Boss Lmb-3 Bass Limiter Enhancer

[Stephen Abruzzo]

http://www.bass-pedals.com/boss-lmb-3-b ... er-review/

A pedal "created" for bass but some PSG players really like it.

Any idea of how this would be for lap steel, in a mostly bluesy-type setting?

[Georg Sørtun]

Never tried mine on lap steels, but playing blues-style music through the LMB-3 on PSG and 6-string el-guitar comes out fine

[Jon Light (deceased)]

I picked one up a while ago for use with PSG. I find that when used in full clampdown limiting mode, with long sustained notes & chords you can really hear it release, not smoothly but noticeably in notchy segments like a jerky over-caffeinated volume pedal. Far too noticeable (to me) to be useful.
For more dynamic and less legato playing it works nicely as a leveler.

[Georg Sørtun]

I find that when used in full clampdown limiting mode, with long sustained notes & chords you can really hear it release, not smoothly but noticeably in notchy segments like a jerky over-caffeinated volume pedal.

Right
Such a "hard-set action" on the LMB-3 is only useful when tuning out beats. For playing music one would choose more moderate settings.

[Jon Light (deceased)]

I've got a tendency to lock into mindsets and move on when things don't conform to my narrow conceptions. Maybe I ought to play with it some, eh?

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Thanks guys. My idea was to use the LMB-3 as an "enhancer" of my sound via very mild compression. I remembered Georg used one and found it very beneficial.

How is it for sustaining?

[Georg Sørtun]

With Ratio and Treshold set more or less like in the following picture – +/- an hour or so…

… I have found it to sustain my main PSGs (with humbuckers and single-coils) extremely well and naturally.

I place the LMB-3 before the VP – with its 1Mohm input impedance it is perfect as buffer, which means I "only" have to use the VP as expression-pedal and volume control as the LMB-3 takes care of sustain.

The Treshold, Ratio, and to some degree the Enhance (treble) control, are given extremely wide ranges. That means it is extremely easy to make the LMB-3 sound like a hilarious joke rather than a compressor. For bass-guitar those wide ranges actually work quite well.
It is easy enough to make the LMB-3 do a perfect job for steel or el-guitar, on stage or in studio, by tuning those controls to our liking more in the middle of their ranges.

Note that the LMB-3 has a non-linear frequency curve – lower (dip) the mid-range some. To my ear that means I no longer need to adjust the equalisers on my amps, so I bypass all eq-circuits when I can, and rely entirely on the LMB-3's Enhance control for setting my tone. Others may want/need more control.

I have worked with audio compressors of all "shapes and sizes" since the early -70, and have found the LMB-3 to be the only present stomp-box size unit to do a decent job – expand musicality – for steel. That the LMB-3 can also be used to destroy natural sound when set for it, doesn't matter to me – I can control myself and this unit.

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Thanks for the great explanation.

So, if your amp has B-M-T controls, you set them to flat/neutral? Just making sure I understand.

[Georg Sørtun]

So, if your amp has B-M-T controls, you set them to flat/neutral? Just making sure I understand.

Yes, exactly. Or, as I usually play through an NV112, I bypass the entire input and equalizer section, and plug the VP directly into the power-amp. The LMB-3 works well as buffer/pre-amp on its own in my set-up.

[Len Amaral]

I really like the LMB-3. I use it with all dials at noon. It’s one of those pedals that you miss it if it is not on.

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Thanks guys.

Georg....you wrote that your LMB-3 is perfect as a buffer. Does that mean it would be similar to something like a Black Box in terms of how it functions, among other things?

[Georg Sørtun]

Georg....you wrote that your LMB-3 is perfect as a buffer. Does that mean it would be similar to something like a Black Box in terms of how it functions, among other things?

The BB introduces a tube stage while the LMB-3 is all SS, so – beyond the fact that they both do their job best when connected as first stage (active buffers) right after the PU – they are totally different animals.

That said, I use, and set, my LMB-3 to, in part, emulate some of what I like about tube stages, without having the need for any tube stages in my sound-chains. That is just one reason for me to have that particular unit there though, as the LMB-3 can do so much more of what suits my taste and style.

It is, or should be, common knowledge that almost all BOSS units are suited as "PU buffers", with their fixed about 1Mohm input impedance and less than 10Kohm output impedance. Whatever else (effects) various BOSS units are supposed to do differ, but most are excellent active buffers for those who want buffers in their sound-chains.

With me being an "electronic minimalist" with some 55 years of working with audio- and all else electronics – most of those years professionally, I use the "subtraction method" and remove and/or bypass all "unnecessary" stages in my sound-chains, as stages that don't do something I want/need will only add unnecessary noise and distortion if left in. Works for me…

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Thanks for the education...much appreciated. Think I might pick one up and/or see about testing one out.

[Don Mogle]

Georg,

I was reading one of your posts where somebody was asking about the frequency response being impacted by using the Boss LMB-3. You also provided a graph showing how the LMB-3 put a natural dip in the mid frequencies. (Please post the graph again here in a response if you can...)

Here's my situation. I have several STEEL amps that have a mid shift control that allows me to dial out the mid frequency (800 Hz usually). I also have several amps that are more designed for 6-string guitars which DO NOT have the mid shift controls. I have a Boss GE-7 (Analogman) EQ pedal right now that helps me to dial out the mids.

Here's my question. From your explanation, it appears the LMB-3 does this mid dip naturally. Would this negate the need for the Boss GE-7 (unless I wanted some dobro effect)? Sounds like a great solution to those who use regular "guitar" amps for steel that do not have the luxury of the mid shift control.

By the way, I should be receiving my like-new LMB-3 tomorrow or Friday! Cannot wait to give it a try at church on Sunday morning!

Thanks,

Don

[Georg Sørtun]

Frequency response for the LMB-3 alone, and its effect on my preferred sound-chain, is found here…
https://www.gunlaug.com/contents/music/ ... r.html#p32
… along with other info.

I run my PSGs through the LMB-3 > passive VP > NV112, without any form for equalizer involved apart from the "Enhance" (treble) control in the LMB-3. All mentioned / commented on in that page.
I find no need for mid control in my setup, but that may be a matter of taste and playing technique as much as that the LMB-3 does a reasonable good job at scooping the mids.

[Don Mogle]

Thanks Georg!

[Don Mogle]

Georg,

I used the LMB-3 Sunday. I like it but it really mellows or evens out the tone.

My signal chain: Sho Bud Pro II--> Li'l Izzy in guitar's output jack--> Boss LMB-3--> Boss DD-3--> Wampler Faux Spring Reverb--> VP--> input of the amp (NV 400).

I will try to run it into the pre-EQ effects loop or the back Power Amp in jack in back of the NV 400 later when there is more time for experimentation. I know your signal chain bypasses all amp effects and goes straight into the power amp in jack

Question: will the Izzy negate any effects of the LMB-3? I know both are buffers and I cannot think of any reason why they should not play well together. Am I missing anything?

I listened to the church's live feed (playback) and my steel was not as prominent in the mix as in the past. There could be various reasons for this. I wonder if the LMB-3 mellowed it out too much?? Here's a link to the live feed. The music starts at 5:40 minutes into the video. The steel is sitting so far back into the mix you can hardly hear it. I've been told the live mix and audio mix are separate, so hard to tell what the congregation was hearing. There's a good steel song at the end of the service after the message starting at 1:04:01.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR3tPPgU8EQ

Thanks!

[Georg Sørtun]

Don,

first…
The Li'l Izzy is a buffer, and nothing but a buffer.
The LMB-3 has a buffer, in addition to the actual Limiter/Enhancer circuit.

Apart from being unnecessary (buffer preceding buffer is like butter on fat), the Li'l Izzy will not have much of an impact on the LMB-3's behavior.
Some buffers do increase audio-levels to such an extent that the LMB-3 gets overdriven and clip/distorts. I have tested with some that do that, but have no idea about the Li'l Izzy in that respect.
Too high levels may cause problems if the LMB-3 is inserted in amp's effect-loops, but it does not hurt to test apart from that the LMB-3 then will come after the VP and "fight" it.

Impossible to evaluate your playing from that recording. Turning up volume and mids/highs and/or "Expression", may help.

[Richard Soriano]

Just join this thread and I am sold on LMB-3 for my Mullen Discovery. I currently use a Quilter Tone Block 202 which I noticed has a built-in Limiter. Would using a LMB-3 be overkill? If I use it, I plan to use the FRFR voicing because it apparently flattens the EQ of the preamp.

Thank you
Rick