by Jef | Approximate reading time: 1 Minute
Lightning Boy Audio 2020 Instrument Transformer

Lightning Boy Audio 2020 Instrument Transformer  ·  Source: Lightning Boy Audio

ADVERTISEMENT

Lightning Boy Audio has launched a new product, the 2020 Instrument Transformer, a passive 1:1 transformer in pedal format. Can this little box add studio grade tone to your guitar signal?

ADVERTISEMENT

Lightning Boy Audio 2020 Instrument Transformer

Lightning Boy Audio launched the valve-based Lightning Boy II pedal a few years back. Now, LBA have added the 2020 Instrument Transformer, a passive transformer that the company says can upgrade your guitar tone.

Attenuate your pickups

The 2020 works completely passively, so it doesn’t need a power supply. It’s based on a transformer developed in-house and wound using a computer-controlled winding machine.

So what does it actually do? Specifically, if your signal comes from a humbucker or bass split coil pickup into 2020, it lowers the frequencies with 1.5 dB / octave. At 14 kHz it should be -3 dB, between 10 and 5000 Hz it is “flat”.  A single-coil pickup, it is flat from 7-28000 Hz, and an effect pedal directly before 2020 is “flat” from 2- 20000 Hz.

LBA 2020 Instrument Transformer

LBA 2020 Instrument Transformer

Subtle?

Yes, it certainly is subtle and hard to pick out from the demo videos. But YouTube uses compression and so it will awkward to recreate the presence that this transformer adds to your guitar tone.

Currently, you have to order directly from the link below and so it is a bit of a punt, as you cannot easily try before you buy. However, if you are looking for a tonal upgrade for your guitar signal, then it isn’t exactly expensive for what it does. This little box may add a little ‘studio magic’ to your signal path.

Check out the demo videos below and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

ADVERTISEMENT

RRP – USD 99 plus shipping/taxes

More Information

Video

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

Lightning Boy Audio 2020 Instrument Transformer

How do you like this post?

Rating: Yours: | ø:
ADVERTISEMENT

One response to “Can Lightning Boy Audio 2020’s Instrument Transformer upgrade your tone?”

    FiveseveN says:
    0

    Either it “lowers the frequencies with 1.5 dB / octave” or it “adds presence”, make up your mind. Of course, a passive circuit can never “add” anything.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *