Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: mavnet on April 13, 2017, 04:48:44 PM

Title: gig with no preamp
Post by: mavnet on April 13, 2017, 04:48:44 PM

I think there was a thread somewhere about people doing this intentionally, but I couldn't find it.
Went to play a private party in the boondocks of NY State, a few hours from anything. Got there, plugged in all my stuff, no sound. I was using a little stompbox F2b knockoff preamp (didn't want to haul my rack out) into a tiny Demeter 800 watt power amp. The wall wart for the preamp didn't work.

Screwed, right?

Took a chance and plugged my custom series II direct into the power amp, turned up the gain a bit - and it sounded amazing! Crystal clear, balanced... I loved it.

i may do more playing like this (probably bring the real F2B just in case, though).

Title: Re: gig with no preamp
Post by: elwoodblue on April 13, 2017, 05:42:16 PM

Cool News,


 If you use the words  "Jimmy direct power" in the search function, the threads that JimmyJ has talked about going direct will pop up.
 I would have loved to be there to hear that. (Any gigs in the NW ever? :D )

Title: Re: gig with no preamp
Post by: mavnet on April 13, 2017, 08:12:00 PM

That's the thread! Thank you.
We're mostly centered around lower new york state. If i ever get a good recording, I'll post something.

Title: Re: gig with no preamp
Post by: fmm on April 14, 2017, 05:39:29 AM

little stompbox F2b knockoff preamp?

Title: Re: gig with no preamp
Post by: tx196059 on April 14, 2017, 06:46:29 AM

Here is the link to that page

http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/68886.html?1252542795

I knew a technician who worked with ELP during their tours in the 1970's. If I remember correctly, he said that Greg Lake's 8 string used direct drive for the neck pick up, and the bridge pickup ran through a preamp that filtered out almost all the midrange. That was how he was able to make the incredible sound that could cut through all of Emerson's multi keyboards.

Title: Re: gig with no preamp
Post by: mavnet on April 14, 2017, 06:17:28 PM

http://www.dextersworkshop.com/shop/preamp-full-tube-high-voltage-guitar-bass-preamp/
Takes a while to get from Bucharest to here. I imagine other people have done similar pedals.

He took the tone stack from the F2B (and probably a lot more), added a gain stage. The tube is running at a pretty good voltage.
Not a bad sound - the overdrive you can get is pretty cool although i run it clean. Not quite as clear as the F2B in my opinion, and the highs don't shimmer the same way.
But it fits in my guitar case - between that and the little Demeter class-d, when i don't want to carry the rack my whole kit weighs 5 lbs.
I've also got one of these, sounds surprisingly good: http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/FETF2B.html
But nothing really compares to the real thing.

Title: Re: gig with no preamp
Post by: Twocan on April 15, 2017, 04:36:15 AM

I use this one:

http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/FETF2B.html