The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[Sushi Box FX]

Also I should clarify sonething about the Smoke Signal, it isn't one tube per channel, there isn't a clean channel tube and a dirty channel tube. The dirty channel uses both tubes, all 4 available gain stages, whereas the clean channel only uses two gainstages. So the clean channel is only using one tube, but if you pick a tube specifically for the clean channel, it's affecting the dirty channel too.

 

[moon-bass]

Also I should clarify sonething about the Smoke Signal, it isn't one tube per channel, there isn't a clean channel tube and a dirty channel tube. The dirty channel uses both tubes, all 4 available gain stages, whereas the clean channel only uses two gainstages. So the clean channel is only using one tube, but if you pick a tube specifically for the clean channel, it's affecting the dirty channel too.

Ah, thanks! This really helps! I didn't really notice any change on the clean channel by swapping out one tube, I'm going to try a few things as well

 

[bassbrad]

Come on now folks - even us non Texans know real [ award winning ] chili doesn't have any beans ! ..... Kelly

It would need a complete redesign. I could clean up the dirty channel by reducing the gain, but doing two identical clean channels would be invasive to the point if needing a redesigned board.


Part if what made mine great is I think I have a pretty good meat:beans ratio. It's not quite 2:1, but it's close to 2:1.

Congrats on your chili win!
I have to say that developing a killer vegan chili really upped my skills. While beef or venison will always be authentic tofu and mushrooms make a surprisingly tasty and toothful alternatives or additions. My Pop was of the opinion that beans are best cooked separately and I tend to agree. Chili days will be pots of Beef Chili, Shiner Boracho Beans, steamed rice and fresh corn bread.

Chili with beans is leftovers.

 

[Skip Chucker]

All I'm sayin' is put the Space Heater (clean at unity gain or slightly above) in front of the Smoke Signal and sit back and enjoy the ride.

thanks for the suggestion, I'll see if I can put my hands on one. It was really eye-opening to see how big a difference there is between a bass with a piezo pickup and one with a magnetic pickup. With the piezo, the UA sounds round and warm - even with the gain up to 9or 10 o'clock. With the mag pickup, It sounds more like a dirt pedal.

I put a 12AT7 in my space heater. Definitely was a good move for me, keep the sexy thicness with less grit. It works wonders in my spacehouse setup. It also improves the saturation characteristics (to my ear at least) that I get out of the empress bass compressor eq switch (mids boosted). If I need more grit I use a my bro-unobtainium terraformer. (Generally I don't).

If I want to go clean, I just flip the empress switch back to the middle, and boost the mids on my bass.

I keep saying that I want an Underground Accelerator, but the sound that I'm getting out of my Spacehouse is too good to replace.

 

[bherman]

I put a 12AT7 in my space heater. Definitely was a good move for me, keep the sexy thicness with less grit. It works wonders in my spacehouse setup. It also improves the saturation characteristics (to my ear at least) that I get out of the empress bass compressor eq switch (mids boosted). If I need more grit I use a my bro-unobtainium terraformer. (Generally I don't).

If I want to go clean, I just flip the empress switch back to the middle, and boost the mids on my bass.

I keep saying that I want an Underground Accelerator, but the sound that I'm getting out of my Spacehouse is too good to replace.

Thanks for chiming in - I don’t have any tubes around but looks like they are easy enough to find, and sounds like it might be worth a try. @Sushi Box FX , any thoughts or recommendations on trying this approach?

 

[Skip Chucker]

Thanks for chiming in - I don’t have any tubes around but looks like they are easy enough to find, and sounds like it might be worth a try. @Sushi Box FX , any thoughts or recommendations on trying this approach?

If not, I'm sure you can find someone who will take it with both tubes for what it cost you.

 

[NKBassman]

Also I should clarify sonething about the Smoke Signal, it isn't one tube per channel, there isn't a clean channel tube and a dirty channel tube. The dirty channel uses both tubes, all 4 available gain stages, whereas the clean channel only uses two gainstages. So the clean channel is only using one tube, but if you pick a tube specifically for the clean channel, it's affecting the dirty channel too.

Yup. My actual Meatsmoke amp has a modified dirty channel, which was super crazy and cutting high gain when I got it. Knowing that the first tube affects both channels, I rolled a bunch of tubes and settled on the best possible sounding 12AX7 in V1 (Genalex Gold Lion), figuring that sets up both channels in the right way. For V2 I stepped it down slightly to a 5751 tube to tame the OD Channel just a little.

 

[bherman]

If not, I'm sure you can find someone who will take it with both tubes for what it cost you.

Agreed, I’m in no rush as gig season is slowing down. And if it doesn’t work I’m sure someone will want the pedal. @Sushi Box FX any thoughts on tube swapping to a 12AT7 with the UA to reduce the level of grit? I'm looking for the warmth without any of the dirt/distortion, which is particularly noticeable on the E string.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Agreed, I’m in no rush as gig season is slowing down. And if it doesn’t work I’m sure someone will want the pedal. @Sushi Box FX any thoughts on tube swapping to a 12AT7 with the UA to reduce the level of grit? I'm looking for the warmth without any of the dirt/distortion, which is particularly noticeable on the E string.

I think a 12AT7 would be a solid choice for less grit while keeping the warmth. It would give you about 2/3 the amount of gain as 12AX7, and if that's still too much a 12AU7 would give you 1/5 the gain of 12AX7.

As far as brands it's hard to go wrong with just about anything out there, and a lot of it is subjective. I use JJ/Tesla in all stock builds because they have a nice punchy balanced sound that is "middle of the road" enough that most people like it. My personal pedals use NOS tubes from a variety of brands favoring British and American tubes. My main drive (Black Eye) has Mullard and Amperex, my two favorites.

 

[bherman]

I think a 12AT7 would be a solid choice for less grit while keeping the warmth. It would give you about 2/3 the amount of gain as 12AX7, and if that's still too much a 12AU7 would give you 1/5 the gain of 12AX7.

As far as brands it's hard to go wrong with just about anything out there, and a lot of it is subjective. I use JJ/Tesla in all stock builds because they have a nice punchy balanced sound that is "middle of the road" enough that most people like it. My personal pedals use NOS tubes from a variety of brands favoring British and American tubes. My main drive (Black Eye) has Mullard and Amperex, my two favorites.

Thx, I ordered one of each and give them a try. Will report back.....

 

[Pedalnetics]

Borrowed from https://300guitars.com/articles/preamp-tube-gain-factors-and-substitution-chart/ ; I snipped off acceptable substitutes because in a pedal, any of them are acceptable for different reasons/desires from a compatibility standpoint; although it appears some pedals, such as the SLO, don't recommend some due to plate resistance differences.

 

[cavemanbass]

Also I should clarify sonething about the Smoke Signal, it isn't one tube per channel, there isn't a clean channel tube and a dirty channel tube. The dirty channel uses both tubes, all 4 available gain stages, whereas the clean channel only uses two gainstages. So the clean channel is only using one tube, but if you pick a tube specifically for the clean channel, it's affecting the dirty channel too.

thanks for the clarification Sushi-San. I was going to ask about this, I don't have a SS but my Meatsmoke pre works this way. When I asked Ben about taming the OD channel he suggested a lower gain tube in position 1. I settled on 12au7 in that position. For the clean channel I have volume maxed and gain fairly high, just gets me to unity gain (compared to bypass). The OD channel I have gain near min and volume about half, gets me slightly higher level then the clean channel, with just a hint of overdrive. Amazing focus to the sound, one of my favorite tones.
Swapping the tube in position 2 would only affect the OD channel? Maybe I should try that...

 

[cavemanbass]

First experience with Slampegg... Got to try it last night at rehearsal. Haven't had a chance to play with a B15 amp, or a B15 style pedal so wanted to see if my experience is consistent with other folks... was looking for the breakup point on the gain knob, but as I twisted the gain past noon instead of buzzy distortion what happened is the sound got progressively darker, and there was OD in the lower frequencies - saturation / thickening of the lows / low mids. I wound up with gain at 3o'clock and treble maybe at 1-2 o'clock to compensate for the darkness. Amazing fat sound, was really liking it. Completely different from any other preamp or OD that I've used. If this is the "B15 sound" then I understand why people like it so much - quite a revelation. If this is not the "B15 sound" and there is something wrong with my pedal, well I guess I don't wanna be right!!

 

[macmanlou]

View attachment 4457059
Borrowed from https://300guitars.com/articles/preamp-tube-gain-factors-and-substitution-chart/ ; I snipped off acceptable substitutes because in a pedal, any of them are acceptable for different reasons/desires.

The Shift-line Olympic MkIIIS is a different animal, to be sure, but they don't recommend rolling its 12AX7 with the 12AU7. They say that others (12AT7, 12AY7 and any 12AX7) are safe.

 

[moon-bass]

View attachment 4457059
Borrowed from https://300guitars.com/articles/preamp-tube-gain-factors-and-substitution-chart/ ; I snipped off acceptable substitutes because in a pedal, any of them are acceptable for different reasons/desires.

This is awesome, thanks! It should be a sticky somewhere, I didn't know there was that much of a difference.

I'm gonna order some tubes and do some rolling, just because I can.

 

[Pedalnetics]

The Shift-line Olympic MkIIIS is a different animal, to be sure, but they don't recommend rolling its 12AX7 with the 12AU7. They say that others (12AT7, 12AY7 and any 12AX7) are safe.

Just dug through the SLO thread a bit, sounds like the main concern there is plate resistance being lower on the AU7 (1/10th that of an ax7) and causing more current draw; Although at least one person put in an au7 and loved it,
Thanks for calling that out, I tweaked my comment to mention those plate issues

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Any of my single or double tube pedals should be able to supply enough current to run a 12AU7 (a la Vampire Slayer and Deep Dish), but if you put two 12AU7 in one pedal I'm not sure the power supply could handle it.

 

[Killing Floor]

Somehow I don't think that's very safe packing material....
Tubey pedals == good
Beany pedals == gastrointestinal issues

Chili doesn’t have beans! Not where I live.

 

[Pedalnetics]

Chili doesn’t have beans! Not where I live.

I'm from Nebraska, where we eat chili with cinnamon rolls. At least beans make more sense

 

[bassbrad]

Chili doesn’t have beans! Not where I live.

Dude your from Austin the home of Tofu & Vegan Chili at Mother's, chill out. Even Texas Chili Parlor does a Five Bean Chili.

Texas Chili Parlor

I'm from Nebraska, where we eat chili with cinnamon rolls. At least beans make more sense

I love me some Chili Cheese Mac with beans or Chili with beans on a baked potato.