Steel Guitar Black Box MINI - Coming Soon!!!

New products of interest to steel guitarists
Post Reply
User avatar
Brad Sarno
Posts: 4942
Joined: 18 Dec 2000 1:01 am
Location: St. Louis, MO USA
Contact:

Steel Guitar Black Box MINI - Coming Soon!!!

Post by Brad Sarno »

Coming soon:

Steel Guitar Black Box MINI


Introducing the brand NEW Steel Guitar Black Box MINI. Coming mid-November 2024!

Sonically identical to the original Steel Guitar Black Box; the new MINI version has the exact same tone sweetening, lush mid-range, high voltage, and 100% vacuum tube circuit.

At about 1/2 the size and 1/4 of the weight, the difference between the SGBB MINI and the original Steel Guitar Black Box is its size and portability. Instead of having a heavy, built-in "linear" power supply, the new SGBB MINI version uses a high-grade external 9v “wall wart” power supply (included) then internally converts that voltage up to the same 300 volts of the original. The new smaller and lighter design of the SGBB MINI makes for an easy fit on your pedal board, or with the optional leg clip it can easily mount on your pedal steel guitar.

We’ve also improved the “Vari-Z” (variable input impedance) control as well, which now allows the SGBB MINI to toggle between the standard variable range of 22k Ohms-1Meg Ohms, or up to 5 Meg Ohms impedance for upright bass and other piezo type pickups.



Image
User avatar
Marty Broussard
Posts: 2465
Joined: 18 Oct 2002 12:01 am
Location: Broussard, Louisiana, USA

Post by Marty Broussard »

👀
RETIRED
Former steel guitarist for Tracy Byrd & The Byrd Dawgs, Mark Chesnut & The New South Band, Mark Nesler & Texas Tradition, Wayne Toups & ZydeCajun, Belton Richard & The Musical Aces

"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
Chris Bauer
Posts: 3160
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Nashville, TN USA

Post by Chris Bauer »

This looks great, Brad! Question... Any reason this wouldn't run well using a quality isolated power supply on a pedalboard rather than the included wall wart? If that wouldn't be a problem, any required specs for the power supply?
User avatar
Jon Light (deceased)
Posts: 14336
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Saugerties, NY
Contact:

Post by Jon Light (deceased) »

Chris Bauer wrote:This looks great, Brad! Question... Any reason this wouldn't run well using a quality isolated power supply on a pedalboard rather than the included wall wart? If that wouldn't be a problem, any required specs for the power supply?
Ah -- yes. Brad, what sort of current are we talking about? I'm wondering if one of the 9V taps out of my pedal board Cioks has what it takes.
User avatar
Brad Sarno
Posts: 4942
Joined: 18 Dec 2000 1:01 am
Location: St. Louis, MO USA
Contact:

Post by Brad Sarno »

Jon Light wrote:
Chris Bauer wrote:This looks great, Brad! Question... Any reason this wouldn't run well using a quality isolated power supply on a pedalboard rather than the included wall wart? If that wouldn't be a problem, any required specs for the power supply?
Ah -- yes. Brad, what sort of current are we talking about? I'm wondering if one of the 9V taps out of my pedal board Cioks has what it takes.

When running it's right at about 530mA of current draw. When it first fires up there's a bit of inrush current for a brief moment that most power supplies can handle. I ship with a very good 3000mA supply. If using a Cioks or other high quality isolated type supply, I would really want the BB Mini to have at least 700mA at a minimum, rating-wise.
User avatar
Brad Sarno
Posts: 4942
Joined: 18 Dec 2000 1:01 am
Location: St. Louis, MO USA
Contact:

Post by Brad Sarno »

Image



Image



Image



Image



Image
Ben Thomas
Posts: 96
Joined: 7 Feb 2021 8:55 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

Purchase release date?

Post by Ben Thomas »

Brad,
Do you have a release date when we can purchase this from your site? Thanks!

Ben
User avatar
Karen Sarkisian
Posts: 1830
Joined: 29 Mar 2009 7:03 pm
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Contact:

Post by Karen Sarkisian »

Def want one!
Emmons, Franklin, Mullen
User avatar
Chris Willingham
Posts: 270
Joined: 6 Jun 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Contact:

Post by Chris Willingham »

Brad, do you have measurements on this? Wanna see if it'll fit on my fiddle board, which is smaller. Excited about this!
Fiddle, banjo and steel for Tennessee Jet, Blaine Bailey

2024 MSA Legend XL SD12 D13 8x6 blue burst
2021 MSA Legend XL S10 5X6 brown burst
Beard Josh Swift Sig, the purple one
Lap King Rodeo
Milkman 1/2&1/2 and a bunch of fiddles
Rich Ertelt
Posts: 25
Joined: 25 Sep 2017 10:16 pm
Location: Texas, USA

Post by Rich Ertelt »

Karen Sarkisian wrote:any update on when we will be able to buy?
I ordered a black box a few weeks ago, then noticed in this thread he was shooting for last Nov. I emailed, asked when the mini would be out, as I might cancel and wait. He said he had already made some and put me on the waiting list. I got mine yesterday. So pretty darn quick.

So, I'd email or call him. It shows sold out on the website, but get on the waiting list, it doesn't seem to be a long waiting list.

And for the record, I've only had a chance to mess with it at home, have a rehearsal tomorrow. But I have to say, people say it makes a subtle improvement in tone. I don't hear that. I hear a BIG improvement in tone, lol.

For the record I'm using it with a TB 202. Telonics pedal. I actually have a V8, but could never get it to sound right on stage with the power amps I have. It sounds really good direct. I haven't tried the BB into the V8 yet.
User avatar
Steve Hitsman
Posts: 2063
Joined: 25 Mar 1999 1:01 am
Location: Waterloo, IL

Post by Steve Hitsman »

Got mine!

Image
Wes Jordan
Posts: 60
Joined: 3 Mar 2003 1:01 am
Location: Urbandale, Iowa 50323

Black Box

Post by Wes Jordan »

What all does a black box do. Pardon my lack of knowledge.
John Macy
Posts: 4307
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Rockport TX/Denver CO
Contact:

Post by John Macy »

Got mine today!!
John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar
Pete McAvity
Posts: 499
Joined: 1 Jun 2013 6:46 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri USA

Re: Black Box

Post by Pete McAvity »

Wes Jordan wrote:What all does a black box do. Pardon my lack of knowledge.
Wes, It's a buffer w/ a dial that allows you to control the "Z" impedance directly after the pickup, and also runs the signal through a preamp tube. You go from guitar to BB, then on to any effects & amp. The buffer & control portion is identical to the Sarno Freeloader. The BB adds a tube to that circuit. The end result is an even signal w/ some tone shaping plus, some compression via the tube. The range of the "Vari-Z" knob is extensive, while the effect of running the signal through a tube is subtle- think "felt" more than "heard". There are numerous accounts here of guys that used the BB, decided it didn't change their sound enough to warrant its use, then tried without it only to realize its an indispensable part of their sound ( a "don't know what you got til it's gone scenario").
There are more technical & far belter explanations than this, but I won't play without one. In front of a solid state amp it really warms up the tone to my ear, but I still benefit from using it before a tube preamp. It's a standard I can't do without.
Excel Superb D10, Sarno Black Box or Freeloader, Goodrich L120, Boss DD5, Baby Bloomer, 1965 Super Reverb chopped to a head, feeding a mystery PA cab w/ a K130.

They say "thats how it goes". I say "that ain't the way it stays!"
Post Reply