Bass overdrive?...

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  • I used a Guv'nor for a month or two, now trying my Locobox Distortion. It's much better. May try something else next month.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    prowla said:
    What would Pete Way use? 
    He wouldn't care, so long as he could stuff it up his nose!
    True enough.  =)
    Be seeing you.
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  • I played bass in the last band I was in and built an SFT to use. I ended up never switching it off! Even with the gain turned right down, it added some nice warmth and fatness to the Trace rig I was using. 
    For when I wanted something a bit heavier, I used a D*A*M Ezekiel 25:17 clone. That worked nicely. The blend control was very useful. For full-on fuzz, the Shin-Ei FY-2 takes some beating.
    My wife asked me to stop singing Wonderwall.
    I said maybe.....
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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    Stupid left-field suggestion;

    When I record bass and want noticeable distortion I pretty much always end up using a clean signal (or, as clean as an ampeg and 1x15 up loud is), then a parallel chain with a boss sd-1 in it. It cuts out the low end, mellows out the really fizzy horrible stuff, and gives great grind in the mids which can then be blended into the fuller sounding clean track.

    So, is there a bass-centric pedal that gives a parallel boss sd-1 style overdrive? Get that. I wonder if the VL sparkledrive would work, since it has a clean blend.
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23947
    Cirrus said:
    Stupid left-field suggestion;

    When I record bass and want noticeable distortion I pretty much always end up using a clean signal (or, as clean as an ampeg and 1x15 up loud is), then a parallel chain with a boss sd-1 in it. It cuts out the low end, mellows out the really fizzy horrible stuff, and gives great grind in the mids which can then be blended into the fuller sounding clean track.

    So, is there a bass-centric pedal that gives a parallel boss sd-1 style overdrive? Get that. I wonder if the VL sparkledrive would work, since it has a clean blend.
    Most modern bass drive pedals have a clean blend.

    Then it just depends on the flavour a player wants.


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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23947
    In addition to the Darkglass stuff the new Tech 21 dUg Pinnick signature pedal is very good too.

    Backs off for warmth and does a very particular grindy filth at the other end. It's very different from the Darkglass pedals.

    Well worth investigating too.
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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    Most modern bass drive pedals have a clean blend.

    Then it just depends on the flavour a player wants.


    I'm aware. OP's presumably interested in what flavour us forumites suggest.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Cirrus said:
    Stupid left-field suggestion;

    When I record bass and want noticeable distortion I pretty much always end up using a clean signal (or, as clean as an ampeg and 1x15 up loud is), then a parallel chain with a boss sd-1 in it. It cuts out the low end, mellows out the really fizzy horrible stuff, and gives great grind in the mids which can then be blended into the fuller sounding clean track.

    So, is there a bass-centric pedal that gives a parallel boss sd-1 style overdrive? Get that. I wonder if the VL sparkledrive would work, since it has a clean blend.
    Not a stupid suggestion at all. The Sparkle Drive should work since it's essentially a Tube Screamer with a clean blend. I have to say that I really hate the sound, for guitar - I never tried it for bass.

    The Boss ODB-3 has a similar clean blend, but the 'overdrive' is a lot heavier and higher-gain than and SD-1, it's more like a distortion than an overdrive. And the BB-1X is milder and not as middy as the SD-1...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    ICBM said:The Sparkle Drive should work since it's essentially a Tube Screamer with a clean blend. I have to say that I really hate the sound, for guitar - I never tried it for bass.

    The Boss ODB-3 has a similar clean blend, but the 'overdrive' is a lot heavier and higher-gain than and SD-1, it's more like a distortion than an overdrive. And the BB-1X is milder and not as middy as the SD-1...
    Haha, yeah I didn't like it on guitar either - clean blend never sounds right to me. On bass, I guess the physical reality of distorting the low end and smashing the transients doesn't work for what most people use the bass for in an arrangement, so the clean blend becomes more important. Whereas we're usually OK with guitar being a flat dollop of midrange.


    I'm fairly familiar with the ODB-3, if I recall correctly (my bassist used to use one but it was like, 10 years ago) it's quite mid-scooped. It was fun to use solo but in a band, less so. You'd stamp on it and not really feel like the bass had got more powerful or in your face.
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23947
    My problem with using TS style drives for bass is that when it's EQ'd nicely (and blended) it sounds pretty good, but then when the drive is tuned off the remaining clean is usually bland and is little more than just being there as a clean note. Uninspiring.

    In a DAW or a Helix that is easy to fix with auto EQ settings, but if the TS is just blended using something like a Boss LS-2 then the problem remains.

    The discontinued Hardwire CM-2 Tube Overdrive is a very good choice for this though as it has a 2 band EQ rather than just a tone knob. Set up a good clean and then layer the CM-2 on top and EQ the drive to suit the clean rather than the other way round.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Cirrus said:

    I'm fairly familiar with the ODB-3, if I recall correctly (my bassist used to use one but it was like, 10 years ago) it's quite mid-scooped. It was fun to use solo but in a band, less so. You'd stamp on it and not really feel like the bass had got more powerful or in your face.
    From something I read once - but never checked - I think the clean blend and distortion are out of phase on it, which would explain that! And I can only assume must have been intentional (if true).

    The bassist in a band I used to play guitar in had one, and it was quite good exactly because it didn't obscure the guitar when it was turned on, so it may indeed be the case, and deliberate.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23947
    ICBM said:
    Cirrus said:

    I'm fairly familiar with the ODB-3, if I recall correctly (my bassist used to use one but it was like, 10 years ago) it's quite mid-scooped. It was fun to use solo but in a band, less so. You'd stamp on it and not really feel like the bass had got more powerful or in your face.
    From something I read once - but never checked - I think the clean blend and distortion are out of phase on it, which would explain that! And I can only assume must have been intentional (if true).

    The bassist in a band I used to play guitar in had one, and it was quite good exactly because it didn't obscure the guitar when it was turned on, so it may indeed be the case, and deliberate.
    The EBS Billy Sheehan Deluxe drive pedal (2 footswitch version) has a phase switch on it to give the player the choice.

    It's remarkably useful.
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  • ICBM said:
    Cirrus said:

    I'm fairly familiar with the ODB-3, if I recall correctly (my bassist used to use one but it was like, 10 years ago) it's quite mid-scooped. It was fun to use solo but in a band, less so. You'd stamp on it and not really feel like the bass had got more powerful or in your face.
    From something I read once - but never checked - I think the clean blend and distortion are out of phase on it, which would explain that! And I can only assume must have been intentional (if true).

    The bassist in a band I used to play guitar in had one, and it was quite good exactly because it didn't obscure the guitar when it was turned on, so it may indeed be the case, and deliberate.
    The EBS Billy Sheehan Deluxe drive pedal (2 footswitch version) has a phase switch on it to give the player the choice.

    It's remarkably useful.
    I thought that switch adjusted the level of Thetans in the pedal for maximum Zenus
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23947
    ha hahahaha!


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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    You know, I keep trying overdrives. There’s loads of them on the Helix. I keep thinking “yeah, this needs a bit of overdrive or something” and then 5 mins later I’m back to a clean sound and a big case of “meh”
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23947
    I'm very picky with bass drives. I've even sold some on the day I've bought them!

    I'm only selling the ones I've listed because I want to buy some Monitors and I need to raise funds
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