guitar @ 9v, Bass at 12v ?

[petemoore]

  Since bass is often has about 1-1/3rds [CMIIWrong?] the AC output voltage compared to guitar...
  Would it not be a more 'scaled' voltage point to start with 12v supply on say a bass distorter using Jfets?
  compared to guitar it would be closer to providing
  Closer to the same amount of headroom, a better starting point to achieve the same ratio of time constants between signal above clipping threshold / below clipping threshold. [With the bass's higher output supplying greater input voltage, higher voltage supply would have nearer the clipping threshold voltage 'seen' for a smaller portion of the wavelength.
   'Another' [but less desirable approach I think] way would be input gain reduction via voltage divider, which could be done at the bass's volume control.
  Since I'm simply blurbing here anyway..would this not tend to creat a waveshape closer to what a guitar through the same box at lower supply voltage would?
   

[MartyMart]

Seems a reasonable idea, I run my Flipster @ 15v from a large dc PSU and it has more headroom and is also quieter !
Have tried this a number of times, cleans up the real "dirty" stuff too much for gtr, but if you have active pups it can also
be useful.
Have also run some stuff from an 18v supply which came off an old answering machine ( after checking cap v ratings BTW! )
It's great for running my "Hamptone Jfet" preamp 
Perhaps the difference between 9v and 12v isnt quite enough, try 18v !!
MM

[JimRayden]

You'll be better off attentuating the signal from 1-1/3 to 1 in the beginning of a circuit than looking for a 12V battery.

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Jimbo

[petemoore]

  You'll be better off attentuating the signal from 1-1/3 to 1 in the beginning of a circuit than looking for a 12V battery.
  Dividing/multiplying can have noise and other disadvantages, but is certainly easy enough to try w/bass's volume control.
  Perhaps the difference between 9v and 12v isnt quite enough, try 18v !!
MM
  [technically OT, great point to touch on in this topic] this was intended to be a comparison of waveshapes produced when scaling voltage potentials of input/supply ratios]
  Of course !.. larger scale input may warrant larger V supply.
  Cool, choosing the supply voltage potential is something which could/should be done by ear IMO, by the same token Jfet @ low voltage [1.5v - 3v etc] can have a nice spongy compression feel, smoothed out highs [er...highs that get lost w/higher input levels, a freq response Vs. dynamics thing..].
  Bass distortion is a wierd thing though...if the desire is to have an attack much like a distorted guitar, simply plugging a bass into a distorter which caused a clicky, snappy attack [closely placed peaks of sharply cut signals via clipping], on guitar...with the waveform 'stretched out'...ie lower freq's of bass signals, those closely placed events are no longer closely placed, if an octave lower, 2x as much time will pass between 'events' such as waveform peaks of input and any harmonics generated.
  It would seem the relatively long periods spent above clipping threshold [if using clipping diodes, they would hold voltage 'still' when signal is above threshold] might start looking more like DC to the amp/speaker.
  Please correct any misconceptions here, or fill in any pertinent blanks in the hypotheses.