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Topic: SMS FreeLoader on the Opry |
Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2008 3:31 pm |
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"I love the "FreeLoader" and have had many steelers ask me about it at the Opry.
I would recommend the FreeLoader to anyone wishing to enhance and control the tone of one's steel.
It really made a difference in my sound. Seems to give it a little more life and bigger punch in the face tone."
Tommy White - Grand Old Opry
http://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/freeloader.html
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Doug Earnest
From:
Branson, MO USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2008 5:20 pm
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As if Tommy needed better tone.... 
Brad, you are indeed a credit to the steel guitar community! |
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Tommy White
From:
Nashville
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Posted 26 Sep 2008 8:34 am
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Hey Brad, that's my "FreeLoader" but that ain't my steel!
Yes, I believe the "FreeLoader " to be essential to tone when playing a variety of venues as I do.
I still like my "Blackbox" too!
Doug,
I need all the help I can get!  |
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Bari Smith
From:
Spartanburg SC USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2008 9:41 am Hmmm!!!
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So now am I being led to believe I need a"Freeloader" and a BB?Yo Tommy ..Are you using both?........ 
_________________
SHO-BUD LDG(Cooperized),MULLEN RP SD-10,Webb 614E,'73 Vibrosonic,Mesa-Boogie Pre,Stewart 1.2,TC Electronic M-300,JBL's,Black Box,Walker Seats'84 Dobro,'69 Martin D-28,and assorted other goodies! |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2008 10:47 am
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| I've been using my new Freeloader for a good while now, and it's exactly what I was hoping for, you can easily dial in just the right warmth or bite from song to song, or to compensate for differences in venue or room sound. Way to go, Brad! |
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Tom Mossburg
From:
AZ,
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Posted 28 Sep 2008 4:52 pm Freeloader
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| I picked up a freeloader from Brad a couple month's ago. Stopped at Jim Palenscar's and he put a Tonealigner in my new MSA. This is without a doubt the best sound I've ever gotten. The little Red Box is so easy to use and does the trick. It seemed no matter what steel or amp I used that high end was raspy. The RB takes care of that. Highly recommended. |
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Lynn Stafford
From:
Ridgefield, WA USA
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Posted 1 Oct 2008 6:52 am FreeLoader
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I picked mine up from Brad at the ISGC and have had a few weeks to work with this device. Guys, let me tell you that it's everything Tommy, Mark and Tom say it is. I have mine patched between my steel and Hilton pedal and then to a Fender Vibrasonic "custom" all tube amp. The tone is just downright amazing! Also, I want to add that Brad's workmanship and customer service is fantastic.
_________________
Best regards,
Lynn Stafford
STEEL GUITAR WEST
http://www.steelguitarwest.com
Steel Guitar Technician (Restoration, Set-up, Service and Repair work)
Previous Emmons Authorized Dealer & Service Technician (original factory is now closed)
ZumSteel Authorized Service Technician
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Tommy R. Butler
From:
Nashville, Tennessee
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Posted 2 Oct 2008 4:28 pm
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Just Ordered Mine !!!  |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 4 Oct 2008 6:39 am
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| Bump |
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Tommy R. Butler
From:
Nashville, Tennessee
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Posted 8 Oct 2008 7:46 am
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Got a RAVE here !!! Ordered mine like Saturday nite, It was in the mail box on Monday.
I used it on two sessions already this week and its great.
My session guitar is a SD-10 Derby with a GL 10-1.
My volume pedal is a new Hilton.
The amp I used was a Nashville 112 with Burr Brown chips.
I endorse Derby, Hilton, & Peavey which are all great products.
I pulled the cash off the hip and bought THE FREELOADER and it gave me the sound I was looking for out of this studio rig....
I am looking forward to using it this weekend on the road.
I will be in Jacksonville Fl Fri nite and Augusta Ga Sat nite.
For you guys using Nashville 112's this thing really improves the sound.
I will report back soon as I have used it with my other amps.
Thanks for another great product Brad !!! |
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Steve Norman
From:
Seattle Washington, USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2008 8:14 am
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is this the same as a match box? I have a steel driver III and am not that happy with it, how does this differ?
_________________
GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2008 10:22 am
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Hey Tommy B, that's great! Thanks for the kind words, and I'm so glad you're liking it.
Steve, true, it is a buffer as is a Matchbox, in that sense it does help to maintain clarity and presence of the pickup's signal as it travels thru cables and volume pedals on the way to the amplifier. But the FreeLoader's method of controlling the tone is done by "variable loading". No tone capacitor is involved, but instead the coil of the pickup itself takes part in the tone control function. Every pickup has a treble peak. The FreeLoader directly controls how tall or short that treble peak is without also dumping the frequencies that live above that treble peak.
The the actual buffer circuit is extremely pure and minimal using one single discrete transistor (no opamps) and a couple of high quality audio capacitors.
So the end result is a very clean and smooth buffer without an overly crisp top end, and a tremendous amount of control over the actual tone response of the pickup itself.
Essentially it's a transistor version of the Black Box.
Brad |
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Heiko Aehle
From:
Bretleben GERMANY
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Posted 8 Oct 2008 12:22 pm
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| Youtube would be the exact place to show any interested steel player the difference in playing with and without the FreeLoader. I bet many of us would like to hear it. |
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Tom Mossburg
From:
AZ,
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Posted 14 Oct 2008 6:06 pm
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Heiko, I don't think the bandwidth is wide enough on youtube to give a just comparison.
Tommy B is right about improving the sound of a 112. I tried it with my 112 (before I sold it) and it did help. It also helped with a NV-1000. The effect to me is subtle and hard to describe but, like someone else said about a black box post. You can really tell when you take it out of the signal path.
I'm not trying to blow my own horn here but I feel that I finally and fortunately have one of the best guitars and amp systems available today. The Freeloader is a great addition to this system and really allows me to dial in the sound I want very easily. |
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David Barker
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2008 11:16 am
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Tom,
So adding the freeloader helps the sound of both the NV 112 and the NV 1000. Does it matter which PUP you have on the guitar? Are there specific PUPs that the freeloader would make sound better or worst?
David
_________________
FoxMod-NV112,Boss DD6, [Guitars] PRS, Fender, Martin, Ovation [Keys] Hammond, Yamaha, Korg, Roland [Sound] Mackie, Crown, TC Helicon, Behringer, JBL, Alesis |
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Tommy R. Butler
From:
Nashville, Tennessee
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Posted 15 Oct 2008 12:40 pm
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David I got 710's in one guitar I have and had a lil problem with one of my amps distorting just a lil bit when I am playing pretty loud downtown. the free loader let me adjust it out and it dont distort at the HONKY TONK volumes anymore so I would say yes it will help most all bands.
Bari, I dont have a BB.. Wish I had one of the tonic & Furlong set ups. I am stuck in the combo amp and RV 3 realm. Maybe one day after Mike Sweeney teaches me EVERYTHING he knows... |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2008 7:38 pm
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| David Barker wrote: |
Tom,
So adding the freeloader helps the sound of both the NV 112 and the NV 1000. Does it matter which PUP you have on the guitar? Are there specific PUPs that the freeloader would make sound better or worst?
David |
David, the FreeLoader's function as a "tone control" is unlike a typical tone control that we're used to. The "load" control here actually uses the pickup coil itself as part of the tone circuit. It's NOT an EQ circuit on its own. This means that the FreeLoader automatically and naturally controls a pickup's inherent treble peak no matter what brand or model of pickup it is. By taking such huge control over a pickup's treble response with the FreeLoader, your amp is then freed up to turn its attention and focus on the EQ needs of the speaker, the speaker box, and the stage conditions.
So short answer, the FreeLoader will help enhance and control the tone of any steel guitar pickup.
Brad |
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Tom Mossburg
From:
AZ,
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Posted 15 Oct 2008 8:26 pm
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David
I've got a Tonealigner and a Trutone for my MSA. The Freeloader helps with both. I prefer the tonealigner. The Freeloader takes the edge off both. I noticed that you've got a Fessy. I tried the unit with my Fessey and it sounded better with the Freeloader. |
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David Barker
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2008 8:40 am
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Thanks for the great information Tom, Tommy and Brad. This is exactly the information I needed to make a decision. I've been watching this tread and wondering if this unit would help with the tonal quality between my PUP(tonealigner) and amp (NV 112). It sounds like indeed it will make a tonal difference.
Thanks again guys....
_________________
FoxMod-NV112,Boss DD6, [Guitars] PRS, Fender, Martin, Ovation [Keys] Hammond, Yamaha, Korg, Roland [Sound] Mackie, Crown, TC Helicon, Behringer, JBL, Alesis |
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Jim Saunders
From:
Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
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Posted 18 Oct 2008 6:54 pm Question
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| It was asked if you would need the Freeloader if you have the Black Box and I haven't seen that answered. Do they have different functions that compliment each other? |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2008 1:29 pm
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Jim,
in general, the Black Box is superior to the FreeLoader in my opinion. They're nearly identical in function as far as the purpose they serve as a "variable loading" tone control and low-z buffer. But the Black Box uses a 300v powered tube circuit, and the FreeLoader uses a 9v powered transistor circuit.
The tonal control over the pickup's response is the same in both. The electronic buffer circuits that drive the things is where they are different.
If you have a Black Box, I don't think you'd find the FreeLoader to be an improvement, but you may enjoy the compactness and practicality of the FreeLoader.
The Black Box has that tube factor which is real nice if you're trying to add some extra sweetness, warmth, and dimension to a cold sounding transistor amp rig. But if you like the tone of your rig already, then the FreeLoader may be a good choice in that it works directly with the pickup to get its response right where you want it, and your amp rig does the rest. The FreeLoader does do some sweetening and enhancing of its own, but I don't think it's quite as dramatic as the sweetening power of the vacuum tube circuit in the Black Box.
I probably wouldn't recommend using both the FreeLoader and the Black Box simultaneously.
Thanks,
Brad |
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Joe Butcher
From:
Dallas,Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2008 2:00 pm
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| Hey Brad, I already play thru a tube amp, so would the freeloader be a better option than the black box?? Plus I'm on a budget!! |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2008 3:25 pm
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Joe,
that depends on what you've got going on between the steel and the amp. If it's just a cord to a pot pedal to the amp, then you may want to keep it nice an purely tube that way.
But if you've got an active volume pedal, or a reverb/delay pedal, or an active tuner, etc. in the path, then the FreeLoader will help tremendously.
What's your current setup from guitar to amp?
Brad |
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Joe Butcher
From:
Dallas,Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2008 3:54 pm
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current setup is MSA steel into goodrich pot pedal, into Boss digital delay (which I rarely use) into a Fender Twin Custom 15"
Thanks!!
Last edited by Joe Butcher on 19 Oct 2008 7:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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