Sooo I pulled the trigger on this bad boy, It was always going to happen and it happened the other day.
Fender have really thought this one through and im really impressed by the whole package. Finally a mass-produced, easily available and relatively cheap bass fuzz that has features that set it apart from its competitors even in higher price brackets.
This is the main selling point of the Fender Sub-Lime:
Instead of your regular wet/dry mix, it actually uses a Low Pass Filter/crossover so you can get the clean lows though without the clean highs (one of my pet peeves from mixing clean/wet with fuzz is that it often sounds just like your bass but with some fuzz on top because the clean attack pops through more than the fuzz - the Sub-Lime counteracts that with its crossover control). This crossover idea has been discussed a few times on this forum and has been on the wish-list for many (including me) for a long time.
My first impressions were
'right -this thing is huge and what the hell does this big bloody illuminated dial on the front actually control?? if x-over controls the wet/dry crossover then how this dial work with it?'
I couldnt actually find any real instructions in the literature, but i'd already read enough here and in Bass Player to discover that it is the balance between clean and wet.
It is apparently Effect Level and the
lights change from Green to Red through Yellow and Orange as you add more fuzz to the signal.
This massively changes the characteristic of the fuzz due to the way the crossover sounds with the fuzz. it doesnt sound layered as many other fuzzes with blends can and it sounds pretty natural at all dial settings. This is the first pedal that I could actually consider changing on the fly during a gig, or even during a song. I've always been a 'set-and-forget' guy, but with the foot-controllable face dial, i could easily see me getting use out of it.
I've done some Clips
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8561252
heres the bass (MIM 70s JazzRI) and rig (LMII through a Zoot 210 and 115) that i used in the recording.
Its recorded using an Sure SM57 into my Presonus Tube Pre into my computer. The amp is set flat and theres no EQ in the recording, but i'd imagine that the Tube in the Presonus may have had some effect, but it sounds as good as it did comming out of my amp.
The pedal only turned up a few days ago, and i've only really had a bit of a play. I love this freaking fuzz and it was only though doing the recording that I realised how all the controls work together and im still learning.
What I like
In my opinion it is muff-like but just so versatile that I would happily deem it the 'muff-killer' and its now in direct competition with my Coloursound Bass Fuzz and my Sovtek Big Muff for my 'go-to' fuzz.
It is also on the cheaper side of things mine cost £89 brand new from an online UK retailer, that is rediculously cheap for the sheer amount of pedal. I would also like to commend Fender on their presentation - awesome vintage-looking cardboard box, Sub-Lime poster and it comes with its own black velvet bag with 'fender' embroidered on it.
The pedal itself is built like a tank, and weighs about the same.
here are my gripes:
The Size, you can see from my pic how its compares to a boss pedal. Personally I love big pedals, they have so much more mojo in my eyes but its even bigger than my Coloursound Bass Fuzz and i'm really having to compromise on my board layout to accomodate it.
Two of the most important controls IMO are on the bottom (x-over and Tone) which makes them near impossible to change quickly as a) they are in an awkward position and require at least a small flat head screwdriver to manipulate, so when you are at practice or at a gig trying to find that 'sweet spot' with the band mix be aware that its not as simple thing to accomplish on the Sub-Lime. I've yet to try it with the band yet so we'll see how it works out.
more to come as i discover its intricacies and try it in the band.
Fender have really thought this one through and im really impressed by the whole package. Finally a mass-produced, easily available and relatively cheap bass fuzz that has features that set it apart from its competitors even in higher price brackets.
This is the main selling point of the Fender Sub-Lime:
Instead of your regular wet/dry mix, it actually uses a Low Pass Filter/crossover so you can get the clean lows though without the clean highs (one of my pet peeves from mixing clean/wet with fuzz is that it often sounds just like your bass but with some fuzz on top because the clean attack pops through more than the fuzz - the Sub-Lime counteracts that with its crossover control). This crossover idea has been discussed a few times on this forum and has been on the wish-list for many (including me) for a long time.
My first impressions were
'right -this thing is huge and what the hell does this big bloody illuminated dial on the front actually control?? if x-over controls the wet/dry crossover then how this dial work with it?'
I couldnt actually find any real instructions in the literature, but i'd already read enough here and in Bass Player to discover that it is the balance between clean and wet.
It is apparently Effect Level and the
lights change from Green to Red through Yellow and Orange as you add more fuzz to the signal.
This massively changes the characteristic of the fuzz due to the way the crossover sounds with the fuzz. it doesnt sound layered as many other fuzzes with blends can and it sounds pretty natural at all dial settings. This is the first pedal that I could actually consider changing on the fly during a gig, or even during a song. I've always been a 'set-and-forget' guy, but with the foot-controllable face dial, i could easily see me getting use out of it.
I've done some Clips
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8561252
heres the bass (MIM 70s JazzRI) and rig (LMII through a Zoot 210 and 115) that i used in the recording.
Its recorded using an Sure SM57 into my Presonus Tube Pre into my computer. The amp is set flat and theres no EQ in the recording, but i'd imagine that the Tube in the Presonus may have had some effect, but it sounds as good as it did comming out of my amp.
The pedal only turned up a few days ago, and i've only really had a bit of a play. I love this freaking fuzz and it was only though doing the recording that I realised how all the controls work together and im still learning.
What I like
In my opinion it is muff-like but just so versatile that I would happily deem it the 'muff-killer' and its now in direct competition with my Coloursound Bass Fuzz and my Sovtek Big Muff for my 'go-to' fuzz.
It is also on the cheaper side of things mine cost £89 brand new from an online UK retailer, that is rediculously cheap for the sheer amount of pedal. I would also like to commend Fender on their presentation - awesome vintage-looking cardboard box, Sub-Lime poster and it comes with its own black velvet bag with 'fender' embroidered on it.
The pedal itself is built like a tank, and weighs about the same.
here are my gripes:
The Size, you can see from my pic how its compares to a boss pedal. Personally I love big pedals, they have so much more mojo in my eyes but its even bigger than my Coloursound Bass Fuzz and i'm really having to compromise on my board layout to accomodate it.
Two of the most important controls IMO are on the bottom (x-over and Tone) which makes them near impossible to change quickly as a) they are in an awkward position and require at least a small flat head screwdriver to manipulate, so when you are at practice or at a gig trying to find that 'sweet spot' with the band mix be aware that its not as simple thing to accomplish on the Sub-Lime. I've yet to try it with the band yet so we'll see how it works out.
more to come as i discover its intricacies and try it in the band.
