darthoverdrive wrote:Thanks for sharing the schem phatt, I'm pouring over it as I eat lunch. I'm going to put this one on the breadboard for sure.
I take it you use this as the last pedal in your chain before going to the amp or PA and adjusting it to taste. Not too long ago I was playing around with EQ pedals, notching this and boosting that. There was a certain sound I was going for, I think it is termed off-center, where it sounds dark and heavy. I've heard on hard rock and metal songs. Never really nailed it though, I'm not getting the right frequency.
Recently I built a pedal along the lines of your DDC. I was after the Rockman sound and I used the cab sim section that was documented in the patent along with a couple of buffers and my own distortion section. I was surprised how close I came to the 'Don't Look Back' album sound when recording directly to the PC. I never did get it perfected for my amp yet. I figured that’s where an EQ might come in handy.
Again that’s why I ask how others use their cab sims. There's no law that says you can't use them with an amp but you will hear endless debates about the pros and cons.
I have one of those PAIA SIAB somewhere; I bought it as a kit around ten years ago. It wasn't that bad from what I remember. As I remember it didn't have a lot of distortion to it, just crunchy overdrive. And it really didn't overdrive the input of the amp either, not like a SHO or other booster might. I don't think I ever used it directly into the computer for recording but I did play around with the cab sim settings with an amp. I really need to dig it out now and give it a try again. My memory isn't what it used to be.
Well, enough rambling for now.
darthoverdrive,
Hey man,,You where closer than you thought.
Here's what you missed.
Put the PabbTone IN Front of any TS9,99999 circuit, pick one. (add Cab sim for sure will help). Then run it through another EQ.
**Except this time use an Active Graphic EQ** >>>Then into main amp, (preferably a flat uncolored rig)
Insert;
Interesting point to ponder:
If you care to look at the signal path,, 99 out of every 100 distortion pedals have tone circuitry *After the distortion* Yet All the famous guitar Amps worth mentioning have it BEFORE?? Go figure??
Don't make the mistake of plugging all this into some wanker bootweaky wonder amp otherwise the signal you have worked so hard to get will likely loose the plot.
Hence my Laney keyboard amp works wonders here,, as it's just plain simple. It just has the mandatory bass/treble knobs but I never use them.
This whole dumb game can be reduced to this;
EQ > Dist > EQ > Amp.
I could waste hours trying all sorts of different tones My rig is capable of recreating but I know few will listen because it sounds too simple and Understandably Everyone assumes it must be complex.
Lets face it, How would all the big names in this industry cope if some hobby geek with no formal training showed how it can all be done with off the shelf stuff and a really cheap Chinese Strat copy loaded with cheap ceramic PU's worth $15 each. Ouch!
Yes that simple Boston sound you mentioned can be transformed into a metal monster sound if you start to think in really simple terms.
EQ > Dist > EQ > Amp. (just find the right combinations and it works with even the most basic gear)
Now go find those reverenced Valve Amps that are selling for 10 G's on the bay and look at the signal flow
You might eventually notice that indeed the HiZ EQ is ***Before*** the hard clipping pentodes which form the main distortion in classic Amps.
This industry is just so full of teckno babble it's Obvious why it is so hard for the novice to nail down a plain and simple formula to achieve good sounds.
If you use the PhAbbTone *After* distortion then it will be much brighter when the distortion is fully cranked.
It gives the modern harder edge distortion.
Insert *In front* and you get the darker/sweeter bluesy effect. (free world ,, you choose what you like)
I NOW have access to a whole stack of different EQ's that to achieve otherwise would likely empty the bank accounts of most players.
This is an observation of the different ideas I've worked with;
1/
Guitar > PhAbbTone > the DDC circuit > GEQ > Laney Amp.
(OK very useful)
2/
Guitar > PhAbbTone > A small cathode biased valve rig > 30R Resistive soak with line level out (no sims) > GEQ > into Laney Amp.
(great but still not enough sustain)
3/
Guitar > FPV > DDC > GEQ > Laney Amp.
(Wow now it's smokin)
4/
FPV > A small cathode biased valve rig > 30R Resistive soak with line level out (no sims) > GEQ > Laney Amp.
(Wow!!! Wet dreams,,better than Sex)
**Note, Remember the FPV pedal Has the PhAbbTone built in**
**Note, The recording I posted on page one was done with number 3**
I've Run ALL of these setups and in a side by side test the soaked Valve rig is just a tad sweeter and you do get a bit more sustain.
The Valve boosting of the front end does 2 things;
Adds the classic triode half wave triode clip and makes the signal driving the tone stack bigger.
plugged into the Small Valve rig is just heavenly good But it's a lot of extra lugging around. I just don't need it for the gigs I frequent so it stays at home.
The FPV does make it all a little more touch responsive due to the big voltage and the quirks of triodes and adding that simple 3 meg series resistor between the 2 triodes plays subtle tricks on the sound
Meantime here's some pics of my home made stuff.
As should be obvious,,, it's what they sound like that is important,, Heck at my age I have no interst in making things look pretty. LOL.
Hope it gives you some fun,, Phil.
- Before FPV,,,No Valves used
- The soaked Valve power stage,, ugly but works brilliantly