Ross Mod

phishlips · June 06, 2011, 06:05:49 PM

Has anyone had analogman mod a Black Ross to the Gray Ross specs? Is there that big a difference? thanks

sour d · June 07, 2011, 02:10:36 PM

This might help. http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=69367.0

Keep in mind that even the grey box ross came from the factory with different caps depending on when it was made too. Even analogman admits the schematic was the same for both. "Schematics are the same, one of the tants in the corner (and several others) is an electros on the black one. Jumper is not important, just used to make the board on the grey version."

Like always it comes down to your ear. I am going to put a grey ross, a black ross, a bicomp and a keeley on a board and hand them off to Walker for him to see which one he prefers. Maybe when he is done he can let us know which is his favorite. I am willing to let others try it too if you are some what local.

phishlips · June 07, 2011, 05:58:34 PM

thank you sour for some input. I'd love to hear what Walker has to say about them. I don't really have any complaints about the black one, guess I'm just curious really. I should probably be looking to spend money on something thats a little more useful than something I don't have a problem with but...

Walker done done · June 08, 2011, 04:31:23 PM

Quote from: sour d on June 07, 2011, 02:10:36 PM
Like always it comes down to your ear. I am going to put a grey ross, a black ross, a bicomp and a keeley on a board and hand them off to Walker for him to see which one he prefers. Maybe when he is done he can let us know which is his favorite. I am willing to let others try it too if you are some what local.

This is gonna be the best science project since the 7th grade! Yeeeeehaw!!

sour d · June 29, 2011, 04:00:13 PM

The compressors are currently in route to portland where walker will use his super keen ear to critique some of the best stomp box compressors known to man. I look forward to his reviews and getting my pedals back. We should try tube screamers next. I have a bunch of those too.

phishlips · June 29, 2011, 05:33:06 PM

nice, I guess I can't really ask for a more complete answer to my question with the lengths you guys are taking it to. Of course I know it wasn't just my question that made you do this but the timing of the whole thing is perfect.

Happyorange27 · June 29, 2011, 08:38:59 PM

Sounds like an ASTM or SAE test to me

. Nice work crew.

sour d · June 30, 2011, 01:09:16 AM

Quote from: Happyorange27 on June 29, 2011, 08:38:59 PM
Sounds like an ASTM

Dude I'm an older guy from maine so i'm not so hip on the acronyms, but doesn't that mean ass to mouth?

Happyorange27 · June 30, 2011, 07:19:26 PM

Quote from: sour d on June 30, 2011, 01:09:16 AM
Quote from: Happyorange27 on June 29, 2011, 08:38:59 PM
Sounds like an ASTM
Dude I'm an older guy from maine so i'm not so hip on the acronyms, but doesn't that mean ass to mouth?

Shit that's funny! I guess it depends on how they perform the test. It might sound like ass or tasty.

sour d · July 24, 2011, 03:11:23 PM

Any progress Mr. Done Done?

Walker done done · July 25, 2011, 01:05:19 PM

Sequence complete.

The results: there is nothing like the original (grey) Ross. If you'd sell it, I'd buy it. Let me know when & we'll work out a time/place for me to return your pedals and bag. Much thanks and respect for allowing me to test them out - it was a lot of fun!

The black Ross was good, but not quite good enough as the grey one. I dunno, just something about the tone of the grey one was better than the black one. It had more squishiness to it, that's for sure. And it just rang truer. I used it twice at gigs (Boru and the Old Port 1/2 Marathon yesterday) and loved it both times. I used the black one in practice but couldn't get that beautiful sound out of it like the grey one. Close...but not quite. Definitely a good pedal though (the black one). But since I already have a Keeley 4knob, I might as well keep that until I can find the real deal. I think I like the black Ross better than the Keeley 4knob for its ability to get a better squish, but I'd have to really give them more of a A/B to be sure on that. I also have an Analogman Orange Squeeze but I don't even use it any more. I think that would come in second to last place out of all of them, with the BiComp coming in last...which for the record I did not try the BiComp. I assumed it's the same as the one I previously owned, so I didn't bother.

Again, thanks for letting me give them a go-around. Very cool move.

I'd rate them as:

1.) grey Ross
2.) black Ross
3.) Keeley 4knob
4.) Orange Squeeze
5.) BiComp

phishlips · July 25, 2011, 02:14:01 PM

that's great info. thanks to both of you guys for the experiment. maybe someday I'll have my black ross modded but it doesn't sound like there is a HUGE difference so for now I'll focus my funds on other parts of my rig.

Duhigg · July 25, 2011, 04:41:00 PM

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the Keeley modeled after the grey Ross? I've go an old 2knob Keeley and love the tone I get with that pedal. I guess it all comes down to personal preference. Thanks for the good read.

Duhigg

sour d · July 25, 2011, 08:52:51 PM

Quote from: phishlips on July 25, 2011, 02:14:01 PM
that's great info. thanks to both of you guys for the experiment. maybe someday I'll have my black ross modded but it doesn't sound like there is a HUGE difference so for now I'll focus my funds on other parts of my rig.

I wouldn't bother having it modded. All they do is change a few caps and charge you too much. I don't think you will hear the difference. Maybe have it modded to have an l.e.d. so you can see on stage if it's on or not.

Quote from: Duhigg on July 25, 2011, 04:41:00 PM
If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the Keeley modeled after the grey Ross? I've go an old 2knob Keeley and love the tone I get with that pedal. I guess it all comes down to personal preference. Thanks for the good read.
Duhigg

The keeley is modeled after the ross but he has some "improvements" that he does. Great comp but to me the original is much better. I've been using my 2 knob keeley for a few gigs while Walker had my others and I have to say I can't wait to get my ross back (no rush Walker). The keeley is quieter though.

IamWILSON · July 25, 2011, 09:31:45 PM

This is all very interesting. I wish I could have sent my old 2-knob Keeley Comp to Walker for the showdown. However I use it all the time and would have missed it soarly. Mine was made in '02 before he added any extra controls, even on the inside of the pedal you can't adjust the clipping or attack. I tested it side by side with a friends 4 knob and liked my 2-knob better and prevented me from sending it to Keeley to switch out for the newer board with more controls. I really would love to get my hands on the grey Ross to see if it is that much of a difference still. I guess the only way to really be satisfied with your tone is to measure it against all other options and hear it for yourself. Anyway, thanks Walker for the motivation to continue the search for a grey Ross.