CurvyMama is a special preamp that will give flesh, curves and grain to harps or guitars …
It can fatten and overdrive tight sounding amps.
In that aim, it features an original tone control and a germanium output preamp.
CurvyMama, Harp version
This preamp came to my mind in contact with harmonicists who could not find anything to offer a basic sound neither sour nor deaf to their instrument – and at an affordable price.
One must said that the sound of harp, the very typical tone of bullet mikes rarely fits to the range of adjustment of ordinary tone controls…
At that time, i was experimenting with controls working at Low-medium and medium-treble boundaries. I went naturally to the sound of the harmonica, under the interested gaze of amateur and professional musicians.
And here is CurvyMama, ready to give flesh to harps and guitars.
Main features
• Adjustable gain to adapt the grain or overdrive to the mike.
• Original tone circuit, improving the nuances
in the low medium and at the medium-treble junction..
• Specific presets in Harp and Guitar versions ***.
• Output stage with germanium NOS transistors,
producing a mild and organic overdrive.
• High level low impedance output.
To know more :
CurvyMama’s special tone controls
Powering
CurvyMama is powered by a 9V battery or an external supply (7 to 12V, center negative).
Specific consumption at 9V : 8mA.
By 7V, the output preamp overdrives easily, and the sound is naturally more dirty.
By 12V, the tone stays clear longer, and output level is raised 3dB.
An internal active filter eliminates common power noises:
Hiss from switching power supplies, hum from poorly filtered transformer supplies.
2 Versions
Harp version
• Harp version, adaptable to crystal, ceramic or dynamic microphones.
Bandwidth and tone controls specialy designed for harp.
• 5 contrôls : Drive, Bottom, Biting, Contour, Volume.
• Invert Phase switch : inverts phase to minimize the risk of feedback.
• Less Mids switch : Notch at 1.5kHz in case of vintage microphone with too much medium..
Guitar version
This version is dedicated to guitars with some thin sound.
CurvyMama gives them a denser low end, and enriches their medium / treble spectrum.
• 5 controls : Drive, Bottom, Biting, Contour, Volume.
• No switches.
Microphone option (harp version only)
These sound options have to be selected when ordering :
They relate to the harp microphone and the sound character of the final preamp.
Adapt the input preamp and the controls to the used microphone…
Piezo : for antique crystal or ceramic mikes (Astatic JT30). High level, lot of medium.
Dynamic Old : antique dynamics (Shure Control Magnetic). Moderate level, warm sound.
Dynamic Mod : current dynamic microphones (SM57 …). Standard low level, wideband.
To order
1. Choose the version.
2. Specify a tone option.
3. Specify the shipping zone.
4. Click <Add to cart>.
5. Click ‘Cart’ on main menu, or keep on visiting.
CurvyMama
Harp version
Price down : 169 €
Preamp-corrector for harp,
as described on this page.
• 5 basic controls :
drive, bottom, biting, contour, volume.
• 2 switches : invert phase ; less mids
LikeYourFace, harp
CurvyMama
Guitar version
Price down : 159 €
Preamp-corrector for electric guitar.
• 5 basic controls :
drive, bottom, biting, contour, volume.
• No specific switches
LikeYourFace, guitar
Reminder : Microphone options (harp version only)
Piezo : for antique crystal or ceramic mikes (Astatic JT30). High level, much medium.
Dynamic Old : antique dynamics (Shure Control Magnetic). Moderate level, warm sound.
Dynamic Mod : current dynamic microphones (SM57 …). Standard low level, wideband.
To know more…
Technical links
Technical sheet (downloadable pdf )
Clarifications concerning CurvyMama tone controls
Audio links
