New Steel Guitar Black Box

Don E. Curtis · From: St Louis, Missouri, USA (deceased)

After being a Steel Guitar Technician for almost 3 decades now, I am often called upon to test and demo new products for the Steel Guitar, everything from Cables, Strings, Picks, Amps, Effects, Tone Bars and Guitars.
When Brad, (Brad Sarno, Music Solutions), had me demo one of the first Black Box prototypes I did the same thing I always do. I take it to a gig, usually three sets, and I play the first set without the device, then without telling the band I hook up the effect and play the second set. Then on break I approach the band and ask them about the sound, was it better, worse or the same. They always never know, they say they didn’t really notice. So I tell them I have a new thing hooked up and to please pay attention and let me know what they think. But then on next break they always say that it’s great and how great it was and that is was great.
But…I wanted them to notice on their own after the second set and come up to me on break and say, “Wow! What did you do?” but that never happens.
So then, on the last set, I disconnect the device and play without it and then afterwards once again the band will comment on how great the new sound is and don’t even realize that I had disconnected it.
I knew it was the Ross Distortion along with the room cutting the highs, and a true bypass switch in the Ross doesn’t work and you can’t re-EQ every time you turn it on. I am fortunate to have some year round house gigs, but a couple of them in particular as so incredibly Bassy and muddy you can hardly stand it.
I’m not really a big effects person but do have to use distortion all the time and it does eat my highs, but the SGBB was too high and uncontrollable while the bottom end was rather thin and seemingly somewhat inaudible. I didn’t really like it. So I asked Brad two questions, “What is thing supposed to do?, and why do I need it?” And I explained my opinion of my experience. Then when Brad redesigned it with a variable control he never gave me one to try again.
No one ever wants to sit-in and play my guitar because of the “Day” set-up and so I never get to hear my own rig. So one night Tommy Brooks, who can play any steel, sat in and it was so muddy sounding I couldn’t believe it. So I asked a prominent musician in the crowd if he thought it was muddy, and he said, “Yes”, and I asked him if it sounded like that while I was playing and he said, “Yes, but I could tell what you were playing”. So I new I needed help with the tone.
I asked Brad about it again and he let me use his new personal SGBB with the variable impedance control, and it worked so well it was almost scary. But Brad needed his back for a Steel Show and he said that I should wait and get one of the newest designed ‘slim-line’, rack mountable models with the variable impedance control and a tuner output.
So I got one in December and it’s in my new rack and my sound is bright and clear, the harmonics are so incredible and the sustain is fantastic. The highs are not harsh and don’t tear your head off, plus you can tweak them with the potentiometer to suit your own personal taste.
Then this past Friday night Buck Reid from the Lyle Lovett Band was in the club and he commented on how good the tone was and also a local Steeler, Ron Meecey said the same thing and mentioned that he too now relies on the SGBB for his sound clarity on his new hybrid Zumsteel.
This is not a placebo...it works great! The Vacuum Tube doesn’t clip, the pickup buffer and the impedance matching transformer all work hand in hand, and with the variable impedance control I can blend the highs perfectly with the room and get so much sustain…and I know that the string is not necessarily vibrating any longer than it ever was but somehow it just sings out with noticeable clarity.
I would not want to play without it…the Steel Guitar Black Box helps my sound in the worst situations.
Don E. Curtis
www.steelguitarblackbox.com

Don E. Curtis · From: St Louis, Missouri, USA (deceased)

One quick tech thing. Brad said, "The Steel Guitar Black Box does not have a matching transformer in it, just a power supply transformer. It's actually how the second half of the tube is operated that does the impedance lowering/matching."

Wow! What customer service!!
Thanks Brad

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

Don E welcome aboard, the BB is terrific.

Larry Behm

Dave Little · From: Atlanta

Are we talking about a "new" slim line black box - not the revelation?

Harold Dye · From: Cullman, Alabama, USA

You said he said you needed to try the rack version. Do you use a rack? What do you have in it?

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

To have Buck make a favorable comment on your tone is a feather in everyone's cap. I heard him at the Birmingham show and his tone was killer. His playing....top drawer, too!

Brad Sarno · From: St. Louis, MO USA

Yea Dave. The new model Black Box is slimmer so it fits in a single rack space. It also has two threaded holes on bottom to mount to a flat rack tray.

Brad

Don E. Curtis · From: St Louis, Missouri, USA (deceased)

Harold, thanks for asking...the rack was mostly nessesary just because I needed a case for the Black Box...but I really did need the power conditioner, and I've had the Alesis since I bought it new way back when. Last time I used it on a steel show was in Knoxville with Stoney Stonecipher.
The past few years I've not used any digital effects but I have a lot of them.
Here's a picture of the rack...the steel guitar plugs directly into the front of the SGBB, then out into the ROSS, then to the Goodrich 120 Volume Pedal with the new PEC Pot, then into the high input of the amp. The Alesis goes through the pre-EQ send & return on the front of the Peavey Nashville 400.
Then I come out of the pre-amp out on the back of the amp to a Whirlwind IMP 3 transformer to low Z to the snake to the PA Console. But sometimes I just mic the speaker:

Harold Dye · From: Cullman, Alabama, USA

Don, Thanks for your reply. I have not used a combo amp for about 15 yrs until last week when I decided to get another Nash 400. I don't know why but I never considered going from the pedal to the hi input and then put my effects into the effects loop on the front of the amp. When using effects, I have always gone to the effects and then into the hi input, or, to the effects then to the in and out of the loop. You have an interesting setup.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Brad,

Can I send my BB back to you for a volume control retro-fit?

Can this be done?

What will it cost?

My BB seems to work fine and not have some of the problems Don described in his 1st thread, but a sound tempering control couldn't hurt.

Thanks... Smile

_________________
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

Mine's down there right now getting this done (not really a volume control) Just check Brad's website the info for upgrade is there.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Thanks Jay. Gee, why didn't I think of that? Confused

_________________
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.

Don E. Curtis · From: St Louis, Missouri, USA (deceased)

Harold, the loops work well with rack stuff, so called 'line level signal' 3db devices. But not the "Stomp Boxes", which usualy aren't compatible with the incredible high ohm impedance of a Pedal Steel Guitar Pickup anyway, So don't plug in a DD-3...
And don't put the digital device on top of your amp as the power transformer will cause it to hum.
These days I cannot get away with any hum whatsoever.
Don

Torben Koch · From: Klarup, Denmark

Larry
I'm with you, the BB is terrific

Turbo
www.pedalsteel4u.dk

Torben Koch · From: Klarup, Denmark

Larry
I'm with you, the BB is terrific

Turbo
www.pedalsteel4u.dk

Kevin Ruddell · From: Toledo Ohio USA

Interesting post , thanks for sharing Don

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Don glad you love the SGBB - but if you think that is good then you really need to try Brads Revelation Pre-amp - which features the SGBB as the first stage. It is an outstanding piece of kit, and I doubt that you would want anything else once you had a go with it.

Buck Grantham R.I.P. · From: Denham Springs, LA. USA

Since i got the BLACK BOX from Brad I have never played a job without it. It brought my sound to life. Buck Grantham

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

I drove to St. Louis about 2 months ago after trying out one of my friends Black Box at a steel meeting. As it stands right now, I will never play out again without it . If I had the money, I would by another one just to have a back up in case mine was lost or broken. I had tried every thing that has been written on the forum on getting rid of the dry, shrill, thin sound of my high notes passed the 10th fret. This is it... I can play up to the second octave without a thin sound now. It is a pleasure to go past the 12th without that unwanted sound I used to get. The tone seems to even get better the louder you punch it. I can't believe I overlooked the threads on the BB this many years. If you have the same problem I had with solid state amps, you owe it to yourself to just give it a try. It made a believer out of me.

Don E. Curtis · From: St Louis, Missouri, USA (deceased)

I'm really looking forward to using my new set up this Wednesday as I will be taping a segment of the CCIN TV show, “The Set”, with the Sable Band to help promote their new CD. The show will be pre-recorded and I will be direct lining to the TV Snake. Should sound wonderful and be very quiet with my George L. GFI-II double coil humbucking pickups.
This is the very reason I had to get away from the single coils that I actually prefer the sound of.

Then I'll be able to watch it later on TV as it will Air March 8th, 9th, 10th & 11th at 10:30pm on CCIN and hear how it sounds.

Plus the new CD will be released nationally on March 13th.
Wish me luck!
Don E.

Hard Rock Cafe St. Louis
450 St. Louis Union Station
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-621-7625
St.Louis_Sales@hardrock.com

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

Don,
Good Luck on your TV gig !!....Sounds like it should be a lot of fun ....I know you'll sound GREAT !!....Sincerely, Jim

Don E. Curtis · From: St Louis, Missouri, USA (deceased)

Thanks James, and yes, the SGBB and the whole rack performed outstandingly! When I got there to set up...there were rumors about the low power after the Charter TV truck plugged in all the gear, 5 cameras and the mega lighting, and that some of the stuff was faintly humming. But not me! Totally quiet through the snake and my amp never 'farted' once, the tone was clean and clear and the steel harmonics cut through like a knife.
The power went off on a few circuits during sound check but once they started filiming everything was good to go.
I've played there at Union Station in St. Louis before and definitely remember having a power problem there before...
I am now a happier camper.
Thanks to Brad and Charlie Alper and DeWitt Jr.
Don

Tony Dingus · From: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA

I got a BB this past week and man what a difference. I used on a session last night with my Roland GP 100 running direct and it was the best sound I ever had. I've only used it with my Nash 112 at home and it was sweet. Thanks Brad for the gear for steel guitar and when I get the chance a friend wants to try his bass with it.

Tony

Don E. Curtis · From: St Louis, Missouri, USA (deceased)

Tony, I won't play a gig without it...but at the house I just have a little Fender amp and half the time I don't even use a volume pedal. I don't use them in the Studio or in lessons so I'm used to not having it. Plus I'm glad that I'm not a high fidelity nut. If I've got an old mono cassette player plugged in to my steel amp I love it as long as it's playing my favorite song.
Good Luck with your Black Box.
Don E.

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

I got to hear Don and Paul Jarvis at my favorite hang last night. Sweet tone, great sounding steel, terrific playing! Did I mention great tone?
One fun moment was the out of tune b***o. Was that JI or ET, or your own private way of tuning that thing? Wink

Great job Don! JP
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Carter,PV,Fender

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