The beauty of the Foreplay is it needs to be used some in it's basic form. I would immediately replace the pots with the Sweet whisper mod (set them to -20/-50) as the unit has so much gain..(can put out close to 20Volts unclipped). Therefore -20 is all the way up and -50 is all the way down, then off. Using the 0/-30dB settings are "hair trigger" and the lowest setting will be pumping about 3 watts RMS from your amplifier!
Reasons to use the foreplay first unmodded.
1. Let the parts break-in and troubleshoot it for noise, solder joints that may not be perfect, etc..
Mine was Hum Free, you will be amazed that 70% of foreplay builders (novices) have a hum problem due to experience in soldering. I time the joint, time the heat up of the pencil (non joint) and time the next one. I never touch a bare wire with my fingertips (oil etc)..I use latex gloves. I keep a very organized area for building and mods. Makes a huge difference. Quest has a web site and you can see in jpeg, (high rez jpeg) each step. It is a no brainer.
5 hr build time average. I have had many people approach me to build them a f-play. I said, that is no fun, you can do it...now start building!!!!
What I did was to price myself out of the market..no takers!!!!!
As per sound from the unmodded version...
Get use to it and see where you think the weaknesses are.
2. Appreciation of each mod. Give about 2 weeks between mods to let the unit evolve. You will further understand what each mod stage does electronically, audibly, and interactionnally with your equipment.
Mod 1, Sweet whisper control (or better)
1A Better power cable, computer cable, cut the female off
Mod 2, Snubber circuit. AC side (2 bux in parts at Rat Shack....Duhhhh)
Mod 3, Star grounding. (time consuming, no cost)
Next is the anticipation circuits or ccccs. By going ahead and using the anticipation as soon as it is built, you will miss out on what the mod stages do to it. This thing is much more fun and soulful if you do the mods OVER TIME..
Anticipation "tightens it up" considerablly. I actually loved the sound BEFORE the anticipation circuits and it had a character, that tube bloom and liquid midrange that the anticpation pulled up everything else to that level. At this point, not many 2K preamps can touch it. I would do the anticipation around 6 to 10 weeks of use.
Next, upgraded power cord, (well I started with a better than stock one, because the stock cord cost 25 cents. I started with a nice cord, then went to braided hand twisted "super" cord.
Now for tube rolling, (trying different qualities of valves) filament snubber, dual transformer power supplies...etc.
Perhaps a nice rack mount 3 space plate to mount it on?
Improved jacks, etc.
What this does is allow you to apply these mod steps and changes to your knowledge collection in the rest of your chain. If this stuff makes these differences in this line amp...Hummmm wonder what else I can fiddle with inexpensively and upgrade my entire studio???
It is not a catch 22. You can undo any mod any time. As many amps, preamps, board repairs, speaker building, wire making, maintainance situations, the building , asking questions, interacting with the "crew", and the pure joy of this little gem really has expanded my brain in interaction of components and therory.
As a "BAS" (bone ass stock) unit, it is a shocker. Fully modded without these steps do not let you appreciate what is "going on" and how. Heck, you may find that their is one mod that took it over the top..and back up a notch and that is exactly what you are looking for. I did find a stopping point myself. As a matter of fact, I used it Sunday coming out of a Nakamichi cassette deck to drive the analog inputs of the ADAT machine to give a "vibe" to the cassette I was archiving. It certainly pleased the customer...you would never think this was a cassette master running at 1" 7/8.
Of course the knowledge of building the thing made impedance matching a cake walk.
Look over the forum and decide if you want to do this. I will gurantee it will be an experience that you will never forget and you will enjoy the experience.
They also have a gurantee on them. If you screw up and build it wrong, if you have the time, they will make it right, barring any parts that were ruined by stupidity.
F plays take 4 to 6 weeks to get, so be patient.
PS... Hiya Fats and Family!!!!!!! 
