Best bass overdrive?

[Jesuguru]

Bumping this thread up. I've started using five string basses more recently and haven't really dug how my ODs sound on the B string. It's light and barely there on the E string and others and farty and too crunchy when I play the B. I've played really lightly too with my right hand and the dirt is much dirtier than the higher strings.

Any tips / recs for five string users that are even across all of the strings? Right now, the SV-PRE, Analog Alien Bass Station, and Phat Phuk B are getting rotated for that sound to varying degrees of success. The B string with the SSBS Mini, WH Pork & Pickle, Barber Linden EQ doesn't sound great to my ears, though I love each of them when playing fours especially the Linden.

SB Underground Accelerator sounds great but it's mostly clean, at least in the settings I'm using (?).

Thanks all, hope you're well.

I only play 5's (and 6's) now, so B-string performance is key for me too. The JPTR Jive, Broughton Locust Star, SV-Pre, and Scorpion all handle it very well. The best I've heard is the Free the Tone Black Vehicle.

My Idiotbox Blower Box Deluxe has an LPF to leave the lows clean and sounds great, but it's more in RAT territory than OD. Other pedals I've yet to try which also drive the higher end and add clean lows are the Sansamp YYZ and DUG, and Darkglass X7.

 

[arepa_funk]

I only play 5's (and 6's) now, so B-string performance is key for me too. The JPTR Jive, Broughton Locust Star, SV-Pre, and Scorpion all handle it very well. The best I've heard is the Free the Tone Black Vehicle.

My Idiotbox Blower Box Deluxe has an LPF to leave the lows clean and sounds great, but it's more in RAT territory than OD. Other pedals I've yet to try which also drive the higher end and add clean lows are the Sansamp YYZ and DUG, and Darkglass X7.

Thanks! Yeah the SV-PRE has been good though it depends a lot on right hand attack of course.

 

[Admiral Chew]

I’ve recently been enjoying playing the NRG Purrer. It’s early days but it may give my all-time favourites a run for their money.

 

[Rnr..........4]

No love for the Tech 21 Para Driver DI? It actually sounds better than all the Geddy and regular Sansamp pedals.

 

[skier 913]

anyone know what pedal flea was using on the original "Bust a move"? closest sounding thing Ive heard mimicking a real torn speaker at just slight break up..loads of bottom end but just a hint of "frap"

 

[mouthmw]

anyone know what pedal flea was using on the original "Bust a move"? closest sounding thing Ive heard mimicking a real torn speaker at just slight break up..loads of bottom end but just a hint of "frap"

That's just a Stingray growl IMO, could have easily been direct to a mixer. I honestly don't hear any drive, but if you want something subtle, I'd look at transparent drives. Popular choices are Barbershop, Saturn VI, Jive, DCX Bass etc. Plenty of threads on "just a hint of hair" overdrives.

 

[n!k]

My two favorite overdrives are ones that border on fuzz/distortion more than being transparent. The Does it Doom Giza and the Tech 21 American Woman. The latter is a little bass shy but nothing a blend loop doesn't fix. And the sustain is truly infinite with it all the way up, it's crazy. Like an eBow or something

 

[EmpInfNed]

Mosky seems great for only 15 bucks

 

[smo]

..… if you all had to pick only ONE bass overdrive, which would it be?

FTT Black Vehicle.
There is no best, only the one that works with your gear, and one gets the sound in your head.
I have a few flavours in the cupboard in case I change my mind.

 

[dedpool1052]

Updated answer.

For me,
The Broughton Audio Scorpion.

 

[EmpInfNed]

 

[ezra1]

Several....Grizzly ,Blueberry, Slampegg ,One Control Sonic Silver Peg , Darkglass Vintage Deluxe,Dirty Little Secret

 

[Sugarbear08]

At present, my favorites include:

Broughton scorpion
CAL Grizzly
Way huge pork loin

 

[triviani]

A chronologic list of the dirt pedals I’ve tried for the last year or so -not counting fuzz-. Most of them are already gone. On the top the one that seems to be beating them all.

T-rex Bass Juice
Tronographic Rusty Box 24v
Okko Motorbass
One Control Hookers Green 4k
Way Huge Green Rhino mkV
Tanabe Dumkudo
Eden Glowplug
Jam Pedals Lucydreamer bass *1 Should have kept this one
Maxon Hybrid Bass Driver
Ibanez TS9B
EAE Halberd v2
Durham Sex Drive
Joyo California Sound
Caroline Company Icarus
EBS Multidrive
Guyatone Bass Driver iv
EQD Blumes
EBS Valve Drive DI
Darkglass Vintage Deluxe
Caroline Company Wave Cannon
Broughton Audio Scorpion
Wampler Plexi Drive mini
Zvex Double Rock ii
Orange Bass Butler
Darkglass Microtubes X ultra
Animals Pedal Bass OD
Vfe Pedals Distortion3
One Control Blackberry bass od
Free the Tone Black Vehicle
Ibanez NTS Nu Tubescreamer
Vivie Rhinotes Bass Overdrive
Xotic BB Bass Preamp


*2 Current contenders: SA Zio, Origin DCX Bass
*3 Arriving: Lusithand Ground & Pound, Sumo Stomp Minotaur

 

[jcburn]

My favourite - EBS Billy Sheehan Deluxe or Ultimate.

Can be subtle and warm or cutting and screaming (or anywhere in between). Has a boost that increases saturation but not volume. The compressor sounds great and adds punch. And the OD nature just sounds great - smooth and growly (just like the Pearce preamp OD it is emulating).

 

[Drredplate]

My suggestion is not cheap, but would be the best by a country mile. Get a tube head and overdrive the sucker!

Agree overdrive is the sound of an output tube and a transformer.
Small valve amp - dummy load- passive di box- class d amp of your choice can’t be beaten IMO

 

[martyplaysbass]

How would you compare the blueberry to the vintage deluxe?

Several....Grizzly ,Blueberry, Slampegg ,One Control Sonic Silver Peg , Darkglass Vintage Deluxe,Dirty Little Secret

 

[sillyfabe]

I’m partial to either a DAM Ezekiel (have a sweet clone) or a Fuzzrocious Demon

 

[ezra1]

How would you compare the blueberry to the vintage deluxe?

They can be close. The Vintage Deluxe has more capacity to be tweaked. However the Blueberry is voiced and easier to dial in. I generally set them and leave them alone. When I change from a Jazz bass to a Thunderbird one or the other overdrive may work better.

 

[midichlorine]

Lots of great options out there.
I settled on the Dcx bass
That 610 vibe is great! ( for me)