Why not split your signal in two amp (or two cab ) one get your dry signal while the other get the wet signal.
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All Bass Pedals Suck....
- Thread starter capncal
- Start date
Capncal, it sounds like you might be like me, so I'll throw this out there. If you're just looking for "a little dirt around the edges," maybe you're not actually looking for fuzz... Maybe what you actually want is an overdrive. I tried a handful of fuzzes and quickly realized that I couldn't find a tone I liked for exactly the reason others have mentioned, I kept disappearing in a mix. I turned to overdrive and since that day, I've become a conessieur. I've tried 15 and still own... 12? (I'd have to count to be sure). Overdrives can range from very subtle to almost fuzz-like dirt.
Currently I swap between a Fuzzrocious Dark Driving and Darkglass B3k, both of which might be worth a look for you. The DD is a thick, dark overdrive with plenty of gain available (a lot more than just "a little dirt around the edges" anyway) and a bit warmer than the Darkglass. The B3k is brighter and a bit more agressive, but still has a good fatness to it. I like them both equally. An OLC Flipster might do you right, it's a clone of the preamp circuit in an Ampeg SB12, with lots of low end beef and a great "sounds like an actual amp" grind. Lastly (and this may surprise some)... If you're looking for absolutely MONSTROUS low end with good grind available, check out a Hartke Bass Attack. Seriously, I was a skeptic until I won one from Larry Hartke on his facebook page. It actually sounds really good as an overdrive and has a huge low end available. Plus it's a DI, EQ and Shape circuit to boot.
Pardon the playing, not my best.
It was a quick and sloppy recording, but here's a clip I did when I first got it. Pay attention at 1:02 for the low end I was talking about.
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=8981552
Don't know if I helped, but hey... Can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket, right?
5sg.
Currently I swap between a Fuzzrocious Dark Driving and Darkglass B3k, both of which might be worth a look for you. The DD is a thick, dark overdrive with plenty of gain available (a lot more than just "a little dirt around the edges" anyway) and a bit warmer than the Darkglass. The B3k is brighter and a bit more agressive, but still has a good fatness to it. I like them both equally. An OLC Flipster might do you right, it's a clone of the preamp circuit in an Ampeg SB12, with lots of low end beef and a great "sounds like an actual amp" grind. Lastly (and this may surprise some)... If you're looking for absolutely MONSTROUS low end with good grind available, check out a Hartke Bass Attack. Seriously, I was a skeptic until I won one from Larry Hartke on his facebook page. It actually sounds really good as an overdrive and has a huge low end available. Plus it's a DI, EQ and Shape circuit to boot.
Pardon the playing, not my best.
It was a quick and sloppy recording, but here's a clip I did when I first got it. Pay attention at 1:02 for the low end I was talking about.http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=8981552
Don't know if I helped, but hey... Can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket, right?
5sg.
Unrepresented
Something Borderline Offensive
That's an ideal solution if the OP has a bankroll large enough to pay for a second rig, room to haul that second rig to his shows, and the energy to drag it up on stage at every show.Why not split your signal in two amp (or two cab ) one get your dry signal while the other get the wet signal.
While I do use a second rig at some shows, there's no reason that the OP can't get a great sound out of a single rig and the right pedal and/or settings.
- Aug 5, 2005
- 7,243
- 92
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses
Have you considered running your effects in parallel or using a crossover? I often like to split my signal around the 400-500Hz mark and only run effects on the high signal while keeping my lows clean.
Lots of great suggestions. IME I found the following combination of advice above worked:
- TAFM has a great clean blend sound that itself can be boosted above unity gain.
- Play loud w/ fuzz- the comment about unity gain in the bass freqs seems to apply, which necessarily entails quite a bit of boost in the upper frequencies/harmonics over your clean tone. Sounds crazy loud solo, but in the band sound stage it works. Balancing the levels is tricky and an ongoing effort for me.
- TAFM has a great clean blend sound that itself can be boosted above unity gain.
- Play loud w/ fuzz- the comment about unity gain in the bass freqs seems to apply, which necessarily entails quite a bit of boost in the upper frequencies/harmonics over your clean tone. Sounds crazy loud solo, but in the band sound stage it works. Balancing the levels is tricky and an ongoing effort for me.
I'm a huge fan of the Ox Fuzz. It is super transparent when engaged. The character of your bass always shines through. It's kinda like putting a nice, fuzzy, see-thru coat on your bass. I consider it more of an overdrive/fuzz. It does the whole spectrum of gain very well while maintaining its transparency. The Ox is underrated and not talked about nearly enough.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I have a GGG Brassmaster, its a nasty fuzz and it doesn't loose much in the lows or low mids. Its an AssMaster clone, so that may be something worth checking out.
I used to feel the same way as the OP until I got the Zoom B3. There's a couple factory patches that sound incredible with a touch of distortion. I used to hate the B2 but this thing has so many awesome patches. Add in a looper, tuner, great drum tracks and truly full bypass - you can't go wrong.
(no i don't work for zoom)
(no i don't work for zoom)
There are a few issues that might be going on -
1. The dreaded mid-scoop. Not all muff based pedals have that issue.
2. Clean blend might help. Tons out there with clean blend.
3. The volume of your dirt pedal might be lower than unity, causing it to drop out. I saw EMA play earlier this year and both her and the other guitar player had their distortion set at below unity. It was like torture to have the guitars drop out of the mix just at the point you want to feel them in your chest.
There are so many great pedals designed to hold the low end and show up in the mix. I am particular to the I Love Fuzz builders, myself, but I am way biased.
1. The dreaded mid-scoop. Not all muff based pedals have that issue.
2. Clean blend might help. Tons out there with clean blend.
3. The volume of your dirt pedal might be lower than unity, causing it to drop out. I saw EMA play earlier this year and both her and the other guitar player had their distortion set at below unity. It was like torture to have the guitars drop out of the mix just at the point you want to feel them in your chest.
There are so many great pedals designed to hold the low end and show up in the mix. I am particular to the I Love Fuzz builders, myself, but I am way biased.
I was wondering the same thing about using a distortion with my bass on a song that needed it. It always seemed like the bottom was missing or something. So what I did was get the distortion sound I like with my distortion pedal. Then I also got a boss LS-2 (line selector), and wired it to where it split my signal into two with one going to the distortion pedal then right back into the LS-2. The other signal when from the LS-2 send to LS-2 return, which by doing this I got to blend my clean tone and wet/dirty/fx tone.
The LS-2 is pretty cheap too 80 bucks new and with only needing three cables to set this up only cost about 90 to 100 bucks depending on the patch cables you get.
The LS-2 is pretty cheap too 80 bucks new and with only needing three cables to set this up only cost about 90 to 100 bucks depending on the patch cables you get.
Get a Boss SL2 or a Z Blender. Blending is cool. For whateve reason after all the dirt I have my Fulltone Bass Drive is the best.
It does this thing at low settings that jsut sounds tubey.
These things are getting hard to come by and weren't cheap even back in the day.
But let's do this. Is there anyone with a Fulltone BassDrive that dosen't love the knobs offa that thing?
Just asking?
It does this thing at low settings that jsut sounds tubey.
These things are getting hard to come by and weren't cheap even back in the day.
But let's do this. Is there anyone with a Fulltone BassDrive that dosen't love the knobs offa that thing?
Just asking?
What you're doing wrong is not actually having tried every bass pedal before making this thread.
Trace Elliot has selectable "high pass only" on effects loop of SMX series. The low pass goes through its own compressor as does the mid/highs.
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,633
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
i've tried about 70-80 overdrive/fuzz/distortion pedals on my basses (and i've built 35 different ones of my own), and imo, if you just want a little 'hair' on the edges without losing punch or affecting your tone, i've found that fairfield circuitry's 'barbershop' is the best one for that. it makes it easy to dial in a clean amp's to sound like a tube amp running in it's 'sweet spot' (i.e. just starting to break up when pushed). and with that one, no clean blend is necessary.
