Good dirt for garage/lo-fi?

Din Of Win · #1 07-13-2010, 07:37 AM

Hey all,

I'm in search of good dirt (Fuzz/OD/Distortion) for playing garage/lo-fi punk/pop. Now, i have a bunch of dirt pedals... but everything's digital. While i love it for the shoegazey stuff i do... i need more 'organic' sounding dirt for this new band.

Here's what i use so far:

-Kustom200 amp (decent dirty sound for a solid state)
-EHX Bass Muff (usually on dry mode to 'dirty up' my clean tone)
-Boss ODB-3 (used more for fuzzy 'big sounding' dirt)
-Digi Bad Monkey (light OD)

I also own the following dirt pedals, i use on guitar, but haven't tried them much (in case you think they may be better options):

-EHX Holy Stain (od/fuzz and reverb/tremolo/pitchshift multi)
-DOD Grunge FX69
-DOD FAT Distortion FX70P
-GK 400rb (at another practice space, but could dial in some dirt maybe? i kinda like the Kustom more though)

So...

I have a Bluebeard fuzz being made in the next few weeks. So that and my BBM should be more than enough for my Fuzz needs. I'm really looking more for reccomendations on OD and Distortion. Like i said, i want more organic sounding dirt and less synthetic sounding than my current set-up.

Now, i know how TB acts... and while i love Zvex and BrownDog (etc etc) as much as the next guy... i can't spend all that much on a dirt pedal... I also know a nice over driven 70s tube amp would be great, but i'm not in the $$$ levels to consider that as a viable option.

So, lets say that i have a budget of $150 or less (emphasis on LESS). The local used place usually has a good pedal selection, so old/discontinued reccomendations are welcome (i'm also not averse to Ebay/TB Classified to get what i want/need). Also, things like BYOC and GGG are fair game ('been eyeing the Mighty Mouse, RAT clone, from BYOC...). So yeah, advise away!!

PS: If anyone that plays garagy lo-fi pop or punk has any non-dirt pedal reccomendations, by all means shout 'em out!

Thunderscreech · #2 07-13-2010, 07:38 AM

TECH 21 XXL BASS EDITION

turn the warp all the way to the right, pile on the gain and tweak the EQ.

fu22ba55 · #3 07-13-2010, 07:47 AM

Maybe a Blackstar HT Drive?

http://www.blackstaramps.co.uk/products/ht/htdrive.html

They boast about it using the proper voltage for the 12AX7, so it's supposed to give you more of a bonafide tube amp sound.

It's a guitar pedal for sure (not a bass pedal) and it's 179.00 on Amazon, but I played through one on a whim a couple of months ago, and it gave me a nice, honest tube overdrive that sounded most like my 70's Ampeg when it breaks up.

I didn't get a chance to try it in a band situation, so I don't know if it loses low end, but if there's one at your local GC, it's worth a listen.

It uses it's own (oddball) power supply to get the proper voltage, and it's HEAVY, built like a tank, so those might be more (negative?) considerations.

Just a thought.

Din Of Win · #4 07-13-2010, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderscreech

TECH 21 XXL BASS EDITION

turn the warp all the way to the right, pile on the gain and tweak the EQ.

shoulda seen THAT one comming

I haven't tried one out... does it do a good organic dirt sound? Dunno if it's the purpleness of it... but it seems like it'd be synthy sounding... But damn... at $110 new on musicians friend... and your constant reccomendation of it

... it seems like a top contender.

Din Of Win · #5 07-13-2010, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

It uses it's own (oddball) power supply to get the proper voltage, and it's HEAVY, built like a tank, so those might be more (negative?) considerations.

Ah... the crappyness of testing things in GC is the lack of band setting

The price would denote (for me) that it fit REALLY well as i could possibly stretch that far financially if it's AMAZING.

heavy is a plus.
it's own power supply is a non-issue... unless it's a huge plug.

Mudfuzz · #6 07-13-2010, 08:06 AM

Devi Ever Karaoke Party or Electric Brown.

RCCollins · #7 07-13-2010, 08:12 AM

garage/lo-fi? use the absolute cheapest pedals available, or make your own

Din Of Win · #8 07-13-2010, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

garage/lo-fi? use the absolute cheapest pedals available, or make your own

That's kinda the approach i've been taking.

But any direction as to which cheapies still retain some low end would be rad.

As for making your own... i've been mostly looking at RAT clones... but how about some of the OD clones? (DOD250, Tubescreamer, Klon... etc)

fitz420 · #9 07-13-2010, 08:37 AM

maybe a fuzzface variant like a mammoth clone or a huckleberry v2. both retain low end and do the low fi thing well. both can be had used for around $100

kaputsport · #10 07-13-2010, 08:41 AM

HBE Hematoma

Organic and dark.

Smurf-o-Deth · #11 07-13-2010, 09:10 AM

What about the Danelectro FAB Distortion?

Ayliffe · #12 07-13-2010, 09:39 AM

get a ****ing Boss DS-1 and call it a day.

ryognbass · #13 07-13-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudfuzz

Devi Ever Karaoke Party or Electric Brown.

I agree. buy one of the $30 kits and have fun

Fishyfan · #14 07-13-2010, 09:44 AM

MXR Distortion+. i love mine for when im working with my lo fi/punk buds.

geribassist · #15 07-13-2010, 09:44 AM

Boss HM-2? Pretty aggressive sounding distortion and it retains the lows well. Plus it's cheap and most importantly ANALOG.

MEKer · #16 07-13-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayliffe

get a ****ing Boss DS-1 and call it a day.

IME, I have NEVER seen it work well for bass--and its really marginal on guitar.

Din Of Win · #17 07-13-2010, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEKer

IME, I have NEVER seen it work well for bass--and its really marginal on guitar.

yeah... i'm not a fan. we have one at our house (of 4 musicians) that just sits in the band room because no one wants to use it.

sammyfallen · #18 07-13-2010, 12:28 PM

I'd give the Dan Electro Cool Cat Drive a shot. Very useful pedal, don't be fooled by the low price!

It has a dip switch to give it more of a fuzz tone, a signal blend inside the pedal to go from crisp and bright to dark and syrupy.

And the usual control knobs on top...

We seem to prefer similar styles of music, hence why i'd recommend it...

McSpunckle · #19 07-13-2010, 12:33 PM

A modded DS-1 would sound great for that sorta thing. I used to use a Rat for that sort of distortion, but it does suck away your low end without mods. Turbo rat might not, though.

RCCollins · #20 07-13-2010, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Din Of Win

That's kinda the approach i've been taking.

But any direction as to which cheapies still retain some low end would be rad.

As for making your own... i've been mostly looking at RAT clones... but how about some of the OD clones? (DOD250, Tubescreamer, Klon... etc)

any builds you bother doing of those pedals should incorporate some basic bass mods, like higher value input and output caps at the very least.

but if your budget is up to 150, check out the tb classifieds - all kinds of great bass dirt in there in that range.