x3 bass distortion?

[Pillgrimm13]

ive heard that line 6 has great guitar distortion, being as the x3 is for guitar vocals and bass is the guitar distortion heavy and clear enough for a bass replacing a rythm guitar in a black/death metal band or does it get muddy or sound week like most pedals do?

[theblackshade]

For bass I recommend you some of the fuzz effects try some different settings to see if you can get what you are looking after. Fuzz can work great with bass.

The classic overdrive stomp (If I remember the model name correctly) can get interesting too.

For keeping your low end, though, you will have to use dual tone, one of them with the chunk and the other with the grind and mix them to taste.

[Prostheta]

I agree very much so. My favourite "Justice For All" Newsted-style distorted bass patch is a dual tone patch of an Eden Traveler [sic] and an Ampeg SVT.

The Traveller settings are pretty straightforward, with comp/gate/EQ active and the Eden cab model in use. The SVT uses the "FX-Tube Drive" stomp, EQ/comp/gate with a little drive on the amp model.

With new strings, the patch is transparent enough to allow the chunk and thump to come through whilst the grind adds texture rather than overpowering or becoming "attached fizz". Playing hard with the pick brings out some great clatter and chunk, whilst moving to the heavy "vertical" finger style does Justice (hah) to Burton-esque lines.

I've a lot more tweaking to do on this patch though, which I don't think I'll be doing to any great degree till I buy/build myself a new bass for the reference point.

The dual tone options are great. I'll likely create more "basstard hybrids" using guitar models in addition to the bass models. Most of the work is in the balancing the two off to work with each other rather than as two disparate tones.

Sorry for the aimless rant about me me me!