EBS multidrive vs. fulltone bassdrive vs. ??

[jpark369]

i currently use a sansamp, but more for that svt sound as i dont use the drive too much on it. i am in need of a smooth, fat, overdrive...think jack bruce.
i a/b'd the fulltone and the ebs today, and i figured the fulltone would own the EBS (as jack bruce endorses it and all), but i wasnt that impresed. the fulltone was almost metallic at times and kind of harsh. the ebs did have some smoother OD that i really liked, but again, wasnt overly impressed. i guess i had my expectations really high as i thought these were the two best OD pedals around.
can someone recomend me any other pedals that might fit the bill, or give their experiance with these ones?
BTW the fulltone is used and going for $105 and the ebs, used also, is $150.

[Tomass]

The HBE Hematoma is also a popular over drive unit, they go for $150 new.

[rakirksey]

I've been down the bass OD road. I searched the hundreds of overdrive posts on talkbass including the distortion megathread.

The long and short of it seems to be that you need to blend in your clean signal so you can keep the balls, and then add the dirt for the hair. Otherwise, especially in a band setting, once you kick it in you get lost.

[Swift713]

ah, the perpetual quest. A search will give you more options than you can number.

[Ryan Mohr]

If you want to try a good cheap overdrive, the DOD 250 will meet your needs. At only $40 dollars, it gives a great warm tube overdrive tone. I highly recommend it!

[Jazz Ad]

The Jacques Tubeblower is worth a try.

[OhThePeacock]

I'd suggest looking at some soundclips of ODs in the wiki to see what you like. I recently bought a Tonefactor Cream Pie that IMO/IME does a great job of a fat tube like overdrive, alas it has been discontinued. Try and find one though if you like the clips of it, it's great.

[dancehallclasher]

Originally Posted by rakirksey

I've been down the bass OD road. I searched the hundreds of overdrive posts on talkbass including the distortion megathread.

The long and short of it seems to be that you need to blend in your clean signal so you can keep the balls, and then add the dirt for the hair. Otherwise, especially in a band setting, once you kick it in you get lost.

OR get a pedal with a more extensive EQ than a simple "tone" knob. My OD pedal has bass and treble knobs, and I keep the bass knob dimed and the treble up pretty high to compensate for the mid hump. It ends up sounding very natural and even transparent.

[Spencer!]

Try the EBS ValveDrive. It's way warmer and more SVT-like than the Multidrive.

[thejohnkim]

dont ahve experience with the EBS, but have a bunch of experience with the Sansamp PBDDI and the Fulltone Bassdrive, but not that much with Jack Bruce, so i'm not sure what you're looking for.

I also owned and sold my Fulltone BD after 2 years from never being fully happy with it other than the cranked boost channel of comp cut mode, which i barely used.

have you tried a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive? it is based on the tube screamer, just like the Fulltone Bassdrive, but only has one sound, but also has a blend with a clean boost, which I find does well to smooth out a high gain overdrive sound. i don't own one, but have gigged with one several times, as i love my sansamp for overdrive, and use a fuzz for other times now.

if not, then if your amp has an effects loop with a blend, then maybe yo ucan try hooking up through there and play around with that.

i just read rakirksey's reply....and so yes. what he said.

[Sorefinger]

As a Sansamp user who is not too fond of the overdrive/distortion mode, I went shopping for an overdrive recently. Among others, I tried the EBS Multidrive. I thought it was a very nice, warm and fat sounding pedal, but - a bit tame. Not as versatile as the soundclips on the EBS site suggest IMHO.

I much preferred the T. C. Electronics Vintage Bass Distortion.

It can do everything from a mild tubey overdrive to a really aggressive distorted sound. It´s a bit pricey but discontinued AFAIK so you might be able to get a decent deal.

FWIW, I finally went for the DigiTech Bass Driver - cheaper, very versatile, really wacky distortion sounds . Plus it does chords and harmonics very well, unlike most others.

[Fernando F]

The XOTIC BASS BB PREAMP is amazing, sounds close to a Crancked SVT. The Fulltone Bass Drive is great to, but I do prefer the Xotic.

[cybersnyder]

Off the wall suggestion, but take a look at the Line 6 POD X3. You can now blend 2 different amp paths. So you can blend things like a B-15 for a nice warm bottom and a high gain amp with everything below 400Hz cut. Like one of the previous posters said, the key is in blending a solid bottom with the fuzz.

[assboglin]

I've owned tons of overdrive pedals, and I still own the Fulltone and the EBS MultiDrive. My recommendation for you would be to try the EBS ValveDrive or an EHX English Muff'n. I use a Muff'n and personally have no need of a clean blend with it as I don't feel anything is lost. Plus if you're looking for a Jack Bruce tone it doesn't get more authentic than a 60's style tube preamp, unless of course you've got the vintage Marshalls.

[eshears]

Originally Posted by assboglin

I still own the Fulltone and the EBS MultiDrive...<snip>...I use a Muff'n

huh?

[Rasmus_OlesenDK]

If you have an effect loop you can use the Bassdrive as preamp. Hook it up to the power amp and set Volume full clockwise. You now have to channels with variable gain. It sounds great. I used to run mine through a SVP 1600 power amp.

You don’t mention which amp you use. IMO, then no matter what you put into it, you will never get the same sound as someone using a better or different amp. If this where the case, then I guess everyone would be playing Behringer amps, with just that one right pedal in front of it. ....(maybe even unplugged )

I can se why you would be disappointed in this pedal, regarding the endorsement, price and so on. But stuff like the Bassdrive will never “save” your sound. Only make something good even better.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by eshears

huh?

It made sense to me. He owns a few and uses one of them at a time. I own I don't even know how many compressors, but I "use" just one.

[mattq]

jack bruce's tone is a little more of a smoother fuzz though right? i'm just saying this cause i tried to get a super smooth overdrive with my bassdrive and came up lacking too. with the tone knob down i lost definition and with it up it wasn't the smoothest. i just added a little big muff though, and it's plenty smooth. it doesn't get even close to mild drive, but it sounds really good

[jpark369]

thanks. i think the blend is key for sure. i have an effects loop that i'll use, but i think im gonna try to find an ebs valvedrive i can try out. thanks everyone

[JMD730]

Originally Posted by OhThePeacock

I'd suggest looking at some soundclips of ODs in the wiki to see what you like. .

What is the Wiki?
Thanks
jimmy