Bass Overdrive/Distortion - The discussion thread

I agree that most of each type of pedal sounds the same on their own, there are only so many ways to make a distorted sound after all. I found the main difference in pedals being how they respond to playing dynamics, which then mainly relates to (for me) the frequency response of the pedal, component tolerances etc. Here I can find differences between cheaper and the more 'boutique' pedals.

I've settled atm on using a Way Huge Pork Loin for overdrive, and a wren and cuff pickle pie hella fuzz b for fuzz. Why? well the pork loin mainly has a clean preamp that adds a really nice bite to the clean sound, then the overdrive to add a nice bit of warmth and grit. Also its got a load of internal settings and a nice curve control you can change that allows you to position it how you want in the mix. And the pickle pie? well its got a clean/wet blend, keeps bass frequencies and is really clear when playing more than one note. I run the pork loin -> fuzz generally have the loin on all the time then kick in the fuzz when i want to make more noise.

I'll be doing some recording in the next week for my masters project i'll get some clips of the pedals if people are interested.
 
i been experimenting dirt/fuzzes for a while, sell and traded some. from polish love to hbe hematoma, etc.. but now i just use the L6 M9 ;p. they have interesting dirty pedals options and some are very useful if u add in a an EQ, etc.. and some i added a noise gate so i can go nuts.

but recently i build a small go to board. consist of a B.Blender + Boss HM-2 + EBS Multicomp and its not connected to the big board mainly M9 + Expression pedal + G30 + tuner + Badger Schism.

the badger allows me to blend 2 channel + a dry tone. i can layer crazy textures like OD + distortion or OD + Fuzz or Fuzz into a Distortion blended with a OD and still can dial in a dry tone to prevent the bottom end from disintegrating and maybe adding a noise supressor like the ISP Decimator, etc.. to keep everything sane.

there is no hard and fast rule on using a dirt pedal. just preferences and how it sounds like to you and your band. i played mostly metal the crazy type death metal and grindcore and some djent and i still collecting dirt pedals to mix, blend and shaken ;p.

\m/
 
After buying more than 10 pedals when I was experimenting with my bands I realized that there is no perfect bass overdrive yet.
Most pedals that maintain low end are more into the fuzz territory. The ones that had a nice aggresive tone made my bass sound like a guitar.
I had Boss ODB3, Tech21 XXL Bass, various modded od's...
I finally ended up using an EBS Valvedrive and a Bass Muff.
Nothing to say about the BBM really, you have probably tried that out already.
The Valvedrive is nice, very warm and can deliver tons of dirt...
Also I have heard many good things about the Electronix Gemini Drive but have never tried one because they are not available here.
Also had many blend pedals and in my opinion blended od and clean is a very bad sound.
Last days I rocked a Gallien Krueger 2001RB and although it is solid state, the dirty channel OWNS.
I decided to stop messing around with pedals and stop degrading my Warwick's sound. I think the right amp is the answer.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
~SuperSkunk~ said:
I decided to stop messing around with pedals and stop degrading my Warwick's sound. I think the right amp is the answer.
Click to expand...

Skunk, I'm married and I'm totally not into guys, so take this at face value in the most Platonic of ways:

I love you, man.

:d
 
any one else tried using your fuzz/overdrive/Distortion or hi gain pedals in the effects loop and just chain your other pedals..so basicly keeping the distortion away from other effects.....different sounds are to be had,,i like doing it with tube overdrive(well used to only have 2or 3 pedals i use now and then)....its worth messing about with just for kicks.its personal taste but you might get lucky..
 
ridgebackdk said:
any one else tried using your fuzz/overdrive/Distortion or hi gain pedals in the effects loop and just chain your other pedals..so basicly keeping the distortion away from other effects.....different sounds are to be had,,i like doing it with tube overdrive(well used to only have 2or 3 pedals i use now and then)....its worth messing about with just for kicks.its personal taste but you might get lucky..
Click to expand...

What pedals do you use?
 
ridgebackdk said:
any one else tried using your fuzz/overdrive/Distortion or hi gain pedals in the effects loop and just chain your other pedals..so basicly keeping the distortion away from other effects.....different sounds are to be had,,i like doing it with tube overdrive(well used to only have 2or 3 pedals i use now and then)....its worth messing about with just for kicks.its personal taste but you might get lucky..
Click to expand...

Could be nice, but I 've heard from none other than big daddy Flo, that effects loops are made to work with line level gear like rack mount effects. Pedals are instrument level naturally, so you might not get the best results if you are after a pro sound.
 
all i use these days is an oc2 octave a ce2 chorus and a cs3 compression sustainer.(mostly for the stingray fretless).i used to be into the pedal thing years ago and tried heavy metal pedals to delays pedal boards and that,was good at the time but lost interest only one i regret getting rid of is the mesa vtwin..i prefare just direct to the amp now days...an old studio engineer got me onto the idea in the first place with removing all the high gain stuff to the loop instead of the chain,its not better or worse its just different depending on the pedal.just another option and worth messing with,
 
Most sampels with the Boss ODB 3 I have seen came with a lot of gain, is it possible to just give it a light cruch, as displayed in the thumb vid earlier in the thread?
 
I would love to find an amp with a great drive that also has a nice clean....and doesn't cost the a fortune. so far the ones with a clean i like dont have a drive channel (markbass/eden/hellborg). The ones that have a nice drive have no real clean tone (ampeg) and some are just awful sounding (7ender). any recommendations for a head with a really clean clean and nasty grind of an OD channel?
 
Augie said:
I would love to find an amp with a great drive that also has a nice clean....and doesn't cost the a fortune. so far the ones with a clean i like dont have a drive channel (markbass/eden/hellborg). The ones that have a nice drive have no real clean tone (ampeg) and some are just awful sounding (7ender). any recommendations for a head with a really clean clean and nasty grind of an OD channel?
Click to expand...
mesa 400 or a 400+ dont know what they sell for 2nd hand but they sound like nothing else when warmed up and cranked.while not exactly an over drive it has 2 channels one high one low gain.seen lots of demo clips and they dont do it any justice,its something you have to hear for yourself.i have my 400+ since new (1997 or98) and its the best amp i ever had,never failed me..and after a few ampegs and a svt classic (was excellent but forever needing repair) just found them to fragile. even some of the older marshall tube heads sound sweet when run hard.comes down to cost and what you like at the end of it.but for me boogie 400+ is hard to top..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The ShadowKnight said:
Most sampels with the Boss ODB 3 I have seen came with a lot of gain, is it possible to just give it a light cruch, as displayed in the thumb vid earlier in the thread?
Click to expand...
i would say its not a big deal,cant see why not between the odb3 and the amp + guitar eq, you will find something you like for sure.problem i had with pedals was i always found something that little bit different or better i just had to have lol its like drugs you try once and before long your a junkie!!:)
if you can find an old boss Distortion pedal the ds 1??the (orange one) it has some interesting tones,the later one sounds way different (the up dated modle)not as good in my view sounds gutless to the old one,and they should be easy to find very very cheap.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have been meaning to try the mesa and gallien k two channel heads. I think my problem is i dont want tube warmth. I want SS clarity. even in the drive i dont like the marshal valve tone, it sounds washed out to me. i have played through ampeg classics and the marshal all valve heads and just couldnt get any clean clarity out of the things.
 
Augie said:
I have been meaning to try the mesa and gallien k two channel heads. I think my problem is i dont want tube warmth. I want SS clarity. even in the drive i dont like the marshal valve tone, it sounds washed out to me. i have played through ampeg classics and the marshal all valve heads and just couldnt get any clean clarity out of the things.
Click to expand...

i get ya,there is always a trade off in one way or other...have you looked at any of the tc electronic stuff..the classic or the Staccato’51,very very nice, iam a tube guy myself but would have the staccato51 no problem..the tc stuff usually have 3 memory channels you can pre program so a different sound is a clic of a button..worth a look..
 
Augie said:
I have been meaning to try the mesa and gallien k two channel heads. I think my problem is i dont want tube warmth. I want SS clarity. even in the drive i dont like the marshal valve tone, it sounds washed out to me. i have played through ampeg classics and the marshal all valve heads and just couldnt get any clean clarity out of the things.
Click to expand...

well, a tube input stage could still not be out the question, as it all depends on the design, I like me ENGL amp, its full tube, but clear like nothing I have heard. so I guess its a matter of EQ and circuit design more then just tube vs solid state.

Maybe an Eden with tube input stage?
 
Well I can say at this point I really do not recommend EHX's Bass Blogger. Sounds like a muddy watered down Bass Big Muff (BBM). I have a BBM and use it for those in your face fuzzed out bass situations. The Blogger has both a fuzz and drive mode. The only thing it does well is the fuzz mode and to be honest, if that's what you're after just get a BBM because the BBM can sound exactly like the Blogger but still give you the ability to push it over the limit if you want. As for the drive mode on the Blogger, it sounds nothing like what you'd expect. The drive mode sounds just like another fuzz mode but makes everything you play sound muddy and overly saturated. Honestly to my ears it sounds absolutely horrible. I really wanted to like this pedal because I've been so happy with the BBM and other EHX pedals but I feel the Blogger ventures to far into the BBM's territory to be unique and falls way short in the drive mode.
 
[video=youtube;4ZPkKGQEZuM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZPkKGQEZuM[/video]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top