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Tech 21 preamp [message #6603]

Tue, 31 January 2006 20:33

I.M. Noone
Messages: 19
Registered: September 2005

Junior Member

I'm playing a Univox Hi-Flyer bass into my K100. This decent bass wasn't sounding so good straight in, but adding my Tech21 direct box for some oomph and EQing has it rocking! I turn the preamp all the way up and keep the amp's volume low which leaves plenty of headroom. My question is: does this sound safe for the K100 head? Cheers!

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Re: Tech 21 preamp [message #6605 is a reply to message #6603]

Wed, 01 February 2006 07:43

stevem
Messages: 4774
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

I have never found any of my Kustoms lacking much but for some mid boost when playing bass guitars with out active pickups.You might check and make sure that when you are fretting a note at the last fret at the body, that your pickup(s) is no more than 1/4" away from the bottom of your strings.This can make a big difference in tone and output of 60s era guitars.As long as the output level you are runnig from the tech 21 into the K100 is not distorting the K100s preamp your safe.If you constantly clip the input of a Kustom, you stand a good chance of popping a preamp transistor sooner or latter.You might consider using something like a MXR 11 band stompbox EQ, or for the max in tone control a 31 band EQ. You can pick up one of these 31 bands used for less than a new MXR, but you will have to be more carefull in using them as they can put out alot more output level than your tech 21. Alot of them have 1/4" TRS inputs and outputs so you will not have to deal with XLR connectors eitheir, and since you are going in unbalanced and out unbalanced you will be killing some of the gain the unit has on the order of 6Db thst feeds the amp. but still be carefull of the output level from the EQ to the amp.

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Re: Tech 21 preamp [message #6606 is a reply to message #6603]

Wed, 01 February 2006 07:54

I.M. Noone
Messages: 19
Registered: September 2005

Junior Member

Stevenm, thanks, as it so happens, the pickup is a bit lower than normal. I'll readjust it and see if that helps. I try to be very careful with my K100 (hence this post) and it doesn't appear to be over loading. I wonder if it's even more safe NOT to have the Tech21's volume at 10,but rather dial it back and raise the amps volume. The tone is very similar.

I'll also look into the other boxes you mentioned - I have an old-old blue MXR 6 band EQ that I might also try. Thanks again!

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