Another annoying newbie question (I can hear you groaning out there!)

[Baktown]

All,

Please forgive my newbie ignorance, but I have a question regarding tone stacks.

I downloaded the Tone Stack Calculator, and am trying to understand how to take the different tone stacks and insert them into a build.  Does the stack go at the input or the output, or somewhere in between?

I'm really trying to understand and learn all this, but sometimes reading about it on a tech page isn't helpful.  I figure someone here can explain it to me in 50 words or less.

Rock on!

Axl Bundy

[kristopher612]

usually in a distortion, OD etc., the tonestack goes after the clipping section of the circuit.  if the volume control is passive you'll need to change it to give a volume recovery beause most tone stacks leak signal to ground instead  of actually boosting highs, lows, etc. 

[Baktown]

Is Nowheresville, Oklahoma anywhere close to Edmond, Oklahoma (my hometown)?

Thanks for the info, but I'm a rank beginner and not really sure what you're refering to when you say the "clipping section or "passive volume control".

Axl Bundy

[ubersam]

Check out this schematic of the DR Boogey (from Gaussmarkov's website): http://gaussmarkov.net/layouts/drboo/drboo-schem.png

At the very end (rightmost, after Q5) is an example of how a tone stack and passive volume control is implemented in a circuit. In this case, the "clipping" section is Q3. In some distortion circuits, the clipping section is usually where the clipping diodes are (see D1 & D2 in this schematic from GGG: http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_mgv_org_sc.pdf).

You will be loosing some volume when going through a tone-stack. Depending on the output level of the circuit, a volume recovery stage (volume boost) might be necessary. In the case of the DRB, the recovery stage wasn't necessary because the output level was really strong to begin with.

Sometimes, the tone stack can be before the clipping (or gain) stage, as in the Mesa Mark IV preamp section.

[Baktown]

Would a "recovery stage" be another transistor to boost the signal?

Thanks for the good info.  At some point I hope the proverbial light bulb decides to come on!

Axl

[ubersam]

Would a "recovery stage" be another transistor to boost the signal?

Yes

[petemoore]

  It can depend on the output you have available, choosing to put a buffer as a TC driver *may reward with enough output.
 Putting a booster after it amplifies what is left, generally to acceptable levels, see BMP.
 I have a Mini-Booster with a TC in a box, very nice, cool to try it in different positions [adds a slight touch of grind which is good alone, before and after other distortion].
  To place before fuzz a TC is helped by having a boosted input.
 

[Baktown]

Sometimes I surprise myself with my tenacious grasp of simple concepts!  LOL

It sounds like I need to study some schematics and learn how to recognize certain "sections".

Thanks again for the good info!

Rock on!

Axl

[kristopher612]

one of the easiest examples for you to see is the big muff schematic since that tone stack is in the TSC.  look at that and the schematic.  you'll see a clipping section before the tone stack and a volume recovery(very similar to an LPB2) right after. 
OH, and Nowheresvill is located about 15 miles south of tulsa.  almost 100 miles way!!!