Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

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Danley
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Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by Danley » Tue Jul 02, 2019 7:31 pm

Any options other than the S&K CMOSludge - or feedback on the CMOSludge itself? Seems to be pretty much the only option (though there's a DIY schematic floating around...)
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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by Redstar30 » Tue Jul 02, 2019 9:55 pm

I think Jessup amps makes one and a model T preamp pedal. I’ve been wanting to try them myself

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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:39 am

I don't know about the Beta Lead, but Earthquaker has the Acapulco Gold, which is supposed to be based on/inspired by a Sunn Model T...
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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by Danley » Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:01 am

Awesome, TY - I’m not familiar as much with the model T, but it’s supposed to be a cleaner amp/sound (to a point?) I’m thinking ‘King Buzzo in a Box.’ Though some of the pedals seem to be pricey enough I’d get most of the way to buying an actual Sunn.
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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by Tafarel » Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:27 am

I have an Acapulco Gold. I am not sure if it is an amp in a box -- not familiar with Sunn guitar amps much -- but it is certainly an amp detonator. Anything after about 9 o'clock on the dial is dangerous ground. And I mean that in a good way.
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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by s_mcsleazy » Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:28 am

there is that limited run sunn o))) sig pedal
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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:17 am

I know there used to a company that did a Beta Lead pre and a big muff in the same box. I can't for the life of me emeber who is was though.

Edit
Both Shift Line and Correct Sound made beta lead pres. They may be discontinued though.

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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by hobbes » Thu Jul 04, 2019 10:09 pm

Maybe the Coda Effects Black Hole ?

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https://www.coda-effects.com/p/black-hole.html

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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by tade » Fri Jul 05, 2019 2:59 pm

As you say, there is an schematic floating around which is supposed to be a replica of the Beta lead preamp, I just ordered a PCB and I'll be building one soon.
There are a also a few Model T emulations, like the Coda above.
The Acapulco Gold doesn't seem to sound anywhere close to a Sunn amp, but it sounds massive anyway.
The EQD collaboration with Sunn O))) (the band) is RAT + Boost + Octave up combo.
Hillbish design offer a rack mount Beta clone as well, which is what King Buzzo seems to use these days.

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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by somanytoys » Sun Jul 07, 2019 11:49 am

It seems like I remember Electrical Audio Experiments making a Sunn Model T pedal. They make good stuff.

I bought one of their Dude Incredible pedals, which was great, but I sold it only because I bought other pedals that do that thing more in depth (sleeping dogs fx ivp & catalinbread karma suture).

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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by RuffiansFC » Thu Jul 18, 2019 6:23 am

i have a model T and had a beta lead. the Acapulco gold is nothing like either, but it sounds good if you want a barrage of sound for the fuzzy doomy stuff. more like a fuzz into a cranked single channel amp. probably going for that rat into a model t sound, but it's a little sterile sounding.

when cranked, the model T is very warm sounding and not as over the top as one would assume, although 6550 tubes will give you less headroom than a kt88. It's hard to replicate, but a 12ax7 based drive can get you in the same ballpark from my experience. the black sunn comes pretty close with its 2 preamp tubes. the magic of the model T will comes from what you use to push it. the od250 is a match made in heaven with mine. a tube screamer is going to be too middy for it.

if you are looking for a beta lead sound, you'd be surprised what you can do with a half cranked Rat with a little boost in front of it. If you are playing through a tube amp, you may lose that raspy quality that solid state brings to the equation.

if I could find a pedal that mimics the overdriven sound of a concert lead, that would be a real get.

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Re: Sunn Beta Lead in a Pedal?

Post by Danley » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:42 am

Thanks all for the input - I’ve been fixated on a Melvins-esque tone and raspy SS-type rudeness is probably what I’m looking for.

As I understand it, most of the Melvins early tones were Rat into MXR Blue Box into Beta Lead Preamp and some other power amp; with that mix it’s even tough to say what overall impact the Beta Lead even has on the sound, though demos sure sound like it. At this point the only piece I have on-hand is the Blue Box.
King Buzzo: I love when people come up to me and say “Your guitar sound was better on Stoner Witch, when you used a Les Paul. “...I used a Fender Mustang reissue on that, dumbass!

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