Built in Overdrive or a pedal?

[greghaley]

Looking for a new head.

Love overdriven bass sound.

Cannot decide between tube, solid state, or pedal.

(Should I get an all tube head and just turn the gain up so that I can satisfy my inner purist? Or go with a solid state head that maybe has a better distortion circuit, more channels, but sounds not as great? Or should i just create a regular tube sound, maybe with a hybrid, then run a pedal through it w/ the effects send and return? AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!! So many options!)

Brands I know use built in overdrive:
Gallien-Krueger
Ashdown
Mesa/Boogie

With so many pedals out there, I would like to just use the tone on my head instead of creating a whole new one intandem(?) with my current one.

So, would anyone like to suggest a set up for me to try out? I am at a loss here guys. If you have a better idea than my current one, let me know. I am open to new things. Oh, and if this helps, I run an ESP F-104 w/ EMG 35Hz pickups and D'addario Long Scale Nickel Roundwound 110-55s tuned to B Standard...

[Lublin]

Orange Terror Bass

[DonnyDanger]

I would go with a decent amp and use a preamp like the sansamp or anything in that order.
Gives you the choice of amp with an allround sound you can change whenever you like to or just leave on all the time.

[gjbassist]

How about a Line 6 HD 750 or 400 head?

http://line6.com/lowdownhd750/

[scotch]

As much of a 'pedalhead' as I am, I like the idea of using only an amp for overdriven sounds!

It may be overkill (and not everybody loves its' od/distortion character), but I love the dual sounds of my all-tube Fender 300 pro! There's a 2nd footswitchable channel with independent drive, mix (with the clean channel) and volume controls. It's a great option to go from clean to crunch at the stomp of a switch!

The clean channel is great with a fast attack and flexible eq. The overdrive channel is on the aggressive side, but can be mixed from 0-100% with the clean. I love it!

full disclosure: I am a Fender endorser and did receive my 300pro as part of my endorsement deal.

[greghaley]

Originally Posted by gjbassist

How about a Line 6 HD 750 or 400 head?

http://line6.com/lowdownhd750/

line 6 is a modeling amp company that takes their sounds from everyone else. as it would be a good idea since i am not sure what i want to just get something with a myriad of options, i am not looking to take someone else's sound. i want to take a base sound and then make it my own. (contrary to prior belief) the tone on line 6 amps is set before you buy it. so that would not be a choice i would prefer. but it may work for someone else though

[GrowlerBox]

Originally Posted by greghaley

line 6 is a modeling amp company that takes their sounds from everyone else. as it would be a good idea since i am not sure what i want to just get something with a myriad of options, i am not looking to take someone else's sound. i want to take a base sound and then make it my own. (contrary to prior belief) the tone on line 6 amps is set before you buy it. so that would not be a choice i would prefer. but it may work for someone else though

While I think I know what you mean here, the reasoning is a little flawed -- all amps are going to have their own tone, "set before you buy it", or there would be no point to your opening question. Line6 just has more than one. I have one of their guitar amps, and while it's fun to play with, you do get the sense that you're choosing someone else's "signature sound", so I do agree with the "spirit" of your post here.

In terms of which amp you want to go with, you've opened up the hugest possible range in your OP -- tube, solid state, or pedal. If you want to lug around a big all-tube (pre- and power sections) head, then that to me would be clearly the way to go, as everything else is kind of some manufacturer's attempt to emulate this; Line6 just goes "all the way".

For my own part, not wanting to lug around a huge head, I enjoy the Aguilar and TCE takes on overdrive emulation -- they are quite different, but both musical to my ears, and not just added fuzz. I haven't played the Orange amp, but overdrive seems to be where it's at for them. The new Genz amps are getting a lot of love for their "tubiness" as well. Happy hunting!

[greghaley]

Originally Posted by GrowlerBox

While I think I know what you mean here, the reasoning is a little flawed -- all amps are going to have their own tone, "set before you buy it", or there would be no point to your opening question. Line6 just has more than one. I have one of their guitar amps, and while it's fun to play with, you do get the sense that you're choosing someone else's "signature sound", so I do agree with the "spirit" of your post here.

In terms of which amp you want to go with, you've opened up the hugest possible range in your OP -- tube, solid state, or pedal. If you want to lug around a big all-tube (pre- and power sections) head, then that to me would be clearly the way to go, as everything else is kind of some manufacturer's attempt to emulate this; Line6 just goes "all the way".

For my own part, not wanting to lug around a huge head, I enjoy the Aguilar and TCE takes on overdrive emulation -- they are quite different, but both musical to my ears, and not just added fuzz. I haven't played the Orange amp, but overdrive seems to be where it's at for them. The new Genz amps are getting a lot of love for their "tubiness" as well. Happy hunting!

-sigh- i was wondering maybe i made the options too broad... so far (during my research) i have come across the options that i have to either get a hybrid head or a full solid state one. the hybrids are rare in having dual channel capabilities with the solid states being more common. now, i have played the GK 600 and i find that with the contour and the overdrive, i can get my bass growl and roar without too much gain (remember, i use a down tuning) so i like it. but i am a bit of a purist and would like some tubes to be overdriven instead of just an "emulator". trouble is, i cannot find some easy access tubes to overdrive...

[gjbassist]

Originally Posted by greghaley

line 6 is a modeling amp company that takes their sounds from everyone else. as it would be a good idea since i am not sure what i want to just get something with a myriad of options, i am not looking to take someone else's sound. i want to take a base sound and then make it my own. (contrary to prior belief) the tone on line 6 amps is set before you buy it. so that would not be a choice i would prefer. but it may work for someone else though

While the Line 6 head does have specific models based on other amps such as SVT, it still has the ability to modify those to one's own taste. It has a clean channel as well. The reason I thought it might be good for you is that it give you the ability to add a variety of overdriven tones instead of just one. Some of the features on it are overkill and I don't use them. At least they are there if I did and I don't have to buy a bunch of different pedals.l

[Calaverasgrande]

I think what he was trying to say was that those amp models are the DSP designers idea of a tube amp, solid state amp etc. Dsp works really well at some things and not at others. For instance, I have a lot of softsynths in my DAW. I have yet to find one that can even come close to touching my Moog monosynth, which cost me all of $350 used. The moog has less features thatn the softsynths, is monophonic, and somewhat tempermental. But it's wider, deeper and nicer sounding thatn the softsynth versions.
But then the TC Electronic Tubefx (Powercore) can do a scary good impersonation of a tube amp. Too bad its very hard to use and based in a card in a computer!
It simply isnt possible to model every component interaction that exists in an SVT, Superbass, Mesa etc. There is only so much processing power on tap in even the best amp modelers. You end up making comprimises in the DSP because if it takes too long "computing" your amp you will hear the latency, either that or you will hear dropouts/glitches.

I'd start with the kind of distortion/overdrive you are lookng for then narrow it down.
For balls to the wall distortion I like the sound of a rat box or other solidstate device hitting a good tube amp, though a GK 400RB will do nicely too.
For touch sensitive overdrive that sounds mildy bitey at low levels and gets progressively meaner the harder you hit it, well you cant beat a good tube amp. Took me a few years to get my Mesa Bass 400 set up with the right gain structure, tubes and eq to do that just right.

There are a few solid state amps like the Sunn and Acoustic amps from the 70's that come with really interesting built in distortion.

[BigOldHarry]

if you get tired of the head's overdrive, you kind of stuck (short of replacing the head);
If you get tired of the pedal, you just replace the pedal (Which is much less spendy and a lot more fun)

[Smurf-o-Deth]

Yay pedals!











I have a t00b amp, too, though.

[Calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

if you get tired of the head's overdrive, you kind of stuck (short of replacing the head);
If you get tired of the pedal, you just replace the pedal (Which is much less spendy and a lot more fun)

otoh I have a LOT of fuzz pedals and my favorite is usually a clean boost hitting a good tube amp. The best pedals have a couple gainstages and one or two eq knobs. A nice tube amp has maybe 3-4 up to 6 stages of tube clipping that you can gainstage in there. Plus some have an eq on the neg feedback loop (presence) which is a whole 'nother thing.

[m.oreilly]

i've seen a few high voltage tube pedals with a 'presence' control, and much more than a few eq controls

[xjeremiahx]

Sunn 300t/Fender Bassman 300 - has a dirty channel on it that can get REAL dirty, and a blend feature.
here's mine running a SR5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9YOb49yV9U (our singer was running out of breath haha)

[Calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by m.oreilly

i've seen a few high voltage tube pedals with a 'presence' control, and much more than a few eq controls

I would love to get my hands on one of those! I used a Mesa Vtwin pedal for a hot second and it was awesome. Still. A great pedal on a crappy amp is not even good. A a great amp with no pedals...is still great.

[gillento]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

if you get tired of the head's overdrive, you kind of stuck (short of replacing the head);
If you get tired of the pedal, you just replace the pedal (Which is much less spendy and a lot more fun)

+1

[AwkwardLoudness]

Tube amp AND pedals

What you want is a big clean (or somewhat clean) all tube amp that overdrives when cranked loud. Nothing sounds like power tube distortion expect actual power tubes that are distorting. In addition to that, you want some pedals to get overdrive at more reasonable volumes when needed and to add different flavors of overdrive to your tonal pallet.

You may also want to get a light weight solid state head for when you're in the mood for better portability.

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

if you get tired of the head's overdrive, you kind of stuck (short of replacing the head);
If you get tired of the pedal, you just replace the pedal (Which is much less spendy and a lot more fun)

I disagree with the 'stuck' part. One can use pedals into a tube amp dialed in for clean....many options there, not stuck.