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Bass overdrive.

F

Flipper43

Sep 7, 2009
519
3
#1
Hi. I need some help looking for a bass overdrive. I've been looking for a while, and i know pretty much exactly what i need. I want something that's versatile, and can have some low gain grit, and be able to have hard overdrive. If you could give me some suggestions that'd be nice. Thanks.
 
#3
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
 
#4
jokerjkny said:
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
sansamp vt bass
Click to expand...

+22

Probably one of the best out there.
The VT Bass is for bass what a Tubescreamer is for guitar.

Although I personally prefer the BDDI, because it is less warm.

But for someone with no overdrive and/or effects pedal experience I definately recommend the VT Bass. Easy to dial in, almost always a nice sound... all your following overdrive pedals will be measured up against it. (Possible that subjectively you fill find one that will suit you better.)
 
#9
René_Julien;8339505 said:
+22

Probably one of the best out there.
The VT Bass is for bass what a Tubescreamer is for guitar.

Although I personally prefer the BDDI, because it is less warm.

But for someone with no overdrive and/or effects pedal experience I definately recommend the VT Bass. Easy to dial in, almost always a nice sound... all your following overdrive pedals will be measured up against it. (Possible that subjectively you fill find one that will suit you better.)
Click to expand...

funny,

but another option i really like is the sansamp paradriver. cause sometimes, despite my appreciation for the vtbass' awesomeness, i wish it had a better variable mid control like the paradriver, which i find pretty dam handy.

and frankly, while the paradriver's, let alone the bassdriver's depth and (if i may) dimensionality of overdrive sounds pretty darn good. but the vtbass just has that "je ne sais quoi", which in english translates "SONOFA".
 
#11
The lack of specificity of the original post pretty much makes this thread a pedal popularity contest. I'm tempted to blurt out my fave' 'versatile' od as well, but it would be helpful to know desires/concerns regarding low end retention, mid emphasis or cut desirability, character of clipping (gritty, fuzzy, saturated, etc...), ability to boost or not, general genres of music played...


I am going to have to disagree that the VT Bass is the "Tubescreamer" of bass od's. The archetypal TS is best known for it's midrange emphasis that not only distorts on its' own, but the extra midrange content also drives your amp into more distortion. The VT features the same 'SVT-inspired' midrange dip that the BDDI does. Not really Tubescreamer-ish at all.

I understand Mssr. Julien's love of the VT makes it a 'standard' in his eyes (thus the TS comparison), but I don't want the op to be mislead. I really don't think that an 'archetypal' bass od has really emerged yet. The ODB-3, BDDI and Fulltone Bass-Drive are probaly the most purchased pedals, along with probably some of the budget offerings- but I'm not sure there's really a bass od pedal to 'rule them all' yet. :)
 
#13
scotch said:
I am going to have to disagree that the VT Bass is the "Tubescreamer" of bass od's. The archetypal TS is best known for it's midrange emphasis that not only distorts on its' own, but the extra midrange content also drives your amp into more distortion. The VT features the same 'SVT-inspired' midrange dip that the BDDI does. Not really Tubescreamer-ish at all.

I understand Mssr. Julien's love of the VT makes it a 'standard' in his eyes (thus the TS comparison), but I don't want the op to be mislead. I really don't think that an 'archetypal' bass od has really emerged yet. The ODB-3, BDDI and Fulltone Bass-Drive are probaly the most purchased pedals, along with probably some of the budget offerings- but I'm not sure there's really a bass od pedal to 'rule them all' yet. :)
Click to expand...

Yup... I agree... well, the OP's question was a little vague and my answer was a bit standard because of it.

And I didn't mean to say it is Tubescreamer-ish... just my own "marketing term". :hiding:

Actually, as mentioned not to dismiss guitar pedals, I like a regular tubescreamer on bass too.
Just so many different flavours.


As for the BDDI, I love it... but not that much for overdrive use.
Either as preamp, or fully driven that it's actually a distortion.
It's that vague area of what is "preamp" "amp modelling" "grit" "grind" "crunch" "overdrive" "distortion"...

You can do a lot worse than a VT Bass as your first "overdrive pedal".
I have different experiences than bassboysam and ccouch7. I'm not so fond of it as a preamp, but I think it is succesful as an overdrive pedal.
My guitarist loves the Sansamp Character Series so much he bought all 4 guitar pedals. I personally think the Liverpool and California sound awesome. (But here again, guitarists are as divided on the Character Series as we are here.)
Thinking about it, I got to try them on bass.

All a case "your mileage may vary".


Maybe best when you are clueless about overdrives, or in fact any effect pedal, is to go to your local pop&mom store, get a pedal you can afford of the effect type you think you need. And start to build your own experiences. Then you give a more detailed description when asking about what overdrive to go next to.

It all becomes an obsession. :)
For example, I am a delay nut. My local (small) store stocks several brands of effects (the common brands). They surely have a delay pedal that can do the job for me.
Still I am obsessing, searching for boutique and vintage delay pedals,... :hmm:
 
#14
René_Julien;8340545 said:
...


Maybe best when you are clueless about overdrives, or in fact any effect pedal, is to go to your local pop&mom store, get a pedal you can afford of the effect type you think you need. And start to build your own experiences. Then you give a more detailed description when asking about what overdrive to go next to.

...
Click to expand...

I totally agree! Overdrive/ distortion/fuzz is such a 'personal' thing. It's kind of pointless trying to foist your own preferences on someone else. The subtle differences from pedal to pedal can mean a big difference from one user to the next.

That said, this forum can be very useful for vetting experiences regarding specific peculiarities of different pedals.
 
#16
Flipper43 said:
Well, the kind of sound that i'm looking for is like the bass on this track:

I want an overdrive that can do something like that, but be able to just deal out a little bit of grit at a lower setting.
Click to expand...


That's better!

Well, you're gonna need a pick to really capture that tone. Plus it's definitely a "scooped" tone. So, TS clones are out (without lots of eq). I have a feeling that this is actually "amp" distortion on the recording, and the technique & instrument play a big role,.. but a SansAmp type distortion gets 'scoopy' like that. So either a BDDI used as an od pedal, or maybe a Bass Big Muff without much "sustain" dialed in.

I usually don't recommend the BDDI as an overdrive (not my favorite)- but in this case, I think you'll be able to get that tone plus set it for less grind as needed.
 
#17
scotch said:
That's better!

Well, you're gonna need a pick to really capture that tone. Plus it's definitely a "scooped" tone. So, TS clones are out (without lots of eq). I have a feeling that this is actually "amp" distortion on the recording, and the technique & instrument play a big role,.. but a SansAmp type distortion gets 'scoopy' like that. So either a BDDI used as an od pedal, or maybe a Bass Big Muff without much "sustain" dialed in.

I usually don't recommend the BDDI as an overdrive (not my favorite)- but in this case, I think you'll be able to get that tone plus set it for less grind as needed.
Click to expand...

Hey thanks man. I too had a feeling that it is amp distortion, because it just has that kind of sound, you know? I've always been after his bass tone, (the one on the video) because it sounds pretty much perfect to me. But anyway, which would you recommend more, the BDDI or the bass big muff? I can't really find any videos with good clips of the distortion on the BDDI. Well, i found one, but it didn't sound strong or scooped at all.
 
#18
Yup, like scotch said.

This is why I like the BDDI.
For this sound a VT Bass is definately not the way to go. Well, IMO.


This is what some people would call a "metallic overdrive". And here comes the problem with how we describe sounds. Others will say this is not overdrive but "grit".


The BDDI might get you there, I love that pedal, but it's rather expensive I must admit.

Behringer makes a clone that is actually very close, the BDI21.
Cheap, might not last long, but it will get you started.


"Metallic overdrives": Ibanez Phat Hed PD-7 or BOSS ODB-3 Bass Overdrive might get you there too.
I prefer the Ibanez for this metallic thing.

MXR Bass Blowtorch is also something to be considered. It's more along the lines of the BDDI. Each has their own fans.


so to summarize.. IMO and IME

- BOSS ODB-3
- Ibanez PD-7 Phat Hed
- MXR Bass Blowtorch
- Behringer BDI21
- Sansamp Bass Driver DI (BDDI)


some people can add alternatives to this list, or scratch some off....


And if you are in the market for a new amp in the future... maybe... you can find amps that can deliver this tone on their own.
The Gallien Krueger growl comes to mind.


my 2 cents :)
 
#19
René_Julien;8340820 said:
Yup, like scotch said.

This is why I like the BDDI.
For this sound a VT Bass is definately not the way to go. Well, IMO.


This is what some people would call a "metallic overdrive". And here comes the problem with how we describe sounds. Others will say this is not overdrive but "grit".


The BDDI might get you there, I love that pedal, but it's rather expensive I must admit.

Behringer makes a clone that is actually very close, the BDI21.
Cheap, might not last long, but it will get you started.


"Metallic overdrives": Ibanez Phat Hed PD-7 or BOSS ODB-3 Bass Overdrive might get you there too.
I prefer the Ibanez for this metallic thing.

MXR Bass Blowtorch is also something to be considered. It's more along the lines of the BDDI. Each has their own fans.


so to summarize.. IMO and IME

- BOSS ODB-3
- Ibanez PD-7 Phat Hed
- MXR Bass Blowtorch
- Behringer BDI21
- Sansamp Bass Driver DI (BDDI)


some people can add alternatives to this list, or scratch some off....


And if you are in the market for a new amp in the future... maybe... you can find amps that can deliver this tone on their own.
The Gallien Krueger growl comes to mind.


my 2 cents :)
Click to expand...


As far as the amping goes, that's very ironic, because i am planning on ordering one of the GK backline combos very soon. I also was considering getting an odb-3 in a trade soon as well, but even if i get that, i still feel that i want to try out the Sansamp BDDI once i have enough money.
 
#20
Flipper43 said:
As far as the amping goes, that's very ironic, because i am planning on ordering one of the GK backline combos very soon. I also was considering getting an odb-3 in a trade soon as well, but even if i get that, i still feel that i want to try out the Sansamp BDDI once i have enough money.
Click to expand...

I'm in no position to dictate what to do... but (:))...
Maybe hold off buying an overdrive pedal until you get a GK.

I love GK... I play about the same genre as you I think, given the sound you're after in the YT link.

Those Backlines can get really scooped and gritty. Even better than my GK 1001RB-II. Which also can growl but I admire my GK for it's clean headroom.

I am waiting until the GK MB Fusion is available.



The BDDI is great, but it's going to be redundant (and a waste of money) if you are planning to get an amp that is going to deliver an overdrive sound that is in the ballpark.

The BDDI is an awesome pedal though. But save your money for a GK. :)
Again, my opinion, its not up to make to make decision for you.



For further reading, search in the amp forum for a thread: "the much talked about Gallien Krueger growl"
edit: link to thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=587141

Makes for some good reading and experiences from GK fans if you have some time to kill.

:)
 

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