Bass overdrive suggestion

[Jared Lash]

Way Huge Pork Loin and Homebrew Electronics Hematoma can do light overdrive.
They can run hotter as well.
The Hartke Bass Attack should also be on your test list.

Forgot the Pork Loin. Dug mine a LOT when I had it.

 

[quadrogong]

WREN & CUFF PHAT PHUK
made especially for light OD, their youtube clip sounds toooo good. I've got reservations to get one of those.

90% of these all sounded too dirty to me,
I have been searching for a while,

the VT bass will get clean or near clean,it's good.

I also really like to use a pedal with a bass & treble control, to make sure the low end is there,

The Jaques Tubeblower has the 2 band eq, it works too..

I wanna try the JHS Low drive, their clip sounds great online,I may order this one. Their bass compressor also sounds good, adds sustain, and mixes w the low drive pedal nicely, I saw a guy with these two pedals playing a Roscoe beck in a NYC club, and he had his tone DOWN!.. I went to their site the same evening.


this gets asked a few times each week,do a search and see what folks are using.

 

[ninepoundjammer]

The Barber LTD SR is a great pedal for just adding some grit.

++This

Just picked one up and I think I've finally found an OD I can live with. My goals are pretty much in line with the OP's. Most OD pedals go way to hot way to soon and it's impossible to get that light OD I'm looking for. LTD is designed for low OD, have to get up to about 3 oclock before it really gets much drive. Internal bass/presence trims are crucial, I wasn't sold out of the box.

I haven't tried any of the pedals with clean blends as even from sound clips I could tell they weren't what I was looking for (Sparkle Drive, Pork Loin etc). Here's what I've tried:

VT Bass - Only other pedal I've liked for this. I actually use the LTD after the VT as a dirty boost. I've also used clean boosts into the VT and liked it.

Catalinbread SFT - actually nice overdrive sound and it could get pretty light, but I hated the way it was voiced and couldn't deal.

Fulltone Bassdrive - Hard to keep it on the light side, not great tone control, but I could get ONE pretty cool sound out of it.

Xotic Bass BB - Too hot and I didn't really dig the overdrive sound. Nice tone control though.

Xotic Bass RC - I heard you can get some overdrive out of it, but mine was pretty much clean even cranked.

Fulltone OCD - This pedal lives on my guitar board. I tried it on bass once, maybe you could get a good sound but I lost patience.

 

[crapusername]

I've been on the same search for years!
IME (only a partial list!):
I have the VT - too clicky in the top end for me (although some great sounds for recording)
Pork loin - found the sweet spot on the trim pots, but it seemed to get lost in the mix
Bad Monkey - seemed to get lost as well
LoMenzo Hyperdrive - Some great sounds, but sounded a little too 'nasal'
Hartke bass attack - sounds great, sits well in a mix, and has a DI. just not quite 'right'
I have a distortron to try at next band practice - we shall have to see!

In the end, i have been using the Hardwire tube overdrive.
It does exactly what you are asking and has a good eq to tailor exactly your sound.
It just sounds like you with a little griity hair around the note, and that slightly crunchy attack with a pick

 

[quadrogong]

That Hardwire OD pedal looks cool,
I've never heard of them, but it looks great for the $ if it performs as u say..

good features, two band EQ.. $99?
and good low gain grit, huh?

 

[Eric!]

Rustyboxrustyboxrustyboxrustybox

 

[NortyFiner]

Danelectro Cool Cat Transparent Overdrive is a good cheap option for light overdrive to mild distortion purposes.

 

[kbi the crowing]

That Hardwire OD pedal looks cool,
I've never heard of them, but it looks great for the $ if it performs as u say..

good features, two band EQ.. $99?
and good low gain grit, huh?

I have one of these. Retains a ****-ton of low end. You can get a decent light grit tone, but I find it can get a bit buzzy pretty quick.

 

[DeathFromBelow]

Don't you come sailing over here with your beardy friends and their axes. Again.

Here in York we have an annual longship race each year and all of Norway's hardest dudes come over to compete and drink lots of booze. I've always thought it would be funny if all the English blokes used that weekend to invade Norway, then when they all went home they'd find out we've pillaged the entire place and we'd be all "How does that feel, Norway?"

Can't we all just be friends?

 

[DeathFromBelow]

 

[madmatt]

My VT Bass pedal does overdrive well. And if you push it it does distortion too.

 

[ninepoundjammer]

I have the VT - too clicky in the top end for me (although some great sounds for recording)

You can't dial that out with the character and treble settings?

 

[crapusername]

^
no. seemd to have that no matter what eq / adjustments i made.

 

[jpTron]

^
no. seemd to have that no matter what eq / adjustments i made.

Even when using a separate eq?


My vote goes for Tube Screamer.

 

[ninepoundjammer]

^
no. seemd to have that no matter what eq / adjustments i made.

That's odd, I find the EQ on the VT can get me pretty much in any ballpark I want to be in, tone-wise. The character knob does add in top end clackiness, but it's a knob -- I dial in however much I want.