Aguilar Filter Twin?

ad9000 · #1 06-09-2010, 09:31 AM

Anyone know what is holding up production on the Aguilar Filter Twin envelope pedal? At NAMM in January I was told they would be available in April. I was very impressed with it, but now I don't know if it is really as good as I remember, or if I just want it because I can't have it (you know the drill).

CashBass · #2 06-11-2010, 03:34 PM

I don't know but I've been looking for this pedal too. I do know that the Agro pedal has just now become available and I believe it and the Filter Twin were announced at the same NAMM. So hopefully it shows up soon. If I find it, I'll be sure and post it!

a_magg · #3 06-11-2010, 03:43 PM

Was just at Aguilar this morning getting my head back. They have the Filter Twin out in the showroom, and the tentative response when I dropped my head off last Friday was "In a couple of weeks."

Take it as you will...

CashBass · #4 06-11-2010, 03:46 PM

Nice! Thanks so much for the intelligence!! I'll certainly be on the lookout for it.

braydensharrar · #5 06-11-2010, 03:46 PM

I heard from David at Aguilar via facebook that the FT would be shipping in late July, IIRC.

I can't wait, finally a killer filter pedal with a small footprint for under 2 bills!

~B

silky smoove · #6 06-11-2010, 04:49 PM

The new effects lineup from Aguilar sure seems like a departure from their original design intent, but by all accounts it seems like they're putting out some really high quality pedals.

I'm not crazy about the form factor, but their Octamizer is VERY appealing, and the AGRO might be just the thing to bridge the gap between my clean tone and my Wooly Mammoth tone.

I love a good envelope filter, so I'll be eagerly awaiting the intial reports on the Filter Twin.

Sound Chaser · #7 06-11-2010, 06:22 PM

So far, all their pedals seem to be really high quality, in a small package. Here's hoping they come out with a phaser at Summer NAMM...

Phagor · #8 07-12-2010, 09:38 AM

Some vids of the Filter Twin from Aguilar here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw5LZ...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQSYb...eature=related

FilterFunk · #9 07-12-2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phagor

Some vids of the Filter Twin from Aguilar here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw5LZ...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQSYb...eature=related

There was a link to these in another thread (I think those were from the official site, but they're the same demos). Wasn't crazy about it at first; seemed like there wasn't enough difference in the filter sweeps. I wasn't looking for anything over-the-top, just more noticeable. But now I'm hearing some tones that do sound unique. Also, is it me, or does the up setting sound more like down, and vice versa? Anyway, the more I listen to it, the more I like it!

CashBass · #10 08-02-2010, 08:48 AM

Boonshoft put some Filter Twin sound clips up on Aguilar's website. You can see/hear the difference between the filters on these clips.

http://www.aguilaramp.com/filtertwin...e_settings.htm

1kinal · #11 08-02-2010, 11:53 AM

I just got word that the filter twin is now in stock at best bass gear.

(no affiliation with them) so they'll probably show up at your favorite dealer soon.

CashBass · #12 08-03-2010, 10:44 PM

Just ordered one of these from Bass Club Chicago....

OhulahanBass · #13 08-11-2010, 07:52 AM

Anyone got a review yet?

CashBass · #14 08-11-2010, 10:05 AM

Sure – I can throw one out there! I don’t play with a ton of effects – only the few songs that really require them and then only sparingly. I don’t work for Aguilar. This review is obviously only my opinion….

The Aguilar Filter Twin is a great example of what I think a pedal for bass should be. You aren’t going to get anything too crazy out of it… But therein lies the beauty of all of Aguilar’s entries into the effects pedal game… Their pedals are very musical and it’s tough to get in trouble with any of them. My pedal board consists of (and this has pretty much always been the case) a Compressor, Envelope Filter, Overdrive, and an Octave effect. Over the years I’ve tried tons of different pedals, different configurations, etc., slowly replacing ones that didn’t do exactly what I needed and keeping the pedals that best suited me, my playing style, the sound that I was looking for, AND the sound that most bands/audience are looking for (that one is key!). If you look at my pedal board today, all four effects are now Aguilar effects. The Filter Twin, like the others, has a rock solid case (although I hate the way they built the end of the case around the i/o jacks – you pretty much have to use straight ¼ inch plugs) and four very high-quality pots on the top. It feels smooth…

I can sum up my opinion of this pedal in a pretty simple way without going into detail about every twist and turn of what every knob does – if you are looking for old school, classic UP and DOWN filtering without a lot of fuss then this could be the pedal for you. It produces very useable sounds across a range of pot settings – none of which are too far out there and is what bands and audiences are expecting from a funk bass player. With other filtering effects I’d spend interminable time in the studio tweaking away trying to find that just-right sound, then, get to rehearsal, or the gig, and it would sound like crap forcing me to spend precious time re-finding the right sound in a semi-panic stricken state (you guys know what I’m talking about don’t ya?). Not with the Filter Twin. In about 30 seconds I had a great funk tone, packed it up and went to rehearsal, and viola! Sounded even better at the rehearsal studio with no tweaking! Sounded great at the gig too this weekend. Now if you are a tweakaholic and are looking for something that does “freaky” and “bleeding edge” and “experimental” then look elsewhere – this ain’t your pedal. As for me, my search for the last pedal on my board has ended… I’m definitely sticking with the Filter Twin since I was looking for a fat, groovy, dripping funk filter and it does so without giving me the opportunity to screw it up. So if you see me at a show and you want to hear/see all the Ag pedals in action, please come up and say hi!

Anyway, that’s my 2 pennies…

cybersnyder · #15 08-11-2010, 10:50 AM

Thanks CashBass. Sounds exactly like the filter pedal I'm looking for.

OhulahanBass · #16 08-11-2010, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CashBass

Sure – I can throw one out there! I don’t play with a ton of effects – only the few songs that really require them and then only sparingly. I don’t work for Aguilar. This review is obviously only my opinion….

The Aguilar Filter Twin is a great example of what I think a pedal for bass should be. You aren’t going to get anything too crazy out of it… But therein lies the beauty of all of Aguilar’s entries into the effects pedal game… Their pedals are very musical and it’s tough to get in trouble with any of them. My pedal board consists of (and this has pretty much always been the case) a Compressor, Envelope Filter, Overdrive, and an Octave effect. Over the years I’ve tried tons of different pedals, different configurations, etc., slowly replacing ones that didn’t do exactly what I needed and keeping the pedals that best suited me, my playing style, the sound that I was looking for, AND the sound that most bands/audience are looking for (that one is key!). If you look at my pedal board today, all four effects are now Aguilar effects. The Filter Twin, like the others, has a rock solid case (although I hate the way they built the end of the case around the i/o jacks – you pretty much have to use straight ¼ inch plugs) and four very high-quality pots on the top. It feels smooth…

I can sum up my opinion of this pedal in a pretty simple way without going into detail about every twist and turn of what every knob does – if you are looking for old school, classic UP and DOWN filtering without a lot of fuss then this could be the pedal for you. It produces very useable sounds across a range of pot settings – none of which are too far out there and is what bands and audiences are expecting from a funk bass player. With other filtering effects I’d spend interminable time in the studio tweaking away trying to find that just-right sound, then, get to rehearsal, or the gig, and it would sound like crap forcing me to spend precious time re-finding the right sound in a semi-panic stricken state (you guys know what I’m talking about don’t ya?). Not with the Filter Twin. In about 30 seconds I had a great funk tone, packed it up and went to rehearsal, and viola! Sounded even better at the rehearsal studio with no tweaking! Sounded great at the gig too this weekend. Now if you are a tweakaholic and are looking for something that does “freaky” and “bleeding edge” and “experimental” then look elsewhere – this ain’t your pedal. As for me, my search for the last pedal on my board has ended… I’m definitely sticking with the Filter Twin since I was looking for a fat, groovy, dripping funk filter and it does so without giving me the opportunity to screw it up. So if you see me at a show and you want to hear/see all the Ag pedals in action, please come up and say hi!

Anyway, that’s my 2 pennies…

Sweet, can it get silly drippy wet? Or is that part of what you meant about not being over the top? I love easy to gig filters, as long as I'm playing live I need my filters live friendly. I do like the unique control choices and think there my be potential for originality.

When is the next Denver or Boulder show?

Funkinthetrunk · #17 08-11-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhulahanBass

When is the next Denver or Boulder show?

Yeah...when? Ohula and I needs to check this out.

CashBass · #18 08-12-2010, 10:33 AM

Well, "silly drippy" would probably be a pretty subjective term so I can't say for sure if that is what you would get but, in my opinion, it was plenty fat and drippy (again, for the stuff I play). And I would reiterate that that is what makes it so "live friendly" (I love that term!) - it's not going to push the boundaries too far in either direction. It just gives great Up and Down filtering which works for me on the funk tunes I do. Next gig in the Denver area is actually in Littleton (just south of Denver) at a music club/bar called "Q's". Dates are August 19, 20, and 21st. I'd be happy to show you the setup...

BigOldHarry · #19 10-18-2010, 01:10 PM

I played one of these over the weekend - Gotta say, it sounded great. I have an MXR on the way (via ebay) and if it isn't "all that", I'll be driving back to TrueTone in Santa Monica to lay down the plastic...

How did it sound? Well, it didn't have a blend feature like the MXR, but it seemed to be tuned to let lots of bass/dry signal through so you don't lose your "oomph"; The two filter settings give you many different sounds - after NoStatic and I dorked with it for about 20 min, we got a few genuinely killer sounds out of it, from sloppy Bootsy sounds to very useful less extreme stuff. And it's built like a little tank - gotta like that!

behndy · #20 10-18-2010, 01:25 PM

i really like the effects Aggy is putting out. i'm not a huge fan of the Aggro, but i have an Octamizer (that beat the crap out of the MXR BOD it replaced) and a TLC (it's a VERY nice comp) on my board that i LOVE. the Octamizer is just a mean, mean beast of a pedal. and having a sweepable filter on both the octave down and the clean signal is very, VERY useful.

i spent some time with a Twin Filter in my local (awesome) pedal-stocking store and it's also really impressive. i'm a big fan of the MXR BEF, but i'm probably going to pick up a TF too. they're pretty different flavors.

what i love so far about their stuff is that it feels that the way Aggy approaches designing a pedal is very "i play bass, what would i want in a pedal", not re-designing something originally intended for guitar way. and the results have been much better takes on a lot of types of effects. that said, i'm not a big fan of the enclosures. my board gets pretty cramped and it's an odd size to jam in there sometimes. and it makes having any of their pedals be first in the chain a huge PIA. the long body combined with the top mounted jacks lends itself to an awkward setup.

but there stuff sounds DELICIOUS.