Silent Fly

Hi, I would like to ask a favour to the owners of [url="http://www.catalinbread.com"]Catalinbread[/url] pedals. I'm building a booster (it is [i]not [/i]a clone of any Catalinbread pedal) in a box the same size of the smallest [url="http://www.catalinbread.com/images/pedalHyperpak.gif"]Catalinbread pedal[/url]. I am having a few problems putting everything in such a small box. I was wondering if you could send me a picture of the inside of one of these super-tiny pedals? (idealy one with 2 knobs) Thanks, Silent Fly [i]P.S. I am not a pro - I am building this pedal just for fun.[/i]

Great guy to deal with. Very fast shipment. Good communication. Super-smooth transaction.

Great bloke to deal with. Without a doubt one of the best I ever bought stuff from. Immediate shipping. Great communication.

MXR M-134 Stereo Chorus

[quote name='umph' post='116162' date='Jan 8 2008, 12:52 PM']explain how you tell if they match? this might explain why when i put new transistors in my muff it didn't work[/quote] To tell if two transistors match you need to measure the main parameters (usually just the gain). If the difference is below a certain threshold (specified by the circuit designer) the transistors are considered "matching". You may want to read [url="http://www.faqs.org/docs/electric/Semi/SEMI_4.html"]this[/url]. [i](BTW I found the link running "match transistors" in Google )[/i] If the circuit you are referring to is [url="http://www.montagar.com/~patj/bigmufpi.gif"]this[/url]. I don't think that the transistors need to be matched for the circuit to work.

[quote name='steve-norris' post='115796' date='Jan 7 2008, 09:37 PM']Any idea of the values? i think a lot of modded pedal are just swaping the input/ output caps.[/quote] I changed the in/out caps of my MXR Phase 90 clone from 0.01uF to 0.1uF (in) and from 0.05uF to 0.47uF (out). I noticed that the response at the low frequencies improved quite dramatically. I don't think there is a fixed rule. I just tried with some spare caps I had and it worked great. In some other cases it might be necessary to change the clipping diodes or some resistors in order to make the pedal more bass-friendly.

[quote name='markdavid' post='115385' date='Jan 7 2008, 01:02 PM']Can you use a G**tar Compressor pedal with a bass? (...)[/quote] You can't - the [i]Bass Police[/i] could arrest you. -- It depends. Some sound good, some don't. It depends. In principle they are the same but some guitar pedals have a smaller capacitor in the input/output stages to limit the frequency response. This compromises the response with bass.

You could try something like this: [code]Bass-->Sans Amp Bass Driver Di------>PA | (parallel out)------>Amp[/code] This should leave the sound coming from you amp unaltered and it should put a little bit of life in the sound that goes to the PA. If you need more body in the sound you get in your monitor, you can further equalize the sound to your monitor (perhaps adding a little bit of bass and cutting the midrange around 1kHz).

[quote name='bleedproof' post='108918' date='Dec 24 2007, 02:08 PM'](...) As you can see from my signature I use a 5 string Overwater J5, an Epi 310 and an EA iamp 800. I try to keep the head as flat as possible and eq as much as I can from the bass (Audere JZ3). (...)[/quote] It looks like there is nothing that stops you to get a good slap sound from your gear. It is interesting that you control your eq on the bass leaving the amp flat. I do exactly the opposite. I keep the bass flat and I control the EQ on my amp. There are a couple of reasons why I prefer to do so. First, with the bass eq flat, the preamp does not clip easily. I have maximum headroom for the effects and the compressor does not kick in unnecessarily. Secondly, if the on-board eq is flat, I always have enough spare headroom on the bass eq to correct the sound between songs. More in general, I recommend you to keep your eq (bass and amp) flat for at least 15 minutes before changing any setting. This will clean your ear from any previous sound you memorized and that can lead you to odd results. You have first class gear and in theory you should have an excellent sound without adding anything. After 15 minutes, try to find what you think you need to [i]remove[/i] from your sound. There might be a certain frequency that rings or some other that sound unpleasant. To locate and remove the offending frequency, use the parametric eq on your amp. In any case use the eq with moderation. Sometimes, if the slap sound of the bass doesn’t cut through the mix is because it collides with other instruments. Have a listen to the snare drum. It is likely that some frequencies overlap. You can ask your drummer to lower/rise the pitch of the snare or you can cut the frequencies that are the same for both instruments. Because you will cut frequencies that are in the higher part of the sound spectrum, you are able to boost (slightly) the frequencies adjacent to the frequency you cut. If for instance you cut 1.6kHz, -6dB, you can probably boost the Hi eq by a couple of dB – this should help you to cut through the mix.

I think it would help if you could tell us the bass/strings, amp and settings you use.

I have an [i]EBS Multicomp[/i] and I couldn't be happier. You may want to have a look [url="http://www.ev-b.com/compressors.html"]here[/url].

I looked at the diagrams of some circuits and I don't think silicon vs germanium is really the issue. Some circuits (as far as I know Zvex WM is one of them) use a passive filter at the beginning of the circuit. This filter changes the current that flows in the pickup with the frequency. As a result, with high impedance pickups (usualy passive), when the frequency changes, the current changes, the voltage drops in the internal resistance of the pickup and output of the pickup changes. In other terms, with some pedals, active pickups keep the output constant, passive pickups change their output with the frequency. I have never tried but in theory, this should be easy to resolve. There are at least two ways to do it (again, in theory): 1. With a resistor in series to the circuit. It will not trasform an active pickup in a passive pickup because passive pickups have also a inductance component but it should do the trick. 2. A simple resistor unfortunately have two disadvantages. Different active pickups can have different impedances so it may be necessary change resistence value for every bass. The second problem is that if you use a passive bass in the same circuit, the resistor need to be removed. To avoid this, it is possibile build a buffer and place the resistor after be buffer. In this way, the pedal will always see the same impedance regardless of the bass/pickup. The same can be achieved placing the resistor after another (non true-bypass) pedal.

[quote]from the line 6 website: Can I use Pocket POD with other instruments besides guitar? Yes! We cooked up an entire set of presets specifically for use with [i]bass [/i]and vocals, but you can get creative and plug in anything you've got with a 1/4 inch instrument level out![/quote] It looks like it [i]can[/i] be used with bass but there are no bass-specific amps or cabinet. There is a "Tube Preamp" that according to the manual: [i]"Also try using it as a direct box for bass"[/i].

[quote name='bassman2790' post='103955' date='Dec 13 2007, 04:46 PM']I quite like the look of the Zoom B2.1U and it appears to be a great bit of kit for the money, but I also like the look of the GT-6B, but at the price they go for, I don't want to risk outlaying all that cash to find I've got a white elephant on my hands. I would appreciate any comments. Thanks[/quote] It depends what you look for. The fact that they both have a market proves that they have something unique to offer. It is a little bit like asking: [i]"is it better tea or coffee?"[/i] Apart from considerations related to size and costs, Zoom B2.1 is a excellent unit but it lacks of direct access to the presets (unless you control it with an external midi controller). If you don't need to change effects during a song the Zoom might be a good choice. I used to have one but I sold it because I need to change sounds often and quickly (now I use separate pedals + multi-fx). I suggest you download the user manuals of the two units and read them. It is the only way to be sure that what what you buy is what you look for.

[quote name='cris the man' post='103718' date='Dec 13 2007, 09:28 AM'](...) are electro harmonix any good? (...)[/quote] It depends what you mean by "good" - can you be a little bit more specific?

I had PODxt with bass pack (equivalent ot Bass PODxt) and before a Zoom B2.1u but personally I'm much happier with my new AdrennaLinn III. Unless you find it second-hand, it might a little bit over your budget (£220). I wrote a review here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9116"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9116[/url] Although the review doesn't mention it, AdrenaLinn III includes a tuner.

[quote name='Toasted' post='100753' date='Dec 7 2007, 10:39 AM']Tuner + compressor. After that everything else is gravy.[/quote] True - but effects are fun!

I don't want to start a discussion multi-fx vs pedals. I have used multi-fx then pedals, then multi-fx, then pedals ... back and forward several times. For a player that has never used effects intensively, I recommend a multi-fx. Something like Zoom B2.1u for example. At the moment I am using a mix of pedals (octaver, EQ, Auto Wah, compressor, phaser) and multi-fx (AdrenaLinn III). For me pedals remove on "layer" of thinking. I don't have to think "What is it the preset number for that sound?" I know that every pedal has a specific role. I also use a multi-fx. I decide the function that the multi-fx has in a specific song then, once I decided that the AdrenaLinn III does, it is just matter of on/off. I don't change the preset number.

Personaly, I change my mind once a week so this is hard enough to say [b]my[/b] must-have... At the moment, in order of priority they are: - EBS Octabass - AdrenaLinn III - MXR Bass Auto Q (AdrenaLinn III has a quite good Auto-Wah that is why Auto-Q is after AdrenaLinn III) - EBS MultiComp - Aphex Bass Xciter

[quote name='nick' post='99056' date='Dec 4 2007, 06:55 PM'](...) It's just I'm intrigued by Wooly Mammoth, probably due to exhorbitant price, & the fact there's hardly anything in it! (...)[/quote] +1 [quote name='nick' post='99056' date='Dec 4 2007, 06:55 PM'](...) Guess I'll find out for myself without shelling out £150 [/quote] Please keep us posted about your progress. I will do the same if I start before you

[quote name='bremen' post='98965' date='Dec 4 2007, 04:50 PM']so if you're using an active bass, would it work to stick 220k - 1M in series with the input?[/quote] I looked at the schematics and it looks like it uses a combination of pickup impedance + internal capacitor to cut some of the higher frequencies. I theory a resistor in series should help. I would use a trimpot inside the unit with an active/passive switch that remove the trimpot from the circuit. [codebox] \ ------------o o---- | | | -------------+---> [OUT] | | | v [IN]>-----+--\/\/\/\/- 1M [/codebox]