Bought a sansamp VT today

learning_towalk · #1 10-19-2009, 03:37 PM

Got one on ebay...Can't wait to get it in front of my Markbass LMIII....Anybody with this combo have any setting suggestions?

Jake of Bass · #2 10-19-2009, 03:40 PM

I don't have a VT but the best way to find good settings is to experiment. You get to understand how the pedal works that way.

Morning Beer · #3 10-19-2009, 03:47 PM

I love mine, I run it w/ a MB SD800. Really helps me dial in some tube dirt especially with such a clean sounding head. Just wish it had multiple channels.

bassman1185 · #4 10-19-2009, 03:50 PM

Two pieces of advice:

First and foremost, BE CAREFUL WITH THE VOLUME!!! If you have a small amp that is already turned up high, you can easily blow it up if you're not careful. The VT puts out a LINE LEVEL SIGNAL, not just an instrument-level signal. For most settings, you'll need to keep the volume below 10:00.

Second, don't even bother with the "presets" that the manual suggests. They suck.

It's a great little box, and there are some great sounds you can get out of it. Take some time and figure out how the knobs interact with each other, and you'll be sure to get some sounds that you'll dig out of it. I love mine.

a1bassguy · #5 10-19-2009, 04:09 PM

I have one and I use it with my LMII to get some nice tones for Led Zep, Deep Purple, Van Halen, and Stevie Ray Vaughn covers. You lose some of the clear tone that the LMII gives you, but the VT definately is very usefull and gives you something very close to that SVT sound for sure. I don't have it on all the time because I also like to go clean to the LMII or I also use the MXR M80 for a different sound, but I find myself using it about 70% of the time.

My only gripe with the VT Bass is that I have an active bass and my bass signal seems to overdrive the input on this pedal so when I hit my B string, it really starts farting out. I fiddle with the drive knob, but then I lose the grind on the other strings. I wish they had a switch for active pickups! (maybe I'll mod it).

learning_towalk · #6 10-19-2009, 05:00 PM

Thanks for the tips guys...

I am not a distortion guy so I don't see me driving up the character knob...

Basically I find the LMIII a touch sterile...I love it but it's missing a little body to it, so I'm just hoping to have the VT to fatten it up a smidge...ala lower gain SVT....

basically I'm trying to get as close to Matthew Tennikoff from Hillsong United's tone.

fretlessrock · #7 10-19-2009, 07:22 PM

Ran mine in the effect loop on my Clarus last night and it worked like a champ. First time out. The knobs do what they say. YES, be careful with the level, and the drive. Read tha manual regarding the character knob. Take it from there.

BigOldHarry · #8 10-19-2009, 07:23 PM

yeah, the volume on these are crazy - I guess designed to act as a full preamp for a power amp. Just be careful, like the man said.

I do like the tone - and dig the construction. Nifty metal box it comes in, too.

JimmyM · #9 10-19-2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by learning_towalk

Thanks for the tips guys...

I am not a distortion guy so I don't see me driving up the character knob...

Basically I find the LMIII a touch sterile...I love it but it's missing a little body to it, so I'm just hoping to have the VT to fatten it up a smidge...ala lower gain SVT....

basically I'm trying to get as close to Matthew Tennikoff from Hillsong United's tone.

Is he the guy who uses an SVT and lays the 810 on the floor sideways? Yecch! Get that puppy up where people can hear it! Forget Darlene Czschek. Who is she? The singer and director? Pffffft.

She is kind of hot, though

Anyway, yeah, it's in there. But I think it's in the LMII, too. Boost the low mid to 12:15 and low knob to about 12:30, add a little treble to taste (or not), leave the upper mid knob at 12:00 and put the VLE knob on 9:30. That should get you close.

PilbaraBass · #10 10-19-2009, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Is he the guy who uses an SVT and lays the 810 on the floor sideways? Yecch! Get that puppy up where people can hear it! Forget Darlene Czschek. Who is she? The singer and director? Pffffft.

She is kind of hot, though

Anyway, yeah, it's in there. But I think it's in the LMII, too. Boost the low mid to 12:15 and low knob to about 12:30, add a little treble to taste (or not), leave the upper mid knob at 12:00 and put the VLE knob on 9:30. That should get you close.

Jimmy, come to Australia, and I'll take you to a Hillsong service at their new church in Brisbane...

I haven't checked it out, yet myself...

As far as Matthew's tone? Well, to me it's nothing that can't be accomplished with ANY tube preamp and an Aphex Bass Xciter...

I get close by running a cheapy Behringer TO800 tube overdrive (for a touch of grit) into a clean Ampeg patch on my zoom...

dannybuoy · #11 10-20-2009, 05:35 AM

Start with these settings for a flat response that sounds very similar to your clean sound:

Making sure the volume is unity (i.e. same volume when pedal is on or off), depending on your bass output volume you should be able to get the gain up to about 10-11 o'clock and still have a clean sound.

learning_towalk · #12 10-20-2009, 06:01 AM

Yeah that's him

I've been doing a lot of gigs with a touring worship band, plus I go back and forth between playing at two churches...so needless to say I play ALOT of Hillsong United stuff

The VT is supposed to be here on Friday (I have a gig friday night, sat morning, sat night, and sun morning) so hopefully I will be able to give a full review with settings this weekend

spankdaplank · #13 10-20-2009, 10:06 AM

I had been using my VT with my Carvin BX500. For my taste, it seemed while I liked the VT "effect", it also seemed to take away a lot of presence from my tone. I solved that by using a Boss LS-2 to mix the VT with dry signal to maintain as much out front presence and still add as much SVT "stank" to the signal. I like using the LS-2 to mix other effects with dry signal this way to maintain the fundamental tone and bottom end. It works real nice with a little envelope filter to just get a taste of it. But I digress............

learning_towalk · #14 10-25-2009, 05:10 PM

Well I have now played two gigs with the VT

my rig for these gigs was simple...

Modded SX Jazz>VT>Markbass LM3>Schroeder 1210

The VT deffinately fattened up my tone and made it more "tubey" and thick...

I still need to dial in "my tone" but overall I'm quite impressed...

McGryff · #15 10-25-2009, 05:32 PM

Tech 21 would do well to add a blend control to this pedal. An XLR out would be great too, but at least a blend control would be pretty helpful.

That said, I love this pedal!

Quote:

Originally Posted by spankdaplank

I had been using my VT with my Carvin BX500. For my taste, it seemed while I liked the VT "effect", it also seemed to take away a lot of presence from my tone. I solved that by using a Boss LS-2 to mix the VT with dry signal to maintain as much out front presence and still add as much SVT "stank" to the signal. I like using the LS-2 to mix other effects with dry signal this way to maintain the fundamental tone and bottom end. It works real nice with a little envelope filter to just get a taste of it. But I digress............

JimmyM · #16 10-25-2009, 11:39 PM

A blend knob would be cool if you could blend a clean Ampeg sound with a dirty one. Otherwise I'd have to pass.

Not that I think it needs one, though. It sounds good without one to me.

the low one · #17 10-26-2009, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Start with these settings for a flat response that sounds very similar to your clean sound:

Making sure the volume is unity (i.e. same volume when pedal is on or off), depending on your bass output volume you should be able to get the gain up to about 10-11 o'clock and still have a clean sound.

I'd love to see a graph for the MXR M80, with and without the color button engaged.