Tubefex - low volume problem

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 1 Jun 2002 8:48 am

Hi everybody I have just joined the Forum, I have enjoyed reading the postings now I have my membership I can join in!
I have a tubefex with a cx200x amp both rack mounted with two black widow speakers,purchased from a reliable steel player in mint condition and all in flight cases,they have never been flying he just liked to look after his equipment.
my problem is when I connect my old ShoBud volume pedal up the volume is drastically reduced. When the guitar , a ShoBud Pro 1 ,is put directly into th tubefex the volume is ok. The volume pedal works ok with a session 500 and the same guitar,the previous owner said he used a Goodrich volume pedal but there is noone else nearby that I can borrow a pedal from to try that. Can anyone throw any light on this please?

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 2 Jun 2002 7:43 am

Alan: I have the same effect with my Tube-Fex but I don't think anything is wrong with it. When I compared my settings to those of Jack Stoner (Former Moderator for this Forum)
I found his were very close to mine. My pre and Post gains are almose wide open and the gain select in the TB program is on HI. I use only the first stage of the 4 gain stages that you can select from on the panel and they are indicated by the LED's.

I also have a modified Goodrich 120 pedal with a standard pot in it. I put a resistor on the ground leg of the pot (5 to 15Kohm depending on your needs...) and then put the other end of that resistor to ground. This means you will always be on when you play. I used a value that gives me my low level playing volume so I don't have to use the pedal to get me started. You have to use care when you are not playing and keep things quiet and that could be a real disadvantage to some.

The end result for me is plenty of volume when I need it and very little vol pedal travel to get. Swells and surges are a lot simpler as well. I had a time getting used to both these things. Setting an amp over 4 or 5 for volume wasn't something I would do as a rule but it doesn't hurt the Tube-Fex to run it this way. It has a lot more room to go in the gain area as you'll learn if you ever select the next stage on those LED's when you're playing!!

Best Regards, Paul

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 2 Jun 2002 3:00 pm

Paul, thanks for that I have what seems like normal volume levels now.
Im a relative beginner and the tubefex is way more than I need but it was a bargain that I couldnt refuse, £500/$800? worth of flightcases £2300/$3000? worth in total for £800/$1300? not sure of accurate conversions there but its close.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 2 Jun 2002 7:18 pm

Alan: I didn't notice you were from England and I usually notice that right away. We have had a lot of your history on our public television this weekend and while I didn't get the lad's name; there was a 13 year old clarinetist who could stand right in there with BE or DJ !! What a fantastic talent !!

If you haven't caught it already, I posted some thing about my time in your country in Steel Players in a thread titled: It Has No Words. My pedal guitar life began there and I used to frequent the electronics shops in Swindon looking for power transformers and speaker transformers and such to make my own amplifiers. I used to use Sheffield speakers in the 60s long before Peavey found out how good they were and just before the Beattles and Stones found out about them.

You can see I love your homeland !!

Best Regards, Paul

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 6 Jun 2002 11:56 am

Paul ,just read your "has no words" posting, I agree with the others, lovely story, and it seems you have your wish.
Alan.