Blackouts Preamp tone?

[Artie]

The Blackout's threads that have cropped up recently motivated me to dig mine out and look at it. I bought this for a project several years ago, then took that project a different direction. These appear to be based on the original AHB-1's. This product: https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/blackouts-preamp

There's no tone chart for the AHB-1's. What would the tonal profile be of this preamp? And how might it be affected by use with say, A2 Pro's, as opposed to something like Invaders or Distortions?

 

[Mincer]

I think it just adds active tone controls to whatever pickup you have...so the pickup sets the basic tone, and this adds power, and active tone controls. How you set them depends on what you want out of the pickup.

 

[Artie]

Thanks Dave. I should just install it and try it.

 

[jeremy]

i dont think its really active tone controls per se, they still just roll off like a passive tone control. you get more power and low z out is my understanding

 

[Artie]

You get more power and low z out is my understanding

I was thinking that Blackout's had a distinctive EQ profile. For example, how would Blackout HB'rs differ from plain Livewire Classic II's?

 

[jeremy]

the preamp voicing is quite different between the livewire singles and blackout singles for example. ive never tried the stand alone preamp so cant comment there but i assume there is some tailoring of the eq?

 

[Artie]

I'll just have to try it. I'm just not sure what guitar and pups, to try it with.

 

[jeremy]

well, pick one and grab some pups and lets see how it goes! im curious to hear what ya think

 

[Artie]

well, pick one and grab some pups and lets see how it goes! im curious to hear what ya think

I'll try to get her done this weekend.

 

[JOLLY]

I've always thought one of those would work well with a set of Jazzes.

 

[Artie]

I've always thought one of those would work well with a set of Jazzes.

That's a thought. I believe I have a set laying around here somewhere.

 

[Artie]

I just found a good Frank Falbo vid on these, with sound demo. But what's most interesting is he says they can be split, but doesn't say how. Since the BMP needs both wires of the coil to work, I'd assume you ground black & white, (for screw coil), or red & green, (for stud coil), for splitting.

 

[Mincer]

Do those pots have a center detent? That might tell us if they are true active controls, or passive tone pots on an active pickup. I always thought the biggest benefit of adding a preamp would be active tone controls.

 

[Artie]

Do those pots have a center detent? That might tell us if they are true active controls, or passive tone pots on an active pickup. I always thought the biggest benefit of adding a preamp would be active tone controls.

And volume control isolation. The BMP has neither. Vol and tone are both after the preamp section. The preamp simply acts as a buffer so that the pots don't load down the coils. Resistors and caps in the feedback loop would determine the gain and EQ.

Here's a diagram I grabbed quik-'n-dirty off the net. It's not accurate to the actual BMP circuit, but illustrates how a differential input amp works. This is duplicated for two pickups.

 

[Mincer]

And volume control isolation. The BMP has neither. Vol and tone are both after the preamp section. The preamp simply acts as a buffer so that the pots don't load down the coils. Resistors and caps in the feedback loop would determine the gain and EQ.

Here's a diagram I grabbed quik-'n-dirty off the net. It's not accurate to the actual BMP circuit, but illustrates how a differential input amp works. This is duplicated for two pickups.

I honestly didn't realize that. I don't generally dig active guitars, so I don't investigate them enough.

 

[Artie]

I honestly didn't realize that. I don't generally dig active guitars, so I don't investigate them enough.

And that diagram is why it's confusing on how to split a pup using the BMP. I'd love if Frank F. dropped in a said how they do that. I suppose I could email tech support. Not sure if anyone's home yet.

I, also, wasn't too interested in active guitars 'til I installed my Strat Livewire II set. I love 'em. I'm starting to play with others now. My problem is not getting used to the plug being the "on/off" switch. I keep setting them down on the stand, and killing the battery in short order.

(Hmmm . . . maybe I could do a tilt switch?) :scratchch

 

[Mincer]

Tilt? Like an actual on/off?

 

[Artie]

Tilt? Like an actual on/off?

Yup. So when you put it on the stand, it disconnects the 9-volt battery. I'd have a "supercap" in parallel so you'd have about 30 - 60 seconds before it went dead, in case you bumped it while playing. Probably not practical for live performance, but for a home studio . . . could be cool.

 

[Mincer]

That makes sense. I can see why some don't want an on/off switch on their guitar, but it would be useful because I know I would forget to unplug it all the time. It happens with my Godin Multiac all the time.

 

[Artie]

It happens with my Godin Multiac all the time.

For me, it's my Toby bass. It uses a full size circuit board, through-hole components, and an old DIP opamp. If I set it down and forget to unplug it . . . the battery's dead in the morning.