Hi- My Yamahiko single is too hot to manage easily via gain staging. Someone suggested I put a pre inline. But this strategy only moves the issue from my AI Clarus SL-2 to the Fishman Platinum pre-amp I have here. I’m growing tired of fussing with the region between first click or two of the gain nob to avoid overdrive. Anyone got an affordable solution? Thanks!
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Double Bass Yamahiko: Single sensor too hot!
- Thread starter fasternak
- Start date
I ran into the same thing, get an F-deck HPF buffer. It has a vol pot, its a good solution to several common problems, and wont break the bank.
Thanks for responding, Grant. This won’t simply move my issue to the first couple of clicks of the gain nob on the F-deck HPF? I need something that will spread the limited range of gain control that I have now over a larger circumference of the dial. Or, I need some sort of adapter that will knock the voltage down to standard line level (I am over my head here - know next to nothing about electronics).
It will add a gain stage and will raise your impedance which is generaly benificial. The pot doesn't have detents so its a smooth curve. IME I set the gain on my amp to where I am accustomed and then I back off the the vol pot on the F-Deck to a point just before I get the OD light flicker on my amp. Also cutting the ULows can help reduce that OD and generaly clean up your signal and improve punch while filling out the lows. Takes a bit of trial and error but I find that it doesn't have to be overthought. I hope that helps
by "Also cutting the ULows" I mean the HPF. it's on a pot so you can easily set and change on the fly where the Ulows get filtered out. This can generally clear up your sound I find by saving your amp processing unnecessary frequencies which can choke your signal and cause it to OD earlier.
Where do you find these things, Grant? They don’t appear to be widely available. I did find something that looks like the manufacture’s site. Like to get a second doctor’s opinion. But can’t find contact info (or price) on site. The order form is blank. Strikes me as a a bit sketchy. Anyone else make these things?
I did a little more research here. I think I understand how to get a hold of and order from fdeck.
Here's a link to the manufacturers page. Hes a small business guy and I have no business relationship with him at all aside from the fact that I bought one of his products. There are other products that will do the same thing, but I've never tried one. I hope this works out for you!
HPF-Pre, updated December 15, 2019 - hpftechllc
High impedance sources can be attenuated by capacitors. (Resistors would be bad for the high input impedance).
Too capacitors in series from piezo signal to ground, grabbing the volume reduced. Signal in between the capacitors and send the ground forward.
I have no idea about the capacitor values, perhaps in the nF range.
Too capacitors in series from piezo signal to ground, grabbing the volume reduced. Signal in between the capacitors and send the ground forward.
I have no idea about the capacitor values, perhaps in the nF range.
Same situation I ran into. The F deck solved the problem for me. Highly recommended!
For another customer, I got some data from Yamahiko. A simplistic model of a piezo pickup is a voltage source in series with a capacitor. So one of the two capacitors for a capacitive voltage divider is already there. Adding another capacitor in parallel should reduce the gain. 2200 pF will give about 15 dB of reduction.
Wouldn't this exacerbate the need for high input impedance in order to get good low frequency response? Or am I thinking backwards?
Seems this is just what I need. And I’d love to get a hold of one of these with the recommended modification. I know how to use a soldering iron and little more. What are the risks of adding the capacitor myself? Could I damage my AI Clarus SL-2 amp with a poorly modified unit? Also wondering about the difference in performance between the 2nd and 3rd editions. I’m a jazz musician. And transparency is important to me. Which unit do you recommend? Thanks in advance!
You can simply solder the capacitor from hot to ground.
If you want that to be removable, just make a short cable with jack and plug and solder the capacitor on either jack or plug side from hot to ground.
If you want that to be removable, just make a short cable with jack and plug and solder the capacitor on either jack or plug side from hot to ground.
For DB Francis recommends version 1 or 2 (with battery check, otherwise mostly the same as version 1) of the HPFpre, version 3 was developed for bass guitar and has a fixed additional highpass to the variable one from the earlier versions. I’m not completely sure but I think battery consumption might be higher too for version 3.
You can add the capacitor to the input jack of the HPFpre, but I would test the best capacitor value for your application with an adapter cable first. And it would be a good idea to make the capacitor switchable (add a switch on the hot side of the capacitor) to be able to use the HPFpre as intended and without the modification (switch in series with the capacitor).
You can add the capacitor to the input jack of the HPFpre, but I would test the best capacitor value for your application with an adapter cable first. And it would be a good idea to make the capacitor switchable (add a switch on the hot side of the capacitor) to be able to use the HPFpre as intended and without the modification (switch in series with the capacitor).
I appreciate this DM. But you’re talking to an idiot with a soldering iron. Any reason why I can’t do what you recommend with a box and two 1/4 jacks? Can you post a schematic diagram here by any chance? The FDeck pre is attractive. But I’m not certain I need the filter. I have a low-cut filter on my AI Clarus. Can HPF do a better job? I’m guessing here, but it seems all I need to do is reduce the signal from the pickup. Will your cable mod do this? Or, do you still think I need FDeck’s Pre and the additional capacitor to get the job done?
You don’t need the HPFpre. But you have asked.
It doesn’t matter if you use a box with two jacks or build it into a short extension cable. I just thought the short extension cable is the cheapest and easiest way for something removable.
You can even solder the capacitor into your normal cable on either side.
Depending on the type of capacitor it might not fit into the jack/plug, then you might need a box.
The capacitor goes from tip (hot) to sleeve (ground) anywhere on the way to your amp. Do you really need a schematic for that?
It doesn’t matter if you use a box with two jacks or build it into a short extension cable. I just thought the short extension cable is the cheapest and easiest way for something removable.
You can even solder the capacitor into your normal cable on either side.
Depending on the type of capacitor it might not fit into the jack/plug, then you might need a box.
The capacitor goes from tip (hot) to sleeve (ground) anywhere on the way to your amp. Do you really need a schematic for that?
