It should do! It'll perhaps lower the amount of gain overall, in addition, if that's something you don't mind.
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The Sushi Box FX Secret Society
- Thread starter kranahan
- Start date
It should do! It'll perhaps lower the amount of gain overall, in addition, if that's something you don't mind.
For some reason I didn't put a trimpot in that one, I don't really know why, it definitely is a hot output. Changing either of the tubes for lower gain will help lower the output, but V1 would probably have the biggest impact as both stages are being used for gain, whereas 1/2 of V2 is used as an output buffer.
I would start with a 12AT7 for a 40% reduction in gain and see where that gets you. I would be hesitant to take it as far as a 12AU7 unless you're looking for completely clean with little to no breakup.
I rolled a 12AU7 in both V1 and V2. V1 was a bit milder on the saturation it was never 'clean' great rocking tone and it gave me a bit more play on dialing saturation. In V2 I didn't care for the sound at all. I did not try a 12AU7 in both however.
Fun with trimpots!
I got my beautiful burnt orange Slampegg Bee Pre back along with the PA a couple weeks ago, and re-mounted it to the big board. The new white LED looks great under the blue knobs!
However, upon dialing it in, I discovered it had lost the ability to get wooly at high gain.
Opening 'er up, I saw an irresistable trimpot and had a screwdriver on it within seconds.
What it seems to do is: if I crank it, I get more volume, but cleaner volume at all Gain settings, and some artifacts kicking in. Dialing it back to zero, things get super quiet, but there's also a lot of hair when Gain is dimed.
I've found a setting where if Volume is dimed and Gain is roughly halfway up, I can achieve unity volume and cleanish pushed-tube tonal nirvana, with cranking the Gain adding some quality dirt.
Am I doing anything problematic messing with that trimpot? Also, is that behavior of getting unity at Gain=5, Vol=10, EQ roughly flat or mildly set, pretty normal? It's been a while, and I know it's not a high-output pedal, so maybe I just need some reassurance since it did spend time getting tossed around trucks....
I got my beautiful burnt orange Slampegg Bee Pre back along with the PA a couple weeks ago, and re-mounted it to the big board. The new white LED looks great under the blue knobs!
However, upon dialing it in, I discovered it had lost the ability to get wooly at high gain.
Opening 'er up, I saw an irresistable trimpot and had a screwdriver on it within seconds.
What it seems to do is: if I crank it, I get more volume, but cleaner volume at all Gain settings, and some artifacts kicking in. Dialing it back to zero, things get super quiet, but there's also a lot of hair when Gain is dimed.
I've found a setting where if Volume is dimed and Gain is roughly halfway up, I can achieve unity volume and cleanish pushed-tube tonal nirvana, with cranking the Gain adding some quality dirt.
Am I doing anything problematic messing with that trimpot? Also, is that behavior of getting unity at Gain=5, Vol=10, EQ roughly flat or mildly set, pretty normal? It's been a while, and I know it's not a high-output pedal, so maybe I just need some reassurance since it did spend time getting tossed around trucks....
YES.
Per the FAQ on the website: "If you have an older pedal like a mini tube pedal or one of the earlier X-series pedals then it is for adjusting the high voltage supplied to the tubes. Before the pedal was shipped, it was set at a specific value. If you really think you want to mess with this, please reach out to me."
If you have it set too high for too long you will damage the pedal. Best case scenario the capacitors will fail first and the pedal will stop working. Worst case the caps will fail short and the tube will die.
Crap! Ok yeah it's been a while for real. Well... on the upside, it was very nearly maxed when I went in, and is now at a lower setting than it was initially. Not a ton lower, maybe 10º of rotation to the left. I photographed it before so could restore it if needed.
Needs a couple adjustments before it's production-capable again, but the hard part is over.
To make things more interesting, putting the Slampegg back on the board and taking it to rehearsal... suddenly it was boosting hugely with the volume dimed. Weird! I'd let it warm up plenty prior both at home and at rehearsal, but it was not behaving the same way. All good either way, really, esp with the new footswitch.
But if dialing the trimpot slightly down earlier is alright, then I'm a happy puppy bc I dialed in some awesome dirt tonight, including running a fuzz circuit (Wren and Cuff Your Face 70s Silicon fuzz face clone) into it to spectacular effect, no pun intended.
But if dialing the trimpot slightly down earlier is alright, then I'm a happy puppy bc I dialed in some awesome dirt tonight, including running a fuzz circuit (Wren and Cuff Your Face 70s Silicon fuzz face clone) into it to spectacular effect, no pun intended.
Got my UA in the mail today. Yay! On the small board and dialed in with 2 wireless rx driving an sFx MicroMix into the tuner, UA, M87 Comp and Spectrum. Seems like a great combo. Just have to remember to turn the volume down before putting bass on it's stand and picking up the other...
Gigs this weekend need 4 and 5 string basses. This oughta work...
Gigs this weekend need 4 and 5 string basses. This oughta work...
I received my new Slampegg Bee last week and I really like it a lot. I immediately installed a triode matched JJ 12AU7 in it and it sounds absolutely superb, I'm getting excellent clean tube gain without distortion. I also have a UA on the board with a 12AU7 and now I have the choice of either tone stack but instead I'm experimenting by using the UA as a Space Heater to give additional tube warmth to the signal chain. I'm using a Finally DA at the very end of the signal path for my 1/4" and XLR out. I have all of my pedals set at unity or what I deem it as the same volume level when the pedal is on or off. I'm totally impressed with all of the Sushi Box FX, Nathan is doing a great job and is a benevolent innovator. We're really lucky to have his great products and support.
I know I've suggested a Spector HAZ Sushi pedal before, but this popped up in another thread courtesy of @AgingEngineer. The schematic and description of what makes this preamp special may be of interest if @Sushi Box FX ever decides he needs another distraction from is already full plate of work.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Update: pedalboard plugged in at home doing some choreography sketches for tonight... and the Slampegg is back to having to be dimed to achieve unity.
Difference: last night, it was plugged into the Landfill (our rehearsal/recording studio)'s Ashdown 2x10. Here, I've been plugging into a Behringer Xenyx 1204... which does not have hi-z inputs, only line in, presumably low-impedance.
The Slampegg being the second-to-last pedal in the chain both times (followed by a TC Ditto), is the input impedance of the destination what's causing the change in behavior?
Difference: last night, it was plugged into the Landfill (our rehearsal/recording studio)'s Ashdown 2x10. Here, I've been plugging into a Behringer Xenyx 1204... which does not have hi-z inputs, only line in, presumably low-impedance.
The Slampegg being the second-to-last pedal in the chain both times (followed by a TC Ditto), is the input impedance of the destination what's causing the change in behavior?
It's possible, I'll have to look at the specs for the Xenyx. Have you tried/can you try a D.I. box to see if it helps?
Yup! Kinda out of time for the evening but tomorrow I can test with my RNDI and Quilter InterBass (both the Input and the FX Return, which should be lower impedance). And for thoroughness' sake, I'll test it on the 'board and isolated. I'm always down to do a little bit of science
Everyone: It's been a couple months since Nathan has done any custom orders, I wonder what he's been doing with that extra free time. Hopefully not something stupid.
Me:
Me:
@Sushi Box FX If there isn't a space being routed in that control cavity for some preamp tubes, I'm leaving!
Looks like a beauty slice of wood you've got there, sir. Hope she's coming along to your liking
Looks like a beauty slice of wood you've got there, sir. Hope she's coming along to your liking
