A couple of questions for "Tech 21 VT Bass" owners.

Mikeyd74 · #1 08-19-2008, 10:41 AM

I've read the other Talkbass thread dedicated to the "Tech 21 VT Bass" pedal and it seems that everyone is extremely happy with it. From what I've seen and heard, the pedal is exactly what I've been looking for to give my SWR a little extra tubey crunch. Although some of the video and audio clips I've seen were less then impressive.
I've visited six local music stores trying to get my hands on a "Tech 21 VT Bass" pedal just to try it out with no luck. In fact one salesman told me they are almost impossible to keep in stock being that most are on order and already purchased.

Has anyone bought one that actually got to try it out before they bought it?

I've only bought one piece of equipment based solely on user reviews without trying it and it did turn out to be one of the best purchases I've ever made and that was the "Zoom H4 Handy Recorder."

Is the "Tech 21 VT Bass" pedal another product that would be worth investing in without trying it?
Does it live up to the hype?

Here's a really interesting thread by JimmyM comparing a real Ampeg SVT -vs- The Tech 21 VT Bass
Tube Challenge III
Tube Challenge III.II: SVT vs. VT

AndrewShirley · #2 08-19-2008, 10:50 AM

It works as advertised; worth every penny. My Yorkville XS400H sounds pretty good, but it sounds GREAT with the VT Bass (and MM Sterling).

- Andrew

rcubed · #3 08-19-2008, 11:44 AM

Worth getting if you already have the BDDI?

BillMason · #4 08-19-2008, 11:46 AM

I just bought one today "sound unheard" and will be trying it out tonight at band practice. Can't wait!! theperfectbass.com has them, and they also provide free shipping.

JimmyM · #5 08-19-2008, 11:50 AM

I just bought one. I really haven't got a chance to get deep with it, but I've spent the last hour with it. I have to tell you...as a dyed in the wool Ampeg freak, it really does get you close to the tone of an SVT or a B-15. I can't lie and say it's dead on, but it's as close as I've heard without actually using an SVT or a B-15. I've tried it in an Eden 112 combo at Bass Central and my Markbass Mini CMD121P, and it's one of the only modelers I've tried that does what it says it will do. Both these combos sounded way better with it on than without it, and I'm a huge fan of the Mini CMD121P. But you really have to play around with it and not rely on the settings Tech 21 includes. And I'm not sure yet but it doesn't sound like you get flat response if you put all the controls to 12:00. And they're very sensitive and could easily get out of hand if you change settings on the fly.

But it really opened up both those combos and made them sound more Ampeggy. I'm not as impressed by the drive settings as I am the clean settings, but in all fairness, most of my time just now was trying to get clean sounds so I may stumble on a couple usable settings as I play with it. I've been using my Markbass LMII on the road to get an Ampeggy sound when the backline company brings me a rig that sounds nothing like one, but I think this may be a much more portable solution. The hassle you go through with TSA to pull out a laptop AND an LMII from your carry-on has gotten really annoying to me, so I think this will work quite well in its place.

gillento · #6 08-19-2008, 11:55 AM

I seem to be one of the few who prefers the SA Bassdriver to the VT Bass.
I got mine a couple of days ago and I am trying hard to get a punchy, neither harsh nor scooped pick sound with the VT Bass. This has never been an issue with the Bassdriver.
Even further, I never expererienced excessive mid scoop with the Bassdriver.
So I'll probably selling mine.
(Btw. the same goes for my just aquired Fulltone Bass-drive)

varunkapahi · #7 08-19-2008, 11:59 AM

so i have no idea what does a svt or a ampeg sounds like. are there any popular songs i should hear? or has anyone got clips which could describe the svt and the ampeg tones?

BillMason · #8 08-19-2008, 12:03 PM

Anyone have recommendations on what settings to apply to my G-K head while using the VT Bass so the two worlds don't collide? I haven't tried it out yet, as I said, but would like to hit the ground running at band practice tonight, as much as possible, without too much frigging around.

BillMason · #9 08-19-2008, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

so i have no idea what does a svt or a ampeg sounds like. are there any popular songs i should hear? or has anyone got clips which could describe the svt and the ampeg tones?

No offense meant, but this might be a bit like describing "blue" to a blind person.

Think of almost every awesome bass tone you have ever heard on a live recording, and chances are it is an Ampeg.

BillMason · #10 08-19-2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

so i have no idea what does a svt or a ampeg sounds like. are there any popular songs i should hear? or has anyone got clips which could describe the svt and the ampeg tones?

Sorry, here's a more helpful answer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampeg

JimmyM · #11 08-19-2008, 12:19 PM

Ya, there are so many different Ampeg tones...from Duck Dunn to Billy Sheehan to Victor Wooten. Ampegs are very versatile, much more than the anti-Ampeg fanatics care to admit.

So I found out from reading the booklet that the tone controls set at 12:00 are indeed flat with +-16db of each freq. Why they chose 500 hz for the mids I'll never know, but I don't have trouble getting what I think is a flat sound. Hard to tell without a band setting, though. Also, the character knob seems to act as a de facto mid boost because it definitely sounds more middy the closer to 12:00 you get (their interpretation of SVT vs. B-15, I guess).

Been 90 minutes and I'm still not soured on it

But Bill, you're going to have to play with it, that's all I can tell you. Their included settings are crap IMHO but might be a good base to start with.

Mikeyd74 · #12 08-19-2008, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillMason

I just bought one today "sound unheard" and will be trying it out tonight at band practice. Can't wait!! theperfectbass.com has them, and they also provide free shipping.

Please report back here!!! You're my guinea pig lol!

AndrewShirley · #13 08-19-2008, 12:20 PM

I use mine straight into the AMP input, bypassing my amp's PRE (unfortunately also bypassing the EQ). I don't like it nearly as much plugged into the PRE. YMMV. I don't have a G-K head.

- Andrew

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillMason

Anyone have recommendations on what settings to apply to my G-K head while using the VT Bass so the two worlds don't collide? I haven't tried it out yet, as I said, but would like to hit the ground running at band practice tonight, as much as possible, without too much frigging around.

bongomania · #14 08-19-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillMason

Anyone have recommendations on what settings to apply to my G-K head while using the VT Bass so the two worlds don't collide?

The GK's are known to have some EQ shaping built in to their design even with the EQ controls set flat. So I would say be prepared to adjust the EQ -particularly the mids- a fair bit before finding the "right" tone.

BillMason · #15 08-19-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

The GK's are known to have some EQ shaping built in to their design even with the EQ controls set flat. So I would say be prepared to adjust the EQ -particularly the mids- a fair bit before finding the "right" tone.

Cool, that's helpful - would you characterize the G-K's as mid-heavy, in other words, should I expect to cut the mids somewhat on my G-K or maybe boost them on the VT to compensate?

Bass Boy · #16 08-19-2008, 12:40 PM

I've had mine for a few days now and am still undecided. I still prefer my line 6 bassfloor POD at the moment. The tones sound really good but I was getting some weird artifacts on the g string in the lower positions that weren't present with the POD. I was using a Sadowsky UV70 5 'er with an EA iAMP800 into a cxl112 and then a whizzy 12. I turned the horn down to 7 o clock on the cxl. If I wasn't used to the line 6 I would have no doubts about the VT bass. The g string thing was strange but the bass was set up with REALLY low action at the time and perhaps that could have been causing it. I will reserve judgement until I set up the bass again for some manly playing.

It's very interesting how these two very different units achieve a similar sound. More to follow soon hopefully (the power on my block has been on/off due to a blown underground transformer so testing gear at home is difficult right now!)

BillMason · #17 08-19-2008, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Boy

I've had mine for a few days now and am still undecided. I still prefer my line 6 bassfloor POD at the moment. The tones sound really good but I was getting some weird artifacts on the g string in the lower positions that weren't present with the POD. I was using a Sadowsky UV70 5 'er with an EA iAMP800 into a cxl112 and then a whizzy 12. I turned the horn down to 7 o clock on the cxl. If I wasn't used to the line 6 I would have no doubts about the VT bass. The g string thing was strange but the bass was set up with REALLY low action at the time and perhaps that could have been causing it. I will reserve judgement until I set up the bass again for some manly playing.

It's very interesting how these two very different units achieve a similar sound. More to follow soon hopefully (the power on my block has been on/off due to a blown underground transformer so testing gear at home is difficult right now!)

Hmmm.... well, JimmyM is a pretty hard core Ampeg fan, and if he likes it, well... it'll probably do what I want it to do.

Yesterday I'd bought a Digitech BP80, whcih of course tries to do everything in one box, like the Line 6 Pods, and of course it does nothing well. I wouldn't want you to think that I think that the Line 6 gear is in the same ballpark quality-wise as anything from Digitech (Line 6 being by far the better of course), but for me, I'm finally and for good turned off any buying any more multi-effects pedals. All I want is to plug as straight into my amp as possible and get as close as possible to a tube sound without spending the cash on a tube amp. I don't want to have to remember patches, or mess with compression and gain settings through a menu with fine print that I'd never stand a chance reading on a dark stage if I can't even read it sitting in my home office. I no longer use my Zoom B1 for the same reason - not to mention the Ampeg settings of both the Zoom and the BP80 both kinda suck.

I did try the Line 6 combo amp that has an SVT and a B15 setting - it was ok, but didn't really give me a thrill. I also owned a Sansamp BDDI for a while, and ended up selling it and just going direct to my G-K for a long while. Now I once again long for tubey creamness, and I know that the BDDI didn't do that for me. Hopefully this will!

varunkapahi · #18 08-19-2008, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillMason

No offense meant, but this might be a bit like describing "blue" to a blind person.

Think of almost every awesome bass tone you have ever heard on a live recording, and chances are it is an Ampeg.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillMason

Sorry, here's a more helpful answer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampeg

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Ya, there are so many different Ampeg tones...from Duck Dunn to Billy Sheehan to Victor Wooten. Ampegs are very versatile, much more than the anti-Ampeg fanatics care to admit.

i understand that part, but basically i want a better tone ( here is a unique system that we bass players only get our basses and pedal boards or multi fx to the gig where we are provided with some or the other rig to play on with. mostly the signal is sent to the PA through a DI but occasionally it is mic'd. so i am thinking about getting a PBDDI or this VTbass)

now the other issue is that both of these are not available here for me to try out. although a couple of friends do have the BDDI so i would check it out sometime. but i really dont know what to do. is a dry (without any emulation) bass sound really bad or what? you know i have never been to the other side of the stage while playing to know what does it sound like in the FOH

BillMason · #19 08-19-2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

is a dry (without any emulation) bass sound really bad or what? you know i have never been to the other side of the stage while playing to know what does it sound like in the FOH

Not bad in a way that most non-musicians or even musicians who are not bass players would recognize, but very likely not a very musical tone - and for me, tone *is* important, just as important as timing and pitch. Do you have a FOH subwoofer?

varunkapahi · #20 08-19-2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillMason

Not bad in a way that most non-musicians or even musicians who are not bass players would recognize, but very likely not a very musical tone - and for me, tone *is* important, just as important as timing and pitch. Do you have a FOH subwoofer?

again, different gigs, different organizers, different sound systems, different setups:

i agree on the tone being as important part.