advise on distortion / overdrive pedal sound

uk subversives · #1 12-29-2010, 06:51 AM

Hi folks , i need to buy a distortion / overdrive for my fender japanese jazz bass , it uses seymour duncan spb-1 single coil p'us on an ampeg stv3-pro valve amp and 8x10 ampeg cabinet, i did use a boss distortion pedal but kills my bottom end and is like too distorted for me i want a warm distorted tube sound with BALLS!

im looking more for a sound like motorheard , i know that sound comes from lemmy's bass valve guitar amp , but i need something similar.

i've heard these are good for what im looking for , but didn't have the chance to try: advise on these and also other brand pedal recomendations on experience would be great!

MAXON ST9PRO+
IBANEZ TUBE SCREAMER TS 9
Dunlop M181 MXR Bass Blowtorch
Sansamp Bass Driver

thanks!

RNV · #2 12-29-2010, 07:16 AM

Tech21 VT pedal, either the regular or the deluxe. The deluxe will give you the chance to select different degrees of Lemmy.

As I sit here in my Motorhead shirt, I ponder this. Low end and Lemmy's sound aren't exactly harmonious.

uk subversives · #3 12-29-2010, 07:48 AM

tech 21 i've checked few videos and it sound quite good , does it have blend sound option , so i can blend both sounds and improve or at least dotn lose bottom end? price is also ok.

Microtubes B3K seems to have that valve sound im looking for (without a valve tho) but is 220 euros , a bit too much , im looking range 100/150 euros max. anything similar?

RNV · #4 12-29-2010, 07:57 AM

The Tech21 VT makes my SS head sound as close to a SVT as one can get without buying one. That pedal can get any type of growly, dirty, gritty, or nasty that you want to be. It holds low end just fine. Alot of 5ers use that pedal around here. My sound is a lot of low and high mids and it doesn't kill my low end at all. I just use the amp EQ to fine tune the VT.

Swift713 · #5 12-29-2010, 08:04 AM

The Catalinbread SFT is pretty well liked around here as well.

Kromwarp · #6 12-29-2010, 08:04 AM

For Lemmy's tone, I'd say get the Tech 21 British, cops the Marshall tone really well, I think there are a couple of mods out there that you can do to retain more low end

RNV · #7 12-29-2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kromwarp

For Lemmy's tone, I'd say get the Tech 21 British, cops the Marshall tone really well, I think there are a couple of mods out there that you can do to retain more low end

+1 I forgot about Tech21's other models. That would be best IMO.

uk subversives · #8 12-29-2010, 08:28 AM

i've read few reviews of tech 21 VT and British models and seems that they have to be modded if u really want to get a bottom end with their tone as they greatly copy marshall sound but the fact is that tone is very middle and doesn't punch lows very well...

that mod include an extra low end knob apparently .. i like them pedals but dont know about mods at all.

P-oddz · #9 12-29-2010, 08:30 AM

Personally I would stay away for Blowtorch. I own one (and although I have seen it get some love here) I have never been able to find anything redeeming about it's tone.

For Marshall tones (additional to the Tech 21 reference) do a search on the Xotic Bass bb preamp (there was a post with clips available within the last two days), or my personal favorite - the Zvex Distortron. Both are tuned to a cranked Marshall JTM45.

Mark Latimour · #10 12-29-2010, 08:41 AM

Email Max at SFX Sound. Since you're London based the prices will be pretty comparable (if not cheaper) than everything you are looking at and his pedals retain low end like nothing else.

ALternatively, the FEA Labs Dual Band distortion is very flexible, but its pretty pricey (particuarly if you are UK based). That said, it should cover all your distortion needs, ever.

Headless Llama · #11 12-29-2010, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-oddz

Personally I would stay away for Blowtorch. I own one (and although I have seen it get some love here) I have never been able to find anything redeeming about it's tone.

I had one, and while it is a good pedal, it just wasn't for me. Well built and it had a pretty led... but thats about all.

AciDBatH666 · #12 12-29-2010, 09:03 AM

I've got a Sansamp Bass Driver DI pedal that I've jammed with at our practice space. Our drummer told me he was having trouble hearing me over the two high gain guitarists, so I researched on the forums here and read that I should try to add a little distortion (We're playing metal).

Got the Sansamp and the next practice our drummer tells me I'm ALL he can hear.
I've also got a Sansamp RBI rack unit that I haven't gotten to tinker with yet because we're in between storage units (practice space) and I can't really crank it in my apartment to get any 'REAL' tone out of it at low volumes. But yeah, the Sansamp suited me pretty well. I dig it.

AuntieBeeb · #13 12-29-2010, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uk subversives

im looking more for a sound like motorheard , i know that sound comes from lemmy's bass valve guitar amp , but i need something similar.

Is cranking the amp not an option? I would have thought you'd get a pretty sweet sound just by whacking up the gain on your valve head, but I could be wrong...

tech21nyc · #14 12-29-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uk subversives

i've read few reviews of tech 21 VT and British models and seems that they have to be modded if u really want to get a bottom end with their tone as they greatly copy marshall sound but the fact is that tone is very middle and doesn't punch lows very well...

that mod include an extra low end knob apparently .. i like them pedals but dont know about mods at all.

Our British pedal will give you the same frequency response as a vintage Marshall. In addition to that there is the post Sansamp EQ controls that allow you to further shape your tone much like you would in a recording studio situation.There is the ability to boost the low and high end by 12 to 30dB depending upon the model pedal. We also have several vintage Marshalls right here so we have the benefit of being able to do AB comparisons. I think sometimes when people feel the need to "mod" our pedals they may just be choosing the wrong pedal to begin with. A Marshall circuit by it's very nature will have more high end and midrange than a typical bass amp. If you don't want that Marshall tone our VT Bass, Leeds, Oxford, Bass Driver or Para Driver DI might be better choices.

uk subversives · #15 12-29-2010, 05:34 PM

cheers everyone for your advise is been really helpful

seem to be that the Tech 21 SansAmp VT Bass is the best option for the price range , as i've seen videos in you tube and i like the tone a lot , the other tone i really like was from Microtubes B3K but too expensive almost double price , just a bit more for that u can buy something like FEA Labs Dual Band distortion or compressor / distortion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORsK2c2N5M4

anyway worth to check the sound , i hope i can get close to this or even better with a VT bass and my jazz bass!