Effectrode Blue Bottle User manual

Specifications
• Input impedance:Greater than 1M
• Outputimpedance: Less than 40K
• Controls: Mid Boost and Volume
• Features: Hi-Cut switch selectable low-pass
–3dB points at 3KHz and 6KHz
• All tube: Based on N.O.S. ‘Sylvania’ 6111WA
subminiaturetriode tube operatingin class-A
• Gain: Continuously variable from - dB to 18dB
• True bypass: With ‘anti-pop’ or ‘thump’ foot-
switching circuitry
• Power requirements: 12VDC@ 600mA-
centre positive 2.1mm barrel connector
• Dimensions: Width 4.75"; Depth 3.75"
• Weight: 12oz (onEarth); 13.5oz (Neptune)
• Construction:Solid die-castaluminum box
• Finish: Tough cobalt blue powder coat
Serial #
Copyright © 2018 Effectrode®Thermionic
12 Broughton Crescent, Barlaston,
Staffs,England. ST129DB
www.effectrode.com
JV-1A

Introduction
The JV-1A(a.k.a.BlueBottle™)is alimited edition
signature mid-boost pedal designed by Effectrode
for guitarist John Verity (Argent). Johnwantedto
fatten-up the toneof the single coilpickupson his
‘Corona’guitar andwecameup with theideaof
basing hispedal on avintage‘Pultec’ inductor-
based tubeequaliser circuit–thewaywesee it, if
you’re goingto build amid booster in pedal,why
not doit with some style!The JV-1Aaddswarm
and musical soundingmidsthat work toenrich the
natural harmonic character of the guitar and there’s
also 18dBof all-tube gain on tap allowing the Blue
Bottle topushatubeamp intogenerating a
beautiful, singing,bluesyoverdrive.
Audiophile grade componentsand silver solder are
utilised throughout thecircuit alongwith precision,
low noise,metal-film resistors, stellar-quality
polyester coupling capacitors andground-plane
layout. Theresult of allthis attentionto detailis a
mid-boost pedal with afull-bodied,richand
addictive lead tonefor solo playing–JohnVerity
seldom turns the JV-1Aoff!
Thankyoufor trusting Effectrode tobeyoureffects
company.Wewishyou manyyears ofmusical
enjoyment from this hand-built, all-tubepedal.
Phil Taylor – Designer
Tubes
The JV-1Asignal pathis based on
a Sylvania 6111N.O.S.
subminiaturetwin triodepencil
tube.These tiny tubes were
specially developed by Sylvania
Electric inthe1940sfor military
and aerospaceapplicationsto
meet theirstringent Mil-E-1
specificationsfor reliability and
long service life under conditionsof
severe shock, vibration(20,000G!),
high temperature andhighaltitude.
Sylvania subminiature tubes
represent the absolutepinnacle of thermionic
technologyandareunquestionably thefinest tubes
ever madebyanycompany,ever–we willcertainly
never see the likes of them again.

In Practice
John Verity places his Blue Bottle pedal after his
Blackbird tubepreamp.This waythe BlueBottle is
workingpurelyto boost the output level of the
Blackbird,rather than beingusedto push the input
tube stageof the Blackbird into saturation.Hethen
uses the ‘Hi-Cut’ filter to takesome top-end off and
smooth out his guitar tone.Applyinglow-pass
filtering at theendof the signal chain also hasthe
advantageof reducing hissand high frequency
noise as far aspossible inhis rig.
Tone Tip! Tocreate the last word in all-tube preamp
rigs we recommend placingthe Fire Bottle pickup
booster pre- Blackbird andthe Blue Bottle post-
Blackbird.This setup allowsfor an unprecendented
degree of toneshaping possibilities for guitar.
Controls
Mid Boost knobadjuststhe level of middle
frequencies centeredabout the500Hzpoint relative
to highsandlows.With the knob setfully
aniticlockwise the frequency responseof the Blue
Bottle isessentially flatandthepedal instroduces
verylittle,if any tonal colouration.Rotating the knob
clockwise gradually increasesthelevel of the mids
addingsomewelcomegirth tothetone of single coil
pickupswhilst retainingtheiruniquesonic
characteristics. Withtheknobset fully clockwise the
Blue Bottle addsup to 12dBofpuretube mid-boost
which can beusedtogreateffect on a Fender®
Stratocaster™ type guitar enabling it to sing and
sustain like a Gibson®‘Les Paul’ or even‘335’.

Midrangeboost has long been anessential tool of
guitaristssuchasJohn Verity,David Gilmourand
Eric Claptionand they’veusedit to great effect on
manyiconic guitar solos. However,virtually all
vintage tubeguitar ampsare only equipped with
passivecapacitor-resistor tonecontrolsthat ‘cut’
treble,bassfrequency content. Theseampsexhibit
amid-scooped response,lacking those all-
importantmidsa‘Strat’ needsto truely soar when
soloing.TheJV-1Aremediesthis byutilising atube
buffered inductor-capacitor filter circuit–identical to
the circuitry foundin vintage ‘Pultec’ tube
equalisers–to generatebeautifully rich mids
transforming astock ‘Strat’ into an incredibly
responsive and expressive musical instrument.
Volume knob increasetheoutput level ranging
from - dB to 18dB,ample gain topushatubeamp
into abeautiful,rich,bluesy overdrive.Studio
engineerscan takeadvantageof the Blue Bottle’s
warm and natural boost capability to augment the
recordinglevels of variousinstrumentsandeven
microphones.Thinkof the Blue Bottle asa
miniaturised‘Pultec’ tube equaliser with fixedmid
boost at 500Hz.
Hi-Cut 3-way toggle switchapplies a-6dB/oct low-
pass filter at the output of the Blue Bottle.Inthe
‘center’ positionthefilter response isflat and when
the switchis in the ‘up’ or ‘down’ position thelow-
pass filter has -3dBpoints at3KHzand 6KHz
respectively.
Footswitch allowsselection betweeneffectified(JV
‘bluesified’!) andnon-effectified (dry) signal.Silent true
bypass switchingensures there are no‘pops’ or
‘thump’ whenengaging the effect and that there is
absolutelynolossof tone fromyourguitar to youramp
whentheeffect isdisengaged.Additionally,thetube
signal pathin thispedal is built to demanding
audiophile specificationto ensureabsolute highest-
fidelity andsignal integrity atalltimes–thebenefit of
allthis attentionto detailis that the guitar tone always
remains pure, pristine and intact.