EBS Stanley Clarke Acoustic Preamp

[JPJ]

Question for the EBS Stanley Clarke users - according to the manual, the tuner out only becomes active when the Mute is on. However, on mine, the tuner out is active irrespective of the setting of the mute switch. Is this normal behaviour or does mine have a problem?

[jrixn1]

42 minutes ago, JPJ said:

Question for the EBS Stanley Clarke users - according to the manual, the tuner out only becomes active when the Mute is on. However, on mine, the tuner out is active irrespective of the setting of the mute switch. Is this normal behaviour or does mine have a problem?

 

I don't have mine in front of me right now, and in fact I moved my tuner to the FX loop - but yes I'm pretty sure mine also behaves like you have described.

[SimBass]

12 hours ago, JPJ said:

Question for the EBS Stanley Clarke users - according to the manual, the tuner out only becomes active when the Mute is on. However, on mine, the tuner out is active irrespective of the setting of the mute switch. Is this normal behaviour or does mine have a problem?

I can confirm that my Tuner out is only active when the pedal is muted as per the manual. The mute button is effectively toggling whether the output goes to amp-out/DI/Headphone OR tuner-out (according to the circuit diagrom the Effects Send is the only output not effected by the mute button).

[JPJ]

21 minutes ago, SimBass said:

I can confirm that my Tuner out is only active when the pedal is muted as per the manual. The mute button is effectively toggling whether the output goes to amp-out/DI/Headphone OR tuner-out (according to the circuit diagrom the Effects Send is the only output not effected by the mute button).

Thanks for this, I have shot an enquiry off to EBS directly before going back to Mark at Bass Direct. Let’s wait and see what they have to say, but I suspect I may have a duff unit 😔

[JPJ]

So I received a reply from EBS tech support who told me of a dip switch inside which sets the tuner out to either mute activated or permanently on. A quick flick of the switch has mine now behaving as anticipated i.e. the tuner only active when the mute is on. 

[EBS_freak]

I like the idea of an always on tuner - always useful if you are holding a note, you can tune mid song/bar without your sound dropping out. Then you have the mute for when you do want to drop out and silent tune.

[JPJ]

26 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

I like the idea of an always on tuner - always useful if you are holding a note, you can tune mid song/bar without your sound dropping out. Then you have the mute for when you do want to drop out and silent tune.

I hear you, and it’s also a useful check of your intonation when playing fretless or EUB but I found it distracting hence why I wanted it disabling. 

[prowla]

It might have an internal switch.

[JPJ]

1 hour ago, prowla said:

It might have an internal switch.

It does 😉

[prowla]

13 hours ago, JPJ said:

It does 😉

Sorry - I responded to pg #1, but hadn't read the whole thread!

[JPJ]

So in need of a quick late night practice on the EUB, I remembered that the Stanley Clarke has both a headphone out and an aux in socket. Tried it for the first time and I’m impressed. It’s certainly quicker than setting up the laptop, interface, etc. and great for a bit of late night noodling. Can’t believe I haven’t tried this earlier 🤦‍♂️

[Burns-bass]

Yes it’s a wonderful bit of kit. Appreciate all the recommendations from people on here.

[jazzyvee]

On 31/03/2023 at 12:12, JPJ said:

So in need of a quick late night practice on the EUB, I remembered that the Stanley Clarke has both a headphone out and an aux in socket. Tried it for the first time and I’m impressed. It’s certainly quicker than setting up the laptop, interface, etc. and great for a bit of late night noodling. Can’t believe I haven’t tried this earlier 🤦‍♂️

Most of my use of mine is for practice. I take it on gigs where a backline is provided and send Di to PA and jack output to power amp input or the return jack on the provided bass amp. Superb unit.

[rmcki]

Just put one of these up for sale. Check out the 'Effects for sale' section. Link

Edited April 23, 2023 by rmcki

[JPJ]

So after a year and a half of using the SC I have another question. Is there a simple way to modify the input resistance of one channel (like an external load box)? I know that the input resistance of the SC is 10 meg ohm which is designed for piezo style pickups. 
As I’ve said before, I use the SC as my preamp with both NS EUB, and a selection of passive and active bass guitars. My passive Tony Franklin P bass appears so hot on the input of the SC that the channel gain is hardly on, and even a small amount of EQ boost has the post LED flashing away. I feel that the gain is so low that I’m actually missing something from my tone.

I’m about to receive a SushiBox ‘Finally with bass in mind’ valve pre that I want to use for my bass guitar side of things and I’m worried sticking an active pre in front of the SC is only going to make things even worse. 

[jrixn1]

9 minutes ago, JPJ said:

My passive Tony Franklin P bass appears so hot on the input of the SC that the channel gain is hardly on, and even a small amount of EQ boost has the post LED flashing away.

 

The first thing I'd look at is the pickup height.  It will be less hot if it's lowered (which will also change the tone).
If you're happy with the pickup height, how are things if you just turn the volume down on the bass? If you prefer to run the volume on full, something like this could work: https://www.ehx.com/products/signal-pad/ (It's the same thing as a volume control on the instrument, but in a pedal.)
 

 

[SimBass]

2 hours ago, JPJ said:

So after a year and a half of using the SC I have another question. Is there a simple way to modify the input resistance of one channel (like an external load box)? I know that the input resistance of the SC is 10 meg ohm which is designed for piezo style pickups. 
As I’ve said before, I use the SC as my preamp with both NS EUB, and a selection of passive and active bass guitars. My passive Tony Franklin P bass appears so hot on the input of the SC that the channel gain is hardly on, and even a small amount of EQ boost has the post LED flashing away. I feel that the gain is so low that I’m actually missing something from my tone.

I’m about to receive a SushiBox ‘Finally with bass in mind’ valve pre that I want to use for my bass guitar side of things and I’m worried sticking an active pre in front of the SC is only going to make things even worse. 

I've been using mine with DB and various basses (active and passive) and once had a similar situation. It turned out the cause was not the bass but that I had inadvertently knocked the (A+B) button between the inputs when pluging in. This can have the effect of running input A through Channel A and B in series, and therefore applying 2 gains. So you can turn down Channel A gain as much as you want but if Channel B gain is still turned up (from low signal double bass in my case) then you are still getting way to much signal coming through and "flash flashy LED clipping".

 

Might not be the situation in your case, but defininetly worth checking.

 

From the manual:

 

Quote

When A+B push switch is in its’ INNER position: Selects between A or A+B, i.e. either only A or A in series with B channel when only A input is used. When B channel input jack is used or XLR is selected for channel B, both channels are mixed together and the A/B foot switch has no effect.

 

[JPJ]

1 hour ago, jrixn1 said:

 

The first thing I'd look at is the pickup height.  It will be less hot if it's lowered (which will also change the tone).
If you're happy with the pickup height, how are things if you just turn the volume down on the bass? If you prefer to run the volume on full, something like this could work: https://www.ehx.com/products/signal-pad/ (It's the same thing as a volume control on the instrument, but in a pedal.)
 

 

Thanks, but I should have been clearer. All my active/passive basses are ‘too hot’ to have the input gain on the SC at anything more than ‘just on’. 
 

[SimBass]

5 minutes ago, JPJ said:

Thanks, but I should have been clearer. All my active/passive basses are ‘too hot’ to have the input gain on the SC at anything more than ‘just on’. 
 

I've tried loads of basses and never had the issue, definitley check your 'A+B' switch as you can see the signal will go through 2 gain pre amps as per their circuit diagram.

 

[JPJ]

1 hour ago, SimBass said:

I've tried loads of basses and never had the issue, definitley check your 'A+B' switch as you can see the signal will go through 2 gain pre amps as per their circuit diagram.

 

I’ve checked the A/B switch and it’s definitely ‘out’. When you are running your basses, where is the gain control set at, I struggle to get above 11 o’clock with any electric bass passive or active?

[SimBass]

This has not been touched since my rehearsal on Thursday:

Channel A is active jazz bass (volume at about 60% on the bass)

Channel B is Realist Pickup on double bass (so piezo with no volume control)

 

Coincidentally the 60% on my bass guitar means both input gains are pretty much the same.

 

Master Volume out is at about 11 o'clock.

 

[jrixn1]

4 hours ago, JPJ said:

the channel gain is hardly on, and even a small amount of EQ boost has the post LED flashing away.

 

Where do you have to turn the gain knob to get the 'peak' LED (the non-post one, by the gain knob) to light up?  For me with a P bass, it's around 2 o'clock.

 

Then with all EQ at noon, the filter off, and nothing in the effects loop, the 'peak' and 'post peak' lights should light up in sync (either both on, or both off), since the level is the same at both points.

 

With flat eq, if the 'post peak' is on but the 'peak' isn't... is there something cranked in your effects loop?

 

[Paddy Morris]

Sorry if this is an ignorant question, but couldn't you just turn down the volume on your instrument a tad?

[JPJ]

On 28/05/2024 at 14:20, jrixn1 said:

 

Where do you have to turn the gain knob to get the 'peak' LED (the non-post one, by the gain knob) to light up?  For me with a P bass, it's around 2 o'clock.

 

Then with all EQ at noon, the filter off, and nothing in the effects loop, the 'peak' and 'post peak' lights should light up in sync (either both on, or both off), since the level is the same at both points.

 

With flat eq, if the 'post peak' is on but the 'peak' isn't... is there something cranked in your effects loop?

 

I have a TC Plethora X3 in the loop, but I struggle with the peak signal flashing constantly with the gain set at about 11 o’clock with a passive P bass, whether there are effects engaged or not. I’d have expected the loop to only show on the post peak?

[JPJ]

15 hours ago, Paddy Morris said:

Sorry if this is an ignorant question, but couldn't you just turn down the volume on your instrument a tad?

Not an ignorant question, yes I could, but I actually feel like I’m missing some gain in my signal so turning down would just make the problem worse.