Radial Engineering TONEBONE R800 7070 User manual

Radial Bassbone
Part # R800 7070
www.radialeng.com
Owner’s Manual
RadialEngineering
1638 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam BC V3C 5W9
tel: [phone]• fax: [phone]
email: [email protected]•web: www.radialeng.com
Radial Engineering is a division of JP CableTek Electronics Ltd.
™

RADIAL TONEBONE BASSBONE OWNER’S MANUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO.
1. Introduction....................................................................... 1
2. BassboneFeature Set ...................................................... 3
3. TheConcept behind the Bassbone ................................... 5
4. Using the Bassbone with Two Basses .............................. 6
5. Using the Bassbone with One Bass .................................. 7
6. Power Boost and Effect Loop ............................................ 7
7. Using the Tuner Output .................................................... 9
8. Using the XLR Output ...................................................... 9
9. FAQ’s............................................................................... 10
Warranty
Greetings from Radial! You are now an official Bonehead!
The following manual has been written to assist you in using your new
RadialBassbone. Please takethe time to read itthrough sothat you can
takemaximum advantage ofall the featuresthathave been designedinto
thismarvelous device.
Shouldyouhave any questionsonthe Bassbone, please visitourweb site
www.tonebone.comforup-to-dateinformation. Ifyou have aquestionthat
is not covered in this manual, please feel free to contact Radial at
[email protected] and we will do our very best to get you an answer
quickly. Thesequestions areoften the source for moreFAQ’s onour site
andserve to helpother Boneheads.
TheBassbone has beendevelopedto help youmakemusic more funand
hopefully, enhance your creative spirit. Enjoy!
Now get out there and play some 12-bar blues!
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
True to the Music
1

1. INTRODUCTION
In the beginning, bass was the foundation behind the band that worked
withthe drums tokeep it alltogether. A good,solid and powerfulamplifier
with a good bass was all that was needed. But over the years, bass has
expandedfromsimple4-stringinstrumentstopowerfulactive 5 and 6 string
instruments.
As such, bassists, whether covering or creating new material, must be
equippedto produce thesetonalranges and beableto transition between
these sounds quickly during a live performance. The Radial Tonebone
Bassbone was designed to help bass players meet these demands by
creatinga controlcenter specificallydesigned around the bass guitar.
Thisbeingsaid, most bass playersemploytwobasseswhen they perform.
These typically include a traditional passive bass such as a Fender P-
Bassand a newgeneration 5 or6 string activeinstrument. These basses
produce very different volume levels and tonal ranges. This poses a
problemwhen switching fromone instrument tothe other,astheamplifier
settingsmust bedramatically adjusted tocompensate.
TheTonebone Bassboneallows the bassplayer totransition between his
two different basses by simply depressing a foot selector switch. Each
instrument channel on the Bassbone features separate level adjustment
and equalization. On gigs where only one bass is used, the Bassbone
automaticallyconvertsto a 2-channel preamp. Thepowerfulon-board EQ
allows the player to create two completely different sounds to create ‘the
impression’ of two different basses. Very tricky indeed!
Tofurtherenhanceon-stageperformance,the Radial Bassbone is outfitted
withapower-boosterforsoloingorforextrakickduringparticularpassages.
Aneffectloop circuit mayalso beswitched-into simultaneouslyintroduce
dramaticand powerfuleffects.
Forthose coffeehousegigs where youmay not wanttobring your double-
stack Ampeg SVT, the Bassbone makes it easy with a built-in direct box
XLRoutputto drive thePAsystem. There’sevena separate tuneroutthat
letsyou monitoryour bassfor on-the-fly adjustments.
Bassbone…finallyacontrolcenterforbassplayersthattrulymakesplaying
easier!
True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
2

2. BASSBONE FEATURE SET
1. Power boost level control
Adjusts level from zero (mute) to
0 @ +12dB for soloing.
2. High-Low-Mid EQ controls
Powerful EQ on channel-2 override
amp EQ settings. +/-12dB @ 75 Hz,
+/-10dB @ 470 Hz, +/-16dB @ 5.6
KHz.
3. Boost selector switch
Assigns foot switch between effect
loop, boost or both.
4. Chan 1 EQ Contour switch
Selects between flat & two EQ
contour curves on channel-1.
5. Level 2 control
Adjusts input level for channel-2.
6. Ground lift switch
Lifts pin-1 on XLR to reduce hum
caused by ground-loops.
7. Level 1 control
Adjusts input level for channel-1.
8. Balanced XLR male output
Sends ‘post’ Bassbone sound to
mixing console.
True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
9. Input 2 ¼” jack
Alternate input for second bass.
Connects to channel 2.
10. Input 1 ¼” jack
Primary input is used for the main
bass. Connects to channel 1.
11. Toggle foot switch
Selects between input 1 or 2.
Features bright, easy to see LED’s.
12. Boost foot switch
Activates power boost and/or effect
loop with easy to see large LED.
13. Output ¼” Jack
Connects to your bass amplifier’s
instrument input.
14. Effect loop ¼” TRS jack
Uses standard tip-send, ring return
insert-jack to connect pedals.
15. Tuner ¼” output jack
High output band-pass filtered output
specifically EQ’d for tuners.
16. 15V DC PSU
15 volt - 500 milliamp power supply
connector.
3

True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
4
3. THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE BASSBONE
Before you get started, you need to know why we built the Bassbone the
waywe did. This isthe Bassbone’sflowchart (block diagram). Let’stake
amoment tosee what’s under the hood…
Starting from left to right, the Bassbone has two inputs for two basses
and two separate signal channels. A separate tuner out is provided
that is buffered and filtered to drive a tuner with a clean signal. This
powerful ‘tuner friendly’ output is always on.
Input channel-1 features a contour control with choice of bypass or two
EQ curves. A level control allows input-1 gain to be adjusted as needed.
Inputchannel-2 features apowerful 3 bandEQthat allows youto override
your amplifier’s EQ section. A separate level control is also provided to
balancethe levelbetween bass-1 andbass-2.
The toggle switch selects between input channels 1 or 2. Keep in mind
that when only one bass is being used, input-1 will feed both channels
allowing you to use the Bassbone like a two channel amplifier. This will
giveyou controlover two dramaticallydifferent EQ curvesand levels.
Apower-boost circuit isavailablethat can beusedfor soloing orfor added
cut during a particular passage. To reduce ‘tap-dancing’ an effect loop
may be engaged at the same time or instead of the power-boost circuit.
This has the benefit of keeping noisy pedals out of the signal chain when
not in use.
Alongwith the¼” output,the Bassbone is also equippedwith abalanced
XLR output that is used to feed a mixer. This is a 600-ohm mic level
output that can be used instead of a direct box. The XLR output is ‘post’
Bassbone and this means that the sound being sent to the mixer will
incorporateyour BassboneEQ and levelsettings.
IN 1
IN 2&3
IN 1
TOGGLE
LEVEL
LEVEL
BOOST
GAIN
OUTPUT
FLAT
SHAPE 2
SHAPE 1
IN 2
CONTOUR
F/X
LOOP
EQ
LO-ME-HI
OUTPUT
1/4"
BAL.
TUNER

True to the Music
4. USING THE BASSBONE WITH TWO BASSES
TheRadial Bassbone comesequipped withits own powersupply. This is
a special 15-Volt supply that provides greater headroom than typical 9-
Volt supplies. Connecting the power supply will automatically turn the
Bassboneon. Leaving theBassbone on will not harmthe unit. Onlyuse
aTonebone supply asothers mayharm your Tonebone.
TheRadial Bassboneis botheasy and intuitive to use. Begin by making
sure your amplifier and mixer volumes are turned off so that when
connectionsare beingmade, youwill not cause the speakersto pop.
Thinkof channel-1as ‘straight-through’whereby you will use theEQ and
volumeon your amptocontrol your primarybass. Onceyour connections
are done, turn up your amp volume and EQ settings to the levels you
would normally use. Set channel-1 level control to about 2 o’clock and
makesure thecontour switchis set to flat. Now go back to your amplifier
andreadjust your input level tocompensate as needed.
This is the starting point to properly setup the Bassbone. You will note
that Channel-1 also features a 3-position voicing switch. This offers a
choice between flat (bypass), and two preset EQ curves to help capture
popular sought after tones that may be difficult to achieve with some
amplifiers. We suggest adjustments on Channel 1 be made with the
contour set to flat (bypass). Then feel free to try the two voicing curves
with your amp settings. You may find that inserting the Bassbone’s EQ
settingswill stimulatenew sounds thatyou havenot yet encountered.
Channel-2 is the override channel. This features a powerful EQ that lets
youcounter andor assist the EQ onyour amplifierwhen connecting your
secondbass. Onceyouhaveestablishedtheampsettingsforyourprimary
bass, you would then select your second bass and depress the toggle
switch to select input-2.
Start with the EQ settings at 12 o’clock and the gain at 2 o’clock. You will
noticethat each ofthe high, midand low EQcontrols are extremelyactive
andprovide tons ofcut andboost. Play with thesecontrols until youhave
foundyour soundand then adjust the levelto matchyour other bass, you
are now set to go!
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
5

5. USING THE BASSBONE WITH ONE BASS
Start by making your connections as described in Section 4 and make
sure you are connected to input-1. Bassbone automatically feeds both
channels when the input-jack on channel-2 is not used.
As discussed earlier, when only using one bass, the Bassbone can be
usedlikea2-channelpre-ampwherebyone cantransitionbetweenchannel-
1 and channel-2 by simply depressing the toggle switch.
Following a similar path as described when using two basses, you would
setyour amplifier EQandlevel while usingchannel-1. This would beyour
normalsound. You couldofcourse introduce one oftheBassbone voicing
settings if desired. We suggest that you begin with the channel-1 output
level set at 2 o’clock.
Switching to channel-2 will then let you access the Bassbone’s powerful
EQ section. This can make a passive bass sound active or vise versa!
You couldforinstance set yourstandardbass tone tobewarm and fat and
set the EQ on channel-2 for cut and added clarity.
6. POWER BOOST AND EFFECT LOOP
Now that you have the coolest sound in the world, it’s time for the crowd-
stopping 25 minute bass solo!
The Bassbone is equipped with a power booster that can be used for
soloing or special effects. To add more fun and flexibility, a 3-position
selector switch lets you assign the foot switch for boost, effect-loop or
combinationeffect-loopand boost.
Beingable toengage both theboost and theeffectloop with a‘single foot
action’ adds tremendous
flexibility while reducing
‘tapdancing’onstage. For
instance you may want to
kick the bass up a notch
and introduce a flanger at
the same time. This has
the advantage of keeping
noisy effect devices out of
the signal chain when not
beingused.
True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
6

Using the power booster
The power-booster is designed to go from off to +8dB of gain. This lets
you use the power booster circuit as a mute for tuning, a shunt for soft
passages and of course a booster when you intend to take control of the
world! Beginby setting the power-boosterto12o’clockandthentrybringing
it in and out until the desired level is attained.
Using the effect loop
The effect loop features an insert jack like the ones used on professional
mixers. This employs a standard tip ‘send’, ring ‘return’ insert jack with a
stereo TRS (tip ring sleeve) at one end and two standard ¼” mono jacks
onthe otherends.
The TRS jack connects to the Bassbone and the send jack connects to
the input of the effect pedal.
Theadvantages of usinganeffectloop to connectpedalsinclude reduced
pick-uploading fora morenatural bass guitar sound, lessnoise because
your sound is going directly to your amplifier and the ability to pre-set
differentmulti-pedalsetupswhileplaying without actually hearingthesetups
untilyou engagethe effect loop.
Combiningpedal effectswith the powerboostercan be bothpowerful and
dramatic. With the touch of a button, one can produce thunderous tones
thatcan completely changethe ambience fromone song toanother. This
will most assuredly spur on creativity!
True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
7

7. USING THE TUNER OUTPUT
The Tonebone Bassbone also incorporates a separate tuner out. This
outputpasses through aband-passfilter that makesit easier foratuner to
capturethe fundamentaltone. Unless, filtered, some basses produceso
many harmonics that the tuner is unable to lock-on and this causes the
needle (or LED read out) to jump all over the place.
Becausethetunerout is separately buffered,the tuner circuit iscompletely
removed from the primary audio signal path thus reducing its effect or
addedload onthe circuit.
You can also use the power-
booster circuit as a ‘mute’ to
turn off the output to your
guitar amp while the signal
continues to drive the tuner.
This can be done by turning
offthe power boostvolume in
boostmode.
8. USING THE XLR OUTPUT
The Tonebone Bassbone is equipped with a separate XLR male output
that acts like a direct box to feed a mixer. This is a 600-ohm mic level
output that is designed to run along side microphone signals in a snake
withoutcausing crosstalk.
It is important to note that unlike a direct box that would normally be
connected before the Bassbone, the XLR out is post Bassbone. This
means that all of the Bassbone EQ and volume settings will be heard on
theXLR output. This is particularlyadvantageouswhenplayinggigswithout
asound engineeras thebass signal going to the mixer willbe boostedor
alteredto followyour Bassbone settings. Anexample would be on asolo
wheretheengineerwouldnormallyincreasethebassvolume: byengaging
theBassbone’spower booster, the levelwouldincreaseon your bassamp
and at the mixer at the same time.
The XLR out is particularly
cool when playing small
coffeehouse gigs where
bringing an amplifier may not
be practical. Simply connect
theBassbone’sXLR outputto
the mixer and use the
Bassbone as your miniature
amp. Allyour EQ settingsare
now right at your feet!
True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
8

The XLR male connector is wired to AES standards with pin-1 being
ground, pin-2 hot. A ground-lift switch disconnects the ground on pin-
1 at the output to help reduce hum and buzz caused by so-called
‘ground-loops’.
Toreduce opportunity fornoise, it isalwaysa good ideato have yourbass
ampand Bassboneconnected to thesame powerbar. Whenconnecting
toa mixer,should you encountera ground-loop or60-cycle hum, trylifting
the ground. This disconnects pin-1 and assumes that the Bassbone’s
safety ground will be connected at the input.
9. FAQ
Can I use any two basses with the Bassbone?
Yes, the Bassbone is designed for use with all types of basses. This
meansthatyou can usebothactive and passivebasses,frettedor fretless
and so on.
Do I still need a direct box with the Bassbone?
No… The Bassbone has a balanced out that sends your post-Bassbone
sound to the mixer. This is cool because if you do not have a soundman,
thebass EQ andlevel can becontrolledby you. If howeveryou do havea
soundengineer, hemayprefer to get thesoundof your bass ‘direct’before
it goes into your Bassbone. Any of the Radial direct boxes will work fine
for this.
Can I use the Tuner out to drive another amp or effect?
You canbutthe soundmaynot be whatyou want. We have optimizedthe
tuner out to provide a typical tuner circuit with a fundamental tone so that
tuning is easy. This tone will not sound the same as the output from the
Bassbone.
I have an active and a passive bass. Which should be used where?
Bothcan work ineither channel. If youare a purist,you may wantto have
yourpassive bassin channel-1and set it flat. This would allow youramp
tocontrol yourEQ for this bass. If youwant tobeef up your passive, then
channel-2will give you more control.
Can I use other pedal power supplies with the Bassbone?
No. TheBassbone requires a more powerful15V supply thana typical 9-
volt pedal in order to provide maximum power handling and headroom.
This is why we include the supply with the unit.
Can I use the ‘effect send’ to drive another amplifier?
Technically ‘yes’ but be careful. We produce a device called the Radial
JX2Switchbone thatis designedto do this properly. It isoutfitted withan
isolation transformer that will eliminate noisy group loops while the
Bassbonedoes not. Someolder amplifiersare not equipped with proper
U-groundsand couldcause anelectric shock. Please consult a qualified
technicianbefore combiningamplifiers.
True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
9

True to the Music
Radial Engineering Bassbone Owner’s Manual
Can I use the XLR balanced out for another amp?
Yes, but be aware that this is a mic level output. This means that the
impedanceandlevel has notbeensetfor typical instrumentinputsandthe
output is not isolated. The Radial X-Amp is a device that allows you to
take the balanced out for a device and drive two amplifiers. This would
probablybe a bettersolution.
Will the Bassbone alter the tone of my bass?
When using channel-1 with the contour switch set to off or bypass, the
original tone of the instrument will pass through the Bassbone without
adding EQ. Keep in mind however that changing the output level on
channel-1 will cause the perception to shift due to a volume change.
Why is the tuner output is so loud?
When you pluck the string, it sometimes takes a while for the harmonics
and the string vibration to settle down to a stable ‘tunable’ position. By
havinga highoutput to thetuner, itgives youmore time totune the string.
Why does the boost level only boost from 2 o’clock on?
There are several reasons for this: to begin, when using the boost in
conjunction with an effect pedal, the boost will allow you to compensate
forthe waythe pedal gain structure. For instance,you couldhave an EQ
pedalthat boosts thesignal and theBassbone will letyou tame itdown by
lowering the level. You can also use the booster as a mute or volume
shunt when tuning or for a very quiet passage.
What happens if I only connect my bass to input-2?
Nothing.Input2 is aswitchinginput and only worksifinput-1 is connected.
Why do you have EQ shapes on channel-1 if this is designed to go
to my amps EQ?
Some amps just do not have the EQ frequencies to create some of the
coolsounds that havebecomepopular today. This isparticularly true with
oldervintageampsthat sound great, butneedthatextrakick. Weincluded
two EQ curves that we felt would be beneficial when using the Bassbone
with older amps and of course, when using it direct to a PA system.
Why does the volume go down when I turn the EQ knobs
counterclockwise?
The EQ section on the Bassbone is active. This means that we have
combined gain and frequency on one control. This lets you create very
powerful EQ settings that can override the EQ settings on your amplifier.
Can I use the Bassbone straight into a power amplifier?
You can try, but you will most likely find that there is no level. The reason
for this is that the outputs on the Bassbone are designed to drive a pre-
amp such as found on a ¼” input guitar amplifier or the XLR mic input on
amixer.
10

RADIAL LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY
Radial Engineering - a division of JP CableTek Electronics Ltd. ("Radial")
warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship
to the original owner and will remedy any such defects free of charge
according to the terms of this warranty. Radial will repair or replace at its
option any defective component(s) of this product, excluding the finish,
wearandtearoncomponentsundernormaluse,andthetubeandfootswitch
(which are warranted for 90 days), for a period of one (1) year from the
originaldateofpurchase. Intheevent that a particular product isno longer
available, Radial reserves the right to replace the product with a similar
product of equal or greater value. To make a request or claim under this
limitedwarranty,theproductmustbereturnedprepaidintheoriginalshipping
container (or equivalent) to Radial or to an authorized Radial repair centre
and you must assume the risk of loss or damage. A copy of the original
invoice showing date of purchase and the dealer name must accompany
any request for work to be performed under this limited warranty. This
limited warranty shall not apply if the product has been damaged due to
abuse, misuse, misapplication, accident or as a result of service or
modification by any other than an authorized Radial repair centre.
THEREARE NO EXPRESSEDWARRANTIESOTHER THAN THOSEON
THE FACE HEREOF AND DESCRIBED ABOVE. NO WARRANTIES
WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE SHALL EXTEND BEYOND THE
RESPECTIVEWARRANTYPERIODDESCRIBEDABOVEOFONEYEAR.
RADIALSHALL NOT BERESPONSIBLE OR LIABLEFORANY SPECIAL
OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF LOSS ARISING
FROM THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU
SPECIFICLEGALRIGHTS,ANDYOUMAYALSOHAVEOTHERRIGHTS,
WHICH MAY VARY, FROM STATE/PROVINCE TO STATE/PROVINCE.
www.radialeng.com
Radial Engineering
1638 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 5W9
tel: [phone] • fax: [phone]
email: [email protected]
web: www.radialeng.com
RadialEngineering is adivisionof JP CableTekElectronics Ltd.
Radial Bassbone Owner’s Manual • V1.0 08-30-03
(Ref #R800 9648)
Subject to change without notice