It can definitely help. Even my little 15 watt 5150 III has a MAJOR volume jump at the very beginning of the turn of the knob. Adding the JHS can help find a decent volume sweet spot.
I have two of these things. I discovered these two years ago. I can finally tame my 50 watt Marshall JCM 800 reissue and EVH 5150 III. I can even get usable tones out of my little solid state Marshall combo amp and Randall RD1H.
My 5150 III LBX has a SHOCKING jump in volume between 1 and 2 and is loud enough for band practice at 2. One of these would definitely make it easier to take that volume when the family is home.
Thanks. That was my dad's 1966 Gibson L5. I'll do a video on it one of these days, but honestly it's still a little difficult for me to pickup and play.
Yeah, unfortunately that's a challenge with making these kinds of videos for YT. Once their compression is finished, a lot of subtle differences are lost.
I think an eq pedal with a volume slider would be a better investment and you have the option of tone shaping. Good ones can be found for a reasonable price.
An EQ pedal is certainly an option. This is a more affordable option if you don't need additional tone shaping. I've personally never had a need for an EQ pedal. 🤷♂
@@mikelovesguitars402I use an EQ daily and it’s wonderful. But this little black box really works with my Marshall DSL100H. The DSL100HR has built in Master Volumes.
And don't undervalue the geniune notion of bald being beautiful, my bro! Nice riffs, nice review. I have one these and was instantly impressed with it, even more than any of my previous variety of fantastic effects pedals. Peace!
Hahaha! Well, bald and beautiful is one thing. Bald, chubby, and old is a whole different thing. lol And yeah, I think the these are good options for the price.
@@MrMarcburger it's less than half the price of an MXR 10 band eq pedal (since an eq pedal was your suggestion), and a whole heck of a lot cheaper than a decent attenuator, so relatively speaking? Yeah, I would say it's a pretty cheap solution. If it's not for you, then it's not for you. This video is obviously for others. 🤷♂
@@MrMarcburger my mistake. At a glance your username looks close enough to the original comment that I thought you were the same person. Doesn't invalidate the point, though. Compared to other available options, it's an inexpensive solution. Again, if it's not for you, that's completely fine. But it may be a good solution for someone else. This video is for them, not you.
I think the best use case for it is for taming overall volume on tube amps in situations where you can't just crank it to the gills. I've had or played through a LOT of tube amps over the years with an extremely touchy volume knob that just wasn't subtle enough to get an ideal volume level. I wouldn't use this for recording, but on a small stage or in an apartment, it would be great.
Of course you can... for twice the price. This video wasn't meant to say that this is the only option like this. But that it is an additional option for a relatively low price.
PLEASE HELP!!!: I just purchased one of these and I don't think it's working. I have a Mesa Boogie Rectifier 25 combo. I hooked up the Little Black Box just as the directions says, input to the send and output to the return. It is a lower volume with the volume on the amp raised, but now it's just a very low volume and there's no volume control. When I raise the volume on the Black Box it squeals and feeds-back but it it doesn't raise the volume at all. And it doesn't sound any different than if I just had the amp volume at it's lowest level. What am I missing here ?
I believe Rectifiers have a parallel effects loop. The product description on the JHS page says, "PLACE IT IN A SERIES EFFECTS LOOP ONLY," so that might be the issue. It's hard to say without having it in front of me to troubleshoot.
Not to mention, it’s not like the listener would notice in the final product. Most of tone can be accounted for with speaker choice and mic choice and placement.
Yes, you could certainly adjust gain and EQ on the amp to compensate for the tonal changes in the pedal. With this video I was specifically trying to see if, and by how much the Little Black Amp Box might affect the tone. It's HIGHLY doubtful anyone (including most guitar players) would hear the difference in a full mix, but as guitar players, we tend to really obsess about anything that we perceive as affecting our tone. I definitely consider this more of a tool for getting that driven power tube sound at bedroom practice levels more than a tool for recording. Having said that, I don't think there would be a problem with anyone using it for recording. It just wouldn't be my first "go to" solution.
True, but even a simple MXR 6 band EQ is double the cost of the Little Black Amp Box. There are lots of options to help tame the amp volume. This is just one more. 🤷♂
Wait a sec... 🤔 I have a mxr 10 Band EQ wich i run in front of the amp, after my distortion or amp modeler... Would it do the same work in the effects loop after my chorus and delay and function as an "attenuator" like the jhs little black amp box, as well...? So in this case i would not need this jhs box and have the same effect...? Thank's for a reply...
Sorry for the dumb question, but aren't the power tubes what makes your'e amp louder...? What do you mean with output tubes, is there a difference...? If the ex loop goes in front of the power tubes it should give you the overdriven amp sound at lower volume... Do i make a mistake here...? Thank you...
@@menschlicheswesen84 Yes, you are right. Infact, EQ is much better at the end of the loop anyway. The farther the EQ is in your signal chain, the more control you have over your tone. It will give you the best results when placed at the end of your fx loop, and its volume will just work like the JHS lbab.
Feel like this is a bit of a money grab from JHS. Like others have said you can do the same thing with and EQ pedal in the loop. The JHS haunting mids does the same thing for less than half the price and you get mid control. Also jhs stated on their website not to run other pedals in the effects loop with this pedal. Which is a huge bummer if you run your delays and reverbs in the loop. This pedal does have its place but again I feel like it's a total money grab. Thanks for the review!
Oh, I don't know. I think it serves a purpose. If you don't have an EQ pedal (I don't own one), then these are a good way to knock bedroom volume down on an amp with a touchy master volume knob (I own a few of those).
I am an EQ JUNKIE and this thing can manage many more decibels than an EQ, which has a sweep of roughly 30db’s, meaning +15 / -15, and my EQ’s are as important as my amps. But an EQ is another discussion.
Honestly, this little thing will do nothing if you want to crank your amp to get better tone with power amp distortion (this Marshall thing). At least, it did nothing for me and my Marshall DSL20HR. It's just a volume knob. If your amp has a master volume, you don't need it. As far as I know LBA was made for fender amps with linear volume pot (from quiet to extremely loud) to make dialing easier. That's all it is.
Yeah, it's definitely not an attenuator, but then again, attenuators cost a LOT more money than this thing does. I like it because I have a few amps that have VERY sensitive master volume knobs at low levels. They basically go from no sound to rattling the windows with barely a touch. The LBAB is far less sensitive and I can get the volume I need a LOT more easily.
@@benedettodatriif you can't make one yourself then you must be the kind of person to struggle with basic tasks. I'm not even saying buying it is a bad thing, I'm just saying this is like a sub beginner level thing
Nor is the 45c accurate - buy a good enclosure, couple quality (noncrap) jacks, a good pot, couple electronics, then take the time to throw it together. Not worth my time, JHS does it for me.
i live in the apartment, and Little Black Amp Box really helps alot. good for bedroom jamming
It can definitely help. Even my little 15 watt 5150 III has a MAJOR volume jump at the very beginning of the turn of the knob. Adding the JHS can help find a decent volume sweet spot.
@@mikelovesguitars402 My LBX1 is loud!
Thanks, man. I play a blues deluxe at home and the LBAB has helped quite a bit. I use it when the family is home. ❤
Awesome! Like Marshalls, Fenders sound best when they're cranked, but they're just SO LOUD... 🤣
I have two of these things. I discovered these two years ago. I can finally tame my 50 watt Marshall JCM 800 reissue and EVH 5150 III. I can even get usable tones out of my little solid state Marshall combo amp and Randall RD1H.
If only my old school JCM 800 50 watt had an effects loop... 😁
@@mikelovesguitars402 This wont work on my old 67 Super Reverb. Has to have an effects loop? If not, do you know what will work? Thanks! 👍🏻
Have you tried a bugera ps1 attenuator on the EVH? How does it compare?
Have you tried a bugera ps1 attenuator on the EVH? How does it compare?
I use this on my Orange Micro Dark, works great and let's me use a high gain amp at reasonable volumes.
My 5150 III LBX has a SHOCKING jump in volume between 1 and 2 and is loud enough for band practice at 2. One of these would definitely make it easier to take that volume when the family is home.
I use it on a Marshall Studio Vintage 20W, and works great!
Love that hollow body Gibson you have at the beginning 👌 it would be awesome to see some killing joke riffs from it 🎧🙏✌️
Thanks. That was my dad's 1966 Gibson L5. I'll do a video on it one of these days, but honestly it's still a little difficult for me to pickup and play.
Seems interesting, but the RUclips audio compression made it so that we only heard the difference when you were at around 7:30 on the knob.
Yeah, unfortunately that's a challenge with making these kinds of videos for YT. Once their compression is finished, a lot of subtle differences are lost.
NICE
have also good Resultat with a booster pedal e.g. tc spark
Thanks man
No problem. I'm just here to nerd out on guitar gear. 😁
I think an eq pedal with a volume slider would be a better investment and you have the option of tone shaping. Good ones can be found for a reasonable price.
An EQ pedal is certainly an option. This is a more affordable option if you don't need additional tone shaping. I've personally never had a need for an EQ pedal. 🤷♂
@@mikelovesguitars402I use an EQ daily and it’s wonderful. But this little black box really works with my Marshall DSL100H. The DSL100HR has built in Master Volumes.
@@tremdoctor007 it's definitely a cool little gizmo
@@tremdoctor007Then why do you need another one?
Great unit
And don't undervalue the geniune notion of bald being beautiful, my bro!
Nice riffs, nice review. I have one these and was instantly impressed with it, even more than any of my previous variety of fantastic effects pedals.
Peace!
Hahaha! Well, bald and beautiful is one thing. Bald, chubby, and old is a whole different thing. lol
And yeah, I think the these are good options for the price.
@@mikelovesguitars402I resemble that remark LOL! Whatchagonnado do with the hand your dealt? Just play and love life!
@@tremdoctor007 I do as much as I can 😁
You can do the same with equalizer into fx loop.
True, but this is simply another very inexpensive option.
@@mikelovesguitars402'inexpensive'? for a potentiometer in a box?!
@@MrMarcburger it's less than half the price of an MXR 10 band eq pedal (since an eq pedal was your suggestion), and a whole heck of a lot cheaper than a decent attenuator, so relatively speaking? Yeah, I would say it's a pretty cheap solution. If it's not for you, then it's not for you. This video is obviously for others. 🤷♂
@@mikelovesguitars402 I did not suggest an eq.
@@MrMarcburger my mistake. At a glance your username looks close enough to the original comment that I thought you were the same person. Doesn't invalidate the point, though. Compared to other available options, it's an inexpensive solution. Again, if it's not for you, that's completely fine. But it may be a good solution for someone else. This video is for them, not you.
If it colours the tone, I definitely don't want it.
Wet effects into FX loop is most likely scenario for a test?
I think the best use case for it is for taming overall volume on tube amps in situations where you can't just crank it to the gills. I've had or played through a LOT of tube amps over the years with an extremely touchy volume knob that just wasn't subtle enough to get an ideal volume level. I wouldn't use this for recording, but on a small stage or in an apartment, it would be great.
Why can't we just use a volume pedal in the fx loop? You could even control it on the fly very easily.
That's a good question. I've never actually thought about trying that. Maybe an idea for a future video... 🤔
You can use a volume pedal if that's your preference, it will work in the same way, this does the same thing in a smaller package.
@@StompinGroundChannel good to know!
Can’t you just put a volume pedal in your effects loop and get the same effect? That’s what I do ant it works fine
Of course you can... for twice the price. This video wasn't meant to say that this is the only option like this. But that it is an additional option for a relatively low price.
PLEASE HELP!!!: I just purchased one of these and I don't think it's working. I have a Mesa Boogie Rectifier 25 combo. I hooked up the Little Black Box just as the directions says, input to the send and output to the return. It is a lower volume with the volume on the amp raised, but now it's just a very low volume and there's no volume control. When I raise the volume on the Black Box it squeals and feeds-back but it it doesn't raise the volume at all. And it doesn't sound any different than if I just had the amp volume at it's lowest level. What am I missing here ?
I believe Rectifiers have a parallel effects loop. The product description on the JHS page says, "PLACE IT IN A SERIES EFFECTS LOOP ONLY," so that might be the issue. It's hard to say without having it in front of me to troubleshoot.
Also, I'm pretty sure your amp with have a level knob for the effects loop on the back of the amp. Try turning that level down quite a bit.
Couldn’t you just compensate for the difference in tone by adjusting your settings on the amp?
Not to mention, it’s not like the listener would notice in the final product. Most of tone can be accounted for with speaker choice and mic choice and placement.
Yes, you could certainly adjust gain and EQ on the amp to compensate for the tonal changes in the pedal. With this video I was specifically trying to see if, and by how much the Little Black Amp Box might affect the tone.
It's HIGHLY doubtful anyone (including most guitar players) would hear the difference in a full mix, but as guitar players, we tend to really obsess about anything that we perceive as affecting our tone.
I definitely consider this more of a tool for getting that driven power tube sound at bedroom practice levels more than a tool for recording. Having said that, I don't think there would be a problem with anyone using it for recording. It just wouldn't be my first "go to" solution.
An eq in the loop would do this
True, but even a simple MXR 6 band EQ is double the cost of the Little Black Amp Box. There are lots of options to help tame the amp volume. This is just one more. 🤷♂
@@mikelovesguitars402 Shure man....Thanks ;)
Problem is that fx loops are in fron of the power tubes so you won't actually be pushing the amps output tubes. It's simply a second master volume.
Wait a sec... 🤔
I have a mxr 10 Band EQ wich i run in front of the amp, after my distortion or amp modeler...
Would it do the same work in the effects loop after my chorus and delay and function as an "attenuator" like the jhs little black amp box, as well...?
So in this case i would not need this jhs box and have the same effect...?
Thank's for a reply...
Sorry for the dumb question, but aren't the power tubes what makes your'e amp louder...? What do you mean with output tubes, is there a difference...?
If the ex loop goes in front of the power tubes it should give you the overdriven amp sound at lower volume...
Do i make a mistake here...?
Thank you...
@@menschlicheswesen84 Yes, you are right. Infact, EQ is much better at the end of the loop anyway. The farther the EQ is in your signal chain, the more control you have over your tone. It will give you the best results when placed at the end of your fx loop, and its volume will just work like the JHS lbab.
Feel like this is a bit of a money grab from JHS. Like others have said you can do the same thing with and EQ pedal in the loop. The JHS haunting mids does the same thing for less than half the price and you get mid control. Also jhs stated on their website not to run other pedals in the effects loop with this pedal. Which is a huge bummer if you run your delays and reverbs in the loop. This pedal does have its place but again I feel like it's a total money grab. Thanks for the review!
Oh, I don't know. I think it serves a purpose. If you don't have an EQ pedal (I don't own one), then these are a good way to knock bedroom volume down on an amp with a touchy master volume knob (I own a few of those).
I am an EQ JUNKIE and this thing can manage many more decibels than an EQ, which has a sweep of roughly 30db’s, meaning +15 / -15, and my EQ’s are as important as my amps. But an EQ is another discussion.
Honestly, this little thing will do nothing if you want to crank your amp to get better tone with power amp distortion (this Marshall thing). At least, it did nothing for me and my Marshall DSL20HR. It's just a volume knob. If your amp has a master volume, you don't need it. As far as I know LBA was made for fender amps with linear volume pot (from quiet to extremely loud) to make dialing easier. That's all it is.
Yeah, it's definitely not an attenuator, but then again, attenuators cost a LOT more money than this thing does. I like it because I have a few amps that have VERY sensitive master volume knobs at low levels. They basically go from no sound to rattling the windows with barely a touch. The LBAB is far less sensitive and I can get the volume I need a LOT more easily.
You discovered the $65 volume knob worth about 45 cents in parts good job
Otherwise what you do? You go to buy 45cents of electronics components and d.i.y.? Not everyone is able to build a device...
If you make over $65 at the gig..it pays for itself..no time for diy
@@benedettodatriif you can't make one yourself then you must be the kind of person to struggle with basic tasks. I'm not even saying buying it is a bad thing, I'm just saying this is like a sub beginner level thing
Nor is the 45c accurate - buy a good enclosure, couple quality (noncrap) jacks, a good pot, couple electronics, then take the time to throw it together. Not worth my time, JHS does it for me.
You’ve exposed yourself as cheap and crange. You understand how cheap this is compared to the alternatives?