Active Input
The Active input jack should be used with instruments having a built-in (on-board) preamp that will produce signals over 1 volt
RMS. Some really “hot” pickups installed in your instrument may find the Active input more compatible. The best judge is your
own ears.
NOTE: Using the Active input with passive basses may result in a loss of high-end transients. Players who roll off their
high-end starting at around 2k to 3kHz may find this input more to their liking.
If your hear some distortion from your active bass and are using the Active input jack, check your battery. Also, make sure the
Preamp Clip LED is not lighting.
PREAMP CLIP LED
The Preamp Clip LED will light whenever the Preamp, Tone section or output buffer reach clipping (that is, run out of head-
room). In the event the Preamp Clip LED lights, turn down the Gain control. Since the Preamp Clip also monitors the Tone sec-
tion, boosting any one of the tone controls can cause the LED to activate. Again, turn down the Gain control if this happens.
NOTE: Constant clipping of the preamp will not harm the electronics in your Workingman’s 12. However, damage can
occur to speakers due to near-DC content present in a clipped waveform.
GAIN CONTROL
The Gain control adjusts the volume of the preamp section. After the Tone controls, Aural Enhancer and any effects you may
be using have been set to your liking, the Gain control should be set to where the Preamp Clip LED barely flashes upon hitting
your loudest note. After setting the Gain, use the Master Volume to set the desired volume level. Using these controls in this
manner assures the maximum signal-to-noise ratio with no distortion caused by the preamp circuits clipping. Since the Gain
control is similar to a “pad,” a small amount of signal will get through with the Gain control turned all the way down. The Gain
also adjusts the level sent to the Effects send jack. If your effect is being overdriven, turn down the Gain control.
TONE CONTROL SECTION
The Workingman’s 12 Tone Control section is a three-band set of level controls centered around the frequencies 80 Hz (Bass),
800 Hz (Mid Range) and 5kHz (Treble). Each control can cut or boost its band a maximum of 15dB. Each control has a flat
(center “click”) position that defeats its function. In this position, the tone controls are inactive.
For each tone control, rotating the knob counter-clockwise from the center “click” position will cut (reduce) its designated frequen-
cy. Rotating the knob clockwise will boost its designated band or frequency.
Using the Tone Controls
To get the most out of the Tone Controls of your Workingman’s 12, it would be best to first understand how the Aural Enhancer
works, and how it interacts with the Bass, Mid Range and Treble controls. Think of it as a variable tone curve, changing with its
position. As you raise the Aural Enhancer from “0,” or its fully counterclockwise position, you are elevating the whole range of
sound (lows, mids, and highs) at frequency points different than those selected for the individual Tone Controls. This remains true
up to about the “2 o’clock” position, at which point the mids start to drop off. The curves involved here are gentle, as opposed to
the very extreme curves you can create with the Tone Controls.
Most significantly, the Aural Enhancer will raise the low end at a point lower than the Bass control itself. For a typical 4-string
bass, the Bass control itself will suffice. For the 5-string player, the Aural Enhancer will help bring out the fundamentals of the
instrument, in the 30-60 Hz range. Discretion should be used when doing this without an extension cabinet. True low fundamen-
tals (one of the sonic signatures of all SWR amplifiers) require lots of headroom and air motion. That’s why we recommend that
5-string players use an extension cabinet to increase the power output of the amplifier and get more air moving.
8 • WORKINGMAN’S COMBOS OWNER’S MANUAL