Help me find the right distortion / overdrive

Earwigger · #1 10-30-2008, 03:17 AM

I have owned 3 bass distortion pedals and have not been happy with the tones on any of them.

I had an ODB-3 for a while, and it was WAY too heavy and over the top. You couldn't get a mild amount of grind if you wanted to (which is what I am looking for).

I have an Ibanez PD-7 that is closer to what I want, but still too aggressive. When you turn the Drive level down it just lowers the overall volume.

I then got a BassBalls (unheard or unseen), and it's not really a distortion pedal, it just fluctuates the sound and is sort of cheesy and weird. I like the non-distorted auto-wah effect, though. My keyboardist loves it and is using it with his Rhodes, so not a total loss

What I need is a quality, mild distortion, that allows me to adjust how much drive/heaviness is being made on a linear curve scale when I turn the knob. I don't want it to sound like signal noise, either. Can someone give me some suggestions?

atheos · #2 10-30-2008, 03:39 AM

Are you sure it's distortion that you're looking for? If the tone you're looking for is overdrive you've been looking at the wrong pedals.

I suggest you try an Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer and Tech21 Bass Driver DI. Maybe an EBS drive too although they're bit too fuzzy and analogue synth-like for my liking. TS9 or BDDI are not too heavy but both add nice crunch that's probably as heavy as you need if ODB-3 is too heavy for you.

EDIT: Try the Tech21 VT Bass too. How could I forget that one...?

ihateusernames · #3 10-30-2008, 05:32 PM

tell us more - things like what bass, strings, technique/style, amp, cab, and desired tone with examples if you could?

lowbass68 · #4 10-30-2008, 06:37 PM

If you get a chance to try a Fulltone Bass Drive, it can go from mild OD to heavy with the right tweeking.

Dynasoar · #5 10-30-2008, 07:49 PM

I'm using a modded Boss SD-1 to original TS9 specs and it works great for a mild amount of grind, but I do lose some low end. I think a BDDI would work great as well, or a Fulltone Bassdrive.

Ampeg SVT · #6 10-30-2008, 07:50 PM

Im going to suggest the BassDrive Mosfet as well.

depalm · #7 10-30-2008, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ampeg SVT

Im going to suggest the BassDrive Mosfet as well.

+1

B.C. · #8 10-30-2008, 10:17 PM

[quote=atheos;6464843]Are you sure it's distortion that you're looking for? If the tone you're looking for is overdrive you've been looking at the wrong pedals.

I suggest you try an Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer and Tech21 Bass Driver DI.

+1 on the Tech 21, especially if you are giong for the typical rock-mid scooped sound. Fulltone Bassdrive, though I have not used it, seems like a popular one here so +1

basslover24 · #9 10-30-2008, 10:31 PM

I rock a Marshall Guv'nor. Its an overdrive/distortion pedal for guitars, but with the right tweaking ive gotten everything from soft growl to "wow that sounds like a guitar!"

Geezerman · #10 10-30-2008, 10:48 PM

Earwigger · #11 10-31-2008, 02:41 AM

Thanks everyone for the replies! I used to have a SansAmp BDDI and couldn't get it to sound how I wanted. It was easy to overdrive it but I thought the overdrive sounded more like clipping then distortion.

I play a Warwick $$ NT 5-string. I use Warwick black label strings. I play through a Roland D-Bass 2x10 and 1x15. I only play fingerstyle. I will make a trip to GC and try as many of these as I can. I have never tried the Ibanez TS reissue with a bass but I used it with a gui$ar and it was one of my more favored.

I am looking for Entwistle's distorted sound. He uses it on the recording for My Generation and a lot of times live. That's the best example of what I want my bass to sound like.

tapp01 · #12 10-31-2008, 03:09 AM

Bad Monkey

Geezerman · #13 10-31-2008, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earwigger

Thanks everyone for the replies! I used to have a SansAmp BDDI and couldn't get it to sound how I wanted. It was easy to overdrive it but I thought the overdrive sounded more like clipping then distortion.

I play a Warwick $$ NT 5-string. I use Warwick black label strings. I play through a Roland D-Bass 2x10 and 1x15. I only play fingerstyle. I will make a trip to GC and try as many of these as I can. I have never tried the Ibanez TS reissue with a bass but I used it with a gui$ar and it was one of my more favored.

I am looking for Entwistle's distorted sound. He uses it on the recording for My Generation and a lot of times live. That's the best example of what I want my bass to sound like.

I have the perfect Entwhistle sound using my ATK and that sansamp today, its amazing, sounds exactly like the isolated clip of him live on youtube when using the hammer technique plucking right on the fretboard.