Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

[andyg_prs]

Hi,

For years I've used an SD pickup booster in front of my amp for a volume boost......generally with a multi-channel amp like a Marshall TSL or Carvin Legacy 3.

I found it very effective and even on the drive channels the effect was mainly straight up volume increase.

On my OR15 where I tend to run the gain anywhere from 11 to 12 o clock and get more saturation by using a BB Preamp, I have found that the SD pickup booster in front just muddies the gain rather than boosting the volume.

Fair enough, so I've put the SD in the loop. It now just boost the volume, but on the minimum setting it is too much of a jump.

Has anybody else experienced this with the OR15 or other amps.....any ideas what to do?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

First of all, congrats on getting an OR15. That's a great sounding amp. And, it has an FX loop which the Tiny Terror doesn't.

I'd suggest getting a dual mode OD pedal that has overdrive and a pure clean boost. My best pedal for doing this is the T Rex Moller, and they also make a Moller 2 and Hobo Drive that have the same feature. The Barber Half Gainer is another good one.

I know the T Rex pedals aren't cheap, but you could sell a couple pedals to recoup, or find something similar that's much cheaper. That way you won't have to run 2 separate cables for the clean boost into your FX loop with 2 cables into the front end for the OD.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

You're getting more saturation instead of a volume boost with it out front because you have reached the volume ceiling of the preamp already. Once the preamp is clipping, it's at its volume max and will only clip more. Putting on the booster in the loop is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. Your power amp is running clean so there is headroom available for more volume, hence the increase with engaging the booster.

This is why I like amps with dual master volumes or an effects loops to use a clean booster in. The SD Pickup Booster is meant to be run out front. One pedal that I know works great in amp effects loops is the Boss GE-7 EQ. It's a great option on a budget.

A dual mode pedal like mentioned would do the trick too. The thing is, in the end, you have to leave headroom available in the preamp to get more volume when engaging a booster out front.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

there is an easy mod you can do to lower the minimum output of the pup booster, I think its just changing the pot to a different value but do a search

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

there is an easy mod you can do to lower the minimum output of the pup booster, I think its just changing the pot to a different value but do a search

Yeah. This would be the easiest and cheapest solution. PM Frank Falbo (ex product mgr) or one of the pedal modders on here.

 

[andyg_prs]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

Hi guys, thanks - for some reason I only just started getting notification of replies. I'll go with the mod....which is to use a 100k reverse audio log pot. I already have a nice OD or three (!) and I already run a delay in to the loop so I have no issue with the cables.

Just for a bit of background I was using a Carvin Legacy 3 which has 3 channels, effects loop and a nice variable boost feature....then I was running the OR15 as a 4th channel using a Radial headbone....then I wanted some more 'ugly' sounds so now I'm experimenting with an ABY pedal taking my pedalboard output into both the OR15 and a 5150 II....but with a volume pedal between the output from the ABY to the 5150 II.....so I use the OR15 for my main sound and use the volume pedal to blend in the amount of thump and 'ugly' that I need at any point in time.......but I missed the boost and the 'woody' tone of the L3 which actually really projects solos...... So I ended up with both the SD pickup booster and BB preamp on to try to break through....but it wasn't doing the job.... Now I actually had the SD before the BB which would have contributed to the issue but still what I think I need is to put the SD in the loop....and with the new pot it should be just the job....

But changing setups is always a learning curve and a compromise.....and all the while your band mates want to get on with the rehearsal so you have to try to park the audio OCD to one side and then fix things before the next meet!

Cheers,
Andy

PS - the OR15 really is an awesome amp but the L3 is under rated.....it is about the most 'transaparent' amp I have ever used for gain......but almost nothing has the clean/pure crunch that the OR15 has....but the L3 is such a user friendly amp, I can't be sure I won't go back to it....

 

[andyg_prs]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

You're getting more saturation instead of a volume boost with it out front because you have reached the volume ceiling of the preamp already. Once the preamp is clipping, it's at its volume max and will only clip more. Putting on the booster in the loop is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. Your power amp is running clean so there is headroom available for more volume, hence the increase with engaging the booster.

This is why I like amps with dual master volumes or an effects loops to use a clean booster in. The SD Pickup Booster is meant to be run out front. One pedal that I know works great in amp effects loops is the Boss GE-7 EQ. It's a great option on a budget.

A dual mode pedal like mentioned would do the trick too. The thing is, in the end, you have to leave headroom available in the preamp to get more volume when engaging a booster out front.

By the way, I have a GE-7 but I always found it noisy.....and so far not inclined to do the Monty Allum type mods.....my soldering is not that great and I object to a Boss pedal being so poorly built (in my experience with this one anyhow) in the first place....

 

[chadd]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

By the way, I have a GE-7 but I always found it noisy.....and so far not inclined to do the Monty Allum type mods.....my soldering is not that great and I object to a Boss pedal being so poorly built (in my experience with this one anyhow) in the first place....

If you use the GE7 as a cut instead of a boost, there isn't much noise at all.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

I have a Tiny Terror because I got a really good price on it, and it's got a lot of gain range.

But then I tried the OR15 and it's gain range is a bit lower, but the amp sounds a bit richer and fatter. It's tempting to make the jump to the OR15. It's amazing that a dual EL-84 amp can sound so huge. It sounds bigger than a lot of EL-34 amps.

 

[andyg_prs]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

If you use the GE7 as a cut instead of a boost, there isn't much noise at all.

Might be, but I need to use it as a boost

 

[andyg_prs]

Re: Too loud - Seymour Duncan pickup booster and OR15

I have a Tiny Terror because I got a really good price on it, and it's got a lot of gain range.

But then I tried the OR15 and it's a gain range is a bit lower, but the amp sounds a bit richer and fatter. It's tempting to make the jump to the OR15. It's amazing that a dual EL-84 amp can sound so huge. It sounds bigger than a lot of EL-34 amps.

I can't cope without a 3 band eq which limits which Oranges in the range I could go for. I did try the OR15 against the Jim Root #4 but found the OR15 thicker and I was surprised the #4 wasn't a lot higher gain or more modern to my ears. I owned the RV mkII 100 head at one point....sounded great by itself but was crushed by the other guitarist with his OR15....he was a superb player but the main thing was he could wind the OR15 up high but the RV needed stadium volumes to breath. If the OR15 had a second channel it'd be even better. Makes me wonder what the old AD30 and Rocker 30s are like.....if I ever find one at the right price I might pick it up.....but I'm trying to work with the core gear I have right and stop buying stuff!