Supanova and LPB

[erick4x4]

I have been using my supanova with a LPB after, because I just can't get enough volume out of the supanova, especially with the treble rolled off.

Now I know it was designed for a strat with single coils, and it is fine with this, but with loud humbuckers, it is barely unity gain (maybe a touch less).

So the LPB is probably a good simple choice to do this (I removed the volume pot on the Nova, and replaced it with an always on LPB. But I noticed the Nova's last stage is not that different from an LPB, same tranny, and wondered if I could adjust the last stage to be louder. Granted the LPB doesn't have 2 tone controls to suck out signal, but I wondered what could be done?

If nothing one other question than. With the LPB it feels a little bright. I would think that the input cap is too small when used after another pedal that has good low end (like the nova). It is currently .1uf. How high should I go, or should I leave it out and hook it right in?

[Jered]

  Somethings wrong with your Supanova. The Supanova is plenty loud on its own.
  Jered

[erick4x4]

Hmm ok, I will check parts.

Now is it loud for you compared with a loud humbucker? I mean it is way louder than a strat single coil clean, but not compared to my Les Paul. I find some other pedals can struggle to keep up with my Les Paul clean too.

[Jered]

  Are you talking about when the SN is bypassed your sound is louder when playing your Les Paul? I'm not sure what you mean by "is it loud for you compared with a loud HB."
  Are you playing through a high gain amp? The SN has three gain stages, its going to boost your signal unless you have the gain and/or volume controls at low levels or something not connected right in the circuit. Have you checked your voltage at the drains of Q2 and Q3?
  Jered

[erick4x4]

I mean that bypassed into a clean amp my les paul is about the same volume as the Les Paul through the clean amp with the supanova turned all the way up. Now if I turn the middle and treble all the way up it is louder, but very bright, if I roll them back to a fairly basic eq it is not loud enough.

The gain stages are working, it is getting plenty distorted, and they are biased at 5v and 4.5v respectively.

The gain stages seem to increase saturation, not volume, so that is why I was wondering if the last stage (which does not seem to be part of the distortion) could put out more signal?

[Jered]

  The last stage is a source follower, its a buffer. Through a clean amp you should be getting a volume boost with either the SN or the LPB. Double check your component connections. Audio probes work great.
  Jered

[erick4x4]

  The last stage is a source follower, its a buffer. Through a clean amp you should be getting a volume boost with either the SN or the LPB. Double check your component connections. Audio probes work great.
  Jered

Ok so everything is louder with the probe before the last stage. It was after the 18k that it got quiet, so I checked and the 18k was a little burned underneath. Replaced it and now it works great!

Thanks!

[Jered]

  No problem, glad I could help.
  Jered