Fulltone Bass Drive

[logdawg2u4u]

Thinking about getting a fulltone bass drive.. Yaaay OR naaaaay???

[bongomania]

If the year is 2003, then yea. If the year is 2011, then nay. There are a lot of better bass OD's these days.

[Laurent]

Great pedal built by a serious company. It works well, it is plug and play, perfect for live situation and the tone is superb. I like it so much to own three of them. Depending on the version they have tone variations too. The pedal plays nice with other pedals in the chain as well. It's a must to try it under 18 volts. At 9 volts it's nice, at 18 volts it's a monster!

Also couple it with a EH Micro Bass Synth (a la Jack Lawrence - Dead Weather) and you have an incredible diversity of tones at your disposal.

[JES]

You need to play it. The first time I played it, I hated it. A few years later I came back to it and loved it. Now it's a core part of my sound and people love how it sounds. It is true that there are many other newer, trendier pedals out there. But the only issue is whether the sound and features work for you.

[ugly_bassplayer]

Originally Posted by bongomania

If the year is 2003, then yea. If the year is 2011, then nay. There are a lot of better bass OD's these days.

Such as....

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by bongomania

If the year is 2003, then yea. If the year is 2011, then nay. There are a lot of better bass OD's these days.

I still haven't found one I like better than it in compcut position. I've tried a number of alternatives, would love to hear more suggestions.

[eyeballkid]

In 2011 I miss mine dearly.

[bongomania]

OK in terms of personal tastes, we're all different, so I certainly can't disagree with anyone who says it is the best for their tastes.

The Fulltone cuts lows. Period. If you don't hear it cutting lows, then your speakers don't have very good low-end response. That's no insult--just a statement of fact. Now, some people like to have the lows cut a bit, if they like a tight, bright sound.

Better OD's for my taste are ones that don't cut the lows, and there are many--i'm not going to waste my time listing them all here, we have threads about "best overdrive" two or three times A DAY in this forum. An example of a Tubescreamer variation (like the Fulltone is) that doesn't cut lows is the Xotic Bass BB.

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by bongomania

OK in terms of personal tastes, we're all different, so I certainly can't disagree with anyone who says it is the best for their tastes.

The Fulltone cuts lows. Period. If you don't hear it cutting lows, then your speakers don't have very good low-end response. That's no insult--just a statement of fact. Now, some people like to have the lows cut a bit, if they like a tight, bright sound.

Better OD's for my taste are ones that don't cut the lows, and there are many--i'm not going to waste my time listing them all here, we have threads about "best overdrive" two or three times A DAY in this forum. An example of a Tubescreamer variation (like the Fulltone is) that doesn't cut lows is the Xotic Bass BB.

I really need to check out the Bass BB, but haven't heard a consensus of whether it does the Tubescreamer thing or if it does the Bassdrive "compcut" thing. Tubescreamer isn't really what I'm looking for, I prefer the low gain "hair" I get from the Compcut setting.

BTW, you've described me perfectly in terms of seeking a tight, bright, mid-focused sound, who's willing to tolerate a mild low end rolloff.

[HolmeBass]

Bongomania is right - it definitely cuts the lows. But only a bit. I also use it in the comp/cut setting and it works great with other effects, especially filter and octaver. It's not bad cranked way up, either, although it can lose definition and the more distortion present the more palpable the low-end loss, in my experience. For naked OD I use a Bad Monkey, and for freaky heavy fuzz I'm using a Swollen Pickle MKII. But since the Bass Driver is on my board, I'd vote "Yay" while strongly suggesting that you try some different pedals out. Lots of dirt pedals and they each have something different to bring to the table. Then again if you have a line on a great deal on a BassDrive then I say pull the trigger.

Other pedals to try: Fulltone's OCD, which also cuts the lows a bit, but is an extremely touch-responsive pedal and can get some great sounds, and it also plays very well with other effects. If you can try any of the boutique pedals, like a Pickle Pie B or the TAFM, Musket, Blueberry, etc. I'd recommend that because a lot of folks "in the know" swear by these pedals.

[Marton]

Pickle B, TAFM and Musket are Fuzzes, not overdrive by the way.

I never tried the BassDrive, but I'm pretty happy with my Pork Loin for Overdrive, it doesn't affect the lows at all !

[HolmeBass]

Originally Posted by Marton

Pickle B, TAFM and Musket are Fuzzes, not overdrive by the way.

I never tried the BassDrive, but I'm pretty happy with my Pork Loin for Overdrive, it doesn't affect the lows at all !

Yes, may bad.

[SoonerMatt]

I loved the BassDrive for my highs but its low end cutting killed it. If you want a similar tone you should definitely look at the Xotic BB or Jacques Tube Blower. Other ODs to check out are the Fulltone OCD, Way Huge Pork Loin, Tronographic Rusty Box, Catalinbread SFT, and Tech21 VT Bass. Personally I use the Pork Loin and love it.

[RickenBoogie]

There is an over abundance of threads on this topic, but there's also a huge array of devices that fall into this catagory- and the truth is, if you have little experience, you have little to judge a single pedal by. If you've been playing for years, and tried several or many different types of o/d pedals, then you can say you have a preference of one over another. So, those with nothing to gauge against, might as well try whatever, and it'll either work for them, or not. Thereby gaining a bit of that experience.

[FaithNoMan]

I'd go with the Tronographic Rusty Box, Darkglass B3k, or Tech 21's Oxford pedal.

Clips always help on these threads.

[logdawg2u4u]

I have a guy building me a
Clone that keeps low end, should be an amazing OD pedal

[JES]

I know this is heresy on talkbass, but for a rock setting where you are going for a bright, cutting sound, reducing lows can be a good thing. Also just think of all those boomy rooms in which rock gigs happen. Sometimes the mids are where it's at. I'm not saying these other pedals aren't awesome also, just that one really needs to hear a pedal in the context it's going to be used before dismissing it on specifications.

Let me put it another way: I've played live with the thing many times, and recorded a bunch of stuff with it and nobody has ever said to me "your overdriven sound is awesome but it would be so much better if only you had some more low end on it."

I'm not saying the bassdrive is the perfect pedal for the OP. Not at all! I'm saying they'll have to try a bunch to find out.

[Nightlyraider]

I have my Bassdrive on one of the loops of my badger schism with a 50% clean signal on the side. It is downright delicious with that clean signal below the OD.

[FaithNoMan]

Originally Posted by JES

I know this is heresy on talkbass, but for a rock setting where you are going for a bright, cutting sound, reducing lows can be a good thing. Also just think of all those boomy rooms in which rock gigs happen. Sometimes the mids are where it's at. I'm not saying these other pedals aren't awesome also, just that one really needs to hear a pedal in the context it's going to be used before dismissing it on specifications.

Let me put it another way: I've played live with the thing many times, and recorded a bunch of stuff with it and nobody has ever said to me "your overdriven sound is awesome but it would be so much better if only you had some more low end on it."

I'm not saying the bassdrive is the perfect pedal for the OP. Not at all! I'm saying they'll have to try a bunch to find out.

I agree - too much lows CAN muddy up a mix real quick.

[logdawg2u4u]

But just the right amount is the diference between a good, and great bass tone