Just how good is the "Black Box"?

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 26 Apr 2015 8:39 am

Is it more versatile than the Matchboxes or Izzys?
Opinions are appreciated.
JB

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 26 Apr 2015 10:04 am

John, if you wanna meet us some Tuesday evening along I-70 (ideally at the 79), I'll loan you mine for a bit.
It has the Vari-Z knob which kinda acts like a tone knob.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 27 Apr 2015 4:35 am

What state you talking Bro?
JB

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 27 Apr 2015 4:52 am

John, we (my codriver and I) leave Lenexa, Kansas Tuesday and Thursday mornings and turn around in New Jersey Wednesday and Friday morning. Unless we're running late, we usually switch around 9 in Dayton, and go through Columbus 10:30 PMish. Or Wednesday, hopefully around 8 or 9 on the way back. I'm driving days this week, so I'll be coming through Columbus at the wheel Wednesday evening (your profile says Columbus, anyway).

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 27 Apr 2015 5:37 am

That's a really kind gesture, Lane. Things like this make me proud to be part of this community.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 27 Apr 2015 5:43 am

Rick Barnhart wrote:That's a really kind gesture, Lane. Things like this make me proud to be part of this community.

Lane seems to be a pretty decent guy, and his participation makes this a better Forum.

John Peay · Post by **John Peay** » 27 Apr 2015 5:47 am

Dale Rottacker wrote:
Rick Barnhart wrote:That's a really kind gesture, Lane. Things like this make me proud to be part of this community.
Lane seems to be a pretty decent guy, and his participation makes this a better Forum.

Agree on all counts. Lane goes out of his way to help folks, both on the forum and privately. Thanks, Lane!

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 27 Apr 2015 6:09 am

John,

The black box is essential in my opinion, if you use a solid state amp. It's also really cool with a tube amp but my experience is that you can get along without it if you run tubes. Solid state really needs this tool. Can't emphasize that enough.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 27 Apr 2015 6:26 am

That is a very kind gesture Lane. These guys are right, that's what makes this forum
so much better than others. I think since I have gotten so many good comments about
the BB and since I'm playing thru a SS amp I'll just go ahead and advertise to buy one.
They are always for sale on here and if it didn't work for me I'm sure I could get my
price back as they seem to go fast on here. You're a good man Lane.

I suppose while I'm at it, do you plan to sell yours Lane?

Ya'll take care,
John in Ohio

Dustin Rhodes · Post by **Dustin Rhodes** » 27 Apr 2015 6:39 am

How useable is it if you're running multiple instruments into 1 amp? Would it need adjusted if you were running a steel and 6 string together?

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 27 Apr 2015 7:01 am

I believe the BB goes before the vol pedal so unless you're using the same cord for steel and 6 string i don't imagine it would matter Buddy.

Jim Hinds · Post by **Jim Hinds** » 27 Apr 2015 7:06 am

John Peay wrote:
Dale Rottacker wrote:
Rick Barnhart wrote:That's a really kind gesture, Lane. Things like this make me proud to be part of this community.
Lane seems to be a pretty decent guy, and his participation makes this a better Forum.
Agree on all counts. Lane goes out of his way to help folks, both on the forum and privately. Thanks, Lane!

Lane has helped me out many times by taking the time to answer my stupid questions.
Thanks Lane

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 27 Apr 2015 7:26 am

John Booth wrote:That is a very kind gesture Lane. These guys are right, that's what makes this forum
so much better than others. I think since I have gotten so many good comments about
the BB and since I'm playing thru a SS amp I'll just go ahead and advertise to buy one.
They are always for sale on here and if it didn't work for me I'm sure I could get my
price back as they seem to go fast on here. You're a good man Lane.

I suppose while I'm at it, do you plan to sell yours Lane?

Ya'll take care,
John in Ohio

No, it's NOT for sale. I still use my Peavey gear, and I almost ALWAYS put the Black Box in front of it. I'm starting to put it in my chain for tube amps, too, since I'm discovering there are times when the mellower/darker tone sounds nice. So I use the BB for the purpose of the Vari-Z knob. I can loan it to you because I don't have any upcoming gigs.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 27 Apr 2015 7:30 am

Dustin Rhodes wrote:How useable is it if you're running multiple instruments into 1 amp? Would it need adjusted if you were running a steel and 6 string together?

That would depend on what the rest of your chain was like. If it were a two channel amp, I'd probably run the BB only on the steel side. If it were a one-channel amp like a Session, I'd set the EQ for the brightest tone you want from either axe, and when switching to guitar, I'd pull the steel out of the BB, plug the guitar into the BB, dime the volume pedal and use the BB to adjust tone.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 27 Apr 2015 10:25 am

I have a ZT club, and a Quilter Steelaire set up side by side in my studio. The ZT by itself sounds pretty dead but Black box makes it come alive.

However, the black box makes the quilter sound a little muddy. The Quilter sounds better without it.

Clearly, it's a natter of what kind of amp you use. The black box works better on some than others.

Agreed about Lane. He always seems ready to help others.

Bill Moran · Post by **Bill Moran** » 27 Apr 2015 4:34 pm

I have used a BB in front of Music Man ( tube amp ) , Evans, Steel King, Sarno Rev. pre amp ( tubes ) and Peavey. Helped all of them.
The only one it didn't help was a Twin Reverb.
I have a Izzy but it is just keeping dust off of a small spot on my filing cab. lol

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 27 Apr 2015 5:00 pm

I'm convinced. If any of ya'll have an extra BB to sell please PM or email me.
I was going to buy a new one but there's a 4-6 week wait at this time.
Thanks fellas
JB

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 28 Apr 2015 5:13 pm

What does it do???

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 28 Apr 2015 5:54 pm

It's a tube powered buffer, so it gives a tubeness if you run into solid state gear.
If you also like darkening the tone on demand, it has a "Vari-Z" knob that has the effect of a tone knob.
I won't run into solid state without it.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 29 Apr 2015 1:20 pm

Bass player deluxe Mark Abbot was nice enough to bring a Black Box to the shop a couple of weeks ago since I mentioned I had never tried one.

The only thing I plugged it into was an Encore through my little hot rodded Nashville 112 but I assure you it made it sound a whole bunch better. I think the words might be warmer but not darker, with even more sustain and a little different character to the attack of the strings. I really liked the vari-z knob to use as a tone control, it would be very useful for playing in different rooms. I don't think you would ever have to turn a knob on your amp, just use the vari-z knob on the Black Box.

If I was to ever do any playing in front of people again I would certainly add a Black Box to my rig.

Brad Sarno is a wizard.

Bill Moran · Post by **Bill Moran** » 29 Apr 2015 1:41 pm

Let it burn for a couple hours. Like a old girl friend of mine, She gets better the more time you give her !

Richard Wilhelm · Post by **Richard Wilhelm** » 29 Apr 2015 2:48 pm

Is the Goodrich Matchbox a boost or is it a buffer @ the electrical definition of a buffer regarding impedance? I have an old Peavy Valverb that has a 40 w tube preamp that I use only as a gain to get thru my Goodrich pot pedal and other pedals. (My ehx Holy Grail at 10 on spring gives a nice reverb with good note definition, nicer than the Valverb). That tone that goes to my amp is better than even running straight and just not in volume. Lehle.com has a dual loop switcher and they call the 12db boost that goes to the loop a "boost buffer". My guess is that this term "buffer"is evolving just like I believe "tone suck" is.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 29 Apr 2015 3:46 pm

I don't think the Matchbox had gain. The only buffer I know of (at least among those marketed to steelies) with gain is the discontinued Izzy Plus. Anywhere from unity to 24dB gain.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 29 Apr 2015 4:39 pm

I was going to buy a new one but there's a 4-6 week wait at this time.

They are worth the short wait. Anything Brad Sarno creates is magic!

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 29 Apr 2015 4:49 pm

John, I forgot to grab it, but I'll certainly let you try mine next week.