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Zoom B3 As Preamp

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#941
Doley50 said:
While I was really impressed running my B3 direct, lately I have been really disappointed !
Last night I realized somehow I had the pre/post button selected to pre this out puts the signal before the FX.
Duh!!!!

sometimes I do stupid things, and sometimes I realize that it was stupid!
Click to expand...

Almost always now, I use my own external DI box for XLR out between the B3's L/MONO 1/4" out and my power amp for a few reasons:

1. It eliminates the accidental PRE/POST setting

2. Third-party FOH sound guys will be less wary if they see a real DI box

3. As the B3's XLR out is very hot when the B3 is driving a power amp via 1/4" out, I can engage the DI box's -20dB pad and tame the signal
 
#942
The DI works fine for me as I run ampless in the same venue every week, so I know that the levels are perfect and so do the PA guys (it's actually the PA team leader's B3 I'm using at the moment).

But yeah, I've played a whole set with the pre button on before!
 
#943
CharlieC said:
I typically don't do this, but 'tis the season of giving :-)

Tweak EQ to taste/room

Cheers!

rock_mon.gif
Click to expand...

I dig a lot the BB preamp too.
The drive is very nice and effective (I love the way it sounds on the highs : it adds a lot of presence) and according to the way you set gain you can achieve many different tones.

We may have similar sounds :) (except that I prefer lighter picks. Doesn't sound as fat as the thick ones, but more soft for the hand when I play fast tunes)

I just prefered to put back my VT bass instead of the SVT model because I couldn't find the perfect way to match the sim cab and my amp.
Without cab sim : too much high end (no roll off of the highs). With it I can't dial well with the midscoop. But it's due mainly to the fact that I plug my B3 in a bass amp with a bass speaker, so not to a system with a flat response.
And the VT, that I set with a very light drive, cuts the trebles above 5 kHZ (kind of speaker sim, but without big dip in the mids) -> the BB sounds awesome.

I am making some tries with the Tube Screamer because I think it's capable of great tones, but I still have problems to keep a good low end with it and to reduce in the good way the boost in the mids (on its own I find it sounding very very honky).

Anyway, I made 3 patches with different levels of gain on the BB preamp, coupled to the parametric to manage the low lows cut if the room needs it + the Booster.
Like that I can cover my main needs, and I'm happy : big big sound !!!

I was so happy with my tone that yesterday I closed my eyes while we were playing (just to listen) and almost fell because my feet get trapped in the cables lying on the floor :D
 
#944
silky smoove said:
Funk slap you say? The easy answer is to load up the Marcus Miller patch, and tweak it to your taste. There's also a slap patch, but it's way too sparkly up top and thin in the middle to serve as a starting point for my taste.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I tried that patch and it did the job well. My one problem was pressing a wrong button or two and losing the settings for the EQ pedal on that patch. Would anyone be able to let me know what the default setting is? I think it's patch F2.
 
#950
SoVeryTired said:
Thank you! I've got the B3 with me for the week so I'll fix it tonight. I only lost the EQ so I'll just change that manually - but it's a good lesson to back the patches up when I get my own B3.
Click to expand...

You can download the stock patch set from zoom using the edit & share software and then drop them back into your B3 one by one, so it's not something you need to be massively paranoid about though....
 
#953
Push It Real Good

The amp models in the B3 and MS-60B really come alive with healthy input signals.

The Xotic RC Booster simulation is just the ticket to help get you there should your bass output require a clean push. Place it right before your favorite amp model and you may be tempted to leave it on full-time.

rc_boost.jpg
 
#954
Tube Dirt Addition

As good as they are, the amp models in the B3 and MS-60B saturate and compress well, but none really provide the expected breakup at high gain.

The Xotic BB Preamp simulation and the settings I suggest will give good dirt, and with the 50% Blend value, your original tone and string attack will not get lost in a sloppy mess. Place it right before your favorite amp model.

bb_pre.jpg
 
#955
Firstly, thank you to you all for the various threads regarding the B3, especially this one! I have never learned so much about a pedal whilst at work!

If I am permitted, I have a question that I would like to ask the Zoom Gurus, as I have a few concerts coming up (starting next week) and I really need to spend the little time I have before the concert working on patches rather than set up.

I am thinking of doing the following:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

So I would be permanantly sending a signal to the B2, to use as a tuner (always muted), and the A/B pedal would let me choose between Bass direct into B3 or switch to the output of B2, which would mute, but I could also add an extra effect from the B2 by unmuting.

I posted this in another thread, but it was pointed out that I may have issues with tone and vol loss by splitting the signal, especially when using a passive bass (I use both).

If I used the B2 route in bypass mode when plugging in a passive bass, would this save the tone/vol issues, bringing it up to active level?

I was thinking of building a pedal like this:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The other alternative that crosses my mind would be to use the XLR out to FOH, the mono/L to my rig (powered amp>pa cab+sub) and the R output to the Zoom B2 for an always active tuner, but that limits the functionality of the B2, and means that to mute while tuning I would have to use the B3 tuner anyway.

Any and all input would be GREATLY appreciated!
 
#957
My main reason is so I have the tuner always on (even during playing).

My other thought was that it would give me an extra "effect" from the B2 when wanted. But if this is a bad idea, I will just leave the B2 unused.
 
#958
JACink said:
My main reason is so I have the tuner always on (even during playing).

My other thought was that it would give me an extra "effect" from the B2 when wanted. But if this is a bad idea, I will just leave the B2 unused.
Click to expand...

Welcome, JACink!

I would highly suggest you leave the B2 unused, but if you absolutely needed the always-on tuner, I would try wiring from Bass to B2 (Bypassed) and then to the B3, eliminating the Y-splitter and custom foot switch.

Cheers!
 
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