The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[labeledbass]

The Slampegg can do B-15 and SVT tones. I went back and forth between the Slampegg and SV-Pre and the Slampegg sounds much better, IMO. I’m a huge Ampeg fanboy so I’m keeping both (unless Sushi does an SVT pre) but the Slampegg is the real deal. It’s my favorite pre on my board right now.

I just got some maaad tones out of my svpre, cranked the master like everyone mentioned and got some good breakup across the board, not just a little grit, sounded great, so thats some big shoes. I have one on order (bee pre) but hearing that Watson, honestly that's the sound im looking for, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree lol

 

[FenderP]

I just don't see a instance where I would use it outside of recording

For a portable rig, the Slampegg and the Fliptop are great ideas. Not that the P-15 is massive, but 80/20 rule. The speaker sim thing has me curious because that is a bit if the magic of a real B-15. Mine has the original Jensen.

The Slampegg can do B-15 and SVT tones. I went back and forth between the Slampegg and SV-Pre and the Slampegg sounds much better, IMO. I’m a huge Ampeg fanboy so I’m keeping both (unless Sushi does an SVT pre) but the Slampegg is the real deal. It’s my favorite pre on my board right now.

Interesting. I have no interest in the SV sound but I also kinda look at the Slampegg as more of a B-25B emulator. I loved mine but never used it. Glad you like the Slampegg. Really looking forward to mine.

 

[FenderP]

I just got some maaad tones out of my svpre, cranked the master like everyone mentioned and got some good breakup across the board, not just a little grit, sounded great, so thats some big shoes. I have one on order (bee pre) but hearing that Watson, honestly that's the sound im looking for, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree lol

Yeah - it all boils down to what you are going for. The B-15 is classic but not aggressive or in your face. The SV is definitely not the same and when I think Hiwatt, I think Entwhistle.

 

[Lammchop93]

The more I play through my dr Wattson, the more I realize this is the tone for me. I need to sell my ampeg v4b and find a Hiwatt amp... or maybe one of those Reeves that are essentially clones.

 

[NKBassman]

The more I play through my dr Wattson, the more I realize this is the tone for me. I need to sell my ampeg v4b and find a Hiwatt amp... or maybe one of those Reeves that are essentially clones.

Have you tried running the Wattson into the FX Return on your V4b?

 

[Lammchop93]

Have you tried running the Wattson into the FX Return on your V4b?

I did. But it’s uncontrollably loud. Even with the amps master almost off and the Wattson master barely up, it just is stupid loud and feedbacks like crazy. Not sure why though. I plugged directly into the “power amp in” on the amp.

 

[jbybj]

I did. But it’s uncontrollably loud. Even with the amps master almost off and the Wattson master barely up, it just is stupid loud and feedbacks like crazy. Not sure why though. I plugged directly into the “power amp in” on the amp.

It’s all about the ohms.

 

[Lammchop93]

It’s all about the ohms.

what do you mean? I didn’t think ohms matter to anything when it comes to running a preamp into an amp? My 4 ohm speaker is connected into the 4 ohm speak out on my ampeg.

 

[jbybj]

what do you mean? I didn’t think ohms matter to anything when it comes to running a preamp into an amp? My 4 ohm speaker is connected into the 4 ohm speak out on my ampeg.

I definitely lack the technical background in this area to be truly authoritative, but I was taking a stab at the notion that there is a significant impedance mismatch between the preamp output and the amp in.
I have experienced this when you try and plug a piezo pickup directly into an instrument input. The results can be a very skewed frequency response. Put a buffer in line, one whose input impedance is matched to the piezo, and whose output impedance is matched to the amp, and you get a fuller, flatter frequency response.
It’s likely that both your devices are functioning as designed, nothings broken, just incompatible.

 

[Pedalnetics]

I'm thinking its a matter of signal levels (possibly impedience related as mentioned, but also a matter of which preamp is first).
Most FX loops are after the amp's preamp.
So when the pedal is first, you're taking guitar ->wattson->amp. You set the wattson higher and set the input of the amp lower to compensate.
When you put the pedal into the FX loop, you're already pre-amping the signal before it hits the wattson, resulting in less gain needed for the wattson before ear-splitting/breakup.
A fun test: put the pedal first, set all your levels. This should set both preamps to be decent level-set where you want. Then move it into the FX loop, change absolutely nothing, and see how it works. (Maybe lower the master power-amp level if anything, but don't change input gain on the amp)

 

[sears]

Well I got my hands on an SVpre and I’m not feeling it as much as I thought I would. But I’m a huge Ictineo fanboy and it’s pretty polar opposite to the SVpre. Now I’m thinking on whether or not I want to swap my Slammpeg Bee Pre spot in January for something else. The best bass tone I’ve ever heard was with an older but well cared for B15. But maybe a PA is more my style...

I have been gigging an Ictineo for years. Love it. Just got one of the Slampeggs. Do you ever use flatwound strings? There's no contest. Slampegg gives you "that sound" and every twist of a knob or flip of a switch is a new delight. Roundwound, I'm still playing with. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be using the Slampegg for everything.

I am coming from a perspective of never having had a tube bass amp to spend any serious practice time with. I use a Prodigy sometimes but I don't want to bother the neighbors so most of my practice time is with headphones.

There are certain songs I always felt like I had to try too hard and bring too much of "myself." For example, Tom Petty's songs are simple but they're all about getting the feel and dynamics just right. Now I know how much a tube amp is part of that feel. Settling into the swing of "Breakdown" is child's play with a B15 preamp.

It's kind of soft but fast. I know it's distorting and compressing the sound but it feels more dynamic. A lot of what I just said is obvious to anyone who plays through a tube preamp. I can't compare it to another tube preamp. I haven't even tried recording any of my stuff.

 

[Lammchop93]

I'm thinking its a matter of signal levels (possibly impedience related as mentioned, but also a matter of which preamp is first).
Most FX loops are after the amp's preamp.
So when the pedal is first, you're taking guitar ->wattson->amp. You set the wattson higher and set the input of the amp lower to compensate.
When you put the pedal into the FX loop, you're already pre-amping the signal before it hits the wattson, resulting in less gain needed for the wattson before ear-splitting/breakup.
A fun test: put the pedal first, set all your levels. This should set both preamps to be decent level-set where you want. Then move it into the FX loop, change absolutely nothing, and see how it works. (Maybe lower the master power-amp level if anything, but don't change input gain on the amp)

I could be wrong, but my amp doesn’t have a true effects send and return. It has a power amp in, and a preamp out.
If I plug the Wattson directly into the power amp in, none of the preamp knobs on the amp do anything. Just the master volume and that’s it. If I plug my bass straight into the power amp in, it sounds good. But if I do the bass into the Wattson, then into the power amp in, it feedbacks like crazy.

 

[labeledbass]

I could be wrong, but my amp doesn’t have a true effects send and return. It has a power amp in, and a preamp out.
If I plug the Wattson directly into the power amp in, none of the preamp knobs on the amp do anything. Just the master volume and that’s it. If I plug my bass straight into the power amp in, it sounds good. But if I do the bass into the Wattson, then into the power amp in, it feedbacks like crazy.

Power amp in does just that, it bypasses your amps preamp and goes straight to the power amp, your controls shouldn't do anything. Are you sure the right jacks are in the pedal? IN and OUT are oriented correct? They aren't marked so you just have to know

 

[Pedalnetics]

I could be wrong, but my amp doesn’t have a true effects send and return. It has a power amp in, and a preamp out

That is exactly what an FX send/return is (to my knowledge): between the preamp and power app. Yours just appear to be labeled differently.
Preamp-out = FX Send
Poweramp-In = FX Return

 

[Lammchop93]

Power amp in does just that, it bypasses your amps preamp and goes straight to the power amp, your controls shouldn't do anything. Are you sure the right jacks are in the pedal? IN and OUT are oriented correct? They aren't marked so you just have to know

Yes I’m 100% sure I have them correct.

 

[labeledbass]

Yes I’m 100% sure I have them correct.

What did it do when you just added it inline on the input? Is there a pad?

 

[Lammchop93]

What did it do when you just added it inline on the input? Is there a pad?

no pad. When the Wattson is in the chain, I literally have to turn the master on both the amp and pedal to almost zero, and it’s still beyond loud. If I turn it up just a little more, it squeals like crazy

 

[labeledbass]

What did it do when you just added it inline on the input? Is there a pad?

no pad. When the Wattson is in the chain, I literally have to turn the master on both the amp and pedal to almost zero, and it’s still beyond loud. If I turn it up just a little more, it squeals like crazy

What power supply you using on the pedal? Ive only gotten a squeal when somethings up with the voltage/current. I can even make it happen if I have a analog pedal that draws more current that power supply can provide

 

[Lammchop93]

What power supply you using on the pedal? Ive only gotten a squeal when somethings up with the voltage/current. I can even make it happen if I have a analog pedal that draws more current that power supply can provide

I just have the one spot that is 1700ma. My electricity in my house sometimes creates noise with pedals, but I run all of my pedal power supply’s into a furman power conditioner, but it doesn’t help much sadly.

the pedal is perfect when I run it on its own into a recording interface or headphone rig, but just doesn’t seem to be like being hooked up to my amps effects return. It sounds pretty good into the front of the amp

 

[labeledbass]

I just have the one spot that is 1700ma. My electricity in my house sometimes creates noise with pedals, but I run all of my pedal power supply’s into a furman power conditioner, but it doesn’t help much sadly.

the pedal is perfect when I run it on its own into a recording interface or headphone rig, but just doesn’t seem to be like being hooked up to my amps effects return. It sounds pretty good into the front of the amp

Yeah you might just have to run it like that. I understand what you're trying to do, I specially bought a tube power section just for that reason, but something else is wrong. And yeah, sounds like it needs an actual power conditioner/regulator to fix realy dirty power, those are crazy expensive (not bashing your furman, I even use a old rack rider myself, those real regulators are hundreds of bucks unfortunately)