brownreasontolive wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 8:49 am More stuff I don't need, some of which I probably should have just built:

COOL!

3 acoustic pressure balls for my 4006s.
$60 a piece o_O

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 9:23 am

brownreasontolive wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 8:49 am More stuff I don't need, some of which I probably should have just built:

COOL!

Funny thing is, I was negotiating delivery of the other two items, and the guy asked if I would take "this booster thing" for another $50 to make the drive worth his while.
From what I read this morning, ATD, "All Test Devices Corp." were possibly manufacturing for Maestro/Gibson in the late 60's/early 70's?
Are you familiar with these, Dr.Balls?

brownreasontolive wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 2:25 pm Are you familiar with these, Dr.Balls?

NOPE. and that's what makes it cool.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 2:43 pm

brownreasontolive wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 2:25 pm Are you familiar with these, Dr.Balls?

NOPE. and that's what makes it cool.

Got it last night. Here are some quick snaps.



Not quite sure what I am looking at yet. Looks like an NPN and some kind of JFET.
Tried it out and it was surprisingly quiet. Roll off doesn't do very much, and the unit yields maybe 6db of gain at 10.

I just tried my Squier Jazzmaster after being fitted with Creamery Vintage JM pick-ups, and the difference is awesome. I've had it maybe 10 years, with the stock Duncan-designed neck p/up and a GFS in the bridge (the stock bridge p/up was so dull I think it must've been a dud) and I always liked the way it sounded, but the Creameries are just richer and more defined. Possibly a hair more output, but just more sparkle and, er, spank (?). Playing clean with some reverb is just joyous - very dynamic and responsive. Very glad I went with the vintage rather than "hot". I chose Creamery on the basis of the WRHB mod that he did for my Tele Custom, which just transformed the thing.

Looks like somebody did a teardown of one of those here: https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=30423

Two FETs, looks like they simulated it and it produced a gain of 2.9 V/V (~9 dB).

Nate Dort wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:27 am Looks like somebody did a teardown of one of those here: https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=30423

Two FETs, looks like they simulated it and it produced a gain of 2.9 V/V (~9 dB).

One FET, one BJT. The first schematic in the thread is incorrect.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:48 am

Nate Dort wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:27 am Looks like somebody did a teardown of one of those here: https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=30423

Two FETs, looks like they simulated it and it produced a gain of 2.9 V/V (~9 dB).

One FET, one BJT. The first schematic in the thread is incorrect.

In that thread someone referred to a gain of 10, or 3dB. Seems pretty weak for something that's described as a transducer preamp. Was that thing meant for acoustic piezo transducers or something?

Nate Dort wrote: Looks like somebody did a teardown of one of those here: https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=30423

I somehow missed that thread. Thanks for sharing!

twelvepoint wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:55 am In that thread someone referred to a gain of 10, or 3dB. Seems pretty weak for something that's described as a transducer preamp. Was that thing meant for acoustic piezo transducers or something?

No idea what the intended application was, but yeah, not tonnes of gain happening.
It certainly seems to be working as it should, but on 10 into my silverface(vibrato channel on 4) things are still pretty clean.

Don't really want to mess with it, but I might as well replace the electrolytics and see what is happening then.
I'll have to do some proper investigation(n00b googlez) later, but I'm curious about upping the voltage/headroom.
Maybe even swap the BJT for a 2n5089 or something higher gain?