SansAmp 3-Channel Driver DI

hecTr0n · #1 03-20-2011, 02:34 AM

anyone own one of these? pretty frustrating not being able to find more than 3 videos anywhere online for a $200 pedal, you would figure something at that price point would have at least a few more.

anyways, sounds samples i have heard are awesome, just wondering how the overdrive sounds. is it just that or is it on the lines of a full on distortion? the MXR M-80 has a full on heavy distortion available but hated the fact that u need to have both buttons pushed down to achieve it. so, any input on tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI overdrive?

was hoping this would hold me off till i get a 2nd dedicated fuzz pedal.

Bassmike62 · #2 03-20-2011, 09:46 AM

I've been using the SansAmp PBDDI for the last 2 years, mostly as a tone shaper. I do have an overdrive setting (inspired by one of the settings in the manual, but with a little more grit) and absolutely love it. I don't use much overdrive in my sound, but will add it if it fits the song (the 2 guitar players in my band play distorted guitars most of the time).

It's pretty warm overdrive, IMO. I recently sold my EHX BBM and never really clicked with distortion on Bass.

JbassZOMBIE666 · #3 03-20-2011, 09:58 AM

i had the sansamp bd di and i returned it. the distortion didnt have enough balls. But the tone i would get was amazing. Im geting a mxr blowtorch and the sansamp vt bass pedal. The vt has has more of that punchy grind tone im løoking for. Try putting it on the king x setting and put more precense and gain.

hecTr0n · #4 03-20-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JbassZOMBIE666

i had the sansamp bd di and i returned it. the distortion didnt have enough balls. But the tone i would get was amazing. Im geting a mxr blowtorch and the sansamp vt bass pedal. The vt has has more of that punchy grind tone im løoking for. Try putting it on the king x setting and put more precense and gain.

Yea it seemed like the demos were really light distortion...I'm gonna be using it as a secondary distortion / light over drive when I eventually buy a good fuzz pedal, was just hoping it would hold me off till then. Wish I had better sound samples of the distored tones...guess ill just buy and cross my fingers. Thanks for the setting recommendation

walker rosewood · #5 03-20-2011, 01:03 PM

Have you searched for clips of the regular, non-programmable, BDDI? It's the same circuit, just without the presets.

I'll echo the other posts. I like the overdrive I can get, but it is not an over the top balls out fuzz. The caveat is that I find it quite responsive to the input level you feed it. In other words it depends on you other gear, active/passive bass? Other pedals before it, boost/buffer?

I have a passive J bass run into a compressor that I use to add some gain, then an LPB-1 right before the sansamp will boost my signal enough to really overdrive it. Then it can get quite ballsy.

Also for whatever reason the overdrive sounds different through my rig versus sending it directly to the PA. So if i do a gig without my amp (just DI) I have to tweak the settings from an amp only gig.

hecTr0n · #6 03-20-2011, 01:56 PM

Yea u know I thought it was the same pedal just with multiple presets...ill check it out cause I do remember trhe distortion be pretty good thanks for that info.

I have an active bass...I was lookin to have 1 preset boost my signal for louder parts of songs / have it louder than the other presets and the 2 others for different sound shapes for other songs. Which I'm pretty sure it can do hopefully since u can save presets with all those eq settings including level.