My BIGGG overdrive post

rumbler · #1 10-01-2007, 12:59 PM

Hello all who want to help please hang on tight for this mild read so maybe you can help me

So... I have an MXR M80 Bass DI pedal. I originally bought it because apparently Robert Trujillo used it but that just seemed to be old news as he no apprently does not use it anymore. I wanted it mainly for a creamy overdriven sound that he gets with metallica. I have recently retired this pedal and plan to sell it since I cannot get a good sound out of it.

So fast forward to now. I am in a death metal band and we have only one guitarist. I need an overdrive that sounds good enough to keep on all the time and will give me that phat overdrive with a TOUCH of grit behind the solos. I have been looking extensively into this and I even checked the overdrive roundup in bassplayer. Of all that I have heard from here and everywhere right now the main ones I am looking into are the BJFE Blueberry bass ovderdrive and the FUlltone bass overdrive(the new mosfet one). From soundclips I hear I am leaning more towards the Blueberry as it retains more bottom but then again I read that it is discontinued and I also don't want to have "muddy" bottom end. The fulltone sounds good but more harsh. So if anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate it very much.

It's very hard to fin overdrive sounclips of metal playing but then again maybe some of you guys can help me out. So shout out any other suggestions (besides sansamp and mxr) and if anyone knows for sure whether those blueberries are really discontinued or not.

BTW i play a 6 string John Myung sig bass through an eden nemesis 410 combo soon to be a wt1205 with a 6x10 cab!

Thanks
Andrew

bongomania · #2 10-01-2007, 01:53 PM

It's not that the Blueberries are discontinued per se, it's that the guy who makes them only makes a very small quantity of pedals, and only certain models now and then from what I can tell, so any specific BJFE pedal is often not available. But keep your eyes open, they do show up sometimes, especially (a) here in the TB classifieds, and (b) in European online shops.

It sounds like you have already done some searching and reading here; did you like the soundclips of the HBE Hematoma, the OLC Flipster, or the EHX English Muff'n?

RickenBoogie · #3 10-01-2007, 02:43 PM

I'll throw one at you for your consideration. The EBS Valve Drive. It's a tube driven pre, and it's very natural sounding. Gets a good gritty od, and has basically two voices, vintage and modern. Try to check one out, it may be just what you seek.

assboglin · #4 10-01-2007, 02:54 PM

I've posted quite a few dirtbox soundclips. Check them out:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/search...archid=5631210

I've owned two of the fulltones, and while they're great for clarity, they cut significant bottom in all the modes except comp cut, and I don't really think they'd be your thing. A lot of people will disagree with me, but I think perhaps (if you haven't already) you should check out the Boss Bass Overdrive for your sake. Most people know it for it's buzzy fuzz, but it can do more than that if you put the settings right, like gain less than 1/4th with a healthy amount of clean signal blended in for an overdrive that should give you better bottom than the fulltone.

rumbler · #5 10-01-2007, 10:37 PM

I guess there isnt much opinion on this subject since these aren't very well known pedals?

bongomania · #6 10-01-2007, 10:39 PM

No, you've got it wrong. I got it wrong too, you haven't searched or read anything at all here, have you?

There are literally hundreds of posts in dozens of threads on all of these pedals. Read them.

Calexia13 · #7 10-01-2007, 11:11 PM

Rumbler,

I have had a few, the ones that I liked the most are the HBE HEMATOMA which retains good bottom end and also has a boost channel on it that you can use independently of the OD it's about 5 Decibels I think, it's a very warm OD not cutting like the Bassdrive.

The other that I have is the Tube Blower which is a modded 808 circuit to include a treble and bass knob in addition to volume and drive so this thing has a dedicated bass knob and the ability to have too much bass, which is good in a bass players case

I also have a modded rat and a regular rat which are pretty cool except that the bass gets cut so I counter act this by putting a sonic stomp after the pedal and bringing in as much bass as I need or want. Actually if you find a guitar drive you like you can put the bass that it cuts out back into your signal by putting a BBE sonic stomp at the end of the chain. Has anyone else found this to be the case?

Try also Bearpaw growler it's interresting design, it's a 2 tube pedal, it has a Power tube and a preamp tube so that you can get Power tube overdrive in your signal. the one I have gets too much noise in the chain to use live but I understand he's come up with a mod that significantly quiets the hum. Good OD man!

If I think of any others I'll chime in again. Good luck with your OD search.

--Ed

KarateKid25 · #8 10-02-2007, 12:05 AM

This website is currently selling new Blue Berrys. The price has gone up a bit from the last batch by the looks of it.

A lot of mystery surrounds these pedals. Are they still being made etc? As bongo said, im pretty sure they are, but in batches. They are not always readily available.

I recently got one from the TB classifieds. I have never been more happy with a pedal purchase! I really don't know where to begin, other than to say that IMO the Blue Berry is it for bass OD. The tone is amazing from nice and clean to thick and gritty with bucketloads of low end.

Its a really nice pedal that I will be backing for some time to come. I even considered a back up in case this one went for a walk somewhere. I would be devastated. Get one!

KarateKid25 · #9 10-02-2007, 12:05 AM

Dear James,

Yes, I do still make the 3BOD, in fact I just made one today and I am most glad you enjoy yours.

Sure, if anything happens to your unit you can always reach me and I will help you.

bjfelectronics@mac.com

is my mail address

At your service
BJ

rumbler · #10 10-02-2007, 09:59 AM

Thanks for all the help so far guys.

As of now I am leaning indefinitely towards the blueberry just because it sounds awesome. I am hearing though that it is a fuzz pedal that distorts the lows as well. If this is the case I am not interested, I am only interested in big creamy deep overdrive, and if this pedal can deliver then I'm down!

Andrew

saladin · #11 10-02-2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

you should check out the Boss Bass Overdrive for your sake

I agree. I hated it at first but after playing with the settings I found it quite useful. By setting the gain half or less and balancing the blend more towards the clean signal, it will really cut thru and sounds excellent. The low end available is scary!!!

bassgod0dmw · #12 10-02-2007, 10:40 AM

Robert uses SVT's doesn't he? I would say that if you're looking for a slightly overdriven sound, that a tube amp would be the way to go...not an Eden. There is no need for a pedal...just the amp.

rumbler · #13 10-02-2007, 01:18 PM

Hello Andrew,

The Blueberry Bass Overdrive is perhaps a 'gentleman's' bassoverdrive. It can get fairly distorted but it's not a fuzz.
It was initially designed to give the kind of distortion bass guitar often had on tracks before the extreme Hi Fi bass amps

Yes it is still made

At your service
Björn Juhl
BJF Electronics
Sweden
www.bjfelectronics.com
www.mpamp.com
bjfelectronics@mac.com

YOu guys have any idea what he means by a gentlemens overdrive?

bongomania · #14 10-02-2007, 01:19 PM

Meaning not nasty, snarly, lead-guitar shreddy, etc. It has a vintage thumpy boom, not a grindy shred.

tumpinjahosafat · #15 10-02-2007, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saladin

I agree. I hated it at first but after playing with the settings I found it quite useful. By setting the gain half or less and balancing the blend more towards the clean signal, it will really cut thru and sounds excellent. The low end available is scary!!!

i had that pedal shortly and found that the noise that came through just by engaging it and not even playing was rediculous. I mean, it was like a freakin tsunami commin at me, i couldnt bare with it so i got the ashdown drive plus pedal. and i like it alot but theres some volume drop when engaged. MOD!

Calexia13 · #16 10-02-2007, 02:56 PM

Dude, I'm telling you man, if you want to spend 350 bucks for the BFJ, dont' do it until you try out the HBE Hematoma, it's about 145 bucks. Very good low growl and warm tone. Has anyone else here tried the Hematoma, do you know if it's comparable in tone to the JFJ?

--Ed

assboglin · #17 10-02-2007, 03:21 PM

The Hematoma has a lot more gain available, and the minimum gain on the Hematoma is still fairly high in comparison to what I've heard from the BJF. I did some soundclips:

Hematoma Bass Overdrive/Preamp SOUNDCLIPS

KarateKid25 · #18 10-02-2007, 04:38 PM

+1 The HBE is pretty high gain. The HBE and the BBOD are quite different sounding.

The blue berry is not a fuzz IMO. Only on the most driven setting does it get a fuzzy type tone, so I wouldn't say its a fuzz.

rumbler · #19 10-03-2007, 07:49 AM

Well it looks like I'm going to settle on the blueberry. Now I just have to convince my parents to let me use their visa so I can buy it online!!!! Btw where the hell can I find one of those things?

Thanks for all your help guys!!!!!!!
Andrew

KarateKid25 · #20 10-03-2007, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumbler

Btw where the hell can I find one of those things?

There is a link in post 8 of this thread.