Nocturne The Jr. Barnyard Preamp

[GreenGiant]

Yea that's my experience too, i might just sell the JB and grab the El Pescadoro.

[zephyrregent]

I just got the Junior Barnyard, my first pedal. I am using it with the volume (output) at about 10:30 and the blend at zero. Testing it with a Trenier Jazz Special with an FHC pickup, it improved the sound of my Henriksen Jazzamp 112ER by gving it more treble and presence. compared to turning the Barnyard off, but I can still detect some distortion on chords. The best way I can describe it is that the sound bounces off the solid state amp and is more organic with the tube simulation. Before this I was using the Henriksen for about 10 years and enjoying it but my hearing is changing and I sometimes prefer the Roland Blue Cube Hot 30.

I tried the Barnyard with a Henriksen Blu 6 and a Roland and the result was distortion with the controls at the same settings, 10:30 on the output volume and zero on the blend. The Roland is already supposed to simulate a tube amp with its Tube Logic and accomplishes this, maybe that is why plugging the Barnyard into it gives distortion. Is there something I am missing? As mentioned, this is my first time to try something like this and the results are fairly good for the 112ER but unacceptable for the Blu 6 and Roland. The volume on the amps is set at about 1/4.

I am interested in a Sequel amp or Vintage 47 EH185 for late 50's jazz tone. I just want the tube tone and feel, not the distortion. Anyone interested in trading a like new Blue 6 and Roland for one?

[PB+J]

The difference you hear could also be due to differences in the input impedance of the amp. I have a Jr Barnyard and it distorts differently going into an Acoustic Image amp than into a Fender Rumble 40.

[Rodney Gene]

I just got the Junior Barnyard, my first pedal. I am using it with the volume (output) at about 10:30 and the blend at zero. Testing it with a Trenier Jazz Special with an FHC pickup, it improved the sound of my Henriksen Jazzamp 112ER by gving it more treble and presence. compared to turning the Barnyard off, but I can still detect some distortion on chords. The best way I can describe it is that the sound bounces off the solid state amp and is more organic with the tube simulation. Before this I was using the Henriksen for about 10 years and enjoying it but my hearing is changing and I sometimes prefer the Roland Blue Cube Hot 30.

I tried the Barnyard with a Henriksen Blu 6 and a Roland and the result was distortion with the controls at the same settings, 10:30 on the output volume and zero on the blend. The Roland is already supposed to simulate a tube amp with its Tube Logic and accomplishes this, maybe that is why plugging the Barnyard into it gives distortion. Is there something I am missing? As mentioned, this is my first time to try something like this and the results are fairly good for the 112ER but unacceptable for the Blu 6 and Roland. The volume on the amps is set at about 1/4.

I am interested in a Sequel amp or Vintage 47 EH185 for late 50's jazz tone. I just want the tube tone and feel, not the distortion. Anyone interested in trading a like new Blue 6 and Roland for one?

You may just turn the vol down on the preamp a bit more, you won't lose the character. The JB is pretty input dependent. I have not played the circuit board V2 version. I have an older original 2 button I have had for nearly a decade. (the pedal is on, the LED has been burned out for years) I don't use the 'grits' control or switch, Its too dirty for me. I keep it off and I get a nice fat pillowy octal tone with just the preamp (I have octal amps here as well and the JB is very satisfying). I also use the El Pescadoro which you may consider. It has an internal trim.

With CC or P90 types, I can't get past noon on the VOL without breaking up (I use the bright setting, switch down, not the wooly setting). Anything from 8:30 to 11 is usually pretty great for the subtle effect I want, but again it depends on the guitar I am playing. I just tested this circuit with the Blue 6 since I was setting it up to record the Blu 6 with the UAOX. That was my result. Adjust per amp (and as mentioned possible input impedance) but the Roland and Henriksen Jazz amp both use 1M, I imagine the Blu 6 does as well. Enjoy the pedal!

[zephyrregent]

[QUOTE=Rodney Gene;1444673]You may just turn the vol down on the preamp a bit more, you won't lose the character.

Thanks for the tip. I tried turning the output volume down to one on the Jr. Barnyard and it is still distorted on the Blu 6 and Roland. It's not bad for single notes but chords are too distorted. This is making me question lusting after a Vintage 47 or Sequel amp. There is no way to hear them before you buy them and it could be a shipping expense loss on top of a loss of over $200 for the Jr. Barnyard pedal trying to get a 50's tube sound like one of these amps.

[Rodney Gene]

Thanks for the tip. I tried turning the output volume down to one on the Jr. Barnyard and it is still distorted on the Blu 6 and Roland. It's not bad for single notes but chords are too distorted. This is making me question lusting after a Vintage 47 or Sequel amp. There is no way to hear them before you buy them and it could be a shipping expense loss on top of a loss of over $200 for the Jr. Barnyard pedal trying to get a 50's tube sound like one of these amps.

Man, sorry to hear that. At one, there should be very little effect, maybe something is amiss with the JB as the Blu 6 has plenty of headroom. Just out of curiosity, what is the whole signal chain?

As for octal tube amps, if they are built similar to Gibson EHs, they run hot and have low headroom. But they sound like nothing else. I found great success with an Elektra 185 using a Freyette PS100. Massive clear volume with a bit of pillowy attack, but that was too much weight and heat to drag around for a single purpose. They both run very hot (amp and PS100)

[andrew]

This is not meant to be a knock against the Vintage 47, but I had one for a while and I don’t think it really nailed that old school tone. I think the field coil speaker is a big part of that sound and, although the Vintage 47 was very well built and high quality, without a field coil, it couldn’t get there. I ended up buying a 40s Epiphone amp for about the same price as a Vintage 47. Let me tell you, THAT has the sound!

[zephyrregent]

[QUOTE=Rodney Gene;1444840]Man, sorry to hear that. At one, there should be very little effect, maybe something is amiss with the JB as the Blu 6 has plenty of headroom. Just out of curiosity, what is the whole signal chain?

The signal chain is simply guitar to JB and JB to amp. I'd probably like one of those old Epiphone or Gibson amps but I don't feel I have the experience to maintain one and buying one would be risky. Thanks for the reply.

[zephyrregent]

This is not meant to be a knock against the Vintage 47, but I had one for a while and I don’t think it really nailed that old school tone. I think the field coil speaker is a big part of that sound and, although the Vintage 47 was very well built and high quality, without a field coil, it couldn’t get there. I ended up buying a 40s Epiphone amp for about the same price as a Vintage 47. Let me tell you, THAT has the sound!

Thanks for the advice on the Vintage 47. Being that there is no way to try one, or a Sequel, I doubt if I'll get one. I'd like that old 50's tone but maybe there is no substitute for an original amplifier. I really wanted to try the tube amp experience before checking out but new ones seem to be too bright for my taste. I remember plugging into a Fender and feeling like the tone was bouncing off the amp, not soft or warm and friendly.

[pcjazz]

Have you tried running the JB into the effects loop, bypassing the amp’s preamp? Or into an acoustic amp or PA? That’s how I use mine. I find it is more effective with single coil pickups than with humbuckers.

[zephyrregent]

Have you tried running the JB into the effects loop, bypassing the amp’s preamp? Or into an acoustic amp or PA? That’s how I use mine. I find it is more effective with single coil pickups than with humbuckers.

I tried running the JB directly into the FX loop on the Blu 6. It was still distorted. From another post, the designer of the JB said:

"So putting it in an amps effects loop is now placing the Jr Barnyard, AFTER the amplifiers 1meg input and the amps preamp. This is a much difference response in comparison to directly coupling the pickups (usual range 4Kohm resistance to 10Kohm resistance of pickups being altered by a guitars tone pot of 250Kohm to 500Kohm) to the front of the guitar amplifier."

I don't understand amplifier or pickup terminology. Interestingly, AI comes up with the same answers about getting a vintage tone from a Henriksen with a JB, even the settings. I was surprised it could answer such esoteric questions. Some of the information it gathered comes from this forum.

[LesB3]

I would definitely reach out to Tavo directly, tell him your setup, the issues you are having, and what kind of sound you are looking for.

About Us! – The Nocturne Brain

He is super-responsive, but he is also a super nerd when it comes to guitars and guitar effects, so it may be hard to keep up once he gets rolling. Unless there is something physcially wrong with your JR, he should be able to get you close to what you want. I've learned a lot about how to use effects (his, and in general), correct order of placement in the signal chain, etc., just from a casual post or email.

Good luck!

[Rodney Gene]

I tried running the JB directly into the FX loop on the Blu 6. It was still distorted. From another post, the designer of the JB said:

"So putting it in an amps effects loop is now placing the Jr Barnyard, AFTER the amplifiers 1meg input and the amps preamp. This is a much difference response in comparison to directly coupling the pickups (usual range 4Kohm resistance to 10Kohm resistance of pickups being altered by a guitars tone pot of 250Kohm to 500Kohm) to the front of the guitar amplifier."

I don't understand amplifier or pickup terminology. Interestingly, AI comes up with the same answers about getting a vintage tone from a Henriksen with a JB, even the settings. I was surprised it could answer such esoteric questions. Some of the information it gathered comes from this forum.

There is very little to your signal chain that could be the culprit outside of the JB - but curious, and respectfully, have you changed out cables and/or checked power supply on the JB? And lastly, being this is a floating neck pickup, have you lowered the volume on your guitar to hit the JB preamp less?

[zephyrregent]

There is very little to your signal chain that could be the culprit outside of the JB - but curious, and respectfully, have you changed out cables and/or checked power supply on the JB? And lastly, being this is a floating neck pickup, have you lowered the volume on your guitar to hit the JB preamp less?

I bought a new guitar cable and power supply for the JB. Yes, I lower the volume on my guitars, they are never all the way up. Other guitars are an L5-C converted at sometime to an electric with humbuckers and my old 1951 Epiphone Zephyr Regent with replaced pickup innards

[The Nocturne Brain]

I tried running the JB directly into the FX loop on the Blu 6. It was still distorted. From another post, the designer of the JB said:

"So putting it in an amps effects loop is now placing the Jr Barnyard, AFTER the amplifiers 1meg input and the amps preamp. This is a much difference response in comparison to directly coupling the pickups (usual range 4Kohm resistance to 10Kohm resistance of pickups being altered by a guitars tone pot of 250Kohm to 500Kohm) to the front of the guitar amplifier."

I don't understand amplifier or pickup terminology. Interestingly, AI comes up with the same answers about getting a vintage tone from a Henriksen with a JB, even the settings. I was surprised it could answer such esoteric questions. Some of the information it gathered comes from this forum.

Howdy Again! I would love to hear a vid clip of the distortion you are experiencing, Robert. If you can? Many of us players have a wide variety of understandings of distortion that slide from dirty cleans, to gritty and growly, to fuzzed out. So Im wondering where
this very old school version of the Junior Barnyard sits in your description of what you are experiencing and I for sure want to help.
Im sure youve checked cables and all the stuff the folks on the forum suggested haha
Do though understand, that this preamp is not a super Clean preamp in the contemporary sense, and yet by no means is it an overdrive but is very capable of overdriving amplifiers if dialed up to do so. It keeps the fundamental sound of the guitar and your fingers dynamically in the signal but at the same time its using its vintage transistor and diodes to emulate the pre war tweedy goodness from Gibsons tube amps. It’s an octal tube preamp character pedal. Its meant to emulate the Gibson EH-150 / 185 tube amp when its been warmed up for a good hour and the tubes are hot, the wood and chassis are feeling toasty. No transistor guitar preamp can claim to be directly based off the circuit of a tube amp, especially a gibbo 150/185 but we can tonally and dynamically recreate the sound and response. Thus I honestly label it an octal tube character preamp. Charlie Christian played off
this response on his gibson amp by rolling back a tad on his guitar volume to comp the reedy lines of his bandmates
woodwinds. And this preamp is also meant to garner the dirty clean swing of Junior Barnards growling flutey tones
from the Texas Playboys, which is the pedals namesake in any case, lets figure this out together. Im gonna email you too in case you dont see this post.

[zephyrregent]

[QUOTE=The Nocturne Brain;1444977]
Howdy Again! I would love to hear a vid clip of the distortion you are experiencing, Robert. If you can?

Thanks for your response. I tried recording a short clip but even that file is too large to send (165MB) in an email. I don't know how to make it smaller in size. The best way I can describe it is breakup on chords into distortion. I tried researching it first and thought it would give me a clean tube like tone without any distortion or breakup, just a tube feel and tone. I guess there was some misunderstanding on my part if this breakup is normal.

[The Nocturne Brain]

[QUOTE=zephyrregent;1444986]

Howdy Again! I would love to hear a vid clip of the distortion you are experiencing, Robert. If you can?

Thanks for your response. I tried recording a short clip but even that file is too large to send (165MB) in an email. I don't know how to make it smaller in size. The best way I can describe it is breakup on chords into distortion. I tried researching it first and thought it would give me a clean tube like tone without any distortion or breakup, just a tube feel and tone. I guess there was some misunderstanding on my part if this breakup is normal.

Damien Bacci demo's w a big pseudo jazz box here. He is running from the pedal into a DAW for what its worth: Warm and Cleanish here w 4Khz filtertron buckers.

and then RJ Ronquillo taking it a different direction w a variety of instruments show casing its more jump blues side here , but the fundamental guitar tone and dynamics always shine

[andrew]

Howdy Again! I would love to hear a vid clip of the distortion you are experiencing, Robert. If you can? Many of us players have a wide variety of understandings of distortion that slide from dirty cleans, to gritty and growly, to fuzzed out. So Im wondering where
this very old school version of the Junior Barnyard sits in your description of what you are experiencing and I for sure want to help.
Im sure youve checked cables and all the stuff the folks on the forum suggested haha
Do though understand, that this preamp is not a super Clean preamp in the contemporary sense, and yet by no means is it an overdrive but is very capable of overdriving amplifiers if dialed up to do so. It keeps the fundamental sound of the guitar and your fingers dynamically in the signal but at the same time its using its vintage transistor and diodes to emulate the pre war tweedy goodness from Gibsons tube amps. It’s an octal tube preamp character pedal. Its meant to emulate the Gibson EH-150 / 185 tube amp when its been warmed up for a good hour and the tubes are hot, the wood and chassis are feeling toasty. No transistor guitar preamp can claim to be directly based off the circuit of a tube amp, especially a gibbo 150/185 but we can tonally and dynamically recreate the sound and response. Thus I honestly label it an octal tube character preamp. Charlie Christian played off
this response on his gibson amp by rolling back a tad on his guitar volume to comp the reedy lines of his bandmates
woodwinds. And this preamp is also meant to garner the dirty clean swing of Junior Barnards growling flutey tones
from the Texas Playboys, which is the pedals namesake in any case, lets figure this out together. Im gonna email you too in case you dont see this post.

Tavo's writing is so poetic. I'm glad you got into the world of guitar pedals/amps and not something evil, because you could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves!

[zephyrregent]

[QUOTE=The Nocturne Brain;1444991]

Damien Bacci demo's w a big pseudo jazz box here. He is running from the pedal into a DAW for what its worth: Warm and Cleanish here w 4Khz filtertron buckers.

and then RJ Ronquillo taking it a different direction w a variety of instruments show casing its more jump blues side here , but the fundamental guitar tone and dynamics always shine

All these tones sounded distorted. The single notes are okay. More than one at a time and it distorts. Sorry, I can't use it for solo guitar chordal things. I wasn't after Charlie Christian tones, more 1950's like Barry Galbraith, Billy Bauer, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow or Kenny Burrell.

[The Nocturne Brain]

I gotcha..so send it back, let me swap it for my Atomic Brain preamp.. clean and punchy full sonic spread preamp. Not something
I have as a policy but again jazz guitarists are very special to me. As a kid my dad was always spinning Chet atkins and Tony Mottola, in the 70s.
Although I did get myself Chet's teen scene album and he threw it in the trash. dammit. always such a purist that guy. He wanted to kill me when
I came home w the Stray Cats haha. I was like heyy he plays a chet atkins guitar!

[zephyrregent]

I gotcha..so send it back, let me swap it for my Atomic Brain preamp.. clean and punchy full sonic spread preamp. Not something
I have as a policy but again jazz guitarists are very special to me. As a kid my dad was always spinning Chet atkins and Tony Mottola, in the 70s.
Although I did get myself Chet's teen scene album and he threw it in the trash. dammit. always such a purist that guy. He wanted to kill me when
I came home w the Stray Cats haha. I was like heyy he plays a chet atkins guitar!

Thanks! That's the tone I like. I'll send the JB back for a swap as soon as I can. I appreciate your responding personally and taking the time to determine my situation with the pedal.

[Rodney Gene]

Thanks! That's the tone I like. I'll send the JB back for a swap as soon as I can. I appreciate your responding personally and taking the time to determine my situation with the pedal.

Cool, mystery solved...you simply don't like the tones of the vintage octal amps / circuits. Clarity is good. Those slightly greasy pillowy tones aren't for everyone no doubt. But in the right hands...whew.

[The Nocturne Brain]

Ive heard em through your guitar

[Rodney Gene]

Ive heard em through your guitar

Appreciate that brother Tavo and thanks for sorting out @zephyrregent - just another reason to buy from and work with good people and small independent builders. I'll have this mutant-berry Barnyard with the non-working LED with me in March at Tommys workshop in Oklahoma, along with a couple Grez guitars. Look forward to some hang time with friends and lifting some riffs from everyone. Gonna be alot of EH vibes... Be great if you can make it.

[The Nocturne Brain]

Appreciate that brother Tavo and thanks for sorting out @zephyrregent - just another reason to buy from and work with good people and small independent builders. I'll have this mutant-berry Barnyard with the non-working LED with me in March at Tommys workshop in Oklahoma, along with a couple Grez guitars. Look forward to some hang time with friends and lifting some riffs from everyone. Gonna be alot of EH vibes... Be great if you can make it.

Oklahoma! Isnt there s'pose to be a Snow-pocalypse heading that direction this week? Im cold here in oceanbeach at 65F ha