• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Darkglass Overdrive Pedal

guitarflinger

guitarflinger

Not all who wander are lost
Supporting Member
Oct 19, 2013
10,428
33,701
Front Range, Colorado
#1
Looking for some helpful advice on choosing between the DG B3k and the DG Vintage Microtubes. The only samples I can find online sound similar through my 1" computer speakers. Looking for some real world comments, particularly if you own both.

Rig - Pedulla MVP 5, Genz Benz Streamliner 900, and GB Focus 410 cabs (2). Playing mostly classic rock. I have several fuzz pedals, looking for more of a tube overdrive sound.

thanks in advance

Guitarflinger
 
#2
Each are great pedals, both with their strengths. The VMT will definitely get you closer to a natural tube tone with no loss in the mids (a slight bump actually). The B3K is cool, but it has more of a scooped, "sizzling" tone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Darkglass
#4
B3K: Chris Squire, you can 100% Nail rondabout. (Classic prog Rock, 70s American Hard Rock best choice)
VMT: Jack Bruce, you can 100% Nail Crossroads. (Chicago Blues, Rock blues, Late beatles, 70s British hard rock best choice).

Both pedals have their own voice not trying to copy a specific sound, but the sound of both is reminiscent of the Marshall and HIWATT bass amps than an ampeg SVT.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: crapusername and hintz
#7
Damn. I may have to order both to try. I could send back the one I like less. I think I could send back the one I like less. I am pretty sure I could send back . . . I might be able to send back . . . . I wonder how they would both look on my pedalboard . . . Have I ever sent back a pedal I didn't like? (no)

GAS is a terrible thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kiwiPbass, chaosMK, SandCBass and 3 others
#10
I play in a classic rock/Led Zep cover band and B3K didn't work for me, not necessarily because it's too modern but it was a bit too scooped for my taste. VMT on the other hand is the best OD I've ever had and it's permanently on my spot - throatier, more mids, fantastic tone. Sounded a lot more natural to me than B3K. Both are great though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Darkglass
#11
I will echo some of the comments already, the VMT is more mellow, more "traditional" if you will. Can be very subtle to somewhat pronounced depending on your bass and rig. THe B3/7K are more aggressive, more metallic. You can still get mellow with the 3 or 7, but they have the ability to get very aggressive as I found the VMT couldnt get to where they can. But the VMT wasnt designed to do that, it was designed to do what it does. And it does it very well.

If you can afford both, I would get both. They are really wonderful pedals. They both serve different roles and can be used in any application IMO. I used my B7K in a bluesy type of indie folky band before. Worked out great. The VMT also worked with my band, a heavier, harder rock with a little bit of prog and other things meshed in. I use the B7K myself as a clean preamp. It excels in this position for me. It makes all the dirt on my board sing! Sounds so different in a wonderful way. My ultimate goal is to have the VMT again with my B7K. What a pair they make! So yummy :)
 
#14
I use both extensively and my suggestion would be the VMT for classic rock and a tube overdrive sound. That being said, the choice also has a lot to do with whether you want to emphasize what may be present or lacking in your bass.

The B3K works great with a mid-heavy, dark sounding bass as a way of adding some brightness, taming some low mids and adding some low end punch (especially in Fat mode).

On the other hand, the VMT can seriously add some thickness in the mids and tame some highs on a bright, mid-shy bass.

You can flip this philosophy around with great results too.
 
#16
I use my b7k as an always on clean preamp, honestly I don't feel like I lose any midrange at all, and its not aggressive to me for the sheer variety I play, but also have the blend off, so I get nothing but the eq sound(which is better than most amps IMO), I am having 2nd thought about the VMT for older songs I play occasionally after listening to some clips, that'll have to wait though
 
#17
but having the DI is very important to me, it slays the sans amp, my soundguy loves it!!! I used to get "your bass sounds too thin" etc, so i have bass 100%, lo mid 45%, hi mid 60% and treble 75%, blend at zero, and zero mud going in my signal, everyone is happy(esp. me!!!)
 
#18
My $.02 is that the B3K is a pretty versatile pedal (B7K more so). My initial reactions were similar to comments on this thread - more aggressive, sizzling, etc - but I find the more time I spend with it, the more I like it and the more tones I can get out of it. The switches really change the nature of the pedal, and the blend knob is key. I go for mostly low-drive, warm low-mid driven tones, which seems to match the VMT, but the B3K excels for me too. Both are great, sorry I couldn't help ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: VifferMike
#20
]

Deadsound said:
My $.02 is that the B3K is a pretty versatile pedal (B7K more so). My initial reactions were similar to comments on this thread - more aggressive, sizzling, etc - but I find the more time I spend with it, the more I like it and the more tones I can get out of it. The switches really change the nature of the pedal, and the blend knob is key. I go for mostly low-drive, warm low-mid driven tones, which seems to match the VMT, but the B3K excels for me too. Both are great, sorry I couldn't help ;)
Click to expand...

I :bassist:should work that blend knob though!!
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back