The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[BunchyMutt]

Swapped the stock JJ 12AU7 in the Vampire Slayer for a Mullard 12AX7. So good. Not much grit per say, and if I drive it hard it's not necessarily a pleasant clipping, but it does a (not 'the') tube thing more noticeably than the 12AU7. I actually like it more than the Westinghouse for that purpose.

 

[Skip Chucker]

Yes yes a million times yes. I have my SH on my bench right now wiring in resistors due to the output level

Edit: incase anyone was wondering, yes, guitar strings are a ground path and can/will complete a circuit and electrocute you via your arm that is resting against the strings

Try a 5751 tube. That would be the next step down in gain after 12AX7. I put one on the OD channel of my Verellen Meatsmoke and it tamed it just enough without changing the overall tonality.

So it's not the gain that I don't like, it is the overall volume that this thing has. I have the impression that the tube would effect the gain, not the overall output. Am I wrong?

How difficult would it be to wire in a resistor? I'm okay with a soldering iron, but reading electrical diagrams isn't a good idea for me.

 

[mmbongo]

Do you think perhaps that the mini tube versions are better suited to bass? I'm quite pleased with my PA.

@Sushi Box FX could mini tube versions still be ordered, perhaps a JC Emerald in the future?

No it's not really a matter of them being better suited for bass, it's really just personal preference I think. My mini-tube PA has a smoother, more mid-scooped, more compressed sound than my PAX which suits what I need better especially when going direct. The PAX does not lose any low end, but it does not add much either, unlike the mini-tube version.

 

[mmbongo]

Also one thing for you tube rollers....avoid the Sovtek 12AX7 LPS. It does not work like a standard 12AX7...does not work at all in my PAX or LUX. It works in my LabRat for the distortion, but does not work for the Boost.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Do you think perhaps that the mini tube versions are better suited to bass? I'm quite pleased with my PA.

@Sushi Box FX could mini tube versions still be ordered, perhaps a JC Emerald in the future?

Not likely. There have been too many issues with microphonics and noise, I don't like dealing with them. If you want to build one yourself I'll send you a PCB and parts list, but I decided I'm done dealing with them.

Swapped the stock JJ 12AU7 in the Vampire Slayer for a Mullard 12AX7. So good. Not much grit per say, and if I drive it hard it's not necessarily a pleasant clipping, but it does a (not 'the') tube thing more noticeably than the 12AU7. I actually like it more than the Westinghouse for that purpose.

That's interesting to know, thanks for sharing. With the 12AU7 it's pretty transparent, good to know a swap can get more character.

So it's not the gain that I don't like, it is the overall volume that this thing has. I have the impression that the tube would effect the gain, not the overall output. Am I wrong?

How difficult would it be to wire in a resistor? I'm okay with a soldering iron, but reading electrical diagrams isn't a good idea for me.

You could wire in a pair of resistors like the Dr. Wattson master volume mod a while back, but unfortunately the way SH wires into the switch is a lot more difficult to undo. Modding it is still possible, but a lot more involved. Your best bet would probably be to disassemble the whole thing and wire the resistors before the volume pot.

 

[Pedalnetics]

How difficult would it be to wire in a resistor? I'm okay with a soldering iron, but reading electrical diagrams isn't a good idea for me.

You could wire in a pair of resistors like the Dr. Wattson master volume mod a while back, but unfortunately the way SH wires into the switch is a lot more difficult to undo

So I actually did wire in resistors like the Dr.Wattson mod on mine, and went for a 20db reduction based on some Pad circuit designs.

It worked...sorta. I don't know why, but I feel like I lost a LOT of low-end, which didn't make sense to me. I definitely used 2 resistors, standard voltage divider circuit, but it sure acted like a HPF ala resistor+capacitor. I actually un-did my resistor mod because how bad/weird it sounded. Volume reduction was sure achieved, but I would have never used it again due to the tone loss. Makes zero sense in my head, and that's what started making me roll tubes in it

 

[BunchyMutt]

I haven’t been as attentive to this thread as I have in the past so it’s likely I missed an answer to this - are there guitar demos for the Wrecking Ball X and JC Emerald X?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

I haven’t been as attentive to this thread as I have in the past so it’s likely I missed an answer to this - are there guitar demos for the Wrecking Ball X and JC Emerald X?

No guitar demos for anything yet. It will happen this week.

 

[BunchyMutt]

No guitar demos for anything yet. It will happen this week.

Ahhhhyeah

 

[Skip Chucker]

You could wire in a pair of resistors like the Dr. Wattson master volume mod a while back, but unfortunately the way SH wires into the switch is a lot more difficult to undo. Modding it is still possible, but a lot more involved. Your best bet would probably be to disassemble the whole thing and wire the resistors before the volume pot.

So I actually did wire in resistors like the Dr.Wattson mod on mine, and went for a 20db reduction based on some Pad circuit designs.

It worked...sorta. I don't know why, but I feel like I lost a LOT of low-end, which didn't make sense to me. I definitely used 2 resistors, standard voltage divider circuit, but it sure acted like a HPF ala resistor+capacitor. I actually un-did my resistor mod because how bad/weird it sounded. Volume reduction was sure achieved, but I would have never used it again due to the tone loss. Makes zero sense in my head, and that's what started making me roll tubes in it

I'm really happy with how I have everything set up now, and I can get a similar effect with the passive blend knob on my looper (I just heavily favor the dry signal, and turn the SH knobs to where I want it) or I just keep the westinghouse lower, and I definitely don't lose any low end.


I'm trying to think of a scenario in which the SH would be a standalone pedal for me, and I just don't see it. Maybe if I have it drive the poweramp on my SWR SM-400s and see what it sounds like all by itself there.

 

[bassbrad]

Introducing the Echosaurus to my recording setup and we already recorded a song for my Synth ~ Electronic Music Extravaganza "Adventures of Luke's Severed Hand"

It is hard to capture the beautiful candy blue.

Benny wondered what was in the enormous box from @Sushi Box FX

 

[Sushi Box FX]

I'm a mediocre guitarist at best, but I finally got a riff recorded into my looper that I'm happy enough with for guitar demos, so I'll run it through everything tomorrow, then @Sonicblaze will just have to remind me to export and upload them so we can get them on the site.

 

[Pedalnetics]

I'm a mediocre guitarist at best, but I finally got a riff recorded into my looper that I'm happy enough with for guitar demos, so I'll run it through everything tomorrow, then @Sonicblaze will just have to remind me to export and upload them so we can get them on the site.

Got it. Harass you starting Wednesday to get them uploaded so I can make playlists and update the site.

 

[jbybj]

My Black Eye X arrived early this evening. It’s knarly. Very early impression, I like the gain up high. It won’t boost the low freqs, but it retains plenty to goose with a little post EQ. It’s thick and wonderful.
The contrast of the art and lettering is so subtle it almost appears as blacked out. It will not be an always on tone shaper for me, but an as needed heavy duty distortion. It can really gank.
My Trutone mA meter showed a brief peak of about 740 mA at startup, quickly dipping to around 350, then rising back up to 420-440mA under use, about 10 seconds to warm up. Using an Eventide branded DC-7, 9 volt 660 mA output.
I may consider some tube rolling, this thing is knarly.

 

[BunchyMutt]

My Black Eye X arrived early this evening. It’s knarly. Very early impression, I like the gain up high. It won’t boost the low freqs, but it retains plenty to goose with a little post EQ. It’s thick and wonderful.
The contrast of the art and lettering is so subtle it almost appears as blacked out. It will not be an always on tone shaper for me, but an as needed heavy duty distortion. It can really gank.
My Trutone mA meter showed a brief peak of about 740 mA at startup, quickly dipping to around 350, then rising back up to 420-440mA under use, about 10 seconds to warm up. Using an Eventide branded DC-7, 9 volt 660 mA output.
I may consider some tube rolling, this thing is knarly.
View attachment 4317620

Nice! Thanks for the review

 

[jbybj]

Black Eye X update. Today at lunch, I had the opportunity to play it through a cranked amp. It’s like quintessential rock and roll, LOUDER IS BETTER.
I found myself lapsing into power chords, and feeling 18 again.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

The contrast of the art and lettering is so subtle it almost appears as blacked out.

I agree, I'm going to go with a thicker outline around the lettering so they pop more, they are a little hard to read right now.

Black Eye X update. Today at lunch, I had the opportunity to play it through a cranked amp. It’s like quintessential rock and roll, LOUDER IS BETTER.

Absolutely 100% agree. It sounds good at bedroom levels, but when you get a chance to turn up it is pure musical deliciousness.

So those of you that actually play your instruments instead of just thinking about them probably already know this, but Slampegg X sounds TASTY for guitar.

All guitar demos are being recorded on my tele with PAF-style humbuckers (in other words not much of a tele) and going guitar -> preamp -> Two Notes CAB M -> interface. I have Space Heater and Slampegg X done now, moving on down the line. I expect to finish all of the recordings today and get them uploaded, you know, sometime.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Additional note: Dr. Wattson X is smooooooooth on guitar.

I hope you'll excuse me patting myself on the back, but it turns out everything that sounds good for bass also sounds good for guitar.

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

Additional note: Dr. Wattson X is smooooooooth on guitar.

I hope you'll excuse me patting myself on the back, but it turns out everything that sounds good for bass also sounds good for guitar.

I'm not really surprised seeing that marshall guitar amps where originally bass amps alot of bass gear is like that. Some stuff designed for bass can sound even better on guitar and some guitar pedals sound even better on bass. You never really know until you try them out.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Alright, all guitar demos have now been recorded with the exception of PAX, because my PAX is acting up and will need a look at. I have a NOS tube in it, may the tube. Anyway, everything else has been recorded.

Edit: also Echosaurus and Robot Butterfly, I'm going to have to demo those a little differently than I do preamps.