Bass preamp pedal or overdrive?

Creed_Clicks

Hi all. I play in a project with electronic backing tracks. All of the songs have the bass track lined out from the computer going to a bass amp, all settings on 12 o clock. 
I play bass on a few other songs (but never with the bass backing track, so it's one or the other live through the amp). 
It's a P bass. I wouldn't mind using an external pedal to shape the bass sound, and not tough the amp.
What would be best here? A Bass EQ pedal and e.g. an overdrive or fuzz pedal? Or should I look at one of those preamp type pedals? e.g. the Palmer Bass Pocket Amp? Or the little red Zoom pedal?
I have a Bass Chorus pedal already and a TC mini reverb, so am thinking maybe some kind of EQ or fuzz type thing?
Don't need to spend a massive amount, say, Boss levels of spend.

steamabacus

The Behringer BDI-21 sounds pretty good and is sturdier than you might expect considering the price (the footswitch is maybe the possible weak point but it'll probably be left always on). I use one for home recording with a Rothwell Love Squeeze compressor in front and it gives me everything I could want. I like a touch of drive/grit in the sound.

bandmaster188

Tech 21 vt bass gives a decent amount of eq options plus Overdrive too. 

Creed_Clicks

I think I will go for a clean preamp pedal and then add an OD or fuzz pedal.

Bork

It's not clear what you mean by 'shape the sound' but most bassists first suggestion would be a compressor for fattening things up in the mids and lows, and taming any highs.  Then, maybe a preamp but there is a significant amount of smoke and mirrors out there so ultimately you'd be best off trying as many out to see what is possible.  I have an EBS Microbass II, it's a very good preamp pedal but I'm not going to rave about it because the best I've played through was an Avalon TP737 mic pre, but they're eye wateringly expensive.  I also have an Effectrode PC2A which is a tube compressor pedal, it's clean and softens things up nicely without introducing distorted artifacts.

Overdrive is a different kettle of fish altogether and there's even more smoke and mirrors out there. Tech 21 do great stuff and I have used their Blonde pedal (which is a Fender guitar amp sim) on bass for a bit of edge but personally I don't use OD much.  The Sansamp has been mentioned by others as well and there's a whole bunch of pedals out there which claim to be the greatest thing ever.  You'll just have to play as many as you can or spend an afternoon looking on YT.  If fuzz is your thing, the Danelectro FABtone is a brutal fuzz pedal for guitar but works really well with bass, Rhonda Smith used one with Prince for some of the segues between songs when playing live.  The Hot Cakes Prunes and Custard is a bit of a beast as well - sitting between fuzz and OD but not easy to get hold of these days.

LionAquaLooper

This is all you need. Cheap as chips as well.

https://www.premierguitar.com/dr-j-d53-sparrow-driver-and-di-review

stickyfiddle

Huge fan of the Origin Bassrigs here. Just fantastic little boxes

fretmeister

steamabacus said:

The Behringer BDI-21 sounds pretty good and is sturdier than you might expect considering the price (the footswitch is maybe the possible weak point but it'll probably be left always on). I use one for home recording with a Rothwell Love Squeeze compressor in front and it gives me everything I could want. I like a touch of drive/grit in the sound.

The lack of a mid control is a real pain though.

fretmeister

I use a Tech21 Paradriver. I find it more useable than the BDDI.

They did a good demo though:




and this is a fantastic demo at all levels of gain with loads of different pedals:



Here's his playlist:

fretmeister

Oh - and don't forget the Source Audio Aftershock



It can load 40 different tones for bass and guitar and run them stacked in series, parallel blended or true stereo.

It's a superbly versatile pedal.

Creed_Clicks

Bork said:

It's not clear what you mean by 'shape the sound' but most bassists first suggestion would be a compressor for fattening things up in the mids and lows, and taming any highs.  Then, maybe a preamp but there is a significant amount of smoke and mirrors out there so ultimately you'd be best off trying as many out to see what is possible.  I have an EBS Microbass II, it's a very good preamp pedal but I'm not going to rave about it because the best I've played through was an Avalon TP737 mic pre, but they're eye wateringly expensive.  I also have an Effectrode PC2A which is a tube compressor pedal, it's clean and softens things up nicely without introducing distorted artifacts.

Overdrive is a different kettle of fish altogether and there's even more smoke and mirrors out there. Sansamp do great stuff and I have used their Blonde pedal (which is a Fender guitar amp sim) on bass for a bit of edge but personally I don't use OD much.  The Sansamp has been mentioned by others as well and there's a whole bunch of pedals out there which claim to be the greatest thing ever.  You'll just have to play as many as you can or spend an afternoon looking on YT.  If fuzz is your thing, the Danelectro FABtone is a brutal fuzz pedal for guitar but works really well with bass, Rhonda Smith used one with Prince for some of the segues between songs when playing live.  The Hot Cakes Prunes and Custard is a bit of a beast as well - sitting between fuzz and OD but not easy to get hold of these days.

I have tried the Fab tone on Guitar. Nasty! In a good or bad way. I have had ok results using guitar OD pedals on bass as well. I also spotted an EBS Valvedrive, but not sure if, in this day and age, it would be worth a punt.
Let's take into account, the amp I am going into is not a high end one either, it is mainly there for "volume", and happens to be a bass amp as well. 

Bork

Creed_Clicks said:

I have tried the Fab tone on Guitar. Nasty! In a good or bad way. I have had ok results using guitar OD pedals on bass as well. I also spotted an EBS Valvedrive, but not sure if, in this day and age, it would be worth a punt.
Let's take into account, the amp I am going into is not a high end one either, it is mainly there for "volume", and happens to be a bass amp as well. 

If you can find one, yes try it.  EBS is my default go to bass brand for gear unless there's a desire for something specific.  Everything is high quality and robust.  I had two of their neo bass cabs for a while and one of their bass combos.  Their heads are loud and crystalline clear. 

Unfortunately I can't offer much insight into the valve drive specifically as I've not played one.  I don't know what amp you're using but many of the budget ones are coloured - usually the mids are scooped a little.  Another consideration might be a Joyo JF14 American Sound, it's a clone of the Tech21/Sansamp blonde pedal and introduces a little grit into things as well.  Cheap as chips if you can pick one up used but get one that is as mint as possible.  I have two and one is starting to scream a little bit in extreme drive settings after nearly ten years.

JCA2550

Darkglass Duality Fuzz is amazing for anything adding a touch of grind to full blown infinite fuzz tones a la Tony Levin while not losing the fat bottom end. Brilliant fun and a great way to get told to shut the fuck up by the drummer.

fretmeister

JCA2550 said:

Darkglass Duality Fuzz is amazing for anything adding a touch of grind to full blown infinite fuzz tones a la Tony Levin while not losing the fat bottom end. Brilliant fun and a great way to get told to shut the fuck up by the drummer.

I should never have sold mine.

And I'm not buying the new stupid tiny one where half the controls are behind a panel on the bottom.

BeardyAndy

I'm using an HX Stomp as my amp straight to PA and a Hudson Sidecar as a drive pedal.

Creed_Clicks

BeardyAndy said:

I'm using an HX Stomp as my amp straight to PA and a Hudson Sidecar as a drive pedal.

Sounds like a perfect scenario, would be a bit overkill for my needs for now though.

LukeFRC

Creed_Clicks said:

BeardyAndy said:

I'm using an HX Stomp as my amp straight to PA and a Hudson Sidecar as a drive pedal.

Sounds like a perfect scenario, would be a bit overkill for my needs for now though.

He has a point though, the sidecar isn’t needed, as a hx stomp is all you really need. 

And useful for guitar too

Creed_Clicks

True! I might start with a bass eq pedal