The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[Hasty]

I use the Hakko FX888.

Gun tips are usually too big for board work.

That’s exactly what I use as well. I feel like the temperature control on that unit is excellent to prevent damage to some of the more delicate components. I also started using a bevel tip, which makes life a little easier.

Another bonus is that unit can be completely rebuilt with parts from them directly, so in theory it should last forever. I’ve had mine for at least 8 years with no problems.

 

[Michael Vee]

I use the Hakko FX888.

I'm interested as well, so I looked up the FX888. It has been replaced by the Invalid Link Removed.

$122 and cute as a bug. I have a big analog soldering station for bigger wires, but will pick up one of these as well, based on the good recommendations here.

 

[mrperkolator]

Has anyone played through both the detective and dreamcatcher?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Has anyone played through both the detective and dreamcatcher?

It seems like most people choose one or the other, I'm probably one of the only people that has tried both.

 

[mrperkolator]

It seems like most people choose one or the other, I'm probably one of the only people that has tried both.

well I’ve read through your website (admittedly way too often) and while your descriptions are great… I haven’t played through the amps that many of those are based on. Mostly cheap practice amps and DI. So I’m miss some of the references… what are the differences?

edit: for example I’ve never played on a ampeg svt, so my opinion on one is skewed by YouTube’s audio quality…

 

[jmmyoh]

I don't have the dual pedals but I have a Dr Wattson and a UA. I love both of them but I use the drw in my band and I use the UA in my home recording setup. If I needed one of the dual pedals I would probably go for the detective.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

well I’ve read through your website (admittedly way too often) and while your descriptions are great… I haven’t played through the amps that many of those are based on. Mostly cheap practice amps and DI. So I’m miss some of the references… what are the differences?

edit: for example I’ve never played on a ampeg svt, so my opinion on one is skewed by YouTube’s audio quality…

Eventually I'll get demos of everything so I can skew people's opinions more thoroughly, but here's some more words about things:

• Clean Channel
  • Detective - equivalent to Elementary. Scooped mids, capable of staying clean but can also get some nice grit. Very solid low end, high end is smooth and not very aggressive
  • Dreamcatcher - equivalent to Underground Accelerator. Typical fender tonestack, mids are cut only, treble and bass are boost only. Cleaner than Elementary but still capable of getting some grit with the gain cranked. Treble control gets stronger highs content than Elementary
• Drive Channel
  • Detective - tonally very similar to its clean channel. It can get a bit more drive, but honestly not a lot more drive. It is capable of A LOT more output volume though.
  • Dreamcatacher - drive channel is an original design that is designed for BEEF. The drive channel will never get clean, and goes from mild breakup to borderline fuzz. It's designed for a thick, meaty distortion. It has the same fender tonestack as the clean channel, which allows it to be tweaked to cut through a mix.

If I had to simplify the explanations, Detective is probably the more practical of the two for a regular gigging musician, but Dreamcatcher has a wider range of tones available if you need some thicker dirt tones. Muse has been one of my favorite bands since high school, and I've always wanted a bass tone like Hysteria, Time is Running Out, etc., and Dreamcatcher gets it. In the band I play in right now, Detective is probably the better fit. But in the band I want to play in, Dreamcatcher gives me what I want.

Two different options for different types of player.

 

[mrperkolator]

Eventually I'll get demos of everything so I can skew people's opinions more thoroughly, but here's some more words about things:

• Clean Channel
  • Detective - equivalent to Elementary. Scooped mids, capable of staying clean but can also get some nice grit. Very solid low end, high end is smooth and not very aggressive
  • Dreamcatcher - equivalent to Underground Accelerator. Typical fender tonestack, mids are cut only, treble and bass are boost only. Cleaner than Elementary but still capable of getting some grit with the gain cranked. Treble control gets stronger highs content than Elementary
• Drive Channel
  • Detective - tonally very similar to its clean channel. It can get a bit more drive, but honestly not a lot more drive. It is capable of A LOT more output volume though.
  • Dreamcatacher - drive channel is an original design that is designed for BEEF. The drive channel will never get clean, and goes from mild breakup to borderline fuzz. It's designed for a thick, meaty distortion. It has the same fender tonestack as the clean channel, which allows it to be tweaked to cut through a mix.

If I had to simplify the explanations, Detective is probably the more practical of the two for a regular gigging musician, but Dreamcatcher has a wider range of tones available if you need some thicker dirt tones. Muse has been one of my favorite bands since high school, and I've always wanted a bass tone like Hysteria, Time is Running Out, etc., and Dreamcatcher gets it. In the band I play in right now, Detective is probably the better fit. But in the band I want to play in, Dreamcatcher gives me what I want.

Two different options for different types of player.

Thanks! That helps a lot. Onward into analysis paralysis….

edit: would a mid boost be possible on detective drive channel?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Thanks! That helps a lot. Onward into analysis paralysis….

edit: would a mid boost be possible on detective drive channel?

Nope, there's no way to boost mids passively in a tube circuit without an inductor-based EQ like the SVT. The Hiwatt tonestack is permanently mid-scooped, you can only "cut the mids less".

 

[jmmyoh]

Thanks! That helps a lot. Onward into analysis paralysis….

edit: would a mid boost be possible on detective drive channel?

I use a broughton resonant filter equalizer to boost my mids with my dr wattson. They sound amazing together.

 

[Thumper]

A TC Spark can boost mids and gain.

 

[lomo]

Thanks! That helps a lot. Onward into analysis paralysis….

edit: would a mid boost be possible on detective drive channel?

Just to deepen and widen the paralysis…..all these preamp channels can be further massaged by changing the stock 12ax7 tubes for lower gain options ….for eg I use a 12at7 in the hot channel on my dreamcatcher to tame it a bit…this way it can get much cleaner if/when i want.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Just to deepen and widen the paralysis…..all these preamp channels can be further massaged by changing the stock 12ax7 tubes for lower gain options ….for eg I use a 12at7 in the hot channel on my dreamcatcher to tame it a bit…this way it can get much cleaner if/when i want.

Also an excellent point. There are some things I designed to be able to overdrive, but people use 12AT7 or even 12AU7 to lower the gain and find tones to suit their use case. I love that people think of this.

 

[HueyFreeman]

Just be mindful that there is a give and take to tube rolling.
Yes, switching to lower gain tubes will give you more usable clean tones along the gain spectrum but will add compression the more they're pushed.

 

[johnk_10]

i ended up going with a 12AY7 for V1 in the Bass Dude to still be able have clean tone but give it a little more gain than the 12AU7 i had in it.

 

[tombowlus]

Looks great, nicely done! It's definitely a cool project, I like how the circuit sounds.

I've had a couple people ask me if I would consider doing a run of Sushi Box-built Bassdudes for people to purchase, and I'm thinking about it. NAMM is kind of overwhelming the planning center of my brain right now though, so I'm not ready to think too much about it.

NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM NAMM...

Looking forward to seeing you at NAMM!

 

[TonyP-]

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Looking forward to seeing you at NAMM!

Oh awesome, same dude!

And seriously, if anyone here is at NAMM and doesn't at least come say hi, I will be deeply offended.

 

[Parzival]

Oh awesome, same dude!

And seriously, if anyone here is at NAMM and doesn't at least come say hi, I will be deeply offended.

Wanted to go this year but waited too long to plan. We are going to go ahead and start planning for the next one so, see you in 2025. Shoot, we’ll probably have flying pedals by then.

 

[tombowlus]

Oh awesome, same dude!

And seriously, if anyone here is at NAMM and doesn't at least come say hi, I will be deeply offended.

I'll PM you, and we can work out a time to stop by and shoot some video.