The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[NKBassman]

The thing about rolling tubes (of the same type) that kinda surprised me the most was that the tonal differences between many of the different vintage tubes was not nearly as big as I expected... the differences ARE real, but they're also really subtle. The biggest actual difference I notice is when driving the tubes hard: some go into distortion noticeably earlier or later than others, and I often hear a bigger difference in the character of their distortion more than any of their tonal differences played clean. (But that's just to MY ears...)

A lot of people claim that good condition vintage tubes will give thousands more hours of life than modern production tubes will; but I've never found anyone that's ever kept remotely accurate track of how many hours any given tube was played before failure. Also, the numbers on "early" failures are deceptive too because most of the still existing old stock tubes have already been QC sorted through in the secondary market in a way that new production tubes haven't been, so no clue if it's actually true or not.

Tube rolling can be an interesting (and expensive) sub-hobby, but don't expect anything dramatic and don't invest too much into it; unless you really like the early/late distortion of one tube versus another, the tonal difference is usually about the same as trying different manufacturers strings of the same gauge and type.

This has been my experience over the years as well. My conclusion: tube rolling, in general, just isn't worth the effort or the expense for me personally. YMMV of course.

 

[DrHooper]

I would expect superior electronics on a car from 2917.

I like to think by 2917 we won't need cars.
But Toyota will probably make a heck of a teleporter

 

[MTN.bass72]

I would expect superior electronics on a car from 2917.

Beat me to it..

 

[4Mal]

I would expect superior electronics on a car from 2917.

sigh...

buncha...

 

[NKBassman]

sigh...

low hanging comedic fruit.

 

[bassbrad]

Perhaps we should get back on subject.

 

[Jim C]

Preamp Tubes?
Old (but good) Telefunken's FTW.

I'm having good luck with used Sonata's that the kids pay me back for.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Well I have good news and bad news, particularly for @bassbrad The good news is I got the first Smoke Signal II wired up and the tone is fabulous, absolutely everything I wanted Smoke Signal to be. The cleans are richer and fuller, the dirt is more focused and smooth, it sounds great on both bass and guitar.

The bad news is it has a power supply issue. I didn't notice it while I was playing, but it has a thumpy low frequency oscillation that I need to trace down and get rid of. So I'm on the right track with Smoke Signal II, but it will not be ready for May ordering as I had hoped. I'm going to need some more time to make sure I get it right. Man, it is close though.

 

[bassbrad]

Well I have good news and bad news, particularly for @bassbrad The good news is I got the first Smoke Signal II wired up and the tone is fabulous, absolutely everything I wanted Smoke Signal to be. The cleans are richer and fuller, the dirt is more focused and smooth, it sounds great on both bass and guitar.

The bad news is it has a power supply issue. I didn't notice it while I was playing, but it has a thumpy low frequency oscillation that I need to trace down and get rid of. So I'm on the right track with Smoke Signal II, but it will not be ready for May ordering as I had hoped. I'm going to need some more time to make sure I get it right. Man, it is close though.

View attachment 4638796

Progress report received, keep up the good work, I shall temper my impatience.

 

[s_wood]

Put me on the impatience list for the SS V2!

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Put me on the impatience list for the SS V2!

You and me both I'm hoping I just have a bad solder connection somewhere that I can fix to get past the issue, I would hate to have to do a redesign when it's so close.

I also have a handwired layout of the same Smoke Signal II circuit, I may wire that up anyway to see if it runs with the same issue or if it's just on the SMD board.

 

[Patchman777]

The only PDR I'm familiar with is the Physicians Desk Reference. A valuable tool for many, especially back in the '70s.

View attachment 4541952

The book came in very handy.

 

[ahbass2500]

Someone here needs to buy the cheap Sunnday Drive X that is on Reverb right now so I do not have to. I do not need it, but am very close to buying anyway.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Someone here needs to buy the cheap Sunnday Drive X that is on Reverb right now so I do not have to. I do not need it, but am very close to buying anyway.

I just got a message with a couple questions about Sunnday Drive, I'm assuming the questioner was considering it. I discontinued Sunnday Drive not because it isn't cool but because it never got the interest or attention the others did. I love Sunnday Drive and I think it's a killer sounding pedal with a lot of range.

 

[johnk_10]

I just got a message with a couple questions about Sunnday Drive, I'm assuming the questioner was considering it. I discontinued Sunnday Drive not because it isn't cool but because it never got the interest or attention the others did. I love Sunnday Drive and I think it's a killer sounding pedal with a lot of range.

well, i just bought it. i love Sunn amps and hope it sounds like one.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

As a designer of electronics, I take my responsibility seriously to stay up-to-date with the latest technology that affects the way we make music. In my recent studies I came across a new device called the “transistor” that makes tubes completely obsolete. It solves every problem tubes have and is completely superior in every way. As such Sushi Box FX will no longer develop, build, or sell tube-based products and will devote all research and development efforts to exploring ways the transistor can be used.

I’ve been able to explore a couple applications of this new transistor technology in a handful of designs so far, and I have a couple of each available for sale, you can check them out here Pedals – Sushi Box FX I’m looking forward to learning more about this exciting new technology and offering more transistor-based devices in the future.

 

[johnk_10]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

As a designer of electronics, I take my responsibility seriously to stay up-to-date with the latest technology that affects the way we make music. In my recent studies I came across a new device called the “transistor” that makes tubes completely obsolete. It solves every problem tubes have and is completely superior in every way. As such Sushi Box FX will no longer develop, build, or sell tube-based products and will devote all research and development efforts to exploring ways the transistor can be used.

I’ve been able to explore a couple applications of this new transistor technology in a handful of designs so far, and I have a couple of each available for sale, you can check them out here Pedals – Sushi Box FX I’m looking forward to learning more about this exciting new technology and offering more transistor-based devices in the future.

if you're serious- bummer!

 

[gtirard]

if you're serious- bummer!

In France, we call that an "April's fish", in that case I would call it an April sushi.

 

[gonzkal]

In France, we call that an "April's fish", in that case I would call it an April sushi.

Sushi d'avril!

 

[johnk_10]

In France, we call that an "April's fish", in that case I would call it an April sushi.

thank god!