The Black Ice Overdrive is encapsulated in a 1/2" cube. The Black Ice circuitry replaces the capacitor in a bass guitar's tone control by transforming the tone control into a battery-free overdrive control, letting the player dial in smooth variable overdrive "crunch" . . . and yeah, I know many have been waiting for this for a very long time~!
Black Ice is designed for use with high-output (10K ohms or more) single-coil or humbucking pickups and a 250K control pot.
Installation is easy, with no body routing. Instructions are also included.
However, this unit is NOT for use in active pickup systems.
1 BIO Circuit: $32.95 
2 BIO Circuits: $62.95
3 BIO Circuits: $89.95
Notes on Installation
The Black Ice is a proprietary design passive distortion circuit that simulates the warm overdrive of a tube amp. This passive circuit will not add gain, but it is a variable distortion circuit that gives you added warmth and smoothness to your tone. The distortion is voiced for tube overdrive, not the heavy saturated distortion of high-gain amplifiers.
In order for this passive circuit to work, the pickups must have a DC resistance of at least 10K ohms. Bass guitars with pickups with a lower DC resistance will not "drive" the Black Ice to properly clip the signal. The Black Ice must be used with high-impedance pickups only. Active and/or low-impedance systems cannot be used with the Christian Black Ice.
Standard installation for the Black Ice is to wire it to the tone pot, thus defeating the pot's use as a standard tone control.
See these diagrams as examples:
• Master Volume & Black Ice Wiring #1 - P-Bass
• Master Volume & Black Ice Wiring #2 - P-Bass
• Master Volume, Master Tone, & Black Ice Wiring - Jazz Bass
Depending upon the instrument, its controls, and the player's needs, there are many wiring options. Bass guitars with more than one tone control can be rewired so that there is a master tone and a master overdrive/Black Ice control. Other options include wiring the Black Ice to a push/pull pot; a standard tone control in one position, or an overdrive control in the other.
See these diagrams as examples:
• Push/Pull Pot Custom Wiring Options #1
• Push/Pull Pot Custom Wiring Options #2
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>>> Wiring Components >> Capacitors > Black Ice Battery-Free Overdrive Circuit
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