Tightdrive users

[Plstrns]

I see rave reviews, what is your opinion? I wanted to love it... it has a different sound for sure.

I personally don't get it. It's the most colored mid honky tone I've ever experienced. At it's best, in front of a very, VERY mid scooped amp it has potential, even great tones I could maybe use on a song or two... I'm not allergic to distortion/ OD I love my B3K and XXL. They have a full tone, and do their jobs without sooo much color.

Before I fly off the handle and declare this thing a myth, Im gonna try another one at the store. Maybe there's a problem with mine! (that's how bad I think it is) I actually know James B. and think he's a great guy. This isn't a question about what he does or can do- he's brilliant. I just want to hear other opinions about this pedal.

[topo morto]

From what I read, the bass tightdrive is the same as the guitar version, but with the control ranges extended to work for bass. So not all settings are going to be great for bass...

I did think the quality of the distortion was really nice and natural. Not so different to the B3K on the thin mode IIRC? (I probably don't ) with the right settings, or a more refined Rat.

It worked well for me in a band mix, but it does depend what mix. If you need your low lows really punching through then a blend probably is essential - i notice that's an option now, but it possibly should have been on the unit from the get-go.

[Plstrns]

I have the mod version with the bass knob, maybe that's the problem?
The distortion is nice, but it sounds like its being played through a 6 inch guitar speaker.

[topo morto]

I've found that drives with full-range distortion that sound great 'solo' can get lost in a band mix unless I turn up so loud I swamp the whole mix. I think focusing the distortion into a certain range is one of the goals of that pedal. The tone and tight knobs adjust how big the 'guitar speaker' is!

[amptweaker]

One thing that affects the dynamics a LOT on my pedals is the power supply voltage. If you run the pedal at 18V, it's a lot cleaner and less compressed sounding, so you might try that.

It's true that I should have had the extra dry bass knob on there in the beginning, but I had so much interest at the time from guys using it to beat up SVTs, that it wasn't an issue. Once more guys started using it with cleaner amps, THEN the issue of lowend started being a deal. Especially for the ones using it for very small amounts of distortion, which is when the bandwidth sounds even more narrow.

There are some cool demos online of using the TightRock and TightMetal, and compare to the TightDrive with MOD knob. I don't know if you're interested in that much gain, but if so it's worth checking it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu2XR...D7D0ECCEB35568

I plan to do a 2 button version next year with more EQ and flexibility.

James
amptweaker.com

[Plstrns]

Golden.

I found it sounds 1000000 times better without a VT behind it. The tightdrive was just running over the VT input even set OFF. It took me some time, because even with the VT bypassed the tightdrive was so middy with no EQ.

So, I put my freshly modded GEB-7 behind it and BAM! Awesome. Now I might pad the output and try it in front of the VT again...

[marklaforest]

I use my TightDrive all the time. Mine has the blend knob. I'm not after clean tone, but I'm also not after huge buzz-saw distortion. I find it really responds well to playing dynamics, far better than anything else I've tried and very driven-tube-amp like. My signal chain goes like this:

P-bass>tight drive>Boss EQ in the tight drive effect chain(pre-tight drive)>Sans Amp>Ampeg V4

I put the EQ in the tight drive's effect chain to emphasize certain frequencies. I play in a band with three guitarists and a Hammond organ, so sonic space is hard to find. The EQ in the chain is perfect because I can spike up the mids in the 1-2K range and slice through any mix. I usually give the low end a little bump too just to maintain some fundamental bass tone.

What I really love about the Tight Drive is how righteous it sounds through a DI and to the PA. That's really what I was looking for from this pedal. Most overdrive/distortions just sound terrible through a DI and a PA and you end up having to mic an amp as well as DI your bass. Then you put total control and total faith in your sound guy to mix your dry and wet signals, as well as running into the dreaded phase problems. The tight drive allows me to be in control of my tone because I can trust how it sounds through a DI. To my ears, the TightDrive to the Sansamp straight to the PA sounds just like a mic'd tube amp that's being pushed to the point of overdrive. It has great dynamics and is super responsive to playing. I can hammer the notes with my right hand and get big overdrive sounds or I can play lightly and get nice smooth overdrive. I can switch it on and off at my feet and have both great clean tone and great overdrive tone with just one DI to the board and one line to my amp, all while staying in control of my tone and being able to sit in any mix perfectly.

Also, it's true bypass so when it's off it has no impact on my chain and the EQ is also removed from the chain. The effects chain on this thing opens up a huge world of possibilities that I've only begun to experiment with.

I can't say enough good things about this pedal!!!!

Shameless plug: Here's a video of my band playing. The bass on this was recorded with a P-bass into the TightDrive into a mic'd V4.

http://www.vevo.com/watch/autumns-ca...s/CAB401200128