bass guitar effect patent granted in UK

[nbtone]

[b][font="1Ec641Arial,Bold"][size="2"][font="1Ec641Arial,Bold"][size="2"]Patent No. GB2458411 was granted on Feb. 1 in the UK. (electronic bass register musical instrument tube preamplifier)[/size][/font][/size][/font][/b]

[Blademan_98]

[url="http://ipo.gov.uk/p-find-number/patents?csbtype=F&csbpub=GB2458411"]http://ipo.gov.uk/p-find-number/patents?csbtype=F&csbpub=GB2458411[/url]

Interesting how known technology can get a patent

[nbtone]

Known technology that was known 60 years ago and never revealed before this time makes it possible. Thank you for your interest!
DISCLAIMER: It's possible that I could profit from the matter mentioned here in the future, so please take anything stated here with a grain of salt.

Edited February 12, 2012 by nbtone

[RichF]

post some more about this, always interested in new stuff. So this is a valve preamp using components no longer typically used?

[nbtone]

I found that by experimenting with large physically sized condensers from an old Conn organ and mixing a modern, smaller physically sized one in the circuit that the tone was much made better. I copied a bogen pa for the preamp circuit, and kept changing components in the circuit until the bass response improved. It sounded like an old 78 record, though, so then I tried the newer capacitors. I had a Bass Tone amp when I was 13 (in 1966). It had a nice tone, but you couldn't turn it up very loud without getting a lot of distortion. That's the tone I was trying to bring back. There are sources for capacitors that will do the same thing as the Conn organ ones that are made today. Most of them have sterling silver wires and are very expensive. The term for them is loosly "paper in oil", but actually they are film and foil with oil. Russian military surplus PIO caps are available that work very well too. You need to use the larger physically sized ones, which are the ones usually with the higher voltage ratings.
DISCLAIMER: It's possible that I could profit from the matter mentioned here in the future, so please take anything stated here with a grain of salt.

Edited February 12, 2012 by nbtone

[BB3000S]

Congratulations on the patent, hope you get it to the market as well. There's always a need for great sounding bass preamps!
Please keep us posted.

[nbtone]

Mass producing old technology capacitors will be a real thrill to get done. Then there would be the added cost of getting professional electrical engineers to design the perfect power supply. I'm hopeful now that I have a UK patent, but not confident that anything will be done. I travel around the US showing the effect of this circuit at various music stores and other venues, but most of us are all in the same boat financially. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your interest.
DISCLAIMER: It's possible that I could profit from the matter mentioned here in the future, so please take anything stated here with a grain of salt.

Edited April 6, 2012 by nbtone

[lettsguitars]

Get some audio samples up.

[charic]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1328576321' post='1529562']
Get some audio samples up.
[/quote]

+1

[mcgraham]

Quality. A thread on 'The Gear Page' was cited as a relevant document.

I'm just having a read of the granted patent now.

[mcgraham]

Personally I think it looks pretty cool. It involves some vintage technology in a simple way to provide a different tonality to your instrument if you so desire. What's not to like?

Reading claim 1, it's quite specific, so I'd be surprised if that exact circuit had been done before. It seems probably that inventive step/non-obviousness would have been raised as an issue during prosecution, but clearly they've attended to those issues and it's granted. I'd certainly be interested in giving it a whirl!

[mcgraham]

uhhh, nbtone, can I ask what exactly your website specialises in selling? there seems to be a LOT of different products for sale...

[umph]

haha yeah the other products you're selling don't really inspire faith in your product. Gutshots and a better explanation of the features wouldn't go amiss either

[nbtone]

OK I removed all the surplusage. I didn't mean to insult anyone, huh?.
If one were so inclined one could research the patent prosecution in the U.S. Patent and Trademark office (11/327,757), and reach a real understanding of how it works and how it fits historically in the scheme of things harmonically.
DISCLAIMER: It's possible that I could profit from the matter mentioned here in the future, so please take anything stated here with a grain of salt.
Here is a link to a sound clip:
[url="http://www.box.com/s/i2g4jtr5sj926jtnajlf"]http://www.box.com/s...tr5sj926jtnajlf[/url]
I will post some more soon.

Edited April 6, 2012 by nbtone

[nbtone]

Audio samples:
[url="http://www.box.com/s/oz8epemknj5zdyyaozvk"]http://www.box.com/s...emknj5zdyyaozvk[/url]
[url="http://www.box.com/s/1tcavphj55sesav85dsr"]http://www.box.com/s...phj55sesav85dsr[/url]
[url="http://www.box.com/s/moxbui2eh5k0t4fe57v9"]http://www.box.com/s...i2eh5k0t4fe57v9[/url]
[url="http://www.box.com/s/p8omze726bjsa4irv4qu"]http://www.box.com/s...e726bjsa4irv4qu[/url]
[url="http://www.box.com/s/k8kblhbioq8xkypvpu9s"]http://www.box.com/s...hbioq8xkypvpu9s[/url]
[url="http://www.box.com/s/5rxt2nrtse476vg010ar"]http://www.box.com/s...nrtse476vg010ar[/url]
[url="http://www.box.com/s/i2g4jtr5sj926jtnajlf"]http://www.box.com/s...tr5sj926jtnajlf[/url]
These audio samples wererecorded in my home with a Dell PC, soundblaster audigy sound card, magix software, and a small battery powered condenser microphone. There might seem to be too much of the room in the recordings, or something, but these audio samples will give you an idea of the possibilties with the use of this preamp. A Boss GT-6B digital effects processor was used in all. It was adjusted for best possible tone with instrument/amplifier combination and then the Nitewalker Bass Guitar Tube Preamp was placed in the circuit. The electric cello is a Korean made "Strauss" with all active electronics removed. It has a piezo pickup with a single volume control wired to it, and is being played through a Crate solid state guitar amp. The Ibanez bass is being played through a Randall B-210, and the Fender precision bass is being played through a Traynor custom special amplifier. The circuit for the Nitewalker Bass Guitar Tube Preamp may be viewed here:
[url="http://www.box.com/s/4q1nlx9gghrmv35r438f"]http://www.box.com/s...x9gghrmv35r438f[/url]
Here is a photo of one where you can see inside:
[url="http://www.box.com/s/p5hdyd1b1gifz7ubox9e"]http://www.box.com/s/p5hdyd1b1gifz7ubox9e[/url]

Edited February 23, 2012 by nbtone

[nbtone]

In answer to all the inquiries about plans to build bass tube preamps I've written a white paper that is available on ebay. Here is the link:

[url="http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=nitewalker+bass+guitar+tube+preamp&_sacat=0"]http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=nitewalker+bass+guitar+tube+preamp&_sacat=0[/url]

You could request digital delivery and forego any international shipping charges.

DISCLAIMER: It's possible that I could profit from the matter mentioned here in the future, so please take anything stated here with a grain of salt.

[nbtone]

[quote name='RichF' timestamp='1328471918' post='1527695']
post some more about this, always interested in new stuff. So this is a valve preamp using components no longer typically used?
[/quote]

Hey I just found out that there was an article in Bass Gear Magazine in January about this subject!
Here's the link
[font="Times New Roman,serif"][size="3"][size=3][url="http://btpub.boyd-printing.com/publication/?i=98095&p=44"][font="Calibri,sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#0066cc"][size=2]http://btpub.boyd-printing.com/publication/?i=98095&p=44[/size][/color][/size][/font][/url][/size][/size][/font]

[nbtone]

The U.S Patent was granted last year (No.8284962) ([url="http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8284962.pdf"]www.freepatentsonline.com/8284962.pdf[/url]) Lazy Japanese attorney couldn't get a Japanese patent. Still waiting for China.

[AngelLaHash]

I didn't think china was worth coup writing, as them and India will just do it any way

So got'plans for production then, and wish you best of luck with this

[nbtone]

[quote name='AngelLaHash' timestamp='1365573117' post='2041163']
I didn't think china was worth coup writing, as them and India will just do it any way

So got'plans for production then, and wish you best of luck with this
[/quote]

Plans for production would be impossible for a small scale company like mine. I've made 100 of them, and could make a few more hundred of them with the parts available to me now. The paper in oil capacitors that I've been using are over 40 year old NOS Russian military surplus. Hope to find an amplifier manufacturer interested in using this preamp. You would have to hear this in person to understand.

[AngelLaHash]

ahh yes the Russian Military .. i keep seeing some things like that pop up..

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]paper in oil capacitors, Ive not really played around with these, there are Moden ones ANGELA [/font][/color]

[nbtone]

I bought some modern ones at AudioNoteUK a few years ago. I think they were made in Denmark. I've been told that many more people are producing them these days. All of the new ones are way too much money. Silver or copper foil with sterling silver leads ..... Just rediculous!!!

[AngelLaHash]

Is there any way of Making your own Kind of Cap then, if the ones you like is Paper and Oil type
i know its adding more complex but i wonder if it should be cheaper

the biggest problem buying things, is if someone knows you need them, or demand
Example, Speakers for the PC £10
Speakers for a Car (cant tell the difference from the PC ones maybe no Connector) £40
a Resister + Cap for a bleed £5-10 but by them yourself dam lt lot less

[nbtone]

I think they are made of tin foil and polystyrene sheeting with mineral oil between. I don't know how to do it. It's just like most things. Someone will throw a wrench in the works if he sees something positive is going on.

[3below]

Patents, other countries who do not care, alternative solutions that do not violate patents e.g. digital synthesis. Watch this space.