Fulltone Bass-Drive model year question

[funkybassinator]

Hey everybody,
I'm looking to possibly purchase a Bass-Drive soon, and I have a question. I've been reading some Harmony Central reviews, and after 2006, there have been several complete raggings saying there is significant low end suck, thin tone, and harshness. Before 2006, all the reviews are raves for natural tone, versatility, and low end retention, among other things. Bass Player raved about it, but their review was also in 2006. And, on Fulltone's site, the captoin for a photo reads, "click on pic for larger photo of the new 2007 Bassdrive Mosfet." So, what do you guys and girls think about this? Was there a significant redesign and change of sound in 2007? Is this just a couple of people from Tech 21 trying to get more sales? What do YOU think?

The tone i'm going for is old Tim C., and Geddy Lee type. If anybody has recomendations, please tell me.


For Reference:

Fulltone site:
http://www.fulltone.com/bd.asp

Harmony central reviews:
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/r...ass-Drive/10/1


Thanks,
Funkybassinator

[bongomania]

Well, the Mosfet version is a relatively new version. As far as the tone, I sold my original version about three years ago because I thought it sounded thin, harsh, and lacking in lows.

I think a large part of the tone question is the type of amp/cab it's played through. Turning off the tweeter on a cab, for example, can make most overdrives sound warm and fat instead of thin and harsh. I'm just a tweeter using kind of guy at least some of the time.

As far as the lows, though, I do think they could be better, and that was true of the original version.

[gm jack]

I have a '07 model (or, at least it looks like the one on their site and I got it in late '07) and I don't notice low end loss at all.

However, it does boost mids, so that can really mess with perceptive volume when trying to set unity. So long as you set the volume on the pedal for low end unity, engaging the pedal will give you a midrange distortion to cut through the mix surprisingly well.

I would not describe the pedal as harsh at all, and the tone is far from thin.

[CliffD]

Originally Posted by bongomania

As far as the lows, though, I do think they could be better, and that was true of the original version.

I'd agree, I have the mosfet version and I always keep the tone knob to the left (bass side). But I will say that it is by far my favorite overdrive box, it adds power , versatility and clarity that I haven't found in any other overdrive

[funkybassinator]

thanks everybody,
i think i will be purchasing this pedal. thanks for your input

[ricknote]

just bought the Bassdrive a month ago and have done 8 gigs with it.

I did notice a little low end loss live even when the level was much
higher than my clean sound so I checked the frequency response
of the pedal vs. my clean.
I used my recording software Nuendo 2 and their "multiscope" 31
band frequency analyzer.

I found a slight dip between 50 and 80 Hz.
Under 50 was about flat.
There was the expected bump around 500 Hz.

I believe the dip in EQ between 50 and 80 Hz is what most bassist are
feeling. Myself included.

I love the way the pedal breaks up so I'm going to have to either:

1. Get a blender and try to get the clean side to boost the low end loss.
2. Get an EQ pedal and a single bypass pedal so I can turn the Fulltone and EQ on and off together.

Kind of a shame though. It's sooooo close to great on it's own.

It's always something, isn't it?

Rick