Tube bass overdrive

All about modern commercial stompbox circuits from Electro Harmonix over MXR, Boss and Ibanez into the nineties.
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Bernardduur
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Post by Bernardduur »

Hey all!

I found this picture a while ago on the internet by searching on "bass overdrive" in google. Right now I can't seem to find it anymore.

Image

Can anybody tell me something about it? I can't find if it is an idea, an already exsisting pedal or something completely different. The 6E5 tube is awesome (magic Eye)......... although I don't know it's function there then to determine the overdrive.

I'm asking as I am designing a new bass amp for myself (ultra lin 6550 amp) and I know it'll lack OD. This circuit is maybe quite nice in it :)
'No more....... loud music.......'
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Dirk_Hendrik
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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

right. DC coupling to the first tube's grid.. that's going to work... ;) Use your volume control to bias your tube... :applause:
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

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Bernardduur
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Post by Bernardduur »

Dirk_Hendrik wrote:right. DC coupling to the first tube's grid.. that's going to work... ;) Use your volume control to bias your tube... :applause:
????

Looks like a normal tube input without any grid resistors.
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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

your grid is negative biased toward the cathode through a 1M resistor. Of you turn down your bass volumecontrol to 0 what's the voltage on the grid? Yep. Zero volts as well. What you miss here is an input cap.
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

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Bernardduur
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Post by Bernardduur »

Ehm, usually I am not that quick on this, but all amps I build have the same input stage (usually w/ grid resistor).

We're talking about the input, right?
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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

jep ;)
admittedly, unbuffered non-ac decopled stages seem normal in fx count. Especially outputs. brrr
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Post by analogguru »

Dirk_Hendrik wrote:your grid is negative biased toward the cathode through a 1M resistor.
:hmmm: tube technology...... thats an own matter.....
The grid is biased at 0 volts with the 1M resistor.
The cathode is biased between + 1,2V and + 1,8 V with the cathode resistor. Therefore the grid appears negative to the cathode.
Of you turn down your bass volumecontrol to 0 what's the voltage on the grid? Yep. Zero volts as well. What you miss here is an input cap.
It stays at zero volt and the cathode between + 1,2 V and + 1,8 V...... BUT:
There is a (small) DC-current flowing from the grid to ground. If the 1M resistor is replaced by the pot (or a pot in parallel) then this DC-current will flow over the pot. DC current flowing over a pot causes: CRACKLE !!!
Therefore the wiper of the potentiometer should never be connected directly to the grid. Better use a fixed 1M to ground and a cap between it.

Now lets assume you have an old pedal in front of the amp and the output cap has become leaky and there is a DC of lets say 2 volts at the output of the pedal. What will happen ?

analogguru
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Post by Stompmodder »

Invert colors will be better for your ink cardrige :D
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