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The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

#5,181
Sushi Box FX said:
So I found this in an older forum post here: Looking at the D-180 schematic I'm not really sure why backing off the master would increase gain, unless they had it wired backwards. It does have a similar thing to the Hiwatt though, where the master isn't at the very end of the preamp, it's between stages, so it acts as both volume and interstage gain control. Definitely worth a look down the road, but I may have to take a vote and make everyone choose between Bass 400 and D-180, I don't really want to do two different Mesa bass preamps. I'll put it on my list,
Click to expand...

I’d vote 400/+ as long as it was based on the “vintage” channel and included the two EQ shift options (I played with both of those engaged on mine all the time). I personally found the straight preamp drive from the 400+ far more interesting and burly than my old D-180 which for me required a graphic EQ or other creative sculpting to get where I wanted it. The EQ shifts engaged on the Vintage channel of the 400+ gave me the best tube overdrive I’ve ever heard!
 
#5,182
Sushi Box FX said:
The dual PAX is a custom build for @rjmsteel I don't generally like doing them because it's extra work, but I made an exception in his case because it's for use with his custom Alembic bass. It's absolutely gorgeous (hope he's okay with me sharing a pic) but he wanted to add some character to the tone. He brought his rig to my house a while back to try out some preamps and decided he wanted a PAX on each channel, so we talked about it and this is where we landed. But seriously, LOOK AT THIS BASS. I had never even seen an Alembic bass in person, this thing blew me away.

View attachment 4249131 View attachment 4249134
Click to expand...
I would love to have the job of engraving all their headstock logos, they always look so cool. So much brass!
 
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#5,183
For June builds -

6spotsleft.png
 
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#5,184
Sushi Box FX said:
The dual PAX is a custom build for @rjmsteel I don't generally like doing them because it's extra work, but I made an exception in his case because it's for use with his custom Alembic bass. It's absolutely gorgeous (hope he's okay with me sharing a pic) but he wanted to add some character to the tone. He brought his rig to my house a while back to try out some preamps and decided he wanted a PAX on each channel, so we talked about it and this is where we landed. But seriously, LOOK AT THIS BASS. I had never even seen an Alembic bass in person, this thing blew me away.

View attachment 4249131 View attachment 4249134
Click to expand...
That cocobolo top is glorious
 
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#5,187
5 Minute DI/Headphone test and review of the Deep Dish: Wow! Such Tube! Very tone!

It really adds a deep, rich tubiness to the overall sound of my P bass with TI flats, just going straight into the High-Z input on my 15 y/o Tascam interface that I use as a glorified headphone amp. Sounded great with what I assume are pretty subtle settings:
Peak @ 9:00
Attack @ Min/7:00
Gain @ 2:00, or slightly above unity
Knee... didn't really notice much difference no matter where I set it, so I left it at 12:00.
​
Turning up the Attack and/or Peak knobs brings in more compression, which really tightened up the overall sound and maybe seemed to kill some of what I would describe as tubey character a little bit, which isn't necessarily bad and would probably sound great in some contexts. But this was really 5 minutes or less of play time to confirm that it works. Can't wait to get into it some more, but at first blush I think I will really like it.

And yes it seems to work fine at 9V.

Thanks @atauntaun for the trade! :)
 
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#5,189
NKBassman said:
Do any of you fine folks use your Deep Dish compressor after a line level device, such as an outboard preamp or microphone preamp, or in the FX loop of an amp?
Click to expand...
I'm not a gigging bassist by any means, but when I play just for fun at home I run either a PAX or a Slampegg X (depending on my mood) into a Deep Dish straight into the front end of my amp. Obviously interested to hear how others are using it though.
 
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#5,190
NKBassman said:
Do any of you fine folks use your Deep Dish compressor after a line level device, such as an outboard preamp or microphone preamp, or in the FX loop of an amp?
Click to expand...

I am running my Dr. Wattson before my Deep Dish. though this is just how I have it set up now. I'm going from the DD into my ME Super 300. This week I plan on trying the DD after both of those preamp pedals. (yes, I have both the ME and the DR, W on simultaneously) Then of course that Westinghouse is going to show up soon and I'll be starting the whole pedal order from scratch. I may end up only keeping one of the pre-amps. then again, I was thinking I needed to sell my DD, but I can't get past the breadth of those tubes. Even when I'm not really even compressing the signal!
 
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#5,191
NKBassman said:
Do any of you fine folks use your Deep Dish compressor after a line level device, such as an outboard preamp or microphone preamp, or in the FX loop of an amp?
Click to expand...
Yep, I place it right after PAX or I plug direct to it. I’ve tried it with my guitars too and I like it after any dirt but still before any other effects. My preference is to use it first or very early but there are a lot of right answers.
 
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#5,192
Sushi Box FX said:
The dual PAX is a custom build for @rjmsteel I don't generally like doing them because it's extra work, but I made an exception in his case because it's for use with his custom Alembic bass. It's absolutely gorgeous (hope he's okay with me sharing a pic) but he wanted to add some character to the tone. He brought his rig to my house a while back to try out some preamps and decided he wanted a PAX on each channel, so we talked about it and this is where we landed. But seriously, LOOK AT THIS BASS. I had never even seen an Alembic bass in person, this thing blew me away.

View attachment 4249131 View attachment 4249134
Click to expand...
Are those the peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets from Costco? I love them.
 
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#5,193
sunbeast said:
I’d vote 400/+ as long as it was based on the “vintage” channel and included the two EQ shift options (I played with both of those engaged on mine all the time). I personally found the straight preamp drive from the 400+ far more interesting and burly than my old D-180 which for me required a graphic EQ or other creative sculpting to get where I wanted it. The EQ shifts engaged on the Vintage channel of the 400+ gave me the best tube overdrive I’ve ever heard!
Click to expand...
I vote D-180. The cascading channels = the BEST OVERDRIVE EVER.
 
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#5,198
Sushi Box FX said:
I'm not a gigging bassist by any means, but when I play just for fun at home I run either a PAX or a Slampegg X (depending on my mood) into a Deep Dish straight into the front end of my amp. Obviously interested to hear how others are using it though.
Click to expand...

psychovox said:
I am running my Dr. Wattson before my Deep Dish. though this is just how I have it set up now. I'm going from the DD into my ME Super 300. This week I plan on trying the DD after both of those preamp pedals. (yes, I have both the ME and the DR, W on simultaneously) Then of course that Westinghouse is going to show up soon and I'll be starting the whole pedal order from scratch. I may end up only keeping one of the pre-amps. then again, I was thinking I needed to sell my DD, but I can't get past the breadth of those tubes. Even when I'm not really even compressing the signal!
Click to expand...

Killing Floor said:
Yep, I place it right after PAX or I plug direct to it. I’ve tried it with my guitars too and I like it after any dirt but still before any other effects. My preference is to use it first or very early but there are a lot of right answers.
Click to expand...

Based on my trial last night, I assume you guys are mostly keeping your pedals running into the Deep Dish set at or around unity volume (ie instrument level output, not line level). Because when I tried putting it after the Line Out of my Broughton P15 it was squash city due to the higher signal level hitting the compressor. Even with the Peak turned all the way down I was getting way more compression than I wanted. Without a Threshold control I don’t think it’ll work for me that way. Which is fine. I was mostly just curious if it would work.

DD before P15 sounded great though.
 
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#5,199
NKBassman said:
Based on my trial last night, I assume you guys are mostly keeping your pedals running into the Deep Dish set at or around unity volume (ie instrument level output, not line level). Because when I tried putting it after the Line Out of my Broughton P15 it was squash city due to the higher signal level hitting the compressor. Even with the Peak turned all the way down I was getting way more compression than I wanted. Without a Threshold control I don’t think it’ll work for me that way.

DD before P15 sounded great though.
Click to expand...
I know there's a dead horse to beat around here somewhere, did you try the xlr out? Way more friendly with pedals downstream.
20201223_013742.jpg
 
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