- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,035
- 22,694
- 6,344
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
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How is it possible that the Grizzley is your answer to every single o
That's gotta be with an active bass right John? I can't get mine to drive like that without a preamp before it.
Sounded great to me, perfect for some "Get Carter" — even though the original was done on double-bass — or "The Ipress files...
Best solution? Play double-bass through the Barbershop!
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,035
- 22,694
- 6,344
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
It does sound the same in the same environment with the same bass, same settings, if all the other variables, most notably the input signal strength and eq curve, are the same as well.
The cable going in and out are also ok?
I asked this not only because of your post but also because I am interested if something like this might be possible.
I have noticed that my BS SEEMS to not always sound the same without me having touched it.
Wondering if my ears are tricking me or if maybe the cable I am using to go into the pedal may be to blame...?
The cable could be to blame, but it would have to be truly damaged or out of spec. Is your bass EQd the same always? Even the passive tone knob will make a BIG difference. Also, are you using roundwound strings? Every time the strings change/die, the barbershop will sound dramatically different, as will every dirt pedal you may own. I use very stable flatwounds so I don't see a variation form that.
The nature of the frequencies hitting the pedal is hat will affect its sound.
Another thing that could affect it is how you power the pedal. if you use a cheap power supply that can have variations in its DC output, you could definitely end up with a non constant sounding pedal.
Thanks!
The bass is set the same at most times-a passive single-coil P bass.
I do use rounds on this bass but have never changed them since the bass was built but no eq pre BS.
The power supply though has until recently been a 25 year old switch mode power thingy which went to a converter( one countries plug to another's) into an extension lead which then went to the wall.
I have very recently upgraded to a 1spot and not had the time yet to see if it behaves differently now.
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Ambient temperature changes, barometric pressure changes – these will affect the sound, subtly. Enough to be heard? I don't know on electric, I just know that my DB's strings sound different once they're warmed up, then apres un pause café the durned things have cooled down again.
And pedals ... well germanium is notoriously finicky about temperature, so yeah any germ pedals you have may well sound different – I don't know, as I prefer the sound of silicon fuzz... But I'm willing to research the topic!
And pedals ... well germanium is notoriously finicky about temperature, so yeah any germ pedals you have may well sound different – I don't know, as I prefer the sound of silicon fuzz... But I'm willing to research the topic!
Interestng!I have no idea as to the differences between germ and silicon. I don't even know which applies to the BS...
@cnltb
Bshop is silicon.
Guillaume Fairfield made the Bshop schematic public, here's Revolution Deux's circuit analysis of the Barbershop:
From what I've read, a lot of guitarists like germanium – but how much of that is "cork-sniffin'"? If something sounds good, who cares what it's made of?
Re the GE temperature sensitivity – that's just from what I've read; I'm mostly always regurgitating "what I've read"
.
However, when I'm listening to circuit demos where identical-twin circuits are each paired with either germanium or silicon, I almost always prefer the sound of the silicon one — I won't describe how one sounds smoother or more splatty/gritty or whatever than the other – I just know my ears favour the sillykon.
Bshop is silicon.
Guillaume Fairfield made the Bshop schematic public, here's Revolution Deux's circuit analysis of the Barbershop:
So what have we got? It's two cascaded Jfet gain stages [J201] followed by a simple NPN transistor [2n2222] emitter follower. The mosfet device is there for polarity protection. The 10kB pot is the "Sag" control that affects the overall supply voltage to the circuit and the clipping in the cascaded jfet/emitter follower stages. Guillaume has suggested that he sets the bias of the two jfets at around 2/3 of the supply voltage (when measured at the jfet's drain). I'd replace the drain resistors with 25k trim pots which will allow you to dial in the 6.66v bias point a little easier than using trial and error with set resistors.
From what I've read, a lot of guitarists like germanium – but how much of that is "cork-sniffin'"? If something sounds good, who cares what it's made of?
Re the GE temperature sensitivity – that's just from what I've read; I'm mostly always regurgitating "what I've read"
. However, when I'm listening to circuit demos where identical-twin circuits are each paired with either germanium or silicon, I almost always prefer the sound of the silicon one — I won't describe how one sounds smoother or more splatty/gritty or whatever than the other – I just know my ears favour the sillykon.
@cnltb
Bshop is silicon.
Guillaume Fairfield made the Bshop schematic public, here's Revolution Deux's circuit analysis of the Barbershop:
So what have we got? It's two cascaded Jfet gain stages [J201] followed by a simple NPN transistor [2n2222] emitter follower. The mosfet device is there for polarity protection. The 10kB pot is the "Sag" control that affects the overall supply voltage to the circuit and the clipping in the cascaded jfet/emitter follower stages. Guillaume has suggested that he sets the bias of the two jfets at around 2/3 of the supply voltage (when measured at the jfet's drain). I'd replace the drain resistors with 25k trim pots which will allow you to dial in the 6.66v bias point a little easier than using trial and error with set resistors.
From what I've read, a lot of guitarists like germanium – but how much of that is "cork-sniffin'"? If something sounds good, who cares what it's made of?
Re the GE temperature sensitivity – that's just from what I've read; I'm mostly always regurgitating "what I've read"
However, when I'm listening to circuit demos where identical-twin circuits are each paired with either germanium or silicon, I almost always prefer the sound of the silicon one — I won't describe how one sounds smoother or more splatty/gritty or whatever than the other – I just know my ears favour the sillykon.
I completely agree on the highlighted statement and seem to have found-after a lot of fidgeting, fuzzing, and listening- that the Bs really does work for me and what I want it for-without knowing much about it, really. And since it came up, I asked. ( not sure if it is the first time I have...as there's a fairfield thread where there was quite a bit of talk about the BS.
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Yeah I'm the same here. I play bass & guitar, use the 'shop on both (different setttings).
I've owned 2 shops and built 1 aswell, non of them had this kazoo sound that people allude to.
FWIW, I don't set my shops (even on guitar) to max drive or minimum sag.