Light distortion as compressor

Swimming Bird · #1 10-06-2008, 04:50 PM

Does anyone here use a light distortion as a compressor?

I just picked up an Ibanez Mostortion (it's a MOS-FET distortion, but basically a tube screamer with a 3-band EQ), and I found a variety of sounds, but it may work best for me by replacing my BBE Opto Stomp.

Any thoughts? I want to put it late in the chain (DOD FX Env filter >> Whammy IV >> Mostortion >> DOD Bass Grunge >> DD-6), but I'm worried it either won't give me as much compression as I like (a little past noon on the BBE) or distort too much on the volume peaks the FX25 puts out. Problem is, the rest of the board is at my guitarists' place and I won't get to try the configuration until next band practice where I'd rather not spend time experimenting.

Also, I found a sweet circuit bend on this old Ibanez -- it gives me some drones, 8-bit fuzz and tremolo-distortion, all of which are controllable via the EQ knobs.

blastjv · #2 10-12-2010, 09:10 AM

I did this. I found that a very light OD from my Bad Monkey or Xotic Bass BB worked better for me for the kind of compression I wanted than the BBE Opto did. Sounded much more natural to me and behaved more as I expected while playing. The BBE either didn't seem to do anything, or became obvious. I have used it before and liked it, but with this rig it wasn't getting me where I wanted to go.

I can't comment on how it would interact with your FX25. Also, for my purposes, I have it first in my chain.

Hopefully you at least have a practice amp at home where you can find a transparent setting on your Ibanez that would help you to just throw it in front of your rig at practice and sound good with only a couple of minor tweaks...

Good luck,

-John

blastjv · #3 10-12-2010, 09:11 AM

Ummm, this came up in a search and I responded before looking at how old this was. I hope you got this sorted out by now...

-John

aledeville · #4 10-12-2010, 05:08 PM

I have it the other way around. I used the EHX Black Finger to get an overdriven tone. Depending on the input you can almost distort the signal.

Here's a soundfile. It starts clean then with the BF and then more and more gain.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=8705456

shaolinwhat · #5 10-12-2010, 07:28 PM

I wouldn't say it's my first reason for using them, but the compression I get from my VT Bass and Bad Monkey is definitely icing on the cake.

tomhanzo · #6 10-13-2010, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aledeville

I have it the other way around. I used the EHX Black Finger to get an overdriven tone. Depending on the input you can almost distort the signal.

Here's a soundfile. It starts clean then with the BF and then more and more gain.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=8705456

O man that sounds great. I have been looking for opinions on the Black Finger. You use it exactly how I intend to.