Fender FR-12 preamp mod : The Hissterectomy

WallyG3 said:
Remove the original, install the V2, then upgrade the components on the original. Just for fun. I like soldering guitar wiring, but I don't have a lot of experience with PCBs. I fried a pedal once, so always afraid of screwing it up.
Click to expand...
Maybe do it in this order while recording a video for humanity:
Remove original
Upgrade original
Reinstall original
Record hiss levels

Uninstall upgraded original
Install V2
Record hiss levels
Become a hero
 
I am working on the installation Docs. It is ridiculously simple to install!
...perhaps even easier than changing strings on a Strandberg.

5 connections.
3 stock plugs into the V2 and V2 aux board
2 V2 plugs into the stock power amp/pass thru board

that's what I meant by plug and play.

install2.png


install1.png

easy. peasy.
 
some notes on the EQ....

The V2 EQ design uses only 4 Op amp channels instead of the stock (noisy) 12 channels.

I didn't stray far from the stock tuning for the eq frequencies for all three bands and for the Cut
...however it behaves much differently when you grab some knobs.

The Bass filter is tuned to a slightly lower frequency. If you are into chug and drop tuning... you may have a hard time wiping the smile off your face. If your FR or the things in your room (or the neighbors room) start resonating wildly... turn the bass down. (a little)
My apologies in advance to your neighbors, your HOA, and especially to your bass player.

The Mid is the magic. It has a really wide Q. When you boost the mids on the stock eq it is sharp and harsh in the megaphone range... When you boost the V2 mids, it raises the whole scooped mid thing up to a house slope, and then to almost flat from 100Hz - 5k.

The scooped mid frequencies sound great at low volume, but as it gets loud our hearing doesn't crave the scooped mids so much.
(thanks Fletcher-Munson cap'n obvious). ..so before you boost the volume, crank up the mids. I know mids are usually nasty and we normally cut those... but trust me.

The High is tuned exactly the same as the stock eq, but it is a good bit rounder and warmer in the peaks.

The Cut is exactly the same tuning as the stock control, and it works much the same way.
0 is no cut... 10 drops the highest Frequencies. It however sounds a little more refined and silky than the stock Cut control.

Here in purple is an example of the mid knob pushed up to 3:00, treble at 2:00, and bass pulled back to 11:00.
This the the kind of flat that modelers love, with high and low shelf, and it is much louder! ...like 15dB louder.
Start with this setting (ish) for really loud SPL (stage volume).

The light blue is the V2, the Red is the stock FR original hissy model pre. Both eq's centered, both Cut knobs on 0.
That is almost cloning the stock AITR mojo curve. Start with this setting (ish) for a low practice kind of volume.





flatish.png

flat...er..ish.jpeg
 
Last edited:
WKSmith said:
some notes on the EQ....

The V2 EQ design uses only 4 amp channels instead of the stock (noisy) 12 channels.

I didn't stray far from the stock tuning for the eq frequencies for all three bands and for the Cut
...however it behaves much differently.

The Bass filter is tuned to a slightly lower frequency. If you are into chug and drop tuning... you may have a hard time wiping the smile off your face. If your FR or the things in your room (or the neighbors room) start resonating wildly... turn the bass down. (a little)

The Mid is the magic. It has a really wide Q. When you boost the bass on the stock eq it is sharp and harsh in the megaphone range... When you boost the V2 mids, it raises the whole scooped mid thing up to a house slope, and then to almost flat from 100Hz - 7k.
These frequencies sound great scooped at low volume, but as it gets loud our hearing doesn't crave the scooped mids (thanks Fletcher-Munson cap'n obvious) ..so before you boot the volume, crank up the mids. I know mids are usually nasty and we normally cut those... but trust me.

The High is tuned exactly the same as the stock eq, but it is a good bit rounder and warmer in the peaks.

The Cut is the same Freq as the stock control and works the same way. 0 is no cut... 10 drops the highest Frequencies. It sounds a little more refined and silky than the stock Cut control.

Here in purple is an example of the mid knob pushed up to 3:00, treble at 2:00 and bass at 11:00
this the the kind of flat that modelers love, with high and low shelf... and it is much louder!
use this for really loud SPL.

The light blue is the V2, the Red is the stock FR original hissy model pre. Both eq's centered, both Cut knobs on 0.
That is almost cloning the stock AITR mojo curve.



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