Tech21 Sansamp VT-bass reviewed

[kringle77]

I got the Bass VT pedal from an online dealer about a week ago. This thing sounds exactly like Tech21 describes their bass driver except that this one actually delivers! For the record, I have tried and owned almost all of there pedals and preamps and do not care for them. They all sucked tone and just sounded cheap to me.

The Vt has zero tone suck when off or on. The mid range is all there. Thats the starting point. The bass, mid and treble controls are each very powerful and useful. The character control seems to effect mids, compression and overdrive of the pedal all at the same time with a sweep of the knob. The drive setting goes from a totally clean sound to a very guitar like distortion. There is way more gain with this pedal than on the bass driver!

On saturdays gig, after sound check in a very crappy sounding room, I decided to try the pedal directly to the board and turn my stage amp(Ashdown Mk500 & Bergantino NV610) off. Guess what? The sound was so much better in this particular room that I didn't even use my amp! I had my attitude bass into a compressor, into the pedal, to the board! Thats it! I had the pedal set to the stock B-15 setting and it sounded just like my actual amp only it worked in this particular room better. I won't stop bringing my amp out but, at particularly bad rooms, I may just use the pedal instead.

This is the pedal that Sansamp should have put out all along. I may try a few of the guitar pedals as well. Just buy it. This one is worth it!

[ksandvik]

Thanks for the review. VT-bass is indeed on my list of possible future purchases, seems they are back-ordered in many places just now. --Kent

[TotallyStupid]

I'm waiting for the shop to call and tell me mine has come in. They had to transfer it from another store so it should be in this week. It's my first pedal and it sounds like I made the right choice. Thanks for the review!

[DTrocks]

my local shop haven't brought it in yet, so i need to wait

i knew i had to get it the moment i saw its design with the mid knob and read/heard the comparison with the bddi..

well the local shop promised to bring it in soon..hopefully real soon..apparently quite a few people already asked them to bring in

doesn't hurt that it looks awesome too

[dannybuoy]

Yeah, I'm trying to find a dealer that has them in stock at the moment too...

[snaverb]

Whats the price on the VT?

[dannybuoy]

$150 from most places - If you can find one. Most stores I've found are out of stock until July. There's obviously plenty of smaller stores that have them in stock though! If anyone knows please pipe up!

[ksandvik]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

$150 from most places - If you can find one. Most stores I've found are out of stock until July. There's obviously plenty of smaller stores that have them in stock though! If anyone knows please pipe up!

You could try to Google around and see if any online stores has a unit. Won't get the best price, most likely, but if you are in a hurry. --Kent

[TotallyStupid]

I got mine at Steve's Music in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was the last one at any store in the chain so they may be out for a while judging by what everyone else is saying. It was $169.99 Canadian, it's a little more than in the US but I would have to pay duty if I ordered it online anyway.

[Slaphappy]

I just ordered mine from Bass Northwest an hour ago

I don't know how many they have, or if I got the last one, though. Call 'em up and ask at 1-866-624-1722.

[kringle77]

This pedal works through a pa better than my amps di out. It just sits better in the mix and even cuts through better.

I tried it though a power amp and some different cabs and even though it sounded great, I prefered my ashdown mk500 into the berg nv610.

So there you have it. Through a pa, the VT wins and as an actual amp setup, my rig wins.

[Nicky-T]

Does it have a XLR di out?

thanks

[ehque]

Originally Posted by Nicky-T

Does it have a XLR di out?

thanks

No.

Welcome.

[karter2000]

Happy VT Bass user so far. I only really use it for overdrive and some pick playing, so it's not on all the time.

I got mine from TB'r jwymore (http://www.wymoreguitars.com/) about a month or so ago. I'm not sure if he has any more left, but he's was great to deal with!


Lyle

[Terrorstorm]

do you think, it can be loud enough to use it as preamp into a power amp?

[scarman]

I just bought mine a few days ago and so far it's amazing probably my best pedal purchase....Thank you tech 21

[quee]

Sounds like an interesting pedal.
With the gain set low does it produce a good clean sound with no noise or is there always a bit of overdrive?

[Slaphappy]

I got mine from BassNW and finally got a chance to fool around with it some yesterday. It KILLS the BDDI, IMO, soundwise. MUCH better at retaining the sound of the bass without sucking mids out (unless you want to dial it that way, which you can).

This thing has VERY powerful controls and eq...a little goes a long ways. Coupled with my Compulator, this thing just sounds awesome.

[jpark369]

Originally Posted by quee

Sounds like an interesting pedal.
With the gain set low does it produce a good clean sound with no noise or is there always a bit of overdrive?

bump to that.

id also like to know if it can do a mild overdrive, just some added thickness and filth without being over the top overdrive/distortion. id like to keep my tone but just add on some mild OD, how would this pedal handle that?

[kringle77]

This will do it for you. This is the pedal that the BDDI wants to be when it grows up and gets thicker around the middle.