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Topic: Revelation Vari |
Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 23 Aug 2017 11:01 am |
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If the Vari control is turned full right does it create zero load on the pickup?
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8. |
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Jonathan Cullifer
From:
Gallatin, TN
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Posted 24 Aug 2017 9:42 am
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| No. Some amount of current is required, otherwise there would be no voltage, and no output. |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2017 9:57 am
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Fully clockwise is a 1Meg-Ohm load. There is always a load on the pickup, there must be in a circuit like this.
Steel pickups are generally designed to see a 500k load like a typical potentiometer type volume pedal has. On the Rev's (or Black Box) vari-z knob, that happens right at about 2 o'clock.
At noon, it's at about 150k-Ohms.
It seems that the most popular range is from 11 o'clock to about 2 o'clock and mostly right around noon to 1 o'clock. It tells me that many players really like the treble response of their pickups when the loading is in the 150kOhm to 350kOhm range.
It seems rare that many players like the hardness and edgy brightness above that 2 o'clock setting. But if the rig is dull, maybe higher settings work ok. For me, it depends on the rig and the guitar and the pickup, but sometimes I'm as low as 11 o'clock and as high as 2 o'clock.
Brad |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 24 Aug 2017 10:25 am
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The reason I ask, I play a U-12 with a Telonics 427 pickup which has a resistance reading of 22K. I couldn't get my midrange tone where I like it. I moved the vari around in the the 11:00 to 2:00 range and get the treble where I like it, then struggle with the mids.
I tried the vari full right and adjusted the treble to around the 9:00 area and this seems to bring my mids where I like it? The contour seems to fit better if it's full left or slightly short of full left, depending on the room acoustics. The Rev has a lot to work with and takes some time.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8. |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2017 8:34 pm
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What happens if you try to adjust the midrange by using the Rev's color knob instead of the vari-z and treble? Can you replicate the same mid that way?
B |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 27 Aug 2017 4:37 pm
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I'll set up at home this week and try dialing back the vari and adding treble along with color and see if I can get a near duplicate of my tone as it is set right now. With this pickup, I need the mid to be dipped around 700hz - 750hz. Width of the dip, I'm not sure? I think it's fairly narrow at where I have it now?
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8. |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2017 6:05 pm
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The dip on the Rev is a wide, round dip, not a narrow one. Similar to a Session 400, Webb, Peavey, etc.
You should have no problem honing in on a dip in the 700Hz range. With the Rev using the treble and color knobs, you can sweep from as low as around 275Hz on up past 1kHz. Last time I looked. 
The Rev very easily will find a mid dip in the steel guitar critical range which I'd say is in the 550Hz to 850Hz range.
B |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 27 Aug 2017 6:57 pm
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Thanks Brad! It's a great tube pre. Lots to work with.
_________________
1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8. |
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Dale Rottacker
From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Posted 30 Aug 2017 6:19 am
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That was VARI enlightening... Would love to take a whole class from you Brad on the Revelation... I’m sure there’s more than one way to skin a cat, as my Dad says, but right now using a 710 pickup, I just set all the knobs to 5 except for Pre/Post and FX... with the Vari Z set at about 930... When I’m just playing by myself it sounds great, but sometimes when I’m recording with certain tracks sounds a little dead... I used to have the Vari Z set at about 1, and even then had the Bright/Normal/Dark switch on Bright... Now I’m set on Normal... There are soooooo many options with the Revelation... great unit.
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Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com |
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Michael Hill
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 22 Sep 2017 1:14 pm
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One thing that really impressed me is how good the revelation sounds regardless of the settings. There are a lot of possibilities and honestly they all sound good. I might turn a knob and think 'that sounds different' but I never think 'that sounds bad'. It's super punchy too.
I was playing through a Line6 pod XT preamp. The pod sounds like a toy compared to the revelation.
Last edited by Michael Hill on 22 Sep 2017 8:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jim Hollingsworth
From:
Way out West
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Posted 22 Sep 2017 4:06 pm Question for Brad
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Hi Brad,
A little bird told me that the Rev can be ordered with the octal tubes from the V8. Is that true?
I'd be interested .... I love the V8 but would like a little more control over the mids and prefer full rack space devices when possible. That said - I LOVE my V8!!!
Jim |
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mtulbert
From:
Plano, Texas 75023
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Posted 23 Sep 2017 4:43 am
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Hi Jim
Ray DaVoe and I have the Octal Revelation and it is a great Pre. It does offer more flexibility than the V8 and it sounds great at gigs and really makes the steel cut through when necessary. Call or email me if you want more details. Ray was very instrumental (no pun intended) getting the Octal Rev's set up the right way.
He is a good source of information as well.
Mark T.
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Mark T
Infinity D-10 Justice SD-10 Judge Revelation Octal Preamp, Fractal AXE III, Fender FRFR 12 |
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Jim Hollingsworth
From:
Way out West
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Posted 23 Sep 2017 7:13 pm
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Hi Mark... yes, you were the Little Bird I was alluding to. I was hoping Brad would confirm his willingness to do it. I like the V8 but it isn't easy dialing in the perfect midrange tones. But I love it all the same....
Jim |
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