Overdriving a tube preamp... Any suggestions?

[OxygenWaster]

I have an Ampeg SVP-Pro, and I usually love the clean, smooth sound it gives me, but lately I've been craving that overdriven tube sound you here in the punk scene... The sound of an SVT grinding away. I've tried turning the drive on the SVP all the way up, with little done to my tone. Do I need a distortion pedal? If so, any suggestions on a good one that achieves that sound I'm been itching for?

[Rock-Bassman]

what bass are you using? active or passive? that may very well help decide if your pre will overdrive or not. if it has two pickups like a jazz then it should come close to an svt.

[stingray69]

I would recommend something by SansAmp, maybe the VT Bass Pedal (although I've yet to try that one). My main pre for a couple of years was the SVP Pro, but it didn't give me the full-on SVT tones I was looking for, and unfortunately exhibited a bit of hiss at stage volumes that I could not remedy through tube experimentation. As you may or may not already know, the SansAmp stuff is 100% analog SS gear meant to emulate the SVT sound (among other Ampeg tones) & it does it brilliantly. So if you dig the Ampeg sound (and your gear profile definitely suggests yes), you'd probably love a SansAmp of some variety.

[RickenBoogie]

A clean boost in front of that preamp would also drive it into some tasty saturation.

[roflol]

that ampeg overdrive sound comes from the power amp section ;< preamp distortion is very fizzly

[nbtone]

Try an experience pedal.

Originally Posted by OxygenWaster

I have an Ampeg SVP-Pro, and I usually love the clean, smooth sound it gives me, but lately I've been craving that overdriven tube sound you here in the punk scene... The sound of an SVT grinding away. I've tried turning the drive on the SVP all the way up, with little done to my tone. Do I need a distortion pedal? If so, any suggestions on a good one that achieves that sound I'm been itching for?

[OxygenWaster]

Im running an active Warwick. I can get the pre to distort, but it sounds like crap. Fizzly, crackly crap. I can't get a good growl at all.

[OxygenWaster]

Originally Posted by stingray69

I would recommend something by SansAmp, maybe the VT Bass Pedal (although I've yet to try that one). My main pre for a couple of years was the SVP Pro, but it didn't give me the full-on SVT tones I was looking for, and unfortunately exhibited a bit of hiss at stage volumes that I could not remedy through tube experimentation. As you may or may not already know, the SansAmp stuff is 100% analog SS gear meant to emulate the SVT sound (among other Ampeg tones) & it does it brilliantly. So if you dig the Ampeg sound (and your gear profile definitely suggests yes), you'd probably love a SansAmp of some variety.

I had a sansamp DI once... Something that was left to amazing regards as well. I was nothing but disappointed by it. It sucked away my mids and saturated the tone with clangy treble. Because of all of this, I'm a bit sceptical of going the tech21 route again.

[stingray69]

Originally Posted by OxygenWaster

I had a sansamp DI once... Something that was left to amazing regards as well. I was nothing but disappointed by it. It sucked away my mids and saturated the tone with clangy treble. Because of all of this, I'm a bit sceptical of going the tech21 route again.

I was in the same boat 5-6 years, I had a BDDI that I felt sucked too many mids away - I hated the BDDI I had at the time, but in retrospect I was using it all wrong (using too much blend, not starting flat on my main amp, etc.). But in any case, the BDDI is a different animal than the VT pedal I suggested. The VT pedal had a mids knob that allows you to boost (or cut) your mids. I'm not trying to "sell" you on the idea, but I do want to point out that SansAmp makes units with the intention of retaining the mids (PDDI, RPM, & VT pedal).