Help me choose a new overdrive!

Pills Are Yummy · #1 03-06-2013, 12:30 AM

Whatup

Looking for a new overdrive. I tried the VT bass. I loved how you can use it to make anything sound like an SVT. I didn't love the lack of a blend knob. I tried the digitech XBD. Felt like drop kicking it afterwards. Any recommendations for a good overdrive that can be used in a metal band, that is aggressive, helps me cut through the mix, and lets me keep my mids and lows? Yes, I looked at the darkglass, and I'm enthralled, but I really don't feel like dropping $400 on one single pedal. So I'd like something similar to that without the price tag.

Thanks!
Pills

TRyan5289 · #2 03-06-2013, 12:33 AM

I like pedals with the tube screamer circuit.

Soppy Hat · #3 03-06-2013, 12:42 AM

$400? The B3K can be had for $245 on Prymaxe right now, I think they have a sale going on.

I use a little bit of RAT distortion through an ODB-3 with treble cut/bass boosted. It's cheap and it sounds great, heavy and quite overdrivey. Plus, I can get gated fuzz and long-sustain synth sounds if I play with the knobs enough.

The ODB-3 is okay by itself, it's cheap, but... ehh. To me it seems a little thin at times.

I would check out Devi Ever's Black Spider. It's a combination heavy distortion/overdrive. It rawks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=pTd3SJM3fQc

Frenchy-Lefty · #4 03-06-2013, 12:46 AM

Mxr M89 Bass Overdrive $129. Should ship this month and looks very promissing. You get a blend knob too.

cnltb · #5 03-06-2013, 12:55 AM

I find these very tempting...
The Holy fire
http://www.creationaudiolabs.com/holyfire
and the silverstone...best I have heard in person.
http://musiciansounddesign.de/
other than that...
This might be fun...
http://www.seymourduncan.com/tonefie...out-a-battery/

Epitaph04 · #6 03-06-2013, 12:57 AM

FaithNoMan · #7 03-06-2013, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pills Are Yummy

Whatup

Looking for a new overdrive. I tried the VT bass. I loved how you can use it to make anything sound like an SVT. I didn't love the lack of a blend knob. I tried the digitech XBD. Felt like drop kicking it afterwards. Any recommendations for a good overdrive that can be used in a metal band, that is aggressive, helps me cut through the mix, and lets me keep my mids and lows? Yes, I looked at the darkglass, and I'm enthralled, but I really don't feel like dropping $400 on one single pedal. So I'd like something similar to that without the price tag.

Thanks!
Pills

I loooove the B3K and usually recommend it, but if you love the VT and hate its' lack of options...Tech21 has something in store for you!

http://tech21nyc.com/products/sansamp/vtbassdi.html

And Bob's your uncle.

willbassyeah · #8 03-06-2013, 01:37 AM

+1 on b3k.. Really for aggressive metal sound no other pedal do it better than b3k. Tube screamer sounds very farty with bass imo, try to get the 15% off from prymaxe they have it v often.

**Razzmatazz** · #9 03-06-2013, 02:06 AM

I've tried a few, but so far I'm always back with the B3K. Its characteristics won't change too much whether I use a passive or active bass or if I change the preamplification. The next on my list to try out is the Pork Loin. Looking for something that will sound darker and different but not to replace.

johnk_10 · #10 03-06-2013, 02:13 AM

IMO, the holy fire is an awesome pedal. i'll never part with mine.

TRyan5289 · #11 03-06-2013, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willbassyeah

+1 on b3k.. Really for aggressive metal sound no other pedal do it better than b3k. Tube screamer sounds very farty with bass imo, try to get the 15% off from prymaxe they have it v often.

Sorry to hear that about your experience, there are many tube screamer based pedals out there.

Venom of God · #12 03-06-2013, 02:31 AM

I have an Agro that I use for fast metal sounds and dig, I really like the look of the B3K too though (just can't justify both). I use a Pork Loin for most other things (heaaaaps fatter than the Agro and just super cool played through an Ampeg at full volume).

FaithNoMan · #13 03-06-2013, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willbassyeah

+1 on b3k.. Really for aggressive metal sound no other pedal do it better than b3k. Tube screamer sounds very farty with bass imo, try to get the 15% off from prymaxe they have it v often.

I use mine for an early Billy Gould'ish/Paul D'Amour sound, but yeah - that pedal seems to thrive on metallic grind, and does it better than any pedal I have tried.

Not saying it can't do anything else, b/c it certainly can, but I've found nothing like it for simultaneously sitting in a mix and being able to cut through so aggressively at the same time

I think the Agro has a great sound as well, but nowhere near the ability to cut through thick guitars like the B3K.

**speak2planets** · #14 03-06-2013, 11:44 AM

I just scored my B7K from a place in Oregon for $350 shipped. I can't remember their name but I got in touch with them through an eBay search for a B7K

babi · #15 03-06-2013, 01:07 PM

I have just gone through the same quest (need for crunch, low on budget). My solution was the Fulltone OCD. Cuts through harsh guitars, keeps the low end surprisingly well, and the controls are simple and intuitive. Give it a try!

sam adams · #16 03-06-2013, 01:17 PM

The Fulltone OCD is my favorite overdrive for bass(and guitar actually). It has enough gain to give you a thick wall of crunch and sustain while keeping chord clarity and tight response. It has good headroom to clean/volume boost with. It doesn't rob you of low end like a tube screamer and the tone control is very usable for getting it to "sit right" in the mix.

I'm also a fan of Rat pedals with bass. The Fuzzrocious Rat Tail is sort of the bee's knees right now as far as super bass friendly Rat mod/clones go IMO.

45acp · #17 03-06-2013, 01:26 PM

When you guys say the tube screamer is farty and cuts low end... is this while running the drive and mix wide open trying to get the most distortion out of it? I use a TS9B and never had that problem... in fact it doesnt cut any low end.

sam adams · #18 03-06-2013, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 45acp

When you guys say the tube screamer is farty and cuts low end... is this while running the drive and mix wide open trying to get the most distortion out of it? I use a TS9B and never had that problem... in fact it doesnt cut any low end.

I've had a TS808, Maxon OD808 and a TS9. They all robbed low end when engaged. And I wouldn't say farty personally, kind of the opposite logically.

It's sort of what made the Tube Screamer popular. Adding gain while "tightening" up your tone because it cuts a little low end and the tone control can add an annoying amount of midrange honk. Fed into something already distorted or breaking up and it can be an excellent way to saturate your gain levels while keeping clarity. But as a stand alone overdrive I am so against them for guitar and bass. Haha.

TS9B being made with bass in mind, makes sense that it would not suffer that same problem.

TRyan5289 · #19 03-06-2013, 01:45 PM

I use my tube screamer with a blend pedal, so I have no low end loss.

mmbongo · #20 03-06-2013, 04:31 PM

Hardwire Tube Overdrive. Tube Screamer-ish, but with no low end loss (heck it can even ADD low end). Amazing pedal, and foolishly overlooked by many. I've owned most pedals mentioned here (but not Darkglass...yet) and Hardwire dogs them all. If you want to really destroy things, run a Hardwire Valve Distortion into it. Unreal.

Best thing is you can usually get either one for around $70 used.