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The Sushi Box FX Secret Society
- Thread starter kranahan
- Start date
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,636
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
just ordered an underground accelerator.
A UA replaced the FET-F2B I've been using and loving for years.
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,636
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
i already have an early Sushibox mini-tube version of the London Underground that has a modified tone stack (which is, IIRC, is basically a mini-tube version of the UA) and I love it, but i also like the fact that the new PA has a tone stack bypass switch allowing it to do double duty as a Space Heater
If my HW Slampegg or older UA are plugged in, but the tube/LED isn't glowing, are they still drawing power? I only ask because when I returned from the long weekend, the UA felt warmer than my other pedals. My imagination?
Yes, the pedal itself powers the tubes at all times its plugged in. As tubes take a bit to warm up, it doesn't wait for you to stomp to start warming up.
The led is on when the signal itself is routing through the pedal, but as long as live power is plugged in, it's powering the tube(s).
*Edit - that said, you didn't do damage to the pedal or anything. Maybe shaved some life off the tube, but nothing more then that
Last edited:
I just received the UA handwired, and I played with it a bit, with a passive Suhr J-bass. Anyone have any advice on settings? I want to be more enthralled than I am… I was going to put in a last minute order for a Slampegg but figure now I will wait.
Bass at 9 o’clock
Mids on full
Treble off
Turn the Gain up to get you desired level of grit. I have my HW Space Heater at 3 o’clock.
Then set the Level to your desired volume level.
It's as flat as it'll get with mids maxed and bass & treble "off" (at 0). My 02: start from there and get the gain to where you get the warmth (or fur or frank OD) you want, then make small changes in bass or treble to taste. If you're running it in front of an amp, use the amp's mid control to boost mids as/ if desired. If you also have a HPF, set that relatively high (around 60-80Hz) and goose the bass
These are the settings I start every test at because I like the way it sounds:
Treble: 12 o'clock
Mids: full clockwise
Bass: 12 o'clock
Gain: 12 o'clock
Nice and beefy clean with just a hair of grit depending on what's plugged into it.
Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to reply! I wasn’t kicking in much mids and was giving a good bit more bass than needed. Makes a big difference!
September ordering is now closed. Total size of the batch will be 23 builds.
It's a passive circuit and there is no way for it to actually boost mids-most it will do is get 'em flat (see my post above). If you start boosting both lows and highs you get a mid scoop, which varies in freq depending what is boosted and by how much.
Quick review of the UA : amazing !
You know when your signal chain is already great to you and you're chasing that 1% of improvement over each purchase or adjustment ? And sometimes you stumble upon something that contributes a bit more than expected.
I run it with the master level maxed out, going into my Torpedo Cab M at line level (the Cab M has an input meter for monitoring the input level and I'm quite close to the max that way), mids on full, boosting the highs quite a bit and lows slightly, it tightens the sounds in a very pleasant way (with certain configurations of the pickups in series there's some beefiness but also a slight muddiness, it helps balancing that out).
It's like everyone says, it adds some dimension and authority to the sound, and definitely some sparkle without the ear piercing highs. It made me turn the power amp sim of the Cab M off for the time being, which is a good thing (less processing = less noise), it sounds just right that way
Will see how it does at band practice.
I did notice some strange wobbling sounds with the UA right before the Cab M when setting the Cab M at the high impedance / high sensitivity input (instrument level), but everything is good with the line level setting, and since it's the way I wanted to use it anyways I don't care at all !
The mandatory picture
Great work @Sushi Box FX
You know when your signal chain is already great to you and you're chasing that 1% of improvement over each purchase or adjustment ? And sometimes you stumble upon something that contributes a bit more than expected.
I run it with the master level maxed out, going into my Torpedo Cab M at line level (the Cab M has an input meter for monitoring the input level and I'm quite close to the max that way), mids on full, boosting the highs quite a bit and lows slightly, it tightens the sounds in a very pleasant way (with certain configurations of the pickups in series there's some beefiness but also a slight muddiness, it helps balancing that out).
It's like everyone says, it adds some dimension and authority to the sound, and definitely some sparkle without the ear piercing highs. It made me turn the power amp sim of the Cab M off for the time being, which is a good thing (less processing = less noise), it sounds just right that way
Will see how it does at band practice.
I did notice some strange wobbling sounds with the UA right before the Cab M when setting the Cab M at the high impedance / high sensitivity input (instrument level), but everything is good with the line level setting, and since it's the way I wanted to use it anyways I don't care at all !
The mandatory picture
Great work @Sushi Box FX
Quick review of the UA : amazing !
You know when your signal chain is already great to you and you're chasing that 1% of improvement over each purchase or adjustment ? And sometimes you stumble upon something that contributes a bit more than expected.
I run it with the master level maxed out, going into my Torpedo Cab M at line level (the Cab M has an input meter for monitoring the input level and I'm quite close to the max that way), mids on full, boosting the highs quite a bit and lows slightly, it tightens the sounds in a very pleasant way (with certain configurations of the pickups in series there's some beefiness but also a slight muddiness, it helps balancing that out).
It's like everyone says, it adds some dimension and authority to the sound, and definitely some sparkle without the ear piercing highs. It made me turn the power amp sim of the Cab M off for the time being, which is a good thing (less processing = less noise), it sounds just right that way
Will see how it does at band practice.
I did notice some strange wobbling sounds with the UA right before the Cab M when setting the Cab M at the high impedance / high sensitivity input (instrument level), but everything is good with the line level setting, and since it's the way I wanted to use it anyways I don't care at all !
The mandatory picture
Great work @Sushi Box FX
Holy smokes! With that TS switch set to bypass that thing must be insanely loud with the gain and master levels set like that! When I first got mine I tried setting it like that for testing and it was like drinking from a fire hose.
I think so ! I'm getting ~12dB of additional gain when set this way compared to the bypass volume. The Cab M does also have a -24dB input setting (designed for a power amp output), makes me want to try things
Finally got around to putting some artwork in the DIY Space Heater build. If anyone remembers the thread a while back about the AI artwork... that's what I used for my design. Just threw in a bunch of keywords, picked a look, and this is what came out. I thought it was kinda cool, so I decided to use it.
With that and a few fancy dress nuts on the stomp switch and the top jacks, it turned out pretty cool.
With that and a few fancy dress nuts on the stomp switch and the top jacks, it turned out pretty cool.
+1
@XLunacy - Interesting "fire hose" settings. lol
Curiosity:
What's the silver pedal/red rings in your photo?
5sg.
It's a Hotone Xtomp! It's used when I want an effect that I hardly ever have the need for, so I can't justify having one on my board (delay, modulation, bit crusher, octaver and the likes)+1
@XLunacy - Interesting "fire hose" settings. lol
Curiosity:
What's the silver pedal/red rings in your photo?
5sg.
