Your favorite tube based overdrive pedal...

[m.oreilly]

i need me some tight fuzz-ish warm grind, something like what you hear starting @ 2:29 here. is there such a beast (cheap but good)?

[LowBC]

Cheap? No. Good? Yes. Check out the Tech 21 VT (as in "SVT") Bass pedal.

[m.oreilly]

if it can pull off the effect i want, that is a sweet price. thank you

[m.oreilly]

thing is...i really don't want a modeling box. i'd prefer a tube oriented device...

[TrevorOfDoom]

the problem with tubes is they need a lot of power to actually make a difference on tone.
9 volts isn't enough power to do that, so most tubes in pedals are just gimmicks.
that said, i've heard the EHX English Muff'n is the best at actually using the tubes in the signal chain.
also, possibly the EBS ValveDrive, but i can't confirm that.

[m.oreilly]

i had the 'english' pedal scoped, but needed confirmation. this is what i was aiming at.

[m.oreilly]

that ebs looks sweet. this would be my limit in price.

[cheapbasslovin]

I use an English Muff'n. It is great as a preamp. It is good as a low gain overdrive, and it is OK as a higher gain device. I like it at higher gain, but it doesn't exactly smooth out at higher gain.

It sounds its absolute best when running relatively clean after a distortion pedal of some sort. Smooths and fills out other distortions like nobody's business. I can't say if it will get you to that tone, I don't play like Jaco so it will never get me to that tone.

[wolffman]

DHA makes nice tube overdrives and pre amps. Lots of gain on tap.

[Laurent]

A tube amp! No pedal gets the job done well in my experience.

[m.oreilly]

i don't care for tube amps. i don't want a 'tube' sound, just an effect (at times, or just some top grit), with the tightness of ss on the bottom. the dha stuff looks cool, and what may be the ticket. thanks wolffman

[Hobobob]

Markbass Compressore. Cheaper than the EBS, high voltage, really good bypass, and amazing controllability. Plus it has a separate compressor to help smooth out the sound when you want to.

[m.oreilly]

i was just looking at that...interesting...
does the compressor part also use the tube?

[wolffman]

yep! i run the DHA USA VT1 EQ bass. Its rather large BUT sounds awesome. Its voiced pretty low and the mid-Q is a nice feature. I run it all the time to warm up my solid state amp, but it is capable of massive gain. the bass is voiced rather low... just the way i like it

[m.oreilly]

very tempted...

[Hobobob]

Originally Posted by m.oreilly

i was just looking at that...interesting...
does the compressor part also use the tube?

I don't think so, but the signal hits the compressor right out of the tube, so it sounds nice and fat anyways.

[wolffman]

i run the compressore into the dha, i'm really diggin what its done to my tone. fat and slightly fuzzy

[Hobobob]

Originally Posted by Hobobob

Markbass Compressore. Cheaper than the EBS, high voltage, really good bypass, and amazing controllability. Plus it has a separate compressor to help smooth out the sound when you want to.

Just realized what I did here... DISTORSORE, not compressore. Two totally different pedals.

[chuck3]

I use the EBS ValveDrive all the time. Not so much as an effect, although it can be that if you turn up the gain. More to make the tone warm and just a little gritty. It does that very well. (And I like how it looks.)

[m.oreilly]

Originally Posted by wolffman

i run the compressore into the dha, i'm really diggin what its done to my tone. fat and slightly fuzzy

hey wolf, did you stick with the tube the dha came with, or try others? i can see this tube thing getting interesting...