Another distortion thread

[makanudo]

I have never paid 500 for a pedal, don’t plan in starting now. Whatever I buy will be used and below 200. Gotta pay for preschool coming up too, ya dig

The ADAM is a studio tone in a box kind of tool.

What you need can be found for much less. I just saw a Darkglass B7K for 200 in the classifieds but it's in Canada IIRC.

 

[Joey lewis]

I feel like if I go the darkglass route, I might as well get one of their pedals with a di built in and replace my mxr. But the mbd2 seems like a solid choice. So far I think it’s between these two companies, gotta dive into the darkglass options to clarify

 

[micguy]

I'm really pleased with my Bearfoot Blueberry. I keep trying others but nothing has ever moved it off my pedal board. I must admit I am curious about the Genzler 4 on the floor.

I'm not at all curious about the Genzler, but it's because I have one. I have half a dozen other dirt boxes gathering dust now. It may not be exactly what the OP wants, but for subtle, yet very full sounding "just a hint of dirt" tones, it's the bee's knees.

 

[sokolasty]

Lots of good advice already. For me, the key to using distortion with bass is to have a clean tone blended in. Don't count on the distortion pedal retaining the low end. This works well for recording and live work.

Big Muff Bass
You can either blend clean with distorted (clean level is constant and you can increase level of distorted) or add lows to distorted or have pure distorted.
And it is cheap.

Sound is quite modern and high gain.

 

[groovaholic]

So to clarify, I am mostly only recording in the bedroom studio. No live gigs anymore. With my mxr bass di plus I’m running a clean signal into …svt and then out the amp di. So no mic involved

Do you have a dummy load connected to your all-tube SVT-II for silent recording? That amp HAS TO have a load connected; you risk damaging your output transformer without one.

If you want SVT tone with less complexity, trade your MXR DI for a SansAmp VTDI. (I prefer the Bass Driver DI v2, but the VTDI is intended as “Ampeg tone in a box” and can get VERY distorted on its own)

But DON’T blow your SVT by using it for silent recording!!

Once that’s taken care of, resume your search for good dirt…

 

[Joey lewis]

View attachment 4385538
Do you have a dummy load connected to your all-tube SVT-II for silent recording? That amp HAS TO have a load connected; you risk damaging your output transformer without one.

If you want SVT tone with less complexity, trade your MXR DI for a SansAmp VTDI. (I prefer the Bass Driver DI v2, but the VTDI is intended as “Ampeg tone in a box” and can get VERY distorted on its own)

But DON’T blow your SVT by using it for silent recording!!

Once that’s taken care of, resume your search for good dirt…

I made a post here last year confirming just that. It’s hooked up to an emperor 4x10 and I just turn the volume all the way down. It works well enough with headphone monitoring. Thanks for looking out though, appreciate it!

 

[Beheroth]

if you're recording why not use one of the neural dsp darkglass plugin ? they have a 14 day trial

 

[Bassinga]

So to clarify, I am mostly only recording in the bedroom studio. No live gigs anymore. With my mxr bass di plus I’m running a clean signal into logic via the di, then an effected signal through my pedal board an into my svt and then out the amp di. So no mic involved since I have two sleeping kids. But with that setup and some good eqing I’m gettin a decent signal in logic, just need some balls added to the wet signal. And I don’t need a fuzz, I already have one and it’s not my favorite flavor of distortion anyway

Have you considered any plugins? Neural DSP for example. If it's mainly for the studio, then plugins might be the cheapest and best option here.

 

[Joey lewis]

Have you considered any plugins? Neural DSP for example. If it's mainly for the studio, then plugins might be the cheapest and best option here.

I have a little bit, but I have this amp and pedal board, I figure I might as well use it. I also LOVE pedals, and want to start learning how to mod and build them. So it’s half desire half obsession lol. I thought about selling me amp rig, but nobody on the Internet knows the value of a late 80s svt-2. Most people want to give me 700 bucks for it, might as well keep it and give it to my kids eventually. Not to mention the obscurity of emperor cabs.

 

[Bassinga]

I have a little bit, but I have this amp and pedal board, I figure I might as well use it. I also LOVE pedals, and want to start learning how to mod and build them. So it’s half desire half obsession lol. I thought about selling me amp rig, but nobody on the Internet knows the value of a late 80s svt-2. Most people want to give me 700 bucks for it, might as well keep it and give it to my kids eventually. Not to mention the obscurity of emperor cabs.

I completely understand you. I love pedals too. There's something about physically holding the item that's gonna make your bass super smooth or blast the venue that I just love. I also love the the artwork on a lot of them.

 

[Hypocrite]

I have the same bass, and I swear by Darkglass! Yes, they're expensive, but they cost nothing compared to the plethora of pedals that tried and failed to stay on my pedalboard.
See if you can find a used B3K, Alpha/Omicron, or X.
Or, if you want preamp and EQ options, you can get the larger versions. The X7 effectively cured my GAS for everything but an HM-2

 

[BklynKen]

Just in case one strikes your fancy, I’m selling a few really good distortions in the classifieds, including an MBD-1 and a Rusty Box.

@Joey lewis I see the MBD-1 is still available. I (and others here) can't recommend this highly enough, as long as you don't mind a pretty big pedal.

 

[Joey lewis]

I have the same bass, and I swear by Darkglass! Yes, they're expensive, but they cost nothing compared to the plethora of pedals that tried and failed to stay on my pedalboard.
See if you can find a used B3K, Alpha/Omicron, or X.
Or, if you want preamp and EQ options, you can get the larger versions. The X7 effectively cured my GAS for everything but an HM-2

I was looking at the b7k, but 300 bucks to replace my mxr was too much, especially since I just got a mbd2 on reverb for 160 brand new. And sir, there is no cure for gas, just temporary moments of contentment followed by panic and sweats and an empty bank account. Be careful, don’t let it lull you into a false sense of safety, it’s always lurking..

 

[BklynKen]

I was looking at the b7k, but 300 bucks to replace my mxr was too much, especially since I just got a mbd2 on reverb for 160 brand new. And sir, there is no cure for gas, just temporary moments of contentment followed by panic and sweats and an empty bank account. Be careful, don’t let it lull you into a false sense of safety, it’s always lurking..

Nice find! The MBD2 is basically the same as the 1, just in a smaller enclosure and with the 20db switch on the outside, where the 1 has an internal trim pot.

 

[Joey lewis]

I have the same bass, and I swear by Darkglass! Yes, they're expensive, but they cost nothing compared to the plethora of pedals that tried and failed to stay on my pedalboard.
See if you can find a used B3K, Alpha/Omicron, or X.
Or, if you want preamp and EQ options, you can get the larger versions. The X7 effectively cured my GAS for everything but an HM-2

Have you upgraded the bass at all? I’m looking for new pups in mine next

 

[Hypocrite]

Have you upgraded the bass at all? I’m looking for new pups in mine next

No, I was thinking of swapping the preamp for the Tone Capsule, but I won't be upgrading it. The bridge will only fit a .125 B string, and I want to drop to at least a .135. I'm looking around for a bass with a toploading bridge in stead of single holes

 

[Joey lewis]

No, I was thinking of swapping the preamp for the Tone Capsule, but I won't be upgrading it. The bridge will only fit a .125 B string, and I want to drop to at least a .135. I'm looking around for a bass with a toploading bridge in stead of single holes

Get a new bridge, a got one and I have 135 b string now. Luthier had to grind down the nut a bit but it worked. Aguilar preamp new bridge and new strings and set up and it’s a beast. Now I just need to decide on pups

 

[Hypocrite]

Get a new bridge, a got one and I have 135 b string now. Luthier had to grind down the nut a bit but it worked. Aguilar preamp new bridge and new strings and set up and it’s a beast. Now I just need to decide on pups

The hell you say? I've been looking around for the last five years trying to find a suitable bridge. Living in Denmark, Thomann is pretty much my only option if I don't want customs to bend me over

 

[Joey lewis]

The hell you say? I've been looking around for the last five years trying to find a suitable bridge. Living in Denmark, Thomann is pretty much my only option if I don't want customs to bend me over

Reverb.com and a good luthier and you should be set man.

 

[Hypocrite]

Reverb.com and a good luthier and you should be set man.

I'll definitely check that out, cheers man!