Favorite pedals/FX for warming/punching up a Focus head (for slab playing)?

kittyboy · #1 12-03-2009, 01:34 PM

What do you use and why?

My REDDI is sweet with it, but a bit unwieldy ergonomically.
Sansamp not as organic as I'd like.

Curious about the compulator and wondering what else people are enjoying these days...

Bluesy Soul · #2 12-03-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittyboy

What do you use and why?

My REDDI is sweet with it, but a bit unwieldy ergonomically.
Sansamp not as organic as I'd like.

Curious about the compulator and wondering what else people are enjoying these days...

I have a Focus SA (series III) and I put an ART TubePAC in front of it. I find it sweetens the Focus considerably. The TubePAC is even smaller and lighter than my Focus SA and it provides only tube gain and compression (no EQ). There are new TubePACs on eBay now for as little as $119.00. I bought mine used, for about half that.

I believe some players use larger ART products which do provide EQ. Acoustic Image has never been known for powerful, versatile EQ sections.

Rick Auricchio · #3 12-03-2009, 02:30 PM

Warm, punchy, sweet. These adjectives describe different audible experiences. What you hear as warm might mean something else to me.

kittyboy · #4 12-03-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Auricchio

Warm, punchy, sweet. These adjectives describe different audible experiences. What you hear as warm might mean something else to me.

True.

Let's say I'd like it to sound more lush and liquid; clean but with the potential for some grit...

A good clean tube sound that can overdrive if necessary, in other words. The REDDI is quite helpful, but looking for something smaller and less expensive, with more input gain (for slight overdrive potential).

Organic. Woody.

Just words, but hopefully they communicate something....

**Jeremy Allen** · #5 12-03-2009, 02:57 PM

When I was using a Focus, I ran a BDDI or an Avalon U5 directly into the FX return. I think it's important to bypass the preamp section on the AI stuff when using electric bass, personally.
If I were in your shoes (don't like the BDDI, don't like the schlep of something big like the U5), I would consider something like the Barber Linden EQ pedal or the OLC Flipster. I've used both of those, although it was after I stopped using the AI; the Barber Linden sweetens, widens, and warms up whatever you plug into it, and the Flipster sounds like an old SB12 fliptop. They're both subtle in comparison to the BDDI, but that's a good thing! (The Flipster has some really nice overdrive if you're into that.)

I have a Compulator, and danged if I can hear what it does. Compression baffles me, except when I'm playing through an all-tube amp (and then it's like "oh, that's what it is, I see").

B String · #6 12-03-2009, 03:17 PM

I agree with the Sansamp (Paradriver) into the effects return
of the Focus. Small package and sounds great.

Jeff Scott · #7 12-03-2009, 03:36 PM

VT Bass; it can do a great clean tone, too.

kittyboy · #8 12-03-2009, 03:41 PM

I was just revisiting the BDDI--better than I remember. Also very cool that I can phantom power with the Focus, although that makes it impossible to bypass the Focus pre. How big a diff is there bypassing the pre?

Yeah, I've gotta check out the VT Bass...

**Jeremy Allen** · #9 12-03-2009, 03:47 PM

It's just that I was never a fan of the preamp on the Focus, even for double bass. I found that I got a nice, clear response from using the Focus as a compact power amp with a different pre in the fx return.

Don't get me wrong, I did use the front end of the Focus all the time; I'd use it with double bass and when I mixed a mic in one channel with a pickup in another. Loved the features, especially the combo jacks, the phantom power, the HP/notch filter, the ability to send only one or both channels out through the DI...

fretlessrock · #10 12-03-2009, 03:57 PM

The newer AI amps (Series II onward) have a lot of input headroom compared to the earlier units. You can hit the front end pretty hard, either the input or the FX return, and the amps just keep pouring on the power. A reasonably hi-fi 4 Ohm cab and some extra gain on the input turns them into a whole different animal. I've used a BDDI, VTBass, ART pre, rack gear, clean boost stomp boxes, and more... All worked well, all sound different. If it gets you some boost and you like the sound then you should be pretty happy with it.

4Mal · #11 12-03-2009, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittyboy

I was just revisiting the BDDI--better than I remember. Also very cool that I can phantom power with the Focus, although that makes it impossible to bypass the Focus pre. How big a diff is there bypassing the pre?

Yeah, I've gotta check out the VT Bass...

not sure if I'll make the 12/13 GTG or not at this point. If I do, I'll drag up my Sonic Stomp/ParaDriver setup. I use that - along with a Pitch Black as the front end to any FOH I'm dealing with these days. It get's around the sterile vocal oriented channel strips in the places I'm playing these days. I'll also front end my EA to get a warmer, woolier thing going depending on what I'm doing ...

Swift713 · #12 12-03-2009, 04:19 PM

I use a BJFE Blueberry to warm up my Clarus. I find it's pretty warm on it's own but the Blueberry makes it downright retro.

RickenBoogie · #13 12-03-2009, 04:42 PM

Ask this question in the effects forum, and you'll get many more responses.

**Kelly Lee** · #14 12-03-2009, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Ask this question in the effects forum, and you'll get many more responses.

I concur. Moved to Effects!

singlemalt · #15 12-04-2009, 09:52 AM

Organic? That would be an Alembic F2-B.

I sold mine to buy a Dingwall....

I miss the F2-B but not nearly as much as I love the Dingwall Super J!

It was more than I needed and it went to live happily ever after with an Alembic Series One. They were made for each other, being stereo and all.

The F2-B was super nice. Two channels for stereo or cascade one into two for drive. Super warm. Organic is the word everyone used to describe it and I agree. It could have used a couple more features like, a foot switch for the channels, and a DI.

My GK 1001 rb II sounded like a big, loud, block of ice when I unplugged the F2-B.

I still like, and use the MXR M-80 bass di +. The clean channel is cool, especially the color button. It lets me get the front end of GK warmed up with out getting too loud. The dirt channel is just okay. I can get something like the Sansamp, but try for too much dirt and its not great. I have not tried the DI yet.

Simple and not very expensive. I carry it everywhere.

kittyboy · #16 12-04-2009, 02:07 PM

Mod--thanks for the move.

Singlemalt, that alembic does look sweet, but pricey and large...

I'm going to play with the SBDDI for now, but am open to more suggestions...

fretlessrock · #17 12-04-2009, 02:19 PM

bass -> bddi -> FX return is a very versatile setup. You can go a long way with that. I've been using AI gear so long that I use a mix/match approach of bass, pre, input, and cab to give me the result I want.

My Read J into the instrument input of my Clarus with a Flite 112 cab is like a fliptop. A little boxy with good low end, and very soul/motown ready, plus it can grind a bit if you push it.

Zon Sonus into the FX return with an Epifani T210 sounds completely different. Very transparent and a lot of detail. I gigged this setup with my Bassbone/M9 fx pedalboard last week and it sounded great.

kittyboy · #18 12-04-2009, 02:29 PM

sounds cool, f-rock

I checked out the schematic of the alembic and it's way simple...maybe I could have somebody build me one in a smaller chassis, maybe just a one channel....

bongomania · #19 12-04-2009, 03:36 PM

If you are thinking along those lines, you definitely have to check out DHA!
http://www.davehallampsusa.com/

kittyboy · #20 12-04-2009, 05:31 PM

Hey, DHA looks cool!

Which one do you suggest?