Would a Benson Preamp explode if you used a 1M bass pot?

[HamishR]

Maybe I should have kept the title more cryptic. It's left me with nothing to add here.

 

[Robert]

Yes. It's one of the first things you learn in flight school.

 

[ICTRock]

 

[Robert]

Goose!

 

[HamishR]

If I was to build a Benson Preamp with a 1M bass pot, what would it sound like before it blew up? Less bassy? More bassy? Strangely attractive to dogs?

 

[Robert]

The maximum range of the Bass control will be limited to Noon compared to the stock value, so more Bass.

I can't recall how usable the entire range of rotation was on the original.

 

[fig]

If I was to build a Benson Preamp with a 1M bass pot, what would it sound like before it blew up?

Edit: FREE bonus history lesson included!


Edit2: Is this a good time to introduce Fig Labs Pot Sockets™?

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

There’s an alternate version of the Benson Preamp circuit that I’ve yet to try, but it eliminates the hard to find pot values. It should supposedly give a wider bass control while using only a 250k pot (among other changes) Been meaning to make the alternate BOM for it, but I want to wait until I can verify it and compare it to the stock circuit before I “endorse” it. Hopefully son of Ben PCBs are in stock next time I order so I can give it a try.

 

[jimilee]

This is diy, there’s only one way to find out!

 

[Betty Wont]

This is diy, there’s only one way to find out!

Yeah, ask the internet then do the opposite!

 

[ICTRock]

Yeah, ask the internet then do the opposite!

The Internet was established solely to serve the askhole community

 

[jimilee]

An explosion can be just as satisfying as it working right….

 

[HamishR]

Look I only asked because I have children. Well, child. I can't just go crazy trying various pot values willy-nilly. And now I realise I have just sparked a new avenue of hilarity by saying "pot values"...

It's hard being a responsible adult.

 

[HamishR]

Well I have an idea which may help me use a B1M pot.... What about if I put a 470K resistor between the intersection of Drive 3, C3, C4 and Bass 3? In other words I'd lose the lowest 1/4 and the highest 1/4 of the the 2M pots range. Then if I needed more bass or less bass I could adjust the value of the 470K resistor. Would that work?

 

[Robert]

Yep, that'd work.

 

[HamishR]

Cool! Thanks!

 

[Feral Feline]

Name for the pedal: "Sploder"

 

[sethwitz]

Well I have an idea which may help me use a B1M pot.... What about if I put a 470K resistor between the intersection of Drive 3, C3, C4 and Bass 3? In other words I'd lose the lowest 1/4 and the highest 1/4 of the the 2M pots range. Then if I needed more bass or less bass I could adjust the value of the 470K resistor. Would that work?

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm curious to try this as well. To add the 470K resistor in this manner, does one leg of the resistor connect to the junction and then the other leg of the 470K resistor goes to ground?