aquilar agro???

DrowningBrian · #1 05-08-2011, 11:29 AM

im looking for a good overdrive for live and recording that has a good presence in the mix. my rig is an 87' ampeg svt and ampeg 8x10 cab. i really like matt rubanos tone on taking back sundays track "new again". im guessing he used this because he plays aguilar.
any other
suggestions???

bongomania · #2 05-08-2011, 11:58 AM

Link to the track?

Also, have you checked out the threads about and clips of the AGRO?

dune2k · #3 05-08-2011, 12:13 PM

I recently ordered one and sent it back.
It steals low end (or mids), even on the lower gain settings. Distortion sounds cheap (at least for a 200€ pedal). So yeah...I wouldn't recommend it.

DrowningBrian · #4 05-08-2011, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Link to the track?

Also, have you checked out the threads about and clips of the AGRO?

YouTube - Taking Back Sunday-New Again

blastjv · #5 05-08-2011, 06:27 PM

That's a good tone. I don't think it sounds especially like the Agro, though I think you could do that type of tone with the Agro (meaning it doesn't make me think "oh, that's obviously an Agro). I competely disagree about the Agro robbing lows, though it certainly CAN if you set it that way, but it's not a given just because of the pedal. The way I have mine incoporated into my rig, if anything my sound gets deeper when I kick it on.

(Shameless plug) check out my band in the link below. Pretty much all the bass distortion you hear is from my Agro (but I'm going for a different sound than you, but it shows that you don't have to lose lows...).

-JV

eyeballkid · #6 05-08-2011, 06:36 PM

when it comes to the Agro... forget the pedal.. get the rackmount! The added 'bass/mid/treble' knobs make it a REALLY useful and organic OD/Fuzz..

blastjv · #7 05-09-2011, 04:49 AM

I've never tried the rackmount, but I did have an AG500 (actually 2). I think that if you have a great sound without it, the Agro pedal will bet you where you need to go. I can't say I'd NOT want to have the extra tweakability of the rackmount, but the added cost and inconvenience of the rackmount makes me totally happy with the pedal.

-JV

P-oddz · #8 05-09-2011, 09:30 AM

Could possibly be an Agro on the clip - but you won't get that tone out of the pedal alone. To me that sounded like there was a clean tone blended in it as well (and the Agro does not have a clean blend).

I kind of agree with Dune2k on this one, also. I really wanted to love the AGRO (as I am a devout praiser of my Tone Hammer and Octamizer pedals), and even did like the pedal for a while, but I seemed to find the same thing. It sounds great playing alone, and possibly if your bass is a standalone role, (being upfront and the main focus), but I found in a setting with two guitars and set of keys, the same thing about robbing some low end and being a little thin.

I would kick it on, and no matter how I dialed it in (and I tried, believe me), I was unable to out perform my previous dirt/OD pedals in way of boost. It's got grind, but it doesn't have low end "oomph" to it. Even with presence turned downed, the distortion still has a hi-fi-like "sizzle".

That sizzle may work for some situations, but for me as an organic sounding boost - it sort of fails. That being said - I am not quick to get rid of it, because I'm still holding on to the hope I will find a use for it.

eyeballkid · #9 05-09-2011, 09:52 AM

thats why ya need the rackmount.. plenty of OOOMPH with the bass knob and deep button.

metalinthenight · #10 05-09-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeballkid

thats why ya need the rackmount.. plenty of OOOMPH with the bass knob and deep button.

huge +1. I haven't had the Pedal form, but the rack mount was SICK. Tons of bass, and a really unique OD/Fuzz IMO. The only thing that I didn't like about the rackmount version was that it was difficult to get the distortion to be at unity gain. I mean that the tone would be sick, but much quieter than the bypassed signal. I tried it in a few different configurations, but it still didn't get dramatically louder (or even close) with the AGRO engaged. I tried the switching in and out the line level switch in the back and it still gave me the same results. Ugh. I loved the sound of the rack mount too.

dune2k · #11 05-09-2011, 03:36 PM

I felt the AGRO needed at least a 2-band EQ...but well, that'd be in the Tonehammer's realm...

@blastjv: I play a GK RB 400 MKI and you seem to use an Ampeg SVT. Tube compression (and some diode clipping, jaja...I know

) does change a lot, especially concerning low end loss...