black box

[Ronald Ammons]

Hello folks ..I'm a novice ..can someone tell me what the steel guitar 'black box' is and where to get one? I own a Sho Pro Llyod Green model pushing a Nashville 400 and a Telonics pedal ..

[David Nugent]

The 'Black Box' is a tube driven unit that is placed in front of a solid state amp, helps to warm the tone..To purchase: Click onto the 'Links' feature at the top of the page, then click onto, 'Steel Guitar Related Products' to locate 'Sarno Music Solutions'. Brad Sarno manufactures these fine units...BTW: You possess a fairly impressive setup for a "novice!"

[Walter Killam]

Hi Ron,
Others with more experience should jump in here, but, if you are using a Telonics pedal, you probably don't need a black box, you would be double buffering the signal from the guitar. I don't think it would hurt, but I doubt it would help much. If you are trying to warm up the amp, then a BB and a passive volume pedal may be the way to go.

[Ronald Ammons]

thank you gentlemen ..I own a Pro Fex II but don't quite know how to work it effeciently ..understand the concept, as it is nice to be able to switch from the 'hard reverb' sound to the concert room sound quickly ..in the meantime, I use the Hardwire Series DL8 Looper/Delay and the RV7 Stereo Reverb in line with a Boss TU-15 Chromatic Tuner ..

[Cartwright Thompson]

What is it and where can I get one

[Ronald Ammons]

..and my Nashville 400 has had the Ken Fox upgrade, which included the Burr Brown chips as I understand ..

[Craig Baker]

I may get corrected, but doesn't Brad recommend using the Black Box as the first thing the guitar "sees", even before the volume pedal? It seems like that should give you added warmth.

As David implied, there are guys out there who would kill to have your set-up.

Just one other suggestion: if you change your name from Ronald to Buddy, you might get a lot of session work. LOL

All the best to you Ron,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

[Brad Sarno]

The Black Box before the Telonics or any active volume pedal is NOT really redundant. It's actually a different sound. If you want that tubey kind of treble sweetness and low to high balance and the rest, then the Black Box can do that in a certain way that the active pedals won't. Not saying it's better, just different.

What I've found is that the "first active device" that a pickup sees is gonna really create a sound that will always be part of the tone. If that first active device is a transistor it'll sound one way, if it's a jfet that will have a slightly different sound, and if it's a tube, that's another. I think that when people really find that first active device that they like best, then it's a lot easier to get the tone they want with their rig.

Nail that sound right out of the gate, right after the pickup. And there are lots of good ways to do it.


Brad
Steel Guitar Black Box
www.sarnomusicsolutions.com

[Rick Schacter]

Ronald Ammons,

I have a Black Box that I've been thinking about selling.
I'm asking for $200 plus the cost of shipping.

Let me know if you're interested.

[Stephen Rethmeier]

If Ronald is not interested, I am.

Ronald Ammons,

I have a Black Box that I've been thinking about selling.
I'm asking for $200 plus the cost of shipping.

Let me know if you're interested.

[Rick Schacter]

Stephen Rethmeier,

It looks like your first in line if Ronald doesn't want it.