So I've been doing some work for a friend who buys and sells lots of stuff on facechook market place (the home of rip-offs and scams, apparently now the worst of all of them...)

So he swapped a bunch of PUs into an Artist Strat.  First up I had to fight it to install the SD SH-14 in the bridge, really fiddly getting the screws to start :-(  He'd already installed the Bill Laurence noiseless Fender single coils, the pots and super switch.  But then he wants a treble bleed.

So I checked that out.  Since I rarely roll volume pots I've never needed it.  So seems there are 3 main options wired between the Vol pot input and output lugs:
Cap only (easiest but not the best result, gets really toppy and twangy like the worst sounding telecaster)
Cap + resistor (.001mF, 150k ohm 1/4 watt 1%) resistor in parallel (most common but can negatively affect pot taper)
Cap + resistor (.0012mF, 130k ohm resistor) resistor in series (ala Chris Kinnman) (fixes the taper issue)

So the idea (for those unfamiliar as I was) is that as you turn down the volume knob, you loose top end and apart from getting more "bassy" it can get muddy.
So the "fix" is to bleed some treble direct from the input lug to the output lug into the signal.  And allegedly, create a smooth transition when reducing the volume without changing the tone.

So I'll buy some caps and resistors and do the Kinnman mod for him.  He's a vociferous pot roller playing into boutique tube amps, like the Budda (6V6) head he's left at my place.

Has anyone else here played around with treble bleed?

Quote from: Harley Hexxe on May 21, 2025, 12:46:23 PMI've come to expect that with modeling technology, getting close, but not exact. They all make the claims, but discerning ears can tell the difference. I believe that's going to be the best we can expect from modeling.

+1.  I kind of think of it as these gadgets try (and do pretty well these days) to mimic what I already have.

I've been shrinking things down as well but, apart from making a MP-2 combo (which I've been ruminating about for quite a while), I've got it down to a 4 RU rack (MP-2, Midiverb 4, B200s) and a 2 x 12" semi open back wired stereo with a separation panel down the centre. As well as 2 guitars, and a small lead bag.  That's about as small as I can go.  But I don't play out that often.  And then I need to bring my small PA as well.

Quote from: Harley Hexxe on May 21, 2025, 12:46:23 PMSo,... it comes down to the trade-off: Do we want to carry around our genuine tube-tones and lug all that gear around, or do we just take a little box and give ourselves a physical break in that respect, for a gig in front of a bunch of people who are drinking and would never know the difference anyway?

Just sayin' 

As I get older, I opt for the trade off.....and lighter guitars (flying Vees are pretty light, btw)

I still have a rack in the practice studio, but once in a while, I don't use it. I just run straight into the B200s power amp to keep myself honest.

I find it odd that I say "and that's with NO tubes" like it's some kind of flex or something

Quote from: Dante on May 21, 2025, 08:06:18 AMI'm gonna try more tubes later, I'm focused on getting my modeler up to snuff without a preamp...and I'm very close, but still find the actual tube preamp sounds a bit better

I've come to expect that with modeling technology, getting close, but not exact. They all make the claims, but discerning ears can tell the difference. I believe that's going to be the best we can expect from modeling.

So,... it comes down to the trade-off: Do we want to carry around our genuine tube-tones and lug all that gear around, or do we just take a little box and give ourselves a physical break in that respect, for a gig in front of a bunch of people who are drinking and would never know the difference anyway?

Just sayin' 

Quote from: rnolan on May 21, 2025, 05:29:25 AMHey Dante, cool .  You also could have just done a transformer swap .

Maybe try some other tubes in it (hey IIRC you have a bunch). I'm not a fan of groove tubes (rebadged whatever) albeit they work nicely in my Carvin TS100 power amp, very transparent which I like in a power amp. But in a preamp, it's nice to have some character. E.g, I changed out the original ADA tubes in my NOS MP-2 with Mullard Long plates, it just brought it alive (for me).

If I could find a transformer, I'd have done that....those are not common

I'm gonna try more tubes later, I'm focused on getting my modeler up to snuff without a preamp...and I'm very close, but still find the actual tube preamp sounds a bit better

Hey Dante, cool .  You also could have just done a transformer swap .

Maybe try some other tubes in it (hey IIRC you have a bunch). I'm not a fan of groove tubes (rebadged whatever) albeit they work nicely in my Carvin TS100 power amp, very transparent which I like in a power amp. But in a preamp, it's nice to have some character. E.g, I changed out the original ADA tubes in my NOS MP-2 with Mullard Long plates, it just brought it alive (for me).

UPDATE: I landed another unit that was listed as 'parts' for $50....dude said it makes all the right noises, but he can't edit any patches because the display is a jumbled mess. He said he suspected he was getting the factory presets as he was scrolling thru patches, but couldn't be sure

I have a unit that doesn't work, with a sparkling good display.....so, I grabbed that one and took a chance.

I figured the display would utilize a ribbon cable, which would be easy to swap out....nope. It has 16 metal pins soldered to the display board. Rather than unsolder all that, I just clipped the pins. Starting with my busted unit, I clipped them, then the ones in the 'parts' unit. Soldered all 16 pins together (much quicker than puttin all that in the PCB) and it WORKS!!!

Holy sh**, the damn preamp works fine. Just had a display problem. Now, I have a parts unit too, so yay (funny thing, both units have the exact same Groove Tubes in them)

I set up 5 patches....I was able to set up all the patches fine, rename them, and recall them no problem at all. It's good to go (fingers crossed) Then, I put it in a rack full of stuff I don't use....it's a rack full of backup units (except the power amp, I keep switch those out).

How's it sound? It's not bad at all, sounds like a tube preamp. I will admit, there is not much variance in 'gain' tones, but the EQ makes up for that. You can get a nice 'Mesa' V-shaped EQ out of it, which works great. It can get mushy, but the Compressor is nice for tightening that up too. It's a solid backup of a backup of a backup and it's just fun to have several preamps in a rack

Welcome back, greetings from Belgium

Welcome back to the Depot! 

Quote from: rnolan on May 19, 2025, 01:01:00 AMWhilst this is a different sound to what you posted, seems it could be transformer buzz/vibration??

Yeah, that's what it sound like to me too....something vibrating in there. 

I saw a YouTube vid of a guy with a small transformer making a similar noise. He desoldered everything and gave it a "lacquer bath" which somehow fixed it. Here it is: