I did check through the forum archives, used the custom search and googled the web a bit, but didn't find what I was looking for, so I apologize if this has been beaten to death somewhere that I've missed.
I recently picked up a used Kinder AFB+, however the owner no longer had the original directions for use. It's not the most intuitive of pedals and John is not the easiest person to get a hold of so.....I am wondering if anyone has seen the directions for use posted anywhere on-line?
Also, what symptoms does the pedal exhibit when the batteries are at the point where the need to be changed. Is additional distortion/sound artifact one of those symptoms? Just experimenting with the pedal on my HG Double Trouble (Black CR element Mic >AFB+>DT), even if I have all the knobs set fully counter clockwise, which I assume to be off or as close to that as the controls get, there is very distinct, and what I would call drastic, coloration of the amp's normal tone. Adjusting the knobs in various ways doesn't improve this. Normal? Low Batteries? My Tinnitis get far worse while I slept last night?
Suggestions AFB+ users?
Harp Ninja, you used the AFB+ back when you had a DT, correct? Did you notice serious coloration/artifact even when settings on the pedal were turned way down?
My low battery experience was that the AFB+ would cut the signal in and out. If I understand it correctly, 1 battery is for the input side and the other is for the output side. If you leave either the input or output side plugged in, you are draining that battery. The other thing I found, is that if you plug the output side of the unit in first, it doesn't seem to do anything at all. The directions say to plug the input side in, the blue light will come on, then plug in the output side.
Here are the directions summarized from my single set-up sheet. The directions are very sparse and are basically a guide for a place to start tweaking. 1. Connect your mic to the mic cable. Plug into the INPUT side of the AFB+. The blue LED will come on, bright. 2. Plug the output side into your amp or in my case, the Harp Attack Pedal. The blue light will go out. 3. Set all 3 knobs to the 12 o'clock position 4. Calibrate the mic: Turn you mic volume up all the way. Play into the mic, watching the blue LED. Turn the center knob (calibration) knob Clockwise until the blue light flashes intermittently when you hit loud notes when you are playing a solo riff. 5. Turn your amp on and play where you can comfortably hear yourself and set the amps tone controls where you want them. 6. Now advance the volume on your amp to where the amp starts to break up. The goal is to have the amp start breaking up at the same time the blue LED is flashing.
*** The instructions basically stop here. *** They simply say that once synched, the AFB and Amp will produce waveforms similar to a HarpKing Amp and that the AFB and UB controls will respond in similar fashion to a HarpKing Amp. (I know what you're thinking. WTF? I don't have a HarpKing Amp or instructions on how to use the AFB and UB knobs on a HarpKing! I feel your pain. LOL)
Step 6 is extremely vague on what you need to do in order to achieve syncing the amp breakup and LED. My take on it is that you will adjust the UB and AFB knobs as needed to hit this point. It took me 5 or 6 outings with my pedal board before I got it adjusted properly. Once everything was adjusted, I can play loud as hell without feedback.
I've not used the AFB into an amp, just my pedals. However, I think it adds a bit of "trumpet" tone to the harp. My settings ended up being UB 12:00 Calibration around 3:00 and AFB 2:00 - 4:00
I hope that helps, Dan
Last Edited by on Dec 01, 2011 4:29 PM
A Kinder AFB+ DOES color the tone. Can't get a truly clean tone using it. Kinder designed it to enhance "crunch" which he assumes is something all harp players find desirable. It is very effective at eliminating feedback but it definitely screws with your tone.
LMFAO Dan! Yes, "WTF" etc. is exactly what I started to think as I was reading that.
Thanks a million for taking the time to write that all out for me, very helpful and much appreciated. I actually plugged in the amp side cable first and wouldn't in a million years have thought that made a difference. I also tried to calibrate the mic with the amp on and turned up.
I'll fool around with it more now that I have some idea what the hell to do and in what order. Now, if someone could actually explain how the hell to properly use the AFB and UB knobs.....lol
hvyj, HarpNija -Thanks. You guys posted as I was typing my reply to Dan.
hvyj, I dig that horn like tone of the Harp King amps (sometimes), especially for chromatic - and that unique HarpKing harmonic (distortion?) is definitely what I am hearing, just didn't realize there was no by-pass mode to speak of. It's cool though because I bought the AFB to work with my "small" amps - the Double Trouble and VHT. I don't anticipate needing the AFB with the Megatone and since I am not gigging, I'll have the amps set up in the same room most of the time. Will be nice to be able to have the Wezo tone as well as a little bit of HarpKing vibe on the DT.
Mike, Thanks man. Not certain if I'll be able to ring you tonight, but I'll try to catch up with you ASAP.
My intructions are more explicit than King Biscuits- your batteries are low if the amp is distorting heavily-you should always start the knobs at the 12 o'clock position-that is the factory default-the calibration knob is the most critical-it sets the internal levels. Once you set the AFB+ up for a particular mic,you don't need to recalibrate when changing the AFB and UB controls-or when you change amps-only when you change mics. UB control produces a type B distortion-unbalanced. AFB control produces alternating freqency distortion -type A. Both AFB and UB interact with the volume controls on the amp to eliminate feedback.
Lots of good info posted here already. Here is an old vid I did:
Here are some general observations...
1.) The pedal can be set so transparent, you can't tell it is there. It can also suck all your tone or sound like a Harp King based on how you set it.
2.) Although you shouldn't have to recalibrate, keep an eye on it. I've found I've needed to tweak from time to time. I always calibrate it at every show.
3.) I've found that the most transparent way to set the middle knob is to take a loud high keyed harmonica and really slam it hard and setting the knob so the blue light only blinks a bit. IMO, it should clip just like a limiter on a PA - it is ok to clip it on occassion, but if it stays on or is constantly blinking, it is bad (gets you the Harp King sound).
4.) First knob is at noon 99.9% of the time. I think it helps with bass feedback, but I hardly have that issue ever.
5.) The third knob - right hand side as you look down at the pedal - is what really controls feedback. Start at noon. On mine, if I go past 2 o'clock is sounds like garbage (see YouTube).
My DT rig included using a Boss DM2 and the AFB+. Later on, I added a Micro POG, but I don't think I ever used it much with effects.
I used an Ultimate 57 and my settings on the AFB+ were generally Noon, Off, and 2 O'clock. The amp was set to 7 and the tone to 1-3. I never ever ever had a feedback problem ever.
When using it with my wireless, the middle knob would be between Noon and 3 O'clock. My settings were near identical on my Bassman Ltd and HG50.
Right now, I have no use for the pedal. It doesn't not work well straight to a PA with my current rig. It sounds awful and cuts my volume no matter how I set it. I really don't get feedback anyways, but the pedal works best with a generally harp-friendly amp.
I've tried it with many an amp and it was the magic ticket to getting something like a Pro Jr turned up enough to sound great.
Finally, regarding its impact on tone, I had it inline when recording in-studio with the DT and I'll be damned if anyone could tell me which songs I had it on and which I didn't. If you take the time to set it up right, there is no reason is should negatively impact your tone. The only tone "issue" I've had is that it can add some presence to a dark amp.
In fact, when I had a 1x12 DT, it was unuseable without the AFB. The Cannabis Rex made the amp very dull and the AFB added the missing presence...great sound.
I want to say right up front, I think the AFB+ is an outstanding product and I'll probably never sell mine. That being said, in my opinion, the instruction sheet that I received with mine is woefully inadequate. Besides the steps I listed above, there is a picture of the pedal with little description of each of the knobs.
Here are the descriptions according to my instruction sheet:
UB - Clockwise rotation adjusts the level of even order breakup harmonics and reduces feedback. suggested initial setting 12 o'clock. Calibrate - Provides adjustment of the internal operating level. Set control so that the blue led occasionally turns on when blowing hard. AFB - Clockwise rotation adjust the level of odd order breakup harmonics and reduces feedback. Suggested initial setting 12 o'clock.
It is obvious that John Kinder is a extremely knowledgeable in in the realm of feedback. However, it would be nice if he would explain to us mere mortals what odd and even order breakup harmonics are and how to know when we should be adjusting each of the knobs that controls them. Perhaps you would need complex instruments to give you this information and there is no way to explain it. But when I read the instructions, all I could think was "WTF? Now what?" It took me a couple of months to get in contact with John Kinder to order the AFB+ in the first place. When I did talk to him on the phone, he was a really nice guy and easy to talk with. However, once I received my AFB+, I was never able to reestablish contact to ask questions.
@LSB - I'm sure once you fiddle with the AFB+ for a while, you will be amazed at how well it tames feedback. Good Luck, Dan
@Mike - Thanks for the detailed info, very helpful.
@Dan - Thank you for the added descriptions of the individual knobs from from the manual. I can't say John's directions make it any more likely I'll adjust the pedal correctly than if, say, I just let an untrained monkey fiddle with the knobs, but at least when someone asks me what the knobs on pedal do, I can mumble about odd and even order harmonics. And the need for a monkey.
I don't mind going of and reading about odd and even order harmonics and their effect on feedback with regards to amplifiers, however John doesn't explain many things one would still like to know in order to suss out the rest. I mean is 12 o'clock on the UB and AFB knobs neutral (no added harmonics) or is full counter clockwise neutral? Or is there no neutral. If 12 is neutral, the what does counter clockwise do? Remove harmonics from the original signal? Seems unlikely, but it would be helpful to know, ya know? I mean I know you know......
@All - Thank you all VERY much for your replies. Most of us have busy lives and I realize that taking the time to write up detailed replies takes time away from other things.
I have only had a limited amount of time to work with the pedal, but already your replies have helped out quite a bit: I was able to stand directly in front of my DT and crank it up to 8 with zero feedback using my hottest Black CR element mic. Significantly higher than I could go previously in the very small space where my amp is currently located. Probably could have gone to 11, but I value my hearing.
As for the distortion I hear, again after tweaking the pedal in the limited time I've had, but based on all of your suggestions, I am now mostly just hearing it on double stops/chords, which makes sense now that I have some (very) rough idea what the pedal is doing with regards to "adjusting" odd and even harmonics. Listening to Dennis Gruenling playing through his HK, that is really when I hear the distortion as well, not really on single notes.
Obviously going to take some time for me to really figure out how to get the most out of the AFB+, but I'm getting a better sound out of it now thanks to everyone's help, and I'm glad I bought the pedal. Thanks again
I find the AFB+ pedal works if you have more powerful speakers with more headroom. The pedal adds more presence to your amp. I normally turn the presence down on my Meteor 15 amp when using the AFB+ pedal. I find it takes away some of the softer warmer sounds & adds more crunch, If you have higher watt speakers it definitely sounds better to me. It is a good pedal it sounds better with some amps than others. I normally keep the knobs at 12 & calibrate the middle knob so the blue light come on minimal when playing hard... I can get a lot more out of my amp with this pedal I can adjust the tone up or down to my liking without the amp squeeling high & low feedback. Its a good pedal if you need more juice out of your amp
Last Edited by on Dec 03, 2011 10:22 AM
I bought mine as an unnecessary toy, and I haven't played with it much. Here's what I remember about using it:
"Calibrate - Provides adjustment of the internal operating level. Set control so that the blue led occasionally turns on when blowing hard."---My blue light never blinks.
One of the knobs controls the tone; makes it sound "crunchy." Another knob absolutely kills feedback. The other knob doesn't do anything.
Last Edited by on Dec 03, 2011 11:15 AM
