Amp has no tone control: Sansamp or EQ?

[gfen]

I use a little Epi Valve Jr, which has no controls except volume.

Other than the tone knob on my bass, I've got no tone control. This leaves me wanting.

Would I be better suited in buying a Sansamp (actually, a clone, I'm poor) or an EQ pedal to give me some control over what I've got going on, here?

I have no aspirations of gigging, recording, or doing anything other than making noise in my bedroom. So additional features (ie, DI) aren't important here; it's all about getting a sound that's appealing. I currently use an old Zoom BFX708 for the EQ feature only, but I wanted a better, dedicated, solution and figured I'd ask before I spend on a new EQ pedal incase the BDI is a more optimum solution to the problem.

The source of the question is mostly ignorance, I don't know how a preamp/emulator like this functions when run through another amp and it seems somewhat counterproductive to my mind. However, I'm pretty limited on experience here.

 

[Deadsound]

How about the Joyo American: 3 band EQ, tone control, and dirt if you want it. Great little box for 30 bucks on Amazon.

 

[lz4005]

You're using a 5W guitar amp. Get a bass amp.

 

[PunkRocker33133]

Something like the Source Audio programmable EQ could be cool? That would give you a ton of versatility and they go for like 100-120 used? Also search eBay and Craigslist for cheap graphic EQ's. The VJ has a decent preamp sound baked in, but EQ versatility is good.

 

[gfen]

You're using a 5W guitar amp. Get a bass amp.

No interest or need. As my rockstar god status is strictly confined to the bedroom (office, whatevs) 5 watts of all tube goodness is all I ever need. Mine's been pre-modded, and I've never turned the power control knob past 50%, and it's still too loud.

How about the Joyo American: 3 band EQ, tone control, and dirt if you want it. Great little box for 30 bucks on Amazon.

I've got a decent OD pedal now, but its lacking in tone shaping, plus I like the idea of seperate pedals for this. The BFX708 is a big ole multieffect unit, and having a seperate box and controls for everything just seems easier. Good suggestion, though, so I don't want to sound ungrateful.

Something like the Source Audio programmable EQ could be cool? That would give you a ton of versatility and they go for like 100-120 used? Also search eBay and Craigslist for cheap graphic EQ's. The VJ has a decent preamp sound baked in, but EQ versatility is good.

So the recommendation is that an EQ is more versatile than the Sansamp style emulator devices in this case? That's where I've been leaning, as I mostly just want to shape the sound a bit but wasn't sure how the Sansamp units tone control worked with the amp's inherent tone.

I'm down in the cheap zone, I'll probably end up with a used MXR or Boss pedal. Hell, the only reason I've gone back to the Sansamp thing is a Behringer BDI new is cheaper than a used Boss GEB7.

 

[PunkRocker33133]

No interest or need. As my rockstar god status is strictly confined to the bedroom (office, whatevs) 5 watts of all tube goodness is all I ever need. Mine's been pre-modded, and I've never turned the power control knob past 50%, and it's still too loud.



I've got a decent OD pedal now, but its lacking in tone shaping, plus I like the idea of seperate pedals for this. The BFX708 is a big ole multieffect unit, and having a seperate box and controls for everything just seems easier. Good suggestion, though, so I don't want to sound ungrateful.



So the recommendation is that an EQ is more versatile than the Sansamp style emulator devices in this case? That's where I've been leaning, as I mostly just want to shape the sound a bit but wasn't sure how the Sansamp units tone control worked with the amp's inherent tone.

I'm down in the cheap zone, I'll probably end up with a used MXR or Boss pedal. Hell, the only reason I've gone back to the Sansamp thing is a Behringer BDI new is cheaper than a used Boss GEB7.

I would definitely go with an EQ over the Sansamp then. As far as playing through guitar amps, my practice amp is a fender pro junior into a 1x10 and my big rig is a V4 into a V2 412 both originally intended for guitar and/or dual use.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I've got that source audio programmable EQ. Super slick. Four presets. I use one for finger, one for slap, one for a special effect on a particular song...and one left over right now. But if you're on a budget I would look into a Boss graphic EQ with the sliders on the pedal. Those are probably $50 used.

 

[gfen]

I would definitely go with an EQ over the Sansamp then. As far as playing through guitar amps, my practice amp is a fender pro junior into a 1x10 and my big rig is a V4 into a V2 412 both originally intended for guitar and/or dual use.

I've currently run the EVJ into an older Fender 115 cab, which is way bigger than I want or need, but it was cheap. Straight in, it's not bad but I feel like since I am doing dual use that giving more control is only going to help me, plus I'm dealing with an big ole boomy cab in a small townhouse, so hopefully I can cut back on some of what gives my neighbours fits and the extraneous high end.

Scott: I'm going to look into the Source Audio, and if it comes up cheap enough sometime, great. Otherwise, I can regularly see the MXR108 10 bands for only a couple bucks more than the Boss GEB7, but it's all about what shows up cheap enough when I'mt hrough paying for winter heating bills.

I've also tossed around the Behringer Boss copy, but as per anything Behringer, you get mixed reviews and its hard to filter out the wheat (real opinions) from the chaff (standard Behringer hate).

 

[scottfeldstein]

Well for me things like reliability and silence count because I'm a recording and gigging musician. If you don't care if it flakes out on you eight months down the road, don't care if it adds a bit of noise or has a "clicky" switch somewhere, get whatever's cheap.

 

[lz4005]

No interest or need. As my rockstar god status is strictly confined to the bedroom (office, whatevs) 5 watts of all tube goodness is all I ever need.

You don't like what your amp sounds like. The fix isn't a pedal, it's a more appropriate amp.

 

[friendlybass]

For the price of these pedals you could get a cheap little fender rumble amp and have a bass amp with 3 band eq and various buttons plus an overdrive.

 

[XLunacy]

For tone shaping, since your bass has no onboard peamp, I'd say get both : EQ + preamp.
Even if said preamp has EQ capabilities, the additional EQ is needed IMO to control what goes into the preamp.
But expensive pedals just for playing in your bedroom? Seems to me a multi-effect pedal with AUX input and headset output would be well better suited for your needs... Have a look at the Zoom B1on/B1Xon maybe, which allows you to chain several effects in one patch (I don't own one, but have a look around for information in other threads).

 

[JLY]

Presomus makes a nice eq unit- not a pedal
If looking for a pedal, I live the eq on the Tonehammer pedal/ di
I would suggest going used for a much better price

 

[Crater]

Danelectro Fish'n'Chips EQ pedal. Cheap. Works great.

If you've got the head+speaker cab version of the Valve Jr. I'd try to find a good deal on a small bass cab, it's bound to sound better than an open-back cab meant for guitar.

 

[SteveV74]

Get a Korg pandora, you can find them pretty cheap used, I have the PX4D, I connect my IPAD to it so I can practice,you can hook it up to your amp,or play through headphones,tons of fx,amp modelers,etc....something to consider.I love mine,Im thinking about using it with my big jam room setup ( I call it the CSB Tone lab) perfect for jamming in the bedroom, small portable, lots of options.

 

[SteveV74]

Or you can get a joyo eq pedal, Ive got one of those too $20 on EvilBAY, its a clone of the MXR 6 band.

 

[NightCat]

This is an actual question, no snark.
What is it about the tone that you don't like? What are you trying to use a pedal to change?

There is one of those Valve Juniors at the local shop, head only, and I've thought it could be a fun little practice amp.

 

[brianrost]

EQ pedal is my vote.

 

[isher1992]

The Dr. J (another Joyo name I believe) Sparrow is a clone of a Tech 21 BDDI with a Ground lift switch.

EQ might work for your needs, although a Parametric EQ in some form would probably be much more rewarding than a simple 6-band GEQ.

 

[gfen]

I like to try and be through and respond to each point of interest, but alot's happened here so I'm going to condense.

For the guys who suggest I don't care for the sound, you're (mostly) incorrect. However, it is a guitar amp and thus it could certainly use a bit of a switch up to make it even more ideal for bass. Remember, it's not that I hate the tone, it's that I have absolutely no control over it. Volume only. One knob.

I do use an actual bass cabinet, a Fender BXR115b. Also way too big for my little room, but I paid $40 and it was better than the combo that I wired the speaker direct to an input jack. Someday you'll see a thread about that, too, but it's good enough for now.

I'm also not interested in a cheap little bass amp, this is ideal for me. It just needs a little help to allow me to play with the sound to find something I like. I'm also not spending a ton of cash, I'm strictly used, most of the EQ pedals I'm looking at go used for $40-60, a BDI clone is $30 NIB. A Joyo 6 band is something I haven't seen, and will come in cheap enough, so thanks for the suggestion.

I've also got, and use, both a headphone output on my old Zoom multi FX, but it's simply not as satisfying as actual speakers. Anyways, got that covered. That's actually what i'm currently using for a 4 band EQ, but it's awkward to configure and adjust on the fly. I'd thought about replacing it with a Zoom B3, but truthfully, I'd still rather have a dedicated tone shaping box of some sort and not just another multieffect. Frankly, if the B3 is as good as people say it is (I've read the glowing reviews), I'd rather have a dedicated EQ and then use that just for silly effect experimentation.

I've also both used my computer through headphones and output to the amp, and it certainly works. However, I'm adverse to having to connect wires, boot an OS, and fiddle with a mouse when I just feel like kicking the power switch and dicking around for a few minutes. However, you have inspired me to sit down and try going bass->GarageBand->Amp and seeing what I can do with both just straight EQ changes and then a flat EQ and their SVT emulation. That's actually the best idea I should have thought of. I've done it before for EQ, but I've never thought to try it out vis-a-vis their amp emulation to see which actually gives me a result.

Holy crap, this post is long.