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12-26-2008, 06:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Monopoli (Bari), Italy | | | Heavy Distortion
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I have a problem with distortions: I can't ever seem to achieve what I really want 
I need some heavy distortion (or quite heavy anyway). Modern, not vintage sounding (so Muffs are out of the question, probably).
My biggest concern is that it must sound good (thick, aggressive, etc.) both with fingers and with a pick (many distortions, such as the one in the MXR M-80, only sound great with a pick).
I have a BOSS ODB-3 at the moment, and I don't like the way it sounds, it may be thick, but it is very scooped and it doesn't cut through the mix 
I am getting a Ibanez PD-7 now, which seems to sound better than the ODB-3 (despite costing not even half as much!  ), but is kinda "dry", it isn't bad actually, but I know I can do better, what would you suggest?
I was looking at the MXR Blowtorch, which looks exactly what I'm looking for, having EQ control for the mids as well, but I don't know if it sounds aggressive as well or just "thick", if you get what I mean.
Is there something else I should look at? Not too expensive, maybe (not more than, let's say, €150, which is about 180USD, or £120, but still, I could consider more expensive stuff, if it's really worth it).
Last edited by Boneless : 12-26-2008 at 06:26 AM.
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12-26-2008, 07:52 AM
|  | Jack Grundle and Chad Choad
Builder for FUZZROCIOUS PEDALS | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Mount Laurel, NJ | | It depends on which muff you're playing...The GGG-tuned is VERY agressive, so is the green russian and the ram's head.
A blowtorch is thick and agressive.
Both of these pedals will keep your low end.
Check out bassfuzz.com for your needs. Watch the vids and listen to the clips...That'll get your GAS goin'. |
12-26-2008, 09:29 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: sheffield, england | | | tonebender clones ;>
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12-26-2008, 09:42 AM
|  | Lookout! Here comes the Fuzz! Moderator | | Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MO | | Quote:
Originally Posted by roflol  tonebender clones ;> | MK 1.5, II, 3 or 4?  |
12-26-2008, 09:45 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia | | | Boss MT-2 Metal Zone, HM-2 Heavy Metal, HM-3 Hyper Metal (the same thing as the HM-2, but different name), Metal Muff and, uh, one of the Proco Rats. anyone of thoe will give you heavy distortionation.
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12-26-2008, 09:54 AM
| | | | MI Audio Crunch Box, modded DS-1 |
12-26-2008, 10:03 AM
| | βΘИΞКЯŲŜĦÏИĞ ŦΘИΞ® #1 | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Florida | | | MXR Blowtorch. |
12-26-2008, 12:15 PM
| | | | Pro Co Rat with a bass EQ pedal after it will do the job
I use all kind of OD\Distortion pedals that are made for guitar in combination with the EQ
to keep the low end and sometimes to boost the high frequencies |
12-26-2008, 12:22 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Almada, Portugal | | | |
12-26-2008, 12:25 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Springfield, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by noxweb | wantwantwantwant
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Originally Posted by Moe Monsarrat If you can play like Geddy without listening to him you may have something. Try not listening to Jaco as well. | |
12-26-2008, 12:36 PM
|  | I'm a tumbler, born under punches | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Northern California | | | Well, here are my thoughts.
1) You'll get better answers if you can be more specific. A link to the kind of tone you're looking for would help a lot, as would details on your gear and what kind of music you play.
2) Are you sure you want a heavy distortion and not a fuzz? Several of the pedals you mentioned (Blowtorch, Muff some might argue the ODB-3) are fuzzes.
3) If you want to cut through, the Bassdrive might be up your alley as it has a pretty mid focused sound. It doesn't get heavy, but it does get crunchy and cuts through well. As fuzzes go, the Wren & Cuff Pickle Pie B might be worth checking out too.
4) The Blowtorch is very midfocused, but it is also a very synthy, buzzy sounding fuzz where your lows are left untouched by the effect. Many people like it. I hated it. Still, I can see what applications it would be good for. Make sure it's what you are looking for as it has a very distinct sound.
Not that it helps much without knowing what sounds you really want to achieve, but some of the pedals I've used for heavy distortion are: Tech 21 XXLB (with or without the SansAmp BDDI), ProCo Rat, Landmine LD-1, and currently the HAO Rust Ride. The Rat and the Rust Ride lose lows so they work best in the loop of a blender.
Hope that helps. |
12-26-2008, 12:40 PM
| | I'm a tumbler, born under punches | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Northern California | | Quote:
Originally Posted by GearHeadBassMan wantwantwantwant | The XXLB is still one of my favorite heavy distortions even though it was finally knocked off my board a month or so ago.
But one thing to bear in mind is that all but the last of those samples also have the SansAmp BDDI in the chain. It's a killer combo for heavy, crunchy sounds, though you have to EQ the BDDI well so that you cut through. |
12-26-2008, 12:43 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Springfield, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBigO The XXLB is still one of my favorite heavy distortions even though it was finally knocked off my board a month or so ago.
But one thing to bear in mind is that all but the last of those samples also have the SansAmp BDDI in the chain. It's a killer combo for heavy, crunchy sounds, though you have to EQ the BDDI well so that you cut through. | yeah, the clip without the bddi really shows the weakness there.
butttt, a bddi is the first thing in mah signal chain! wooooo! wantwantwant!
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by Moe Monsarrat If you can play like Geddy without listening to him you may have something. Try not listening to Jaco as well. | |
12-26-2008, 01:12 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Monopoli (Bari), Italy | | Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBigO Well, here are my thoughts.
[...] | OK, you're right 
Now, I play in a post-rock instrumental band, but let's say I don't really have the genre's typical sound, you could listen to something on my Myspace just to let you understand: www.myspace.com/labibliotecadeserta
Let's say I'd like, erm... a Muse-ish kind of sound, although more aggressive and "dirty", much less compressed as well (less synth-like, in short). Or at least, being able to range from a more "synth-y" sound to a heavier, spikier sound, having more of the string and fret buzz coming through it (not the dry signal, I mean actually "in" the effect).
You could say I'd like more of a fuzz than a distortion... a fuzzy distortion, probably, would be the best way to describe it, since proper fuzzes tend to completely disregard tonal subtleties in the way you play (as in, playing harder or softer, using a pick or fingers, playing closer to the neck or to the bridge), while I'd like something more "reactive", to maybe "synth up" by cutting the tone on the bass.
And, er, I don't really need a XXL kind of sound, keep in mind I have a Bad Monkey (which I want to mod) and a Yerasov GT-2 (russian copy of the Sansamp GT-2), which will both be blended with the dry signal (as soon as I buy the damned thing).
Last edited by Boneless : 12-26-2008 at 01:17 PM.
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12-26-2008, 01:14 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Michigan | | | Really? The MXR Bass DI is one of the only distortions that I really liked fingerstyle. But if you don't play really hard with your fingers, it's my opinion that pretty much any distortion is going to sound like garbage fingerstyle. Trying to find a distortion that sounds good when you don't really dig in is a really tall order in my experience. |
12-26-2008, 01:16 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Monopoli (Bari), Italy | | The BOSS ODB-3 sounds "right" playing with the fingers, both if you dig in or you play "normally", the thing is it doesn't cut through the mix, plus it is too harsh on the high frequencies
I'd like something "like" it, but better |
12-26-2008, 01:38 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Michigan | | | Well that makes sense because the ODB-3 is perhaps the least touch sensitive box you can get. Anything "better" is going to be more touch sensitive, and therefore might sound like crap when you play fingerstyle "normally". Just keep that in mind because you may have to compromise on that. |
12-26-2008, 01:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Monopoli (Bari), Italy | | Well, I could always use a booster anyway (I have an extra compressor I could use as a booster just for the distortions, I won't be able to sell it, ever, since it's not that good  ), the thing is that for example the M-80 sounded quite "weak". Nice, but "weak" for what I'm looking for (that is, over-the-top distortion). Nice with a pick, but because it's a kind of distortion that spikes up your sound, rather than thicken it. Again, nice, very nice, and I may get it for my normal distortion duties, but for heavy distortion, I'd like something thick, that "screams" rather than grunt.
Last edited by Boneless : 12-26-2008 at 01:59 PM.
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12-26-2008, 03:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Jackson, MO | | | I grabbed a Line 6 UberMetal. Apparently it doesn't sound as good as I think (and everyone that hears me play it), because it continues to be the pedal that almost never gets brought up. I think it has more range and flexibility than alot of pedals that get mentioned for having range and flexibility. It gets pretty gnarly with the gain turned up, and has enough EQ to bring out whatever you want. Oh, and it has a noise gate built in (kinda adjustable), and 3 distinctly different distortions.
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12-26-2008, 07:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baton Rouge | | | i somewhat asked this same question a few weeks ago.
check out the dod 250 turbo rat or the bass pedal rat has...and the fulltone ocd
to me the 250 gives me a really good push and its very beefy.
Last edited by fruitysquirts : 12-26-2008 at 07:40 PM.
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