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Blowtorch for OD?

OptimusPrime

OptimusPrime

Mar 30, 2008
1,666
5
Florida
#1
Yes ... Yes, I've already done a search. And bookmarked a few threads for later reference.

Anyway, I have an MXR Blowtorch coming Friday. I love my Bass-Drive but I'm looking to move away from an all in one OD/distortion box.

For the past few months I've been set on a Sanford and Sonny Bluebeard fuzz for the heavier stuff. I'm just waiting for him to get back to me so I can order.

Now I'm looking to cover the OD side of things. I was looking into a Homebrew Hematoma. I went around looking for samples. Bass Player magazine online has this badass page of tons of different OD/distortion/fuzz boxes all playing the same riff. I listened to all of them, not know which was which and the winner came out the MXR Blowtorch over the Hematoma.

If the Bluebeard is taking care of the heavier distortion/fuzz side of things is the Blowtorch going to be too extreme to take care of mild to heavy overdrive?

I'll probably still keep the Bass-Drive around, probably still on my board but I'm looking for a more tweakable, heavier, crunchier, grittier, grindier(?) setup.

Any crunchy, gritty and grindy Blowtorch OD settings would be great.
 
#3
Mark Olson said:
The Blowtorch does not do crunchy, gritty, or grindy. It's more like a synthy fuzz.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I bought it just to try. 1/2 the reviews were great and 1/2 were horrible, sound samples were great. I'm glad MF will take it back if I don't like it. So even though it's described as overdrive and says everything from tube like growl to all out fuzz, it just doesn't do OD so well.
 
#4
I really, really dig the Blowtorch's sound, but I would never call it an overdrive. Or even a distortion. I think it's more of just a cool grinding sound with some synth overtones. Doesn't sound natural at all, but it does sound damned cool. Also, the mid frequency select on it can be handy, if you don't have another EQ in your chain with that capability. I have two others, so it's a bit redundant, but it's a nice feature nonethelss. Horrible choice placing the 'Torch' switch on the side though - a second stomp pot on top would have been so much more convenient.
 
#5
Rocketpriest said:
I really, really dig the Blowtorch's sound, but I would never call it an overdrive. Or even a distortion. I think it's more of just a cool grinding sound with some synth overtones. Doesn't sound natural at all, but it does sound damned cool. Also, the mid frequency select on it can be handy, if you don't have another EQ in your chain with that capability. I have two others, so it's a bit redundant, but it's a nice feature nonethelss. Horrible choice placing the 'Torch' switch on the side though - a second stomp pot on top would have been so much more convenient.
Click to expand...
So it's a straight up chainsaw through bone sound? Can't calm it down enough for OD? ...Whatever, another crazy fuzz pedal on my board won't be all bad. But $140 is expensive for something I don't really need. Hope it sounds as cool with my MXR flanger as my Bass-Drive does. I can nail Gratitude with that combo.
 
#7
#8
OptimusPrime said:
http://www.bassplayer.com/oldconten...Bass_Player/December_2006/attachments/MXR.mp3

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=263&pmh=products/p_and_e_detail

Click "Rock This Sound" for samples, one's good but one's nasty. It's put in a full band context. I bought it based on those 2 samples. So we'll see what Friday brings.
Click to expand...

Thanks man, I got the first link to work, that sounds pretty good. I couldn't get the clip to work on the MXR page though.
 
#10
I am using the Blowtorch with a MXR EVH flanger and the 2 work very well together IMO. I also have a LBM on my board. I agree the Blowtorch is a fuzz but IMO a more subtle fuzz than the LBM. The LBM doesn't do subtle fuzz very well. Having both gives me a lot of options. :) You can dial the Blowtorch way back so there is just a hint of something around the edges of your sound without losing all of your original sound. Tough to do that with the LBM.

Happy experimenting! :)
 
#11
i would also never call it an overdrive. however it can maybe do a mediocre fake overdrive if you roll back the treble and healthy amount, and maybe even boost the low mids some to get a chunkier sound, but i dont think you get any grain and grit from the blowtorch, it is very fuzz-like. the bassdrive does grain and grit, to my ears, to a much much better level.
 
#12
If you bookmarked my original MXR Blowtorch review, please ignore all of my comments about overdrive. I don't know what I was smoking that day. :D

Try my revised review instead: http://www.leftybassist.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=70

TBH, it really isn't meant for that. It can be a VERY, VERY mild fuzz, or a very aggressive higher gain fuzz. It won't do the crazy, forever-sustaining, madman-noise sounds of a cranked Big Muff, but it's not supposed to. It's synthy, edgy, and a very unique mid-focused fuzz.
 
#14
Well, I just got it 20 minutes ago. I've managed to almost perfectly replicate my Bass-Drive OD tone with a little more definition and crunch. And I've managed to replicate my Bass-Drive distortion tone, but it sounds a ton better. More defined, a lot less noise between notes and more grindy. It doesn't sound as good with my MXR flanger as my Bass-Drive does. I like the sound, but I don't know if I like it enough to keep 2 pedals that sound ALMOST the same to me. I'm going to go play around with it more.
 
#16
Volume: 11
Bass: 2
Midrange: 2
Treble: 10
Blend: 9
Gain: 11
Mid Switch: 750 Hz
Torch Switch: OFF

Sounds almost identical to my Bass-Drive OD tone. A little louder and more crunch. Getting a Bass-Drive distortion tone was a matter of upping the blend and gain a little and turning on the torch switch.

EDIT: I've noticed the Input Level gauge spiking on my amp to ridiculous levels when the Blowtorch is on. I have the input level at 3 O'clock normally and it doesn't spike as high with distortion as it is with the Blowtorch OD. Is that the 18v?
 
#17
OptimusPrime said:
Well, I just got it 20 minutes ago. I've managed to almost perfectly replicate my Bass-Drive OD tone with a little more definition and crunch. And I've managed to replicate my Bass-Drive distortion tone, but it sounds a ton better. More defined, a lot less noise between notes and more grindy. It doesn't sound as good with my MXR flanger as my Bass-Drive does. I like the sound, but I don't know if I like it enough to keep 2 pedals that sound ALMOST the same to me. I'm going to go play around with it more.
Click to expand...

By bassdrive distortion, do you mean with the boost channel on?
 
#19
OptimusPrime said:
Yeah. I've always used it as for overdrive then kicked on the boost for distortion. What would you describe it as?
Click to expand...

I've never played it, I was just clarifying that it reached distortion territory with the boost. I find it interesting that you could get a bass-drive overdriven tone with it because the samples I have heard are very different.
 

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