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Thumpinator: day 1

#82
FretNoMore said:
It's designed to cut low frequencies below that of the B string, not affect the actual sound you want to hear. Maybe you would be helped by an EQ to lower the volume of your lowest notes, or possibly a compressor. Or maybe you actually need a different speaker cabinet that can handle those low frequencies at volume.
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Isn't that assuming that those extraneous frequencies below the B don't affect the speakers ability to produce the B?
 
#87
With every note you play on the bass, the instant you take your finger across the string or impact the string with your thumb, there are a few milliseconds when the string's waveform forms up and there is a lot going on way way down low. That is where I notice the biggest difference. All my attacks on high and low notes are way cleaner, with no mud. Just pure note.

I think the audible tone differences described here may be due a combination of your speakers being more efficient and your ears hearing the whole signal sounding tighter. I swear my totally transparent HPF (I spectrograph'd it) makes my highs sound more crisp and hi-fi but I bet it's my ears telling me everything is tighter (I have the F-Deck btw).
 
#88
bongomania said:
I'm not even sure what you mean. Maybe you are thinking this filter has a shallow slope, like a regular EQ?
Click to expand...

No I'm saying without the thumpinator you have extraneous sub frequencies. Could they affect a speakers ability to handle the fundamental of a low B. And that with one you would remove those frequencies there for lessening the burden on the driver allowing it to be more efficient at that B. All thats assuming your driver and cabinet can handle 30hz.
 
#90
I had one of these and sold it as money was a bit tight, thinking about getting another now.

Has anyone had experience using this with lower tunings? I sometimes drop my low B down to A and wonder if there will be a noticeable change to that note, I had emailed Max from SFX and he said it is too low for the filter but I probably wouldn't notice a difference as most cabs can't replicate these frequencies anyway.

Any first hand experience?
 
#91
Low A is 27.5 hz. That is the corner frequency of this filter. Most cabs start rolling off an octave or so above that.

I doubt the fundamental frequencies of any bass notes will be a problem for most pro bass systems. But the undertones, handling noise, and subsonics that our amps are using a ton of power to try to push through to our speakers can affect the audible portion of our signal at several different points. YMMV
 
#93
Ive been swapping it in/out and into different positions in my chain with this ridiculous bypass switcher/ order flipper/8 jack contraption I made. I keep considering selling it ( the thumpinator ) viewing it as a transparent piece of gear and a decent value holder, but everytime I take it out of the chain everything sounds like muddy boo boo, house and ampwise
 
#94
eddododo said:
Ive been swapping it in/out and into different positions in my chain with this ridiculous bypass switcher/ order flipper/8 jack contraption I made. I keep considering selling it ( the thumpinator ) viewing it as a transparent piece of gear and a decent value holder, but everytime I take it out of the chain everything sounds like muddy boo boo, house and ampwise
Click to expand...

So where in your chain did you find it to work best?
 
#95
fishtx said:
So where in your chain did you find it to work best?
Click to expand...

It kind of depends what im using that day, pedal/gearwise..

I typically like it after my pedals before my D.I, but Ive had good results BEFORE my whole chain as well..

I like it before anything that's envelope/dynamically responsive- REALLY makes my Digi Bass Synth Wah behave a little more usably, and I've had some success with making my fuzzes less overwhelming by putting it before them.
If I am just using, say, an eq and D.I., I would put it last.
With most compressors, I would use it Before the compressor; it REALLY makes the threshold easier to use and more consistent throughout various volumes and dynamics.

As I said, I tend to just put it last, but I am finding I like it before 'responsive' pedals a lot

The loop-box has seen more active use at home, where it is hard for me to TRULY analyze much of my gear at such low volumes. I tried to use it to move around the Thumpinator live, but it caused a lot of eq/level issues to move around something so dramatic.
 
#96
OK so I posted this over on the SFX appreciation thread too, but since this thread is specific to the Thumpinator, I thought I would comment here as well...

I received my Thumpinator yesterday, and I put it on the board last night (PT-Mini). I was hoping it would mount under the board, but there was not enough room (so it's on top with the rest of my pedals. My current chain goes like this:

TBP tuner -> Thumpinator -> Octron -> RC Booster -> B3K -> Chorus -> Flanger

I wasn't expecting to "hear" any real differences in my sound, but I think I do...My initial impression is it sounds "tighter"...more focused somehow...Almost slightly compressed....I've heard others say their tone seems "less muddy"...yeah maybe this as well...I have a gig tonight and will be using this board., and should have a better picture of how it effects my overall sound in the band mix (and not just noodling at home)..
 
#97
eddododo said:
It kind of depends what im using that day, pedal/gearwise..

I typically like it after my pedals before my D.I, but Ive had good results BEFORE my whole chain as well..

I like it before anything that's envelope/dynamically responsive- REALLY makes my Digi Bass Synth Wah behave a little more usably, and I've had some success with making my fuzzes less overwhelming by putting it before them.
If I am just using, say, an eq and D.I., I would put it last.
With most compressors, I would use it Before the compressor; it REALLY makes the threshold easier to use and more consistent throughout various volumes and dynamics.

As I said, I tend to just put it last, but I am finding I like it before 'responsive' pedals a lot

The loop-box has seen more active use at home, where it is hard for me to TRULY analyze much of my gear at such low volumes. I tried to use it to move around the Thumpinator live, but it caused a lot of eq/level issues to move around something so dramatic.
Click to expand...

Have you found it messes with any fuzzes? I have a microthump, and an oscillating fuzz that needs my bass' impedance to sound right.
 
#98
What is an excellent alternative to this pedal? Or even a good one? Ive been wanting a thupminator for a long time but just keep forgetting about it when I have the money. I would like more than just the thump to choose from when I pull the trigger for something like this. Thanks!
 
#99
gregmon79 said:
What is an excellent alternative to this pedal? Or even a good one? Ive been wanting a thupminator for a long time but just keep forgetting about it when I have the money. I would like more than just the thump to choose from when I pull the trigger for something like this. Thanks!
Click to expand...

An alternative would be the HPF Pre from fedck.
 
#100
gregmon79 said:
What is an excellent alternative to this pedal? Or even a good one? Ive been wanting a thupminator for a long time but just keep forgetting about it when I have the money. I would like more than just the thump to choose from when I pull the trigger for something like this. Thanks!
Click to expand...

The FDeck HPF-Pre is an alternative, primarily intended for upright acoustic basses but appropriate for electric bass guitar or electric upright bass as well. See https://sites.google.com/site/hpftechllc/ as well as this TB thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/fdecks-hpf-865291/

I have one, as well as a microThumpinator, but I haven't taken the time to compare them. I'm not sure I will, as my new rig doesn't appear to need or benefit from an HPF, so I may divest one or both in the new future.)
 

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