Aguilar Tone Hammer vs Sansamp bassdriver DI.. help!

[Zombs]

i think this is the right forum to ask this. I want to record my P-bass directly into an interface into garage band, just for fun and to get riff ideas recorded. I wanted a relatively inexpensive way to do it so i figured a DI is a good idea. Problem is, the P-bass by itself w/ out any EQ sounds kind of dull.

I bought the Sansamp bass driver DI last night, I used to own one a few years ago and remember loving it, but this was playing through an amp, and an active bass so i had more EQ options. Now that im plugging it straight into an interface i notice im not getting enough mids to really satisfy me and no real way around it. the sound is still good, but i feel like im missing the ability to add or cut mid levels. ive heard the Tone Hammer is a great DI box, but ive never used one or even seen one in person. Guitar center would have to order it for me... anyone have experience recording with it direct w/ a passive bass? id like to go return the Sansamp today and have them order the Tone Hammer if it really is worth it. thanks for the help.

[NathanTbass]

Totally worth it...Ive been blessed enough to do music full time, and I do about 3 sessions a week and play a few nights a week, and I never leave home without it! The Pre/Post option is great, plus the AGS kills the SansAmp. I have a sansamp and I really like it, but it can't do near the things the Tone Hammer can! Having mid frequency and level is a huge plus...it opens the door for so many possibilites. Plus, when you step on the AGS circuit and start moving the mid frequency around, your mind will be blown! Its awesome. Plus its based around their preamp. Go to www.aguilaramp.com and find the tonehammer and click sample settings. Most of the samples were recorded direct.
You'll love it!

[Zombs]

Originally Posted by NathanTbass

Totally worth it...Ive been blessed enough to do music full time, and I do about 3 sessions a week and play a few nights a week, and I never leave home without it! The Pre/Post option is great, plus the AGS kills the SansAmp. I have a sansamp and I really like it, but it can't do near the things the Tone Hammer can! Having mid frequency and level is a huge plus...it opens the door for so many possibilites. Plus, when you step on the AGS circuit and start moving the mid frequency around, your mind will be blown! Its awesome. Plus its based around their preamp. Go to www.aguilaramp.com and find the tonehammer and click sample settings. Most of the samples were recorded direct.
You'll love it!

Thank you! i was looking for an opinion like this...! im looking for the EQ mostly, and just looking at how popular the OBP-3 is i figured that alone makes it worth it. but if it can do thick and chunky like the sansamp i would love that too!

[P-oddz]

I have no experience with the Bass Driver, but I HAVE recently acquired the Tone Hammer (less than two weeks ago). This is my first DI that I've owned, so I don't have a lot to compare it to as well, but I can give you my thoughts/experience with it (be it limited though).

At home:
I've spent a couple of nights testing it out with my various basses thus far. I go from the Tone Hammer, into my USB audio interface, to GarageBand. I own a '62 RI Jazz, a Highway 1 Precision, and a Jag. My usual player is the Jazz as it sounds phenomenal live, (I've never been that happy with my P truthfully) but I WILL say that so far, I have not found tones that I am in LOVE with from the Jazz or the Jag, but the P sounds phenomenal! With the sweepable mids, I am able to dial in that little bit of oomph that I felt was missing before.

Recording:
I've had a chance to cut two songs for a side project now using just the Tone Hammer directly into Logic, and have been really happy with the tone. The music is in the punk rock vein, and again - out of everything, I was happiest with my P tone as opposed to the other two basses. The AGS gain stage on it can get a little ridiculous sounding cranked IMO, but when it is activated, and used at a lower gain setting, I couldn't believe how WELL the bass sat in the mix. Very happy overall.

*** The one thing I would say against it (and this goes for a lot of Tone Hammer owners as far as I've seen) the problem is that the AGS setting does not have its own volume control. So when it is engaged, it is TOO much of an uncontrolled volume difference to use in-line as a useful gain-stage adjustment. That being said - you find a setting you like and leave it, and it's been pretty solid solid thus far.

[Zombs]

Originally Posted by P-oddz

I have no experience with the Bass Driver, but I HAVE recently acquired the Tone Hammer (less than two weeks ago). This is my first DI that I've owned, so I don't have a lot to compare it to as well, but I can give you my thoughts/experience with it (be it limited though).

At home:
I've spent a couple of nights testing it out with my various basses thus far. I go from the Tone Hammer, into my USB audio interface, to GarageBand. I own a '62 RI Jazz, a Highway 1 Precision, and a Jag. My usual player is the Jazz as it sounds phenomenal live, (I've never been that happy with my P truthfully) but I WILL say that so far, I have not found tones that I am in LOVE with from the Jazz or the Jag, but the P sounds phenomenal! With the sweepable mids, I am able to dial in that little bit of oomph that I felt was missing before.

Recording:
I've had a chance to cut two songs for a side project now using just the Tone Hammer directly into Logic, and have been really happy with the tone. The music is in the punk rock vein, and again - out of everything, I was happiest with my P tone as opposed to the other two basses. The AGS gain stage on it can get a little ridiculous sounding cranked IMO, but when it is activated, and used at a lower gain setting, I couldn't believe how WELL the bass sat in the mix. Very happy overall.

*** The one thing I would say against it (and this goes for a lot of Tone Hammer owners as far as I've seen) the problem is that the AGS setting does not have its own volume control. So when it is engaged, it is TOO much of an uncontrolled volume difference to use in-line as a useful gain-stage adjustment. That being said - you find a setting you like and leave it, and it's been pretty solid solid thus far.

So you know what i mean about the P-bass! i love the way mine plays, but the sound w/out an EQ is just dull for me.. needs some balls to it. Im honestly not interested in distortion tones, just being able to get a bad ass flexible EQ for recording and also for playing live, w/ maybe a slight overdrive, just a bit. w/ out the AGS enabled does it do that with just the gain knob?

[P-oddz]

Originally Posted by Zombs

So you know what i mean about the P-bass! i love the way mine plays, but the sound w/out an EQ is just dull for me.. needs some balls to it. Im honestly not interested in distortion tones, just being able to get a bad ass flexible EQ for recording and also for playing live, w/ maybe a slight overdrive, just a bit. w/ out the AGS enabled does it do that with just the gain knob?

Yeah, I think I was in the same boat with the P, but it honestly did seem to breathe some life back into it (made me GAS for a better Precision actually)

The gain knob itself can dial in a little bit of grit for sure, without getting over the top. Obviously, the biggest change you are going to notice is when the AGS is activated. With the AGS switch on but the Gain dialed in lower (I would say definitely below 10-11 o' clock) you can dial in a nice grit, that really responds like some nice tube amp breakup. Not too over the top, and very complimentary to anything rock and roll IMO. But then again, I tend to like to play in that zone.

Depends on where you want your style to sit. Summing it up, I would say on the clean side it seems very capable of achieving anything from thumpy motown-esque Pbass, to modern punchy and focused sound. And on the opposite end with the AGS dialed in properly, you can get a nice rock-centered, to aggressive edged sounding P. I'm still working out where everything's sweet spot is, but I will say I find it pretty versatile, and like I said have been pleased thus far. Hope that helps(?)

[Zombs]

definitely. thank you.

[Eublet]

It's really not fair to compare these two. The Tone Hammer compares more to the Para Driver because of the sweepable mid control.

The TH is very warm and can do a lot of sounds. It's an excellent sounding and versatile preamp/DI. I prefer it over the BDDI, and like it as much or better than the VT Bass.