Trying to decide between English Muff'n and Fulltone Mosfet Bassdrive

TimBosby · #1 05-06-2008, 09:37 PM

I know it's been discussed before; I've read the threads and heard the clips. I am not too keen on having to depend on a power supply with a 6 foot cord, but willing to do so for the sound I want. Constantly replacing batteries sucks too I suppose.
I don't use distortion too much but when I do I like a fatter crunchy sound that retains the low end. Not wild about pure undefined fuzz that cuts out the low frequencies. I'd like to be able to recreate the bass tone on the Faint's "Dropkick the Punks" as well as anything Mel Schacher (Grand Funk Railroad) did...
So which of these two pedals will get me (closest to) what I want?

My band plays blues-heavy classic rock inspired music with classic-sounding modern influences, e.g. Black Crowes, Foo Fighters, etc meets Zep, the Who..

Nyarlathotep · #2 05-06-2008, 09:45 PM

The EM can get some heavy fuzz, and some people have found the need to turn down the bass knob a little

It has no batteries, must be run off the 12VAC adapter with a funny plug (never seen one like it before). Its also huge. If you use the stock AY7s you should be able to get a nice crunchy, but defined sound.

I have some soundclips in the wiki. I forget how I recorded them at the time tho....

Mark Olson · #3 05-06-2008, 10:57 PM

I've owned the two, and they're both great pedals. The Bass-Drive in my experience won't retain the low end in FM or Vintage modes, but sounds great in Comp Cut at 9 volts, which can give you a good amount of very tight and controlled overdrive. The EHX is a lot messier (yet defined) and has tons of low end if you want it, and I would identify it much more with the Mel Schacher tone. I play in a band with similar influences and found the EHX to sound best to me in my situation.

TimBosby · #4 05-07-2008, 10:31 PM

My guitar player said "Don't bother buying either." He said the Bass-Drive is "basically a Tube Screamer and I can build you one of those." He told me he can build a Tube Screamer and take out the low-cut filter which will give me the sound I want.

Hookus · #5 05-08-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimBosby

My guitar player said "Don't bother buying either." He said the Bass-Drive is "basically a Tube Screamer and I can build you one of those." He told me he can build a Tube Screamer and take out the low-cut filter which will give me the sound I want.

Basically. That is a powerful word. There are, for example, many Muff variants out there that sound infinitely better on bass than the original Muff, but they are still basically a Muff. I for one, think there is a huge difference between the TS and the Bass Drive. And I don't think the Muff'n sounds like either one.

rustynuts · #6 05-08-2008, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hookus

Basically. That is a powerful word. There are, for example, many Muff variants out there that sound infinitely better on bass than the original Muff, but they are still basically a Muff. I for one, think there is a huge difference between the TS and the Bass Drive. And I don't think the Muff'n sounds like either one.

+1