Best bass overdrive?

[Smurf-o-Deth]

Cool to see I'm not the only one who loves this pedal on bass!
I'd heard that the Nobels sounded great but the build quality was questionable, so I started with the Visual Sound Open Road which is their take on the ODR-1, but built like a brick "outhouse".

I loved the Open Road, but at times it could be a little compressed for my liking.
Around the time I was using the Open Road as my #1 overdrive, I went down the rabbit-hole with building overdrives based on Aion Electronics circuit boards.
I saw that Aion had an ODR-1 model, so I built that but played around with a lot of capacitor and diode values and combinations to get the voice and attack the way I wanted.
That was 2016, and that ODR-based Aion is still on my board, along with another ODR that I built for lower gain.

Yeah, the Wampler Belle has the switch on the side, which reduces the compression in the drive a lot, which is why it’s the one I prefer. The Nordland version (which is built by the original designer of the circuit) also has a control for reducing the compression (a knob, in this instance).

 

[ricknote]

I’ve been through a ton of overdrive bass pedals. My current favorite by far isn’t dedicated to bass but works beautifully. Setting three is perfect. No low-end loss and very transparent. R-404 VINTAGE II (9V-18V)

 

[calypsocoral302]

My favorite bass OD setup is the same as my favorite guitar OD setup-- a Spiral Electric Effects "Secret Chord" Boost \ mild OD. If I need more crunch, I cascade it into a Maxon OSD-9 (basically a DOD 250 circuit).

 

[Jesuguru]

If you can afford it (go used if possible), the HX Stomp drives can vary from good to awesome. Best part is the ability to do split path, either to have parallel clean blend or to crossover split at your chosen frequency, to keep lows clean/full and distort the upper-range to preference. That opens up using "geetar" OD's and/or amps. The Obsidian (DG B7K) and Zeroamp (BDDI) are pretty solid, IMO. Stack as desired.

 

[ChickWithaRic]

Ok so I know this is a loaded question, but just trying to get a general consensus here… if you all had to pick only ONE bass overdrive, which would it be? Just looking to add some grit for the more rockin’ songs.

Cost no object option: Marshall guitar head.
Realistic: Plexion.

 

[Frank_Raider]

Some pedals I really love:
- CAL Grizzly Bass
- Darkglass Alpha Omega
- Aguilar Tone Hammer (AGS engaged)
- Xotic Bass BB Preamp
- JAM Rattler
- Cusack Screamer Bass

All of the above can take you from subtle OD sounds to distortion territory.

 

[definenredefine]

Any thoughts on the Paragon Terran? Supposedly models an old Ampeg V4...

 

[Bassmike62]

For the gear I use, what I play and the way I play it and how I like to sound: Tech21 VT Bass, version 2. I tried a lot of bass OD pedals and pretty much all I could get my hands on from Tech21, but nothing sounds (again, to me) like that pedal.

 

[ThaCoast]

I know you've already gotten 100 different answers, but the DOD 250 is such an underrated drive for bass. It's inexpensive, it's fool proof (with just two knobs- gain and level) and it sounds great. I really despise having to tinker with drive pedals because every room has it's own intricacies, and its so easy with the 250. It's outlasted a bunch of other drive pedals on my board.

+1 on this! I got a DOD 250 for my bass rig, after watching a JHS pedal video showcasing opamp drives. I use mine in conjunction with my MXR bass D.I.+ (which is set for low gain drive). I use the 250 to up the overall dirtiness from boost to chaotic. It's super simple, & will never leave the board

 

[Pacodelivery]

I’m with the above - so many options and so may I have tried but the cog mini 66 and the damnation audio mbd1 are the ones that have stayed!

Can you compare these two? I have the cog knight fall 66 and I’ve wondered whether the mbd-2 might better suit my needs. Which of them is brighter, or more aggressive?

 

[theunknowndude]

Can you compare these two? I have the cog knight fall 66 and I’ve wondered whether the mbd-2 might better suit my needs. Which of them is brighter, or more aggressive?

depends how you run them?
Only videos I can find of both is mr excane who runs his signal pretty hot and gain up without the pedals on!
I find the cog mini 66 “crunchy” if turned up but I run it smooth with a bout 11 gain, and 11 clean, fat on full and cut in the middle… basically sounds like my clean bass tone with a low mid boost that’s a tiny bit coloured but gets a “crunch” drive if I dig in or slap.

the mbd1 can go deeper or brighter but I tend to set it up as a dark clear articulate grind if that makes sense… it can “boom” deeper than a green muff or something but also have that rat type snarl sitting on top. I use it for my downtuned C doomy type stuff in my band if I don’t have 66 on for rest of the time. Not the best but the pic shows my settings

 

[Pacodelivery]

Very cool! Thanks. I run one channel of my knight fall 66 similarly to your mini, I think it excels at that lower gain. The other channel I run full bore and often wish there was more gain / I could get it to clank more. Looks like I’ll have to try the mbd (and maybe the lil fella, and the blower box again, lol what a terrible affliction.)

Do you like the solid gold 76? I was looking at that one a little while ago, I’ve been checking out superfuzzes recently (moose nomad, fjord fenris) but I couldn’t gel with either (tho I’ve got a 3leaf doom 2 on the way, excited about that.)

View attachment 4715534

depends how you run them?
Only videos I can find of both is mr excane who runs his signal pretty hot and gain up without the pedals on!
I find the cog mini 66 “crunchy” if turned up but I run it smooth with a bout 11 gain, and 11 clean, fat on full and cut in the middle… basically sounds like my clean bass tone with a low mid boost that’s a tiny bit coloured but gets a “crunch” drive if I dig in or slap.

the mbd1 can go deeper or brighter but I tend to set it up as a dark clear articulate grind if that makes sense… it can “boom” deeper than a green muff or something but also have that rat type snarl sitting on top. I use it for my downtuned C doomy type stuff in my band if I don’t have 66 on for rest of the time. Not the best but the pic shows my settings

 

[theunknowndude]

Very cool! Thanks. I run one channel of my knight fall 66 similarly to your mini, I think it excels at that lower gain. The other channel I run full bore and often wish there was more gain / I could get it to clank more. Looks like I’ll have to try the mbd (and maybe the lil fella, and the blower box again, lol what a terrible affliction.)

Do you like the solid gold 76? I was looking at that one a little while ago, I’ve been checking out superfuzzes recently (moose nomad, fjord fenris) but I couldn’t gel with either (tho I’ve got a 3leaf doom 2 on the way, excited about that.)

I like it in some ways… it does what I want in a super fuzz compared to how I didn’t like octave fuzz with clean blend ( had a bead brass master style before this) in I can get green muff before it to provide lows but it does lose low end a bit. My main use for it as I use fuzz sparingly is for muff into 76 into wah for one part of a song for extremes screaming wah style

I replaced the tc electronic dreamscapes (as I thought I wanted flanger but never use it)with a lil fella… can’t go wrong with the lil fella for more gain

 

[cnltb]

I've not been looking for one since getting a Fairfieldcircuitry Barbershop.
For me, it really works!

 

[armybass]

Yeah, the Wampler Belle has the switch on the side, which reduces the compression in the drive a lot, which is why it’s the one I prefer. The Nordland version (which is built by the original designer of the circuit) also has a control for reducing the compression (a knob, in this instance).

Ditto. I got the suggestion for the Belle from you and I love it. So very easy to dial in.

 

[e-flat]

I’ve settled on two after trying many over the years:
- BJFE / Bearfoot Blueberry OD set with very little dirt for emulating power tube compression and fattening the low mids
- Damnation MBD1 or MBD2 for snarl while maintaining your underlying tone

 

[GrapeBass]

 

[dave64o]

Would LOVE to add a Terraformer to my Broughton collection, but they just seem impossible to find. They never seem to pop up for sale.

 

[rratajski]

Spaceman Saturn VI for low gain. Fuzzrocious lil fella for medium to high gain.

I would also add that it does ultra low gain when both the drive and gain pots are down.

 

[Stubb]

I would also add that it does ultra low gain when both the drive and gain pots are down.

Alright, that's it. I'm ordering one. Where do I find a black one in a way that gets you the most of the cut?