Can DG Vintage Microtubes Punch Without Fizz/Fuzz/Distortion?

[jdh3000]

I know all these terms are somewhat subjective, and it's hard to know what someone is talking about with tgese words... but can the Darkglass Vintage Microtubes get a good punchy sound without major breakup? Can it be worked up to the edge of breakup?

I don't want distortion, but would like that "push/punch/thump" one gets from a tube. I know nothing can truly replicate a tube amp, but I was looking at this and with all the various settings, wondered if it could get close to that sound.

There are only a couple of videos that demonstrate this on lower settings. From what I can tell it seems like it may be doing this, but thought I'd ask some of you who use this unit.

Thanks!

 

[jdh3000]

Maybe what I'm asking doesn't make sense, but I guess what I'm saying is does it go well from clean to distorted, where you can get right on the edge of breakup, or does it sound dirty anywhere you set it? What is the cleanest side of it like?
From light to heavy, is it basically a clean boost that moves up into distortion?

When I say I don't want "distortion", I'm not wanting that fuzzy sound, just on the edge of breakup, a little grit.

Maybe it's a different preamp I need to be looking at. I'm open to suggestions.

 

[mmbongo]

Long story short, there is always distortion. It cannot be a clean boost. With the distortion control completely off there is still a little bit of hair.

But there is also a clean blend and a separate level control for the distortion side. It will not give you any clean gain, but you can dial it to be completely clean then add just a little bit of the distortion signal to the clean. It operates differently from 'normal' pedals because of the clean blend AND distortion level. Usually you would just have a clean blend an overall volume, but these do not add any clean volume. Basically it's not something you would use as an overall volume control or clean boost.

 

[Derek Williams]

Maybe what I'm asking doesn't make sense, but I guess what I'm saying is does it go well from clean to distorted, where you can get right on the edge of breakup, or does it sound dirty anywhere you set it? What is the cleanest side of it like?
From light to heavy, is it basically a clean boost that moves up into distortion?

When I say I don't want "distortion", I'm not wanting that fuzzy sound, just on the edge of breakup, a little grit.

Maybe it's a different preamp I need to be looking at. I'm open to suggestions.

If you want clean, vintage tube amp sound, check out Sushi Box FX (and the large Sushi thread here on talkbass)

 

[matante]

I know all these terms are somewhat subjective, and it's hard to know what someone is talking about with tgese words... but can the Darkglass Vintage Microtubes get a good punchy sound without major breakup? Can it be worked up to the edge of breakup?

I don't want distortion, but would like that "push/punch/thump" one gets from a tube. I know nothing can truly replicate a tube amp, but I was looking at this and with all the various settings, wondered if it could get close to that sound.

There are only a couple of videos that demonstrate this on lower settings. From what I can tell it seems like it may be doing this, but thought I'd ask some of you who use this unit.

Thanks!

I haven't used it but the EHX Bass Soul Food supposedly sounds good with the gain all the way off and the blend all the way on (no dry signal) and you get some character from the gain side without actual drive/distortion. Worth a shot.

 

[sunbeast]

It does exactly this for me with relatively low-output basses like my Rickenbackers for example, but with basses of more typical output like my P-basses it has audible distortion even with the Gain at minimum (still "low-Gain" by most standards, but not clean). You can dial in some "edge of breakup" types of sounds even with higher output basses by dialing the Blend control back to favor the clean tone, but it sounds different than with a low output bass set with the Blend all the way up (which is how I prefer it). With my non-Rick basses I will sometimes use another pedal in front with a volume control that can be set below unity gain, which allows me to get those lower-Gain tones I prefer.

There are lots of pedals out there these days made to emulate a low-gain tube amp like this, and many of them have more clean to low-gain range on tap than the DG Vintage. I happen to really love the specific character of the Darkglass Vintage, particularly with flatwound strings, but it is not a particularly transparent sound and you may or may not enjoy it the same. I would second the suggestion of trying out one of the many Sushi Box FX options for actual tube designs with many available flavor options to choose from.

 

[jdh3000]

Long story short, there is always distortion. It cannot be a clean boost. With the distortion control completely off there is still a little bit of hair.

But there is also a clean blend and a separate level control for the distortion side. It will not give you any clean gain, but you can dial it to be completely clean then add just a little bit of the distortion signal to the clean. It operates differently from 'normal' pedals because of the clean blend AND distortion level. Usually you would just have a clean blend an overall volume, but these do not add any clean volume. Basically it's not something you would use as an overall volume control or clean boost.

I was kind of thinking with the blend it might be able to work out some of the grind, what you say confirms it.

I like some natural sounding breakup. I have a TC Spark for a clean boost. I was just wondering how clean this one could get because some Ive tried before were pretty dirty even with the dials way down.

Thanks you!

 

[jdh3000]

I haven't used it but the EHX Bass Soul Food supposedly sounds good with the gain all the way off and the blend all the way on (no dry signal) and you get some character from the gain side without actual drive/distortion. Worth a shot.

I was looking at that one as well... thanks!

 

[johnk_10]

you can get the VMT to punch without distortion easily. just run the drive on the low and adjust the level & blend (mostly CW) to taste . i run mine with the era fully clockwise (or almost fully CW).
i had an EHX Bass Soul Food right when they came out and didn't care for it much at all (& sold it the day that i received it)

 

[jdh3000]

It does exactly this for me with relatively low-output basses like my Rickenbackers for example, but with basses of more typical output like my P-basses it has audible distortion even with the Gain at minimum (still "low-Gain" by most standards, but not clean). You can dial in some "edge of breakup" types of sounds even with higher output basses by dialing the Blend control back to favor the clean tone, but it sounds different than with a low output bass set with the Blend all the way up (which is how I prefer it). With my non-Rick basses I will sometimes use another pedal in front with a volume control that can be set below unity gain, which allows me to get those lower-Gain tones I prefer.

There are lots of pedals out there these days made to emulate a low-gain tube amp like this, and many of them have more clean to low-gain range on tap than the DG Vintage. I happen to really love the specific character of the Darkglass Vintage, particularly with flatwound strings, but it is not a particularly transparent sound and you may or may not enjoy it the same. I would second the suggestion of trying out one of the many Sushi Box FX options for actual tube designs with many available flavor options to choose from.

That's very helpful... thank you!

 

[jdh3000]

you can get the VMT to punch without distortion easily. just run the drive on the low and adjust the level & blend (mostly CW) to taste . i run mine with the era fully clockwise (or almost fully CW).
i had an EHX Bass Soul Food right when they came out and didn't care for it much at all (& sold it the day that i received it)

That sounds like the way I would run it, some punch without really distorting... Thanks!

 

[Gearhead17]

I tried this pedal for a few days and determined it was not a good fit for me. However, what you are describing is what it can do. It is capable of a "slight tube push" sound if you mess with the knobs.

 

[johnk_10]

I tried this pedal for a few days and determined it was not a good fit for me. However, what you are describing is what it can do. It is capable of a "slight tube push" sound if you mess with the knobs.

i'm on my third one. i sold the first two years ago since i didn't think it was for me either. i thought it was too dark/wooly, but this third one doesn't feel dark to me at all. at least the way that i'm running it now.

 

[sunbeast]

i'm on my third one. i sold the first two years ago since i didn't think it was for me either. i thought it was too dark/wooly, but this third one doesn't feel dark to me at all. at least the way that i'm running it now.

I'm not a big fan of the VMT at higher gain, but on the low-gain range with flatwounds it has a great punchy character that I love (particularly pushing a bright tube amp as I know you also do!)

 

[kevmac]

I know all these terms are somewhat subjective, and it's hard to know what someone is talking about with tgese words... but can the Darkglass Vintage Microtubes get a good punchy sound without major breakup? Can it be worked up to the edge of breakup?

I don't want distortion, but would like that "push/punch/thump" one gets from a tube. I know nothing can truly replicate a tube amp, but I was looking at this and with all the various settings, wondered if it could get close to that sound.

There are only a couple of videos that demonstrate this on lower settings. From what I can tell it seems like it may be doing this, but thought I'd ask some of you who use this unit.

Thanks!

My advice is a preamp such as the Shift line Flex which has a real tube but can give anything from edge of breakup to full on grit-fuzz.Also I love my Master Effects Super 800 that reproduces the old GK 800 RB.Beautiful clean sounds and it'll give that distinctive "rails"tone most of us geezers that gigged in the 80-90s loved.These cost more than VMT(which I also own and love) but they also do much more and can be the heart of your system.