Hartke Bass Attack VS. Sansamp BDDI

mellowgerman · #1 02-25-2008, 04:08 PM

I was pretty sure I wanted to get a sansamp bddi until i saw this Hartke pedal. Now, i realize the sansamp is probably much better, but at $130 more is it really worth it? What makes these sooo different that the sansamp almost costs 3 times as much?

40Hz_of_Love · #2 02-25-2008, 04:39 PM

I tried both and prefer Hartke, but it's just that I'm not too fond of SansAmp's tone.

I can tell you what are Hartke's major drawbacks:

1. The tube simulation sound awfull when cranked (but nice in small doses).
2. Te pedal is made for mid scooped sound (nevertheless the sound palette is pretty big).

And everything else about this pedal is actually perfect.

mellowgerman · #3 02-25-2008, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40Hz_of_Love

I tried both and prefer Hartke, but it's just that I'm not too fond of SansAmp's tone.

I can tell you what are Hartke's major drawbacks:

1. The tube simulation sound awfull when cranked (but nice in small doses).
2. Te pedal is made for mid scooped sound (nevertheless the sound palette is pretty big).

And everything else about this pedal is actually perfect.

cool. how is the overdrive function on the hartke? I've found that most of the OD's i've tried lose the low end of my signal, which I hold very dear to my heart and don't enjoy losing...

40Hz_of_Love · #4 02-25-2008, 05:14 PM

There are two knobs - "harmonics" and "mix". The first one is just gain, second one is for blending in the clean signal. "Harmonics" knob till about 3 o'clock sounds like a tube amp. More then that and suddenly it starts sounding like a pigpen field recording.

I can record a sample if you want.

mellowgerman · #5 02-25-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40Hz_of_Love

There are two knobs - "harmonics" and "mix". The first one is just gain, second one is for blending in the clean signal. "Harmonics" knob till about 3 o'clock sounds like a tube amp. More then that and suddenly it starts sounding like a pigpen field recording.

I can record a sample if you want.

that would be amazing!

40Hz_of_Love · #6 02-25-2008, 06:16 PM

Okay, I'll record and post some tomorrow (it's 2 am here).

In the meantime you can check out my band's MySpace - all the basslines there were recorded through the Hartke pedal. The link is in my signature.

CElton · #7 02-25-2008, 06:32 PM

I used one of these last summer for about 20 outdoor shows. No stage gear, just the Hartke VXL and IEM's. It along with my Stingray gave me some of the best tone I've ever had.

If I recall, you can use the preamp and tube emulation without the Hartke notch filter engaged. I think I may need to go dig it out.

Great tool for a good price.

mellowgerman · #8 02-25-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40Hz_of_Love

Okay, I'll record and post some tomorrow (it's 2 am here).

In the meantime you can check out my band's MySpace - all the basslines there were recorded through the Hartke pedal. The link is in my signature.

I like it. trippy

Stromrider · #9 02-25-2008, 07:39 PM

I had one of the VXL's, and regret selling it. It sounded great playing through my custom Hifi system. No traditional cab or head required for good tone with that preamp. Its beyond the "pedal" status even IMO... Be cool if Hartke made a rackmount version.

diechris · #10 02-25-2008, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OP1964

I used one of these last summer for about 20 outdoor shows. No stage gear, just the Hartke VXL and IEM's. It along with my Stingray gave me some of the best tone I've ever had.

If I recall, you can use the preamp and tube emulation without the Hartke notch filter engaged. I think I may need to go dig it out.

Great tool for a good price.

AH! ok... so i had a Hartke VXL and i TRUELY regret selling it... i also had an olp MM bass and i know its not a real stingray but i LOVED the tone i got from using them together.. i later sold the VXL because i needed to fund GAS and traded the olp for a pbass.... anyway.. i have an old clip that i recorded a while back..

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=19058101

its my OLP MM going in to the VXL then going into a cheap $40 behringer mixer... going in the to aux IN on my macbook...

i did it as a joke because a friend back home thought i was joking about jamming a snoop dog song(to give credit where its due... i saw a clip of a TB'er playing this song and i couldnt get it out of my head for weeks haha.)

anyway... i forget what settings i had... but i loved the tone i got.. i may be shooting myself in the foot for hyping this one up... but seriously.. i loved that pedal. only thing i didnt like... was the bypass wasnt that great? its been a while.. but i THINK i remember not caring for bypass tone..

40Hz_of_Love · #11 02-25-2008, 08:06 PM

Yeah, it doesn't even have a real bypass. Even with everything turned off the signal goes through the eq section. But than again I leave it on all the time so I don't need a bypass.

40Hz_of_Love · #12 02-26-2008, 09:38 AM

Samples:

http://centrum.art.pl/varia/hartke.mp3

Warning: lousy playing inside.

mellowgerman · #13 02-26-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40Hz_of_Love

Samples:

http://centrum.art.pl/varia/hartke.mp3

Warning: lousy playing inside.

sounds great man. thanks a lot!

40Hz_of_Love · #14 02-26-2008, 12:17 PM

I'm sure that in the year 2058 someone will post this message on future talkbass:

Hey guys, how do I get this Hartke VXL tone?

And there will be tons of replies:

Oh man, use the search function, it's been answered 100 times already!

And:

It's discontinued since 2010, but they sometimes pop up on ebay, but the price is around $1000.

343 Salty Beans · #15 02-26-2008, 03:31 PM

40Hz, what's the signal path for this recording, just for info?

40Hz_of_Love · #16 02-26-2008, 06:05 PM

The signal went through my whole pedalboard, but everything except Hartke was disengaged.

EDIT: rickenfaker bass -> pedalboard -> esi maya44 soundcard

mellowgerman · #17 02-27-2008, 12:00 PM

thanks a lot man. I'm sold. haha
actually i'll get two so that in 2058 I can sell one for $1000 and keep the other for myself

varunkapahi · #18 02-27-2008, 12:10 PM

ummmmmm yeah but i was told the world would end in another 50 years

mellowgerman · #19 02-27-2008, 02:17 PM

actually, i heard the world was supposed to end on Dec 23, 2012 according to several ancient philosophers and the mayan calendar. but just in case it doesnt, i'll have an extra one to sell!

40Hz_of_Love · #20 02-28-2008, 02:09 PM

I forgot to write about one more issue with this pedal: it's very hard to read the settings on those plain chrome knob caps - virtually impossible on a dimly lit stage. As you can see in my post in "Post your pedalboard" thread I added my own markings on the caps using a pink paint marker. It looks ugly but gets the job done.