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Black Widow Eclipse Series MGP-1A Owner's Manual

Guitar preamp
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Eclipse Series
MGP-1A
Modeling
Guitar Preamp

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Summary of Contents for Black Widow Eclipse Series MGP-1A

  • Page 1 Black Widow Audio Designs Eclipse Series MGP-1A Modeling Guitar Preamp...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Contents Contents Safety Instructions Introduction Getting Acquainted Getting Started Included Items Quick Start Power Section Front Panel Controls Rear Panel The Clean Channel The Models US Vintage UK Vintage Class A Tone Tips The Clean Channel The Models Cali UK800 Citrus Tone Tips The Drive Channel...

  • Page 3: Safety Instructions

    • Do not use excessive force when handling buttons, switches and controls. Do not use solvents such as benzene or paint thinner to clean the unit. • Black Widow Audio Designs products are capable of producing very high sound pressure levels which may cause temporary or permanent hearing damage. Use care when setting and adjusting volume levels during use.

  • Page 4: Introduction

    Introduction Introduction Thank you for purchasing the MGP-1A Modeling Guitar Preamplifier! The MGP-1A is the world’s first All-Tube Modeling Preamplifier offering an extensive collection of the most sought after preamplifiers all in one unit. Unlike digital devices which use digital signal processing to emulate what a given amplifier would do to your guitar signal, our patent-pending VEnuM™...

  • Page 5: Getting Acquainted

    Getting Acq Getting Acquainted Before we explain the controls and what they do, there’s a couple of things you should know about how the MGP-1A operates. Sure, it looks like a standard 3-channel guitar preamplifier, but there’s much more going on behind the scenes to make All-Tube Preamplifier Modeling a reality. Warm LED The MGP-1A comes equipped with a Warm LED which notifies you when the tubes have had adequate time to warm up and the unit can be switched out of Standby Mode.

  • Page 6: Getting Started

    7. Connect the power cord to the AC input on the rear of the unit and to a mains outlet. 8. Turn the Power Switch on. The Black Widow Audio Designs logo will light up indicating the unit is powered on.

  • Page 7: Power Section

    Power Section Power Indicator Standby Treble Volume When the Power Switch (rear) is on, the Black Widow Audio Designs hourglass logo will illuminate indicating power is applied to the unit and it is ready for operation. Standby Switch MIDI Shift...

  • Page 8: Front Panel Controls

    Bass Treble Volume Recto Euro Bright Deep Black Widow Shift Drive Audio Designs MGP-1A Front Panel Front Panel Controls The MGP-1A’s channel controls are nearly identical, with the Clean Channel being the exception. We will cover these controls and their function in this section so you know what they do.
  • Page 9 Bass Treble Volume Recto Euro Bright Deep Black Widow Shift Drive Audio Designs MGP-1A Front Panel Input Switch (Clean Channel Only) The MGP-1A’s Clean Channel is unique in that it is a Dual-Input Topology like the classic amplifiers of yesteryear.
  • Page 10 Drive Bass Treble Volume Recto Euro Bright Deep Black Widow Shift Drive Audio Designs MGP-1A Front Panel Mid Controls Mid adjusts the midrange frequency level of the corresponding channel. Treble Controls Treble adjusts the high frequency level of the corresponding channel.

  • Page 11: Rear Panel

    FS-3 MIDI MIDI Outputs Input 115/230V 50/60Hz 64W Lift only Thru Black Widow Audio Designs WARNING: POTENTIALLY LETHAL VOLTAGES CAUTION INSIDE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE, REPLACE FUSES WITH SAME TYPE AND RATING. SERIAL St.
  • Page 12 Use these jacks to connect the output signal of the MGP-1A to other devices. The same signal appears on both jacks allowing for some flexible hookup options. Try one or combinations of the following: • Black Widow Audio Designs MPA-XX Modeling Power Amplifier input. • Speaker simulator line input.

  • Page 13: The Clean Channel

    * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affi liated with Black Widow Audio Designs. Th ese trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 14: Uk Vintage

    AC-120® and has a really sweet tone when used with this model. * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affi liated with Black Widow Audio Designs. Th ese trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 15: Tone Tips

    Clean Chann The Clean Channel T one Tips While these Models were primarily designed for “clean” tones, don’t be afraid to drive them hard. Many of the best guitar sounds in history came from pushing these amplifiers to their limits. To get the best overdriven tones, remember that the preamplifier sections of these amplifiers contribute very little towards the overdrive sound, most of that happens in the phase splitter and power tubes.

  • Page 16: The Clean Channel

    * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affi liated with Black Widow Audio Designs. Th ese trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 17: Uk800

    * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affi liated with Black Widow Audio Designs. Th ese trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 18: Citrus

    The Alt EQ for the Citrus Model is the classic Marshall tone stack. * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affi liated with Black Widow Audio Designs. Th ese trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 19: Tone Tips

    Crunch Cha The Crunch Channel T one Tips Just like the Clean Channel, using a tube power amplifier or power amp simulator can be put to good use on this channel. This is especially true for the UK800 and Citrus Models, as most of the best distorted tones coming from those amplifiers relied on power amplifier distortion.

  • Page 20: The Drive Channel

    * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affi liated with Black Widow Audio Designs. Th ese trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 21: Hot Rod

    Euro Model. * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affi liated with Black Widow Audio Designs. Th ese trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 22: Tone Tips

    * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Black Widow Audio Designs. These trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 23: Model Summary

    * All product names used hereon are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Black Widow Audio Designs. These trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers as a means to compare the sonic performance characteristics and tones of the Black Widow Audio Designs MGP-1A.

  • Page 24: Midi

    Drive Treble Bass Volume Treble Volume Exit MIDI Mode Euro Bright Deep MIDI Mode Flow Chart Black Widow Black Widow Black Widow Black Widow Shift Shift Shift Audio Designs Audio Designs Audio Designs Audio Designs On the MIDI Learn page, the front panel LEDs will display the settings of the active channel only, indicating this is the setting that will be stored when a program change is recieved.

  • Page 25: Assigning A Program

    Recto Bright Deep Euro Recto Bright Deep Euro Recto Bright Deep Euro Recto Bright Deep Euro Bright Black Widow Black Widow Black Widow Shift Shift Shift Shift Drive Drive Drive Drive Drive Drive Drive Audio Designs Drive Audio Designs Drive...

  • Page 26: Omni Mode

    MIDI MIDI Omni Mode By default, the MGP-1A ships with Omni Mode on, which means the unit will respond to any program change message. This can be desirable, but more complex systems may want the MGP-1A to respond to a message sent only on a specific channel.

  • Page 27: Tubes

    Tubes Tubes The MGP-1A ships with premium Tung-Sol 12AX7’s in all 4 tube positions. These tubes have a very complex, rich tone that we find works well for just about anything. The MGP-1A has a lot of behind the scenes circuitry that will extend the life of the tubes, but inevitably, they will eventually need to be replaced.

  • Page 28: Warranty And Repair

    Black Widow Audio Designs or to make any warranty for Black Widow Audio Designs. Black Widow Audio Designs may, at its option, require proof of original purchase date in the form of a dated copy of the original authorized dealer’s invoice or sales receipt.

  • Page 29: Certificates Of Compliance

    Certificates Certificates of Compliance This section is reserved for our Certificates of Compliance for RoHS, REACh, EN60065, EN 55103-1 &2, and the FCC Part 15. MGP-1A Modeling Guitar Preamplifier Owner’s Manual...
  • Page 30 Black Widow Audio Designs...

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