Bass Overdrive/Distortion - The discussion thread

+1
and on a side note...
-I've had the Ibanez bass tubescreamer (TSB9) for a while now and im starting too feel, it doesnt add the proper amount of dirt to the sound. I've tried boosting the mix, the drive, the level, and all sorts of combinations and all i get is a volume boost to the point of clipping with no real overdrive to it. So its really a hell of a volume booster and a hunk of crap overdrive. i give it 4/10.
 
CowTipper said:
+1
and on a side note...
-I've had the Ibanez bass tubescreamer (TSB9) for a while now and im starting too feel, it doesnt add the proper amount of dirt to the sound. I've tried boosting the mix, the drive, the level, and all sorts of combinations and all i get is a volume boost to the point of clipping with no real overdrive to it. So its really a hell of a volume booster and a hunk of crap overdrive. i give it 4/10.
Click to expand...

I have one of them too... I find it a great fuzzy boost, if my amp was tube. I think that was the point of TS9s they are made to boost tube amps.
 
that actually may be it, it may also be that i never play with a pick and that may change what the pedal really can do.
 
siderocks said:
I myself am using a Boss Line Selector LS-2 to maintain a clean bottom. How I use it is that I mix two channels into one. It has two sends and two returns. It goes like this...


Basic
From bass to LS-2 input. LS-2 send to overdrive pedal and return back. So at this point half the sound is from overdrive pedal, half is clean bass sound (the ratio can be adjusted). And finally, from LS-2 output to amp.

Extra
It might be a good idea to add an EQ pedal or two. In clean channel you add bottom frequencies and in distortion channel you cut bottom and add high mids and highs.


This is not as flexible as having two separate amps or tracks but does the trick for me. In studio you can of course divide the clean signal to its own track and overdriven signal to its own to provide you more options for editing your overall tone.
Click to expand...

LS-2 + whatever drive of your choice the LS-2 guarantee the bottom stays intact and u can experiment whatever dirt, drives, fuzzes you desire, thats a win pedal for me.
 
lordie said:
LS-2 + whatever drive of your choice the LS-2 guarantee the bottom stays intact and u can experiment whatever dirt, drives, fuzzes you desire, thats a win pedal for me.
Click to expand...

Nice, I´ve been thinking about adding a LS-2 to my pedalboard.

BTW, from all the settings in the LS-2, which one do you use? (For example:This guy says he uses the "A+B mix > Bypass" setting).

[video=youtube;pKr7PsoanhM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKr7PsoanhM[/video]
 
Nachobassman said:
Nice, I´ve been thinking about adding a LS-2 to my pedalboard.

BTW, from all the settings in the LS-2, which one do you use? (For example:This guy says he uses the "A+B mix > Bypass" setting).

[video=youtube;pKr7PsoanhM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKr7PsoanhM[/video]
Click to expand...

I use the same one. Damn that Chunky cheese is da kewl. Have to get one :d
 
After trying out dozens of grit pedals I chose a Way Huge Pork Loin and absolutely love it. It retains all the bottom end, is incredibly tweekable, and can be found used for under a bill. Definitely worth checking out!
 
Nachobassman said:
Nice, I´ve been thinking about adding a LS-2 to my pedalboard.

BTW, from all the settings in the LS-2, which one do you use? (For example:This guy says he uses the "A+B mix > Bypass" setting).

[video=youtube;pKr7PsoanhM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKr7PsoanhM[/video]
Click to expand...

That's how I use my LS-2 too... a+b mix channel mode... Nice to find a distortion post here !! :)

My signal goes in a sansamp prog. BDDI (just to add a bit of grit and presence in the high mids - high) than goes through an LS-2, one send with nothing in it (clean sound to keep clear lows and a bit of snap), and the other through a turbo Rat (low dist. setting) + an eq (to boost the mids and cut the bass), the turbo rat distortion is just thickening my sound... then the signal goes to my delay pedal... Apart for the delay, these are always on and it's my go trough sound with my bands...

I think you can get more thickness in your sound by having 2 stages of distortion, plus it gives a more compressed sound feel...

The order is important too : I've noticed that my sansamp sounds and react better direct after my bass, since some other pedals (like Boss one)have a buffer that change the signal and the way that it sounds (That change the impedance or signal level I think, even when bypassed (not a true-bypass))...

Sometimes I like to plug other distortions between my sansamp and the ls2... just to play and have fun at home...:
I like my Diamond J drive with full on settings, this pedal is nice with bass...
I have a MXR GT-OD which I tested with bass, but I use it more with my guitar...
In the past I have used a lot these: an ibanez Phat hed and a Boss heavy metal...

I have tried many others in the last 5 years : most Boss, DOD's, a couple of MXR,the MXR-80 was nice, Fulldrive mosfet, bass blowtorch, different EH muffs, even some tube dist. pedals, I don't know may be 30 or more differents and there is so much to try... It's hard to find the one that have THE sound and texture you have in your head !!! lol

I'd like to give a try to a darkglass B3K or the new MXR bass fuzz (the brown one) someday, I liked what i've heard in the reviews... Has anyone of you tried these ??
 
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lasteffect said:
I have one of them too... I find it a great fuzzy boost, if my amp was tube. I think that was the point of TS9s they are made to boost tube amps.
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+1, they are design to boost the gain and drive your amp, some pedals have a "clean boost" button in addition... This concept works better with guitar amp IMO, especially as most bassists prefer to keep some clean signal blended through (to keep lows as example) when using overdrive... That's why many distortions or other effect pedals designed for bass have a blend knob on them...
 
well i've just been craving to get that real OVERdrive like the bass solo on Apostrophe by Zappa so if anybody can recommend anything it'll be really appreciated
[video=youtube;twgwDQrP1ok]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twgwDQrP1ok[/video]
 
this was recorded like 10+yrs ago, when we are still struggling, hell we are still struggling but with better gear, recorded with a a LTD TA-500 thru a ODB-3 into a BDDI (DI) and also into a mic hartke 3500 thru a 4x10. and blended together. i dunno what the engineer is doing, recorded at TNT studio same studio Wormrot recorded their albums. it sits well in the mix IMHO.

[video=youtube;z1mwIZ-O-FE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1mwIZ-O-FE[/video]
 
I’m reviving this 14-year old thread to ask you something:

You know the old BOSS ODB-3 Bass Overdrive, the classic yellow distortion box, it has a 2 band EQ, lows and highs. Do you know if that EQ section affects the whole output sound (dry and drive) or just the driven bit?

Gracias.
 
Nachobassman said:
I’m reviving this 14-year old thread to ask you something:

You know the old BOSS ODB-3 Bass Overdrive, the classic yellow distortion box, it has a 2 band EQ, lows and highs. Do you know if that EQ section affects the whole output sound (dry and drive) or just the driven bit?

Gracias.
Click to expand...
This is funny! I want to bring that pedal back in my setup for the next two gigs because I will use a Ric for the Motörhead songs. Lemmy check! 😄
 
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