Even at minimal gain and minimum volume, it's above the level in my pedal chain (Slampegg including) which just a wee bit over unity gain. Putting the gain into my preferred "touch sensitive breakup" is a huge volume jump when I switch the pedal on.

Would anyone have a great suggestion for a (mini) volume pedal (it doesn't even need a foot-adjustable volume, a simple knob would work)? Passive or active (i don't always use a buffered pedal)? Other ideas? Filter FX loop?

Thanks :)
 
#3,358
1983L2000 said:
So I've recently tried a Dr Wattson, and it's really wonderful - clean, a bit of breakup, higher gain overdrive - love it. My only problem is that its output is HOT. Even at minimal gain and minimum volume, it's above the level in my pedal chain (Slampegg including) which just a wee bit over unity gain. Putting the gain into my preferred "touch sensitive breakup" is a huge volume jump when I switch the pedal on.

Would anyone have a great suggestion for a (mini) volume pedal (it doesn't even need a foot-adjustable volume, a simple knob would work)? Passive or active (i don't always use a buffered pedal)? Other ideas? Filter FX loop?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...
Check out Saturnworks: Handcrafted Boutiqe Volume Pedals - Saturnworks Pedals
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1983L2000
#3,360
1983L2000 said:
So I've recently tried a Dr Wattson, and it's really wonderful - clean, a bit of breakup, higher gain overdrive - love it. My only problem is that its output is HOT. Even at minimal gain and minimum volume, it's above the level in my pedal chain (Slampegg including) which just a wee bit over unity gain. Putting the gain into my preferred "touch sensitive breakup" is a huge volume jump when I switch the pedal on.

Would anyone have a great suggestion for a (mini) volume pedal (it doesn't even need a foot-adjustable volume, a simple knob would work)? Passive or active (i don't always use a buffered pedal)? Other ideas? Filter FX loop?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...
I'm going to be wrong with the attenuator idea, An fx Loop would probably be the only way to keep Unity gain when the pedal is off and then on . Is there something in front of the pedal causing this? Is your other Sushi pedal the same non X tube? I'm getting a Wattson by the end of the week, been waiting a long time. @Sushi Box FX is the impedance different between his two pedal or is it the xtra tube doing something. I thought attenuator at first, but it would be super quiet when disengaged, you really would need a FX Loop if you could not remedy the problem before the pedal
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back