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Chasing Tone - Pignose & Dwarf

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FdB:

--- Quote from: mrhappy on January 08, 2020, 06:05:07 AM ---Both 'Angus' and the 'Big Pig' are lookin' SWEET there FdB!!! ;D

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Thank you sir, thank you very much. Big Pig was a dismal failure at first… then I zapped it with 18-24 volts instead of 9 volts and Viola! (hehe) and it now fights better with the Dwarf. I plan to eventually build a even smaller-cabbed version to better accomodate the slightly smaller Visaton BG 13P 8Ω 5” speaker that I like so much. (A real performance bargain compared to the cost of an actual Pignose replacement speaker from Pignose, or even the Jensen MOD 5/30.)

--- Quote from: mrhappy on January 10, 2020, 07:47:29 AM ---Those Birdcords look like a useful solution to a number of probs! I bought one of the original
Volto pedalboard batteries when they came out and it has worked well... I can get @ 2-1/2 gigs out out of it using a small pedal board... usually have it charging in the car on the way to gig, as I sometimes forget! ;D

www.amazon.com/Pedaltrain-Volto-Rechargeable-Supply-PT-VT3/dp/B07MZGB7B1

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Considered the Volto power supply here (and others) but went with the BirdCord and battery bank instead because less-expensive & I’m cheap (thrifty, tight, etc.) and the BBs are easy to simply velcro to the back or inside of the little amps and still remain more portable… BUT with as many of these little monsters that I sometime have powered up here together, a Volto (or similar) might be a good option for me as well. EDIT: A closer look at the specs for the Volto 3 notes 6200mAh compared to the battery banks offering 10400mAh and 50000mAh (both BBs priced under $20.00 ea.) and then add a 5-way daisy chain cable from BirdCord @ 8.99 (Euro) - plus the cost of a Birdcord with the discount? Maybe less expensive to go the BC/BB route, by about less than half the price of a Volto 3? Unless I'm missing something.

My pal Sherm gigs weekly with a similar BirdCord/BB pedal setup, whereas I am normally restricted primarily to “coffee table” use. I’ve four of the BBs so far and they each rotate charging on a multi-unit charger. (Usually every other week or so, if I remember.) Some of the BBs have indicator lights as “charge-level available” indicators but the Blackweb BBs have a digital display readout… so there’s no guessing. And sometimes they’re even used to actually charge phones here.

--- Quote from: DieHard on January 10, 2020, 09:35:36 AM ---Ok, Birdcord it is, but what is a good USB Battery pack that is quality and in-expensive ?

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The inexpensive Blackweb BBs are pretty good. They do have some weirdo sticky coating on them (grip or finish protectant?) that I don’t like. Maybe not on the black-colored versions? Silver: model BWA18W1052

Of the four pictured here previously, the black & red one (eBay source) drops power and resets itself IF burdened with a pedal while also powering an amp. So, it’s my least-favorite BB - but it works well enough when only powering a portable amp alone. Again however, I prefer a little reverb, delay or echo pedal when noodling around here, so occasionally must use two BirdCord/BB (BC/BB) combos for that… and especially if I’m pushing absolute maximum volume from a particular amp + pedal too.

The silver Blackweb BBs ($9.00 each on sale from “NotAmazon-Mart”) are my solid favorites and they’re rated@ a mere 10400mAh / 38.48Wh. The all-black BB pictured previously is via eBay and it’s rated@ a whopping 50000mAh / 185Wh… and while I don’t always trust these ratings, the black one has proven to be very strong & powerful. Each USB port on BBs are rated in amperage output. Often sellers will note a total combined rating for this, and when noted individually - this rating can be as much as 2.4 amps each. Typically it’s more like 2.1amps each - and in the case of the black & red BB… it’s 1 amp for one port and 2.1 amps for the other one. (Probably why it falters / fails with a pedal also attached.) I would not buy another black & red BB.

The black BB (from eBay) is model AS283-H …if interested. 50000mAh. www.ebay.com/itm/50000mAh-Dual-USB-Backup-External-Battery-Power-Bank-Pack-Charger-For-Cell-Phone/261917443920?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

So if you’re planning on only powering one of the Vintage Portable amps, without also trying to power a pedal at the same time with the same BB… any of the above four will work with a BirdCord. Add a pedal on the same BB and that’s where you have to pay attention to individual USB port amperage output ratings.

However, the newer (modern) portables come normally with a myriad of already built-in EFX / echo, chorus, delay, reverb, etc. so they don’t have these concerns as they only require the one BC/BB connection. I still prefer the Vintage Portables though. (Made in USA.)

Dieter (of SongBirdFX / BirdCord - www.songbirdfx.com) speaks highly of / recommends(?) the Anker brand of BBs. I’ve never tested or owned one due to their higher cost. But should someone here try one out, do please report back on your findings. Again, note the mAh and Wh ratings (the higher the better / available power-wise)… as well as check the amperage per USB port output ratings. Made a mad dash here to buy an Anker BB recently - when the Mini-Rock was discovered to require mo’ power… as one Anker BB was listed as 4.8 to 5 amps. Turned out that this was a combined output rating for both USB out-ports added together. I wanted more than 2.4 amps for the Mini-Rock. No sale… back to D or C dry cell batteries for the Mini-Rock. [Mini-Rock has a 6x9 speaker similar to that of the Big Pig’s 6/15 Jensen speaker, thus ≥ more power required?]

Note: For those that might be considering a BC/BB setup for a stock Pignose (without an updated accessory power-in port). Dieter also offers an adapter with a male input-end for the “stock” Pignose. Polarity changers are also available - if you are not likely to shorten the cables and add your own plug as I have often done. Again, check www.Songbirdfx.com for more info / details. Really not all that complicated, but if polarity is wrong… caps may blow. (And yes, I have made that mistake.)

I plan to cover the speaker-out mod & alternate power-in port here, later. *Original Pignose power-in port can be root of some problems. And with the new port you can venture into powering the Pignose with 12+ volts or more (at yer own risk).
Pignose port mods with added speaker-out port.

According to author Mick Ekers in his “Zappa Gear” book, only 50,000 Pignoses were produced the first year. So just imagine how many have been made since 1972! So, I’ve no qualms about hacking in new ports or other mods on even a 25th Anniversary Edition Pignose (black & gold one pictured above). But I won’t change a 1972 first-year model. Nope. I have seen an added “speaker out jack installed inside on the metal shroud covering the Pignose PCB if you don’t care to mod the cases as I have done. Wiring instructions for the added speaker-out jack, here: https://www.tdpri.com/threads/nad-i-finally-got-a-pignose.983744/page-2#post-9386303

--- Quote from: Custos on August 17, 2019, 01:34:11 AM ---Had no idea about these. Fender tweed always sparked my interest. Pretty cool that zappa used them.

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Very interesting info on Frank’s mysterious Pignose in Mick Eker’s “Zappa Gear” book on pages 94-96 and I’m certain… a veritable plethora of mucho more interesting stuff. But the more recent Tweed-covered Pignose amps are most likely not any different in sound / performance over any other version of Pignose. (Later production was shifted to Asia / the orient.) But basically, they’re all still really pretty much the same - unless you have one of the very early germanium versions of the Pignose and those didn’t come in Tweed. (And there is the opinion that the first germanium-based Pignoses are not all that different compared to the newer ones.) And while Tweed covering might look cool it doesn’t warrant mo’ money IMO. Naked, underneath… a Pignose is a Pignose… is a Pignose.

1/8” thick plywood, sans the naugahyde coverOR... "I'm your Father, Big Pig".
--- Quote from: Custos on January 10, 2020, 09:40:22 AM ---What guitar is that hiding behind those amps? Les paul?

--- End quote ---
Yup, that’s an LP Studio hiding behind the amps. Good eye there, Custos.

--- Quote from: macStuff on December 14, 2019, 01:45:52 AM ---frank zappa!
oldschool

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The above, (sez the guy who’s website is named “oldskoolDAW”)? Shade or no?

What was the name of that movie where “The Karate Kid” goes up against Steve Vai? (Actually Vai vs. Ry Cooder playing.) “Crossroads” wasn't it? www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMAkr_Z74E8 And then there’s this “old school”: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWBYjjzKvIw May want to check out www.zappasgear.com and maybe even have a look at the actual book before they’re all gone - POOF! Secrets and many-many various other electronica surprises inside.

Again, one of the primary premises here was that you don’t have to spend a bunch of money to get a sound and / or tone very similar to that of an original 1950’s Fender Tweed amp or a even a much bigger, more powerful and expensive modern amplifier. Recording techniques and even extension speaker cabs can provide more than some ever really imagine from these much older vintage portables*. (*not the same, but pretty darned close.)

Do I need a new Mac capable of running Catalina?
OR how well and more versatile is my good ol’ G4 running OS 9 at accomplishing nearly all that I really want to do?

 More to follow.

Custos:
I've got a les Paul studio that looks identical. Best guitar I've owned. Worth every penny.

FdB:
At first I chose to be buried with mine, until someone suggested
leaving it to them and being buried with a picture of it instead. ;)
Those printed instructions are now inside the case. :o

FdB:
Yet another tangent...

What began with the building of a simple primitive cabinet for a 12” speaker from a Fender Blues Jr. amp (after it had been replaced with a 12” Cannabis Rex)… that spawned building other cabs for various other speakers to test with all of the portables - because speaker G (above) had sounded so good pushed by a mere Dwarf. (It was also quite nice when used again with the Blues Jr. and a Fender SuperChamp X2 as an extension cab.) It’s a closed-back cabinet with ports - and specific details of its’ build can be found here: www.tdpri.com/threads/diy-walkin’-blues-speaker-cab.923252/#post-8896669 Most of the other cabs were also built in the same or a very similar manner.

I (eye) is a 10” speaker from a Fender SuperChamp X2 amp. The two small cabs (D & E) were an afterthought, thinking that maybe some speakers / cabs should have been smaller - to more closely match “portable” sizes. Besides, I couldn’t get the larger cabs under the freakin’ coffee table. The bigger cabs & speakers still sound absolutely great (just not so portable) whereas D & E became more “bench-test” mini-cabs for smaller speakers and portables when on the workbench. (D normally has a Visaton 5” BG 13P inside.)

A, B & C were “test” speakers from a Celestion Home Entertainment system and sound really good in their own right when paired with a portable (and they can sit on the coffee table). I really do prefer the sound of the larger cabs, paired with the portables. And really, all cabs here surprised the hell out of me with their sound when attached to portables. (D & E …not so much.)

I believe that I, J and F are Celestion 8” speakers (failing memory)… and again, part of the effort to provide a good sounding, lower cost speaker compared to the cost of an official Pignose or Dwarf replacement speaker (Pignose and Dwarf appear to have used very similar original speakers.) Thinking that if I could get a larger speaker at less cost into a cab of my own making, well… why not? Plenty of pine lumber and other materials around here. The 8” Celestions sound pretty damned good especially compared to the original 5” speakers in most of the portables AND the smaller cabs (F & J) do fit under the coffee table.

Z… well that’s not a test speaker. It’s a small portable amp (#20) that came in a bag from the Goodwill Store that I bought because there was also a patch cord with Switchcraft plugs in the same bag. $3.00! It’s named “Afterburner” on its nameplate so I simply couldn’t pass it up. It even has a “boost” switch that works! 9 volts and it has its own speaker-out 1/4” jack on the back. It’s perfect for testing Craigslist pedals, mics and / or guitars when meeting-up for any such possible deals.

Pictured here is the companion speaker cab that houses the Jensen MOD 5/30 that was built to look like an official Dwarf extension cab. Equally shared between a Dwarf or a Pignose, it’s a very good replacement speaker for either one. I didn’t want to commit it to either and I'm too tight to buy two. •There is a website that features a scientific approach and specific formulas for figuring appropriate cabinet dimensions for certain-sized speakers. I’ve checked it out a few times but figured… nah, where’s the fun in that! EDIT: www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Calculator/SpeakerBoxEnclosure/

FBz:
No it’s not the same as playing your six string electric through a vintage late 50’s Fender Bassman amp…
but it is kinda related. The Moose (and Moose II) was “tuned to lower octaves for bass instruments”.
Single coil pick ups love it. (Of course with an added delay or reverb pedal.)



The Moose II just barely falls outside the ten-year anniversary (1984) of the early battery powered amps.
(Pignose launched to the public in 1973.) The “least portable” of all the early American Made portables
(30 pounds with batteries) - the Moose II was the last offering in Lectrosonics’ evolution of their solid state
battery powered portable amps before they stopped producing amps altogether ‘round the year 2000.



The Mouse, the Maxi-Mouse, the Moose and the Moose II all used a very similar circuit board with
just a few “added bits” along the way. The Mouse was rated @ 7 Watts and the Maxi-Mouse @ 9 Watts.
Can’t find specs anywhere for the Moose or Moose II. Guess I need to drop Lectrosonics a direct query?
(Maxi-Mouse board on top here below.) Note the additional Ti opamp and other additions
on the Moose II board (bottom).

 *clickable image


I don’t have a Mini-Mouse or a Moose 1 - but I am very pleased with this near 100% perfect example
of the Moose II. (That’s a Maxi-Mouse covered in carbon fiber below.
I borrowed its’ batteries temporarily for the Moose.)



Unable to acquire a Moose 1 (I’ve only ever seen one)… this Moose II came to me from Albuquerque
New Mexico (they were made in Albuquerque - THANKS MILES!) and it’s a bit larger than the original
Moose from what I can glean from the picture below. I assume that they boosted the output, added
another input, made it larger and changed orientation from horizontal to vertical.
*The Moose 1 below, looks more like a Mouse or a Maxi-Mouse.




I’m finished(?) collecting the early solid state portables… unless someone has a very rare
PAiA Gemini, a Mini-Mouse or a Moose 1? And maybe now… finally, I can get around to refinishing
and resurrecting the two Petros 1 amps that have been patiently awaiting their turn here AND finally
completing this entire vintage battery-powered portable amp thread.

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