My Sans Amp VT Bass Review.

lovenotfear · #1 03-12-2009, 08:04 AM

I got mine yesterday, and I gigged with it about 2 hours after getting it, I plugged it in this order: USA G&L L2500 into the VT Bass, then to my SWR Working Pro 700 watt head with the Goliath 3 cab.

This thing is impressive, it is as versatile as they say, does it color your sound?, definitely yes, But I love it, It really did make my SWR amp sound live an ampeg svt, I plugged it in at rehearsal before the gig, right away the guitar player turned around and said what happened to you tone, i said what do you mean, he said it sounds huge, i told him about the pedal, he said he thought it sounded like an ampeg.

This pedal does not get hi-fi sounds (this could be good or bad depending on what you like) but it is in your face, and the low end from this pedal is huge, but the high end can be a bit harsh (have some clank) but you can eq it to be mellower and the clank goes away, and let me tell you the eq is so sensitive, a little goes a long way, the pedal will get you that tube grit and or fuzz similar to the big muff, or a sound close to the bass player of tool and or rage against the machine, or a motown type sound like the bassline on the song "I'll be there", and even a heavy distortion sound (it can most definitely be used as a distortion pedal) and it sounds good at it to, It sounds like an expensive distortion pedal when set in the mode for distortion (if you turn up the character and the drive knob to max) it sounds heavy like death metal.

The Pedal screams quality, it is built very well, this is probably the most versatile and realistic sounding pedal I have ever owned, the only down side is that just like a real amp, it can feed back, but if you know how to use it, it wont, but in a way that is a good thing, it acts like a real amp, and that is what i like about it.

rratajski · #2 03-12-2009, 08:41 AM

You may want to look into adding/linking clips or video that you've done to review it w/ pics.
There's also a 43 page (and growing) thread about the Tech 21 VT Bass here: Tech 21 VT Bass.

Marill · #3 03-12-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovenotfear

This pedal does not get hi-fi sounds (this could be good or bad depending on what you like) but it is in your face, and the low end from this pedal is huge

I'm interested to know if you found the sound to be boomy and muddy? Because usually if the low end is huge, in a band setting, it's high chance the sound gets muddy and boomy.

johnnycat42 · #4 03-12-2009, 09:38 AM

I like this pedal so much I want to use it as my main preamp. I would like to run it like a normal SANSAMP BDDI though. Could I run this into a Passive Radial JDI direct box and send the colored tone to the board and my power amp at the same time?

dannybuoy · #5 03-12-2009, 09:59 AM

Yeah (I have a VT & JDI), but if you've got the volume cranked on the VT you might need to engage the pad on the JDI to stop overloading the inputs at the desk.

johnnycat42 · #6 03-12-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Yeah (I have a VT & JDI), but if you've got the volume cranked on the VT you might need to engage the pad on the JDI to stop overloading the inputs at the desk.

Are you using it live like that at this point? If so, how is it working?

dannybuoy · #7 03-12-2009, 10:25 AM

Not at this point as I quit my band a while ago, but I used it a couple of times live. Worked very well, it was nice to get a beefy tone through the PA for a change!

McHack · #8 03-12-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Yeah (I have a VT & JDI), but if you've got the volume cranked on the VT you might need to engage the pad on the JDI to stop overloading the inputs at the desk.

I run it straight into my amps input jack, so the clip light tells me where I'm at....

lovenotfear · #9 03-12-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marill

I'm interested to know if you found the sound to be boomy and muddy? Because usually if the low end is huge, in a band setting, it's high chance the sound gets muddy and boomy.

i wouldn't say it is boomy, i could see where it could be, but a few turns of the eq knobs and it sounds clear, i would say it has allot of high end, and low end, to combat that, you turn up the mid knob and turn the low knob down and the high knob down a little, it really can get any vintage ampeg tone you want, you just have to work with its eq, and your amps eq.

lovenotfear · #10 03-12-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

You may want to look into adding/linking clips or video that you've done to review it w/ pics.
There's also a 43 page (and growing) thread about the Tech 21 VT Bass here: Tech 21 VT Bass.

ya i want to do that as soon as i get a chance, hopefully soon.

mrkreuzschlitz · #11 03-12-2009, 03:51 PM

does ANYONE have any sound clips?
I can't find any... :/

CliftonBonney · #12 03-12-2009, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrkreuzschlitz

does ANYONE have any sound clips?
I can't find any... :/

Go check out the video review at www.bassplayer.tv. I think you select Basses and Gear, then Gear Preview, and then find the VT Bass.

jetofuj · #13 03-13-2009, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovenotfear

This pedal does not get hi-fi sounds (this could be good or bad depending on what you like) but it is in your face, and the low end from this pedal is huge, but the high end can be a bit harsh (have some clank) but you can eq it to be mellower and the clank goes away, and let me tell you the eq is so sensitive, a little goes a long way, the pedal will get you that tube grit and or fuzz similar to the big muff, or a sound close to the bass player of tool and or rage against the machine, or a motown type sound like the bassline on the song "I'll be there", and even a heavy distortion sound (it can most definitely be used as a distortion pedal) and it sounds good at it to, It sounds like an expensive distortion pedal when set in the mode for distortion (if you turn up the character and the drive knob to max) it sounds heavy like death metal.

I have a different opinion on this subject. VT is a great pedal for all those full, tube sounds. It's also excellent as an overdrive, but when it comes to fuzz or distortion - it's horrible. When you crank those knobs too much you loose all the bottom and only harsh high end remains. I understand that somebody still may like it, but saying that it sounds like an expensive distortion is an overstatement.

Aurel · #14 03-13-2009, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetofuj

I have a different opinion on this subject. VT is a great pedal for all those full, tube sounds. It's also excellent as an overdrive, but when it comes to fuzz or distortion - it's horrible. When you crank those knobs too much you loose all the bottom and only harsh high end remains. I understand that somebody still may like it, but saying that it sounds like an expensive distortion is an overstatement.

This is true if you use the suggested distorted settings in the manual with the character knob set between one to five o'clock.

But if you crank up the gain and keep the character knob down between seven to twelve o'clock approximately, you'll get a great tubey overdrive/distortion with no harsh high mids or highs. Then, you can still use the EQ to suit your bass/palying style/taste.

dannybuoy · #15 03-13-2009, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrkreuzschlitz

does ANYONE have any sound clips?
I can't find any... :/

Here's mine from the VT Bass thread:

Tech 21 VT Bass

Lisaw · #16 03-13-2009, 02:49 AM

The Pedal screams quality, it is built very well, this is probably the most versatile and realistic sounding pedal I have ever owned, the only down side is that just like a real amp, it can feed back, but if you know how to use it, it wont, but in a way that is a good thing, it acts like a real amp, and that is what i like about it.

Lisaw
Workout Programs

dannybuoy · #17 03-13-2009, 03:46 AM

I think there was just a glitch in the Matrix...

lovenotfear · #18 03-13-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurel

This is true if you use the suggested distorted settings in the manual with the character knob set between one to five o'clock.

But if you crank up the gain and keep the character knob down between seven to twelve o'clock approximately, you'll get a great tubey overdrive/distortion with no harsh high mids or highs. Then, you can still use the EQ to suit your bass/palying style/taste.

exactly, i agree 100%, that is what i did, and dont forget you can also adjust things on your amp side as well, but for me it does a great fuzz, you just need to work with it, dont just put it on the settings in the manuel, but experiment, and you will find many more things it can do.