The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[Sushi Box FX]

It occurred to me some folks like much cleaner soundz so I decided to do another clip. Fender American Deluxe PBass with tapes. Fingerstyle.

Signal chain is:
bass>PDR>UASE>SSDI (no cabsim)>DAW

UASE settings:
Volume - 3
Gain - 12
Bass - 12
Mid - dimed
Treble - 3

Thanks for getting these recorded, hearing other people make music with a box full of stuff that I threw together is my favorite part of the job

 

[Sushi Box FX]

What's the status on those SVT values? is there some math's that could be provided to change to what HZ we would personally want or is it harder than it sounds?

I already had one person ask, but if you already have an SBVT and want to modify it yourself, let me know and I'll mail you some capacitors for a couple bucks. Or if you don't like soldering and would prefer to ship it to me I can do it for you. Just let me know.

 

[krfoss]

For those interested in giving it the old college try (and possibly destroying your SBVT):

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

Can't wait to see what this tube di is all about

 

[Killing Floor]

So I got 15 different circuit board designs yesterday, which means in an effort to always keep 2 pending orders in all the time I had to place another order at 1AM. So yesterday I got the following delivered:

• SBVT
• JC Emerald
• Deep Dish
• King Nothing
• Wrecking Ball X
• Black Eye X
• Dr. Wattson X
• Vampire Slayer
• Sunnday Drive X
• Underground Accelerator
• Space Heater
• Slampegg Bee Pre X
• Fluffy Kitten
• custom Arduino motor controller shield (long story)

And I currently have the following working their way through the system:

• Sashimi Fuzz
• Ambassador (Matchless preamp)
• Echosaurus Valve
• Finally (tube DI)
• Headmaster (Dumble preamp)
• Greenhouse (tube FX loop/blend thingy)

Sashimi, Ambassador, and Echosaurus Valve are pending carrier pickup so they should be here early next week, the others are in various stages of production and will probably be late next week or early the following week.

What day can I order a Sashimi Fuzz and a Headmaster?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

What day can I order a Sashimi Fuzz and a Headmaster?

I haven't decided. Sashimi uses some obsolete germanium transistors that I have a small supply of, maybe enough for ten or so units. If I build up the prototype and I think it's a winner, then I'll try to get more transistors so I can do a lot more. So if the initial prototype works without significant changes then I could offer it as soon as the October batch. Since fuzz is new territory for me someone suggested that I do a limited run of them, but I'm not sure if I want to.

Headmaster is a little weird, I'll have to decide how I want to redesign it. So it's two channel, but because I wanted it to fit in the standard two-tube box I can only fit one footswitch. So for the prototype it's still two channel, the footswitch goes between the two channels, but there's no way to bypass the preamp altogether. For bassists that's often fine to have an always-on preamp, but for guitarists it's often a dealbreaker, they want to be able to use it like an overdrive, turn it on and off. So I either need to put it in a different box so I have room for two footswitches, or I need to get rid of the clean channel and just have it hard-set as only the drive channel. I'll need to play with it a bit before I decide which.

 

[Killing Floor]

I haven't decided. Sashimi uses some obsolete germanium transistors that I have a small supply of, maybe enough for ten or so units. If I build up the prototype and I think it's a winner, then I'll try to get more transistors so I can do a lot more. So if the initial prototype works without significant changes then I could offer it as soon as the October batch. Since fuzz is new territory for me someone suggested that I do a limited run of them, but I'm not sure if I want to.

Headmaster is a little weird, I'll have to decide how I want to redesign it. So it's two channel, but because I wanted it to fit in the standard two-tube box I can only fit one footswitch. So for the prototype it's still two channel, the footswitch goes between the two channels, but there's no way to bypass the preamp altogether. For bassists that's often fine to have an always-on preamp, but for guitarists it's often a dealbreaker, they want to be able to use it like an overdrive, turn it on and off. So I either need to put it in a different box so I have room for two footswitches, or I need to get rid of the clean channel and just have it hard-set as only the drive channel. I'll need to play with it a bit before I decide which.

For me I have so many Dumble amps laying around I just never know which ones to take with me. A pedal would make it so I don't always have to choose. If you need me I'll be in the yard making a fort out of Dumble heads.

 

[Pedalnetics]

I haven't decided. Sashimi uses some obsolete germanium transistors that I have a small supply of, maybe enough for ten or so units. If I build up the prototype and I think it's a winner, then I'll try to get more transistors so I can do a lot more. So if the initial prototype works without significant changes then I could offer it as soon as the October batch. Since fuzz is new territory for me someone suggested that I do a limited run of them, but I'm not sure if I want to.

Headmaster is a little weird, I'll have to decide how I want to redesign it. So it's two channel, but because I wanted it to fit in the standard two-tube box I can only fit one footswitch. So for the prototype it's still two channel, the footswitch goes between the two channels, but there's no way to bypass the preamp altogether. For bassists that's often fine to have an always-on preamp, but for guitarists it's often a dealbreaker, they want to be able to use it like an overdrive, turn it on and off. So I either need to put it in a different box so I have room for two footswitches, or I need to get rid of the clean channel and just have it hard-set as only the drive channel. I'll need to play with it a bit before I decide which.

Sounds like you need to design a custom microprocessor circuit with an SPST footswitch in as tiny of footprint as possible
Quick press/release = on/bypass
Press&hold = channel change

Here's a schematic and code that'd just need tweaking of a "if held, activate different gpio pin to trigger second relay": Coda Effects - Relay Bypass: conception and relay bypass code

*not an engineer, theory is all I provide. You needed more PCB's to design and order, right?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Sounds like you need to design a custom microprocessor circuit with an SPST footswitch in as tiny of footprint as possible
Quick press/release = on/bypass
Press&hold = channel change

Here's a schematic and code that'd just need tweaking of a "if held, activate different gpio pin to trigger second relay": Coda Effects - Relay Bypass: conception and relay bypass code

*not an engineer, theory is all I provide. Lol

I considered soft switching as I could fit SPST footswitches in the current box, but I don't have anywhere to stick the relays as the board is fairly densely populated.

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

Have you looked into the intersteller od inspired build anymore is it still on the backburner?

 

[bassbrad]

A Dumble voiced bass preamp might be very tasty, very tasty indeed. I have been messing some with a cheap Donner Dumbal Drive with some unique saturation and voicing characters.

Question for @Sushi Box FX have you ever built the Bassman 2 band circuit? As much as I love the Showman 3 band \ / / Particle Accelerator there is a certain magic to the original Fender design just as there is to the Baxandall.

Fender Bassman Tone Stack
[PDF] 59 Fender Bassman Tone Stack - CCRMA
ccrma.stanford.edu › yeh06_dafx

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Have you looked into the intersteller od inspired build anymore is it still on the backburner?

I have a whiteboard hanging above my computer where I write down to-do lists and ideas, and Interstellar OD is still there. The trickiest thing is going to be getting the same general functionality without putting it in a 19" rackmount enclosure. Pedalboard/gig rig friendly has always been my goal, and getting Interstellar into a box that I'm happy with is tricky. The most recent thing I've looked at that has potential is the Hammond 1590X, the same enclosure the Noble preamp uses. Same dimensions as my Wrecking Ball enclosure but twice as tall. So still on the back burner, but I haven't turned off the burner, I promise. It's simmering to make sure I get the flavor right.

A Dumble voiced bass preamp might be very tasty, very tasty indeed. I have been messing some with a cheap Donner Dumbal Drive with some unique saturation and voicing characters.

Question for @Sushi Box FX have you ever built the Bassman 2 band circuit? As much as I love the Showman 3 band \ / / Particle Accelerator there is a certain magic to the original Fender design just as there is to the Baxandall.

Fender Bassman Tone Stack
[PDF] 59 Fender Bassman Tone Stack - CCRMA
ccrma.stanford.edu › yeh06_dafx

I've seen my fair share of preamp schematics, and Dumble is unique, he does some stuff I've never seen anybody else do. I'm excited to hear how it turns out.

I've never done a Bassman 2 band, but there's a first time for everything.

Also for fellow builders, the ampbooks website has some excellent tools, and I have all of his books. Not the kind of stuff you sit down and read, but excellent reference guides for understanding what's going on inside amps/preamps. (not affiliated, unfortunately)

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

I have a whiteboard hanging above my computer where I write down to-do lists and ideas, and Interstellar OD is still there. The trickiest thing is going to be getting the same general functionality without putting it in a 19" rackmount enclosure. Pedalboard/gig rig friendly has always been my goal, and getting Interstellar into a box that I'm happy with is tricky. The most recent thing I've looked at that has potential is the Hammond 1590X, the same enclosure the Noble preamp uses. Same dimensions as my Wrecking Ball enclosure but twice as tall. So still on the back burner, but I haven't turned off the burner, I promise. It's simmering to make sure I get the flavor right.

It's understandable wanting to keep the size down I'm looking at potentially replacing my Verellen Meatsmoke preamp so smaller size isn't quite as big a concern to me as alot of guys here so I'm probably in the minority there I'm just looking at getting as thick and authentic tube tone as I can on my pedalboard. If the eventual design has that and a fat output transformer di section going for it I'll be in hog heaven and if not a man can still dream lol. I'm always on the hunt trying to get that last bit of options and improve the sound quality my rigs still missing and it's getting pretty close. It's a great time to be a bassist at least when it comes to the gear and new tech we have available.

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

Come to think of it the di section could even be separate honestly we could just feed it into that new tube di you are in the works on and I'm sure that could help keep the foot print down or it could just become part of that di builds design and we could all pair it with any pre flavor you offer to taste unless it has to be tied into a preamps design to function properly of course I'm not exactly sure of how it functions.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

So the good news is the Sashimi, Ambassador, and Echosaurus Valve circuit boards just shipped, so they will be here next week.

The bad news is my enclosures, footswitches, and knobs got delayed again. The original estimated delivery date was today, but they still haven't left China. It looks like August batch ship date will slip into early September.

 

[dedpool1052]

So the good news is the Sashimi, Ambassador, and Echosaurus Valve circuit boards just shipped, so they will be here next week.

The Ambassador is making a comeback?
Nice!
Will it be in the same size enclosure?
Or the bigger box like the DD and SBVT?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

The Ambassador is making a comeback?
Nice!
Will it be in the same size enclosure?
Or the bigger box like the DD and SBVT?

It will be dropping to single channel (I always felt like the clean channel was more or less useless) and staying in the same size enclosure, it will be another dual-tube build in the small enclosure like Black Eye X.

 

[NKBassman]

Hey @Sushi Box FX , how would you say the Black Eye compares to the King Nothing?

 

[Kendescending]

It's understandable wanting to keep the size down I'm looking at potentially replacing my Verellen Meatsmoke preamp so smaller size isn't quite as big a concern to me as alot of guys here so I'm probably in the minority there I'm just looking at getting as thick and authentic tube tone as I can on my pedalboard. If the eventual design has that and a fat output transformer di section going for it I'll be in hog heaven and if not a man can still dream lol. I'm always on the hunt trying to get that last bit of options and improve the sound quality my rigs still missing and it's getting pretty close. It's a great time to be a bassist at least when it comes to the gear and new tech we have available.

I have the Verellen Meatsmoke preamp and it's incredible except for the size. I'd be much happier with a condensed version of that preamp. I could live with just this preamp, but OTOH I could use 4-6 other pedals that take up the same amount of space instead of the Meatsmoke for different sounds

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Hey @Sushi Box FX , how would you say the Black Eye compares to the King Nothing?

Black Eye gets heavier when cranked and has a smoother distortion in my opinion. King Nothing essentially has 3 gain stages (JFET + dual triode) whereas Black Eye has 4 (2x dual triode). King Nothing benefits from having the tube as the last stages as JFETs (in my opinion) have a much more harsh sounding distortion than tubes, so using the JFET to push the tube harder gives a better drive than the other way around. But it's hard to beat tubes pushing more tubes.

Another big factor is that I prefer a drive with a bit more punch, if I need it to cut for solos etc I'll stack a bright boost after it. In a tube preamp coupling capacitors is a really big factor in the overall tone as it will determine the frequencies that can pass through; Black Eye uses 22nF on all the stages, King Nothing uses 2.2nF and 4.7nF, so it's a lot brighter (some would say "thinner") than Black Eye.

These are mostly subjective things I like better about Black Eye, but I try to explain things enough that there at least some objective bits mentioned

I have the Verellen Meatsmoke preamp and it's incredible except for the size. I'd be much happier with a condensed version of that preamp. I could live with just this preamp, but OTOH I could use 4-6 other pedals that take up the same amount of space instead of the Meatsmoke for different sounds

Was it you that offered to let me take a look at your Meatsmoke? My brain has trouble keeping things organized

I try to only take on one reverse-engineering project at a time, and my new one is literally on the FedEx truck right now, but when I'm done with that in a week or two (it's a lot simpler than LA-1A) I would be happy to take a look at the Meatsmoke if I could get my hands on one.