3Leaf Groove Reg or WMD Fatman

[mlove]

I'm in the market for an envelope filter and have narrowed it down to these two. Now i need someone to talk me into one or the other.
Any opinions?

[dannybuoy]

I'll repost what I said in another thread. The Fatman is a great filter on guitar, but has limited useable range on bass:

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Definitely try the Fatman before you buy or make sure you can return it if you don't like it (like I did). It sounds AMAZING when set to do low range upward sweeps in low pass mode, like really deep and subby jungle bass sounds, but I couldn't get much more out of it on bass (although it was great on regular guitar). Downwards sweep seemed not to work on bass, couldn't get the sensitivity set right to have any sweep going on at all. On upwards sweep it only operates over a narrow sweep range as selected by the control switch. This is great on guitar as you can reign the filter in so it doesn't have a wide and crazy sweep. But on bass it only works well set low, resulting in dubby jungle bass tone. Turn the range up and the low end disappears, even in lowpass mode.

[whoatherechunk]

Two different beasts.....what do you want out of a filter?

[SteveC]

I don't know every filter, nor am I an expert, but the 3Leaf seems like a great pedal.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by SteveC

I don't know every filter, nor am I an expert, but the 3Leaf seems like a great pedal.

I haven't tried the 3Leaf, but it seems like a faithful clone of the Meatball which is a great sounding, very versatile though not all that organic sounding filter.

I didn't really explore the FatMan before sending it back because it wasn't for me. But I'd say that if you want a really quacky filter, or that electronica tone that John Davis had in his clip, it's a good choice. The Key input is a cool feature. And it does have a lot of settings, though not all of them are optimized for bass.

[mlove]

Originally Posted by whoatherechunk

Two different beasts.....what do you want out of a filter?

I'm not looking for the most dramatic sweep. I'd rather have a smooth filter that holds lots of bottom end. By the sounds of the thread so far I'm leaning towards the 3leaf.

[CliffD]

I haven't played either, but I do have the grinder, which is a meatball clone and I love it. I'd go with a the 3leaf as it is also a meatball clone and I've heard nothing but good things about it. You should also check out the Pig EP-1 & Chunk A00FMKII, both cool filters as well.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by CliffD

I haven't played either, but I do have the grinder, which is a meatball clone and I love it. I'd go with a the 3leaf as it is also a meatball clone and I've heard nothing but good things about it. You should also check out the Pig EP-1 & Chunk A00FMKII, both cool filters as well.

The 00Funk and Groove Regulator are both cool, but more on the synthy side. The Pigtronix is of course and Envelope Phaser, but it is really smooth and organic with a wet sound that I dig.

But of course the trouble with recommending filters is that not only do we all have different tastes, but playing style and gear make a big difference in how each filter reacts.

[CliffD]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

The 00Funk and Groove Regulator are both cool, but more on the synthy side. The Pigtronix is of course and Envelope Phaser, but it is really smooth and organic with a wet sound that I dig.

But of course the trouble with recommending filters is that not only do we all have different tastes, but playing style and gear make a big difference in how each filter reacts.

This is true, to each his own for sure, but thus far in my filter quest I've come to love all three filters in question, (minus the two from the op, wups) and as a new found filter freak myself, must share my love!

[dannybuoy]

If you narrowed it down to those 2, which filters have you ruled out? Subdecay Prometheus, Boomstick Bottom Feeder and Emma Discombobulator are all worth looking at if you haven't already.

[mlove]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

If you narrowed it down to those 2, which filters have you ruled out? Subdecay Prometheus, Boomstick Bottom Feeder and Emma Discombobulator are all worth looking at if you haven't already.

Prometheus: is also a meatball clone isn't it? Should sound kind of like the 3leaf but more $$$.
Boomstick Bottom Feeder: not familiar with it. Will check it out.
Discombobulator: I've read review calling it trebly and harsh. I've heard sound clips. Not what I'm looking for.
Agent 00funk: heard sound clips. not interested(but is the coolest looking pedal).
MXR bass q: not for me.
Bass ball & q tron: not for me.

Anything else you can suggest i check out would be great.

[Jerry J]

Please check out TB's own Bryan Tyler's demo on the Grrove Regulator. This is what really sold me on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG6TWIqrpRc

I tend to play with a light touch and found that many of the filters need some smacking around. But the 3Leaf works well with my playing style (soft touch). Plus Spencer is a bass player and a TB'er.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by mlove

Prometheus: is also a meatball clone isn't it? Should sound kind of like the 3leaf but more $$$.

No. Not at all. A very different voicing.

Originally Posted by mlove

Boomstick Bottom Feeder: not familiar with it. Will check it out.

It's a DOD 440 clone voiced for bass. Interesting in that I believe it's a down filter only. Better for Spacey sounds than funky ones IMO.

Originally Posted by mlove

Discombobulator: I've read review calling it trebly and harsh. I've heard sound clips. Not what I'm looking for.

Not terms I would use to describe the EMMA at ALL. Somwhat subtle or transparent, yes. Harsh? I have no idea where that came from.

Originally Posted by mlove

Agent 00funk: heard sound clips. not interested(but is the coolest looking pedal).

If you don't like the sound of the 00Funk I doubt you'll like the Groove Regulator. It is somewhat close to the sound of a Meatball.

Originally Posted by mlove

MXR bass q: not for me.
Bass ball & q tron: not for me.

Understandable (especially the Bassballs) but if you could say why it would probably help more.

Originally Posted by mlove

Anything else you can suggest i check out would be great.

I can give you a big list of filters if you want, but I'm still not certain exactly what you're looking for.

[dannybuoy]

The Boomstick is a regular 'up' filter like most envelope filters. While it does sound a bit spacey, it can definitely lend itself to funk, and it's subtle enough to sit well in a mix. Plus it's small and cheap!

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

The Boomstick is a regular 'up' filter like most envelope filters. While it does sound a bit spacey, it can definitely lend itself to funk, and it's subtle enough to sit well in a mix. Plus it's small and cheap!

Hmm, for some reason I thought the DOD 440 was a down filter.

I don't like the sound for funk, dannybuoy does. Doesn't mean either of us is wrong - just another example that envelope filters are all about personal tastes.

[mlove]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

I can give you a big list of filters if you want, but I'm still not certain exactly what you're looking for.

If i knew exactly what i was after i'd just go buy it. So far from all the sound clips and you tube vids i've heard and watched I'm leaning towards the 3leaf. Anything that sounds "3leafish" you could suggest i'd be interested in checking out.

[CliffD]

I gotta agree with BigO, the A00FMKII is similar in sound to the meatball, with some added twists that make it unique. Also the prometheus is definitely not the same as a meatball, for sure, maybe, MAYBE kind of like a Bass Murf with the stepping but with a filter. I just got a prometheus so I don't know it that well, but I had a Bass Murf for a few years and knew that very well.

[Jared Lash]

If the 3Leaf sounds good to you then buy it. I haven't owned one but it looks like a solid pedal, and the Meatball is a great filter so I'm sure it sounds good too.

I was just confused in that you don't like the 00Funk when those two pedals sound a lot alike.

What about the Xotic Robotalk 2?

[dannybuoy]

The Robot Factory Meatwad and Barge Grinder are the 3Leaf's older, more experienced, sisters, who can do a few naughty tricks that the 3Leaf can't. The Lovetone Meatball is their mother, who whilst past her prime, can still show you a good time.

But they're all pretty wet and slurpy so you can't go wrong with either one.

[mlove]

new short list:
3leaf
WMD Fatman
00funk (i'll look for more clips and give it another shot)
Prometheus

Xotic Robotalk 2: i haven't been able to find any clips with a bass.