Baldwin 801CP

[PhilHunt]

Dow, Check with Bill Park. I think he has a relative who can make a battery box that utilizes (3) 9 volt batteries with a step down pot.

[bill park]

Dow - Here is the schematic for the battery box using three regular 9-volt batteries. Anyone with some electronic skill should be able to put one together in a box the size of a foot pedal. My brother builds them, they work great. Bill

[PhilHunt]

Bill, This is just a power supply correct? Not the preamp?

[bill park]

Right Phil - just the power supply for the onboard preamp of the original Baldwins. It requires a stereo cord to the guitar, and a mono cord to the amp.

[PhilHunt]

I think that's what most people forget is that the cord coming from the battery box plugging into the jack (preamp) IS A STEREO CORD. The battery box that I have with mine has a grey cord coming from it and it use to have a "L" shaped plug on the end. It developed a short and I went to radio shack and got a new end to solder on. When I took the plug home to solder I didn't realize it was a mono plug, I had to take it back and get a Stereo plug to solder on the end of the cord.
I wonder if this is one thing that makes the sound so distinct to the Prismatone.
Note: If you ever plug the Prismatone straight into an amp without a battery powering it, it sounds very tinny and has No sound at all. But, boy oh boy when you plug the battery box in-IT SWARM SON SWARMS!

[Texican65]

Phil...mine will play thru a Baldwin amp with no battery box.

[PhilHunt]

Dow,
Make sure you use a STEREO cord, if I'm not mistaken I think the Baldwin amps supplied the volts to the pickup via from the AMP. I remember seeing the old Baldwin add and I think it showed a STEREO cord going from the guitar to the amp.
I'm sure you can get one at a music store or radio shack.
I don't care what anyone says.....THERE'S A REASON WHY THE CORD IS STEREO....MAYBE THAT'S THE MAGIC OF THE PICKUP.
I do know this, when I plug m Baldwin in direct and listen to it through headphones and play along with "ME & Chet" LP...it sounds exactly like Jerry and Chet's Prismatones.
Phil

[Texican65]

Well boys...I finally got that battery-box from Bud Park....awwww.... son....what a differance. My Baldwin 801 would play thru the Baldwin amp, but it sounds soooo much better with the battery......thanks Bill and Bud!

Dow

[bill park]

Well boys...I finally got that battery-box from Bud Park....awwww.... son....what a differance. My Baldwin 801 would play thru the Baldwin amp, but it sounds soooo much better with the battery......thanks Bill and Bud!

Dow

Hello Dow - Glad it works for you, that original Prismatone does sound better with 22.5 volts! And now it should work through any amp too, as long as you've got a stereo cord going from the guitar to the battery box. Don't forget to unplug it when not in use, though - that will drain the batteries (unless Bud put an on-off switch on it). But at least you can use regular 9-volts now.
Bill

[Bluebird_12]

Hi guys;

I'm new to the board but have recently aquired one of the few Prismatone Ovations that exist...this particular one having been custom built for Glen Campbell in 1970.

I stumbled upon this thread while looking for info on the elusive Prismatone pup, particularly as to how it works in conjuntion with the battery box. My Ovation differs in that it has no aparrent preamp. It has a volume only knob on the upper treble bout shoulder like all the early Ovations and a XLR Cannon output jack. I can plug it into any amp and it's plent loud as is but I run it to my LR Baggs Paracoustic outboard DI which gives much mor control; eq and notch filter, etc.

One peculariarity is that the volume pot has a reverse taper to it...which makes one feel a little dislexic when making a grab for it in the middle of a song!

Here are a couple of pics.

Wayne