Bass overdrive

[bassdie]

Ok. Heres my deal. My current rig is a SVT-450 (solid state) into a the SVT 4x10 cab. Signal chain:
Rickenbacker 4003 bass>Tuner>Bass Muff>Sansamp (3 channel version)> Carbon Copy Delay> amp

I'm looking to take out the Sansamp and replace my amp so here is my quandary.
I want a vintage tube overdrive tone with plenty of low end.

My current plan is to sell my amp, the sansamp and a 1965 Gibson EBO (i dont use the thing and it should be in the hands of someone who isn't gonna be gigging with it, even though i almost exclusively use my Rick now that i have it) and get myself a Orange AD200B or a SVT head and get an Emperor 4x12 to go under it. I'm not sure how to go about achieving the tone im looking for, i figure leaving the neck pickup lower and keeping the gain high on the amp (probably wouldn't work for the ampeg but probably would on the orange) would work but I'm not sure.

Personally I love the idea of an Orange on top of an Emperor cabinet I still havnt tried one out so i cant be sure. Everyone on the planet plays a SVT so i want to do something a bit different.

So i guess my question is which amp is better for what i want and what kind of pedal/setup should i use for it?

EDIT: Just want to stress that i want to be able to switch between clean and distorted and have the ability to have dynamic flexibility.

 

[Jared Lash]

Tone is such a subjective thing that it's hard to say which amp will turn your crank.

Am I reading your post correctly in that you want an amp for tube tone but want overdrive to come from a pedal?

If so, it really is just personal taste. If you actually want overdrive from your amp it depends on how loud you play live. The SVT sounds fantastic when overdriven but you'd have to pushing it pretty hard to get that breakup. The Orange breaks up much easier.

The Orange (IMO) is a furrier, rounder and more retro tone, even when distorted. I personally prefer the tone of the SVT which is more versatile and can stay cleaner at louder levels.

As for the overdrive pedal, there are quite a few that will sound great pushing a tube amp. One suggestion is the Xotic BB Preamp. Mark Olson recently did some clips pushing his Marshall tube amp using one that you can check out.

 

[bassdie]

well i really would like to push the amp, thats the kind of tone im looking for. Im not really looking to get a distortion pedal, i think the fuzz serves my saturated distortion needs. im just trying to drive the tubes to get overdrive rather than a distortion pedal.

If i use a pedal it would be in the same vein as guitarists use a tube screamer to push the tubes.

In terms of volume i need to keep up with a guitarist that cranks a 60 watt fender 4x12 combo (which he plays LOUD) and a drummer who hits the skins pretty well.

To clarify on style that im playing, the band im in is just a straight forward rock group, our main influences being the Parlor Mob, Zeppelin and the White Stripes.
I'm also really into heavier **** so i want to have the versatility to be able to play music in the style of say a Every Time I Die, The Bronx, Torche, Kylesa or Baroness.

 

[Jared Lash]

Based on the sound I think you're looking for I'd still recommend the Orange, it's just a "dirtier" sounding amp and a dirty boost to push it into overdriving. Maybe the Wren & Cuff Phat Phuk.

Of course the previously mentioned Xotic BB Preamp is tubescreamer based and would still work for your application.

 

[bassdie]

The orange sounds like what im looking for, im not really looking for a ton of distortion. More of a warm slightly driven kinda sound. iv listened to a couple of demos and it seems the orange is more what im looking for.

 

[dannybuoy]

Do it - I picked up an AD200 a few days ago, the overdriven sounds are fantastic. I still recommend a booster though, so you can set the amp for dirty-ish and push it into more drive for louder sections like choruses or solos. I'm using a BB right now but am thinking of pulling the trigger on a Phat Phuk B!