darkglass vintage vs tech 21 yyz

[Pbass182]

H everyone, any of you have owned these pedal and can give me some advice? I own a vintage ultra that is an always on preamp set up to mimic a tube amp. I play punkrock with a P bass and the preamp is open in the High mid and medium gain. I really love it but I want an other drive in the same flavour but with a different texture. I once owned a tech 21 vt di that I didn’t really like so I wonder if it’s more like the darkglass vintage or the vt di?

 

[Crystalman85]

If you want something like a warm tube amp sound with a mid range response, then tech 21 paradriver would be a good choice for that. darkglass vintage is good also. that is if you want a warm overdrive sound. plus they sound awesome with p basses and yamaha bb basses.

 

[Pbass182]

Ok so I decided to give a try to the yyz and here is my thoughts.

-The yyz is scoop a bit in the low mid and even more when you engage the tight button. The vintage ultra in the other hand is fuller and flatter.

-The drive is similar to a sansamp but thighter and less harsh, almost like a guitar drive
( nice mid gain with a lot of top end)

- I have a problem with the yyz for the exact reason that I had a problem with the vt. The problem is that the mix /blend knob doesn’t only affect the drive but also the eq, this is a problem for me because I cannot get the sound that I want with the eq without being to harsh with the drive so this is why it will remain as my secondary drive (the one that I kick for the breakdown).

-To me the vintage ultra feels more natural and tube amp like where the yyz feel more fizzy and « pedal ».

note that I use the vintage ultra as my main peace of gear and I run it boosted in the high mid and a mid gain to mimic a tube amp.

 

[DDXdesign]

I like the YYZ for a "crispy" tone rather than what i would go for as a full OD. Almost just for the scoop, but with the hair on top. Go from Jack Bruce to Billy Gould at the click of a button, let alone the target Geddy tone =0)

 

[FaithNoMan]

I like the YYZ for a "crispy" tone rather than what i would go for as a full OD. Almost just for the scoop, but with the hair on top. Go from Jack Bruce to Billy Gould at the click of a button, let alone the target Geddy tone =0)

I can see where you get that from.
When I had the YYZ I would use a thin slice of high mids very strongly and use that with a modded Oxford to get the body of the tone. But in the end I sold it because the overdrive was way to Ampeg-like to get the tones I like exactly.

Of course I also use a Peavey in a pedal that was the origin of Billy Gould’s tone now. And I still stack it with another overdrive.

Come to think of it, it would probably work very well with my Peavey preamp(s) that I have now(didn’t have them when I had the YYZ).
I found the YYZ to be great at mastering tones, even if it didn’t get the tone by itself.

Maybe after I run the SH-1 I got last week through its’ paces

 

[Pbass182]

I found the YYZ to be great at mastering tones, even if it didn’t get the tone by itself.

I can agree on that, it seems to pair well with other overdrive and other pedal.
I try to run it before and after my vintage ultra and both sound well

 

[Fuzzbass]

The YYZ is a cool pedal and I understand why others love it, but I couldn't get it to work for me as well as other pedals I own (which includes Darkglass Vintage Deluxe), so I sold it.

 

[jamesblue]

Am I missing someting with the Darkglass Vintage Deluxe (V1). I got the V1 version becouse of the ERA drive control; it sounds good but I like my Sansamp Para Drive V2 (Music Man Sterling Active) and Geddy YYZ (P-bass) pedal more.
The DG VD just seems thiner; might work well in a dense mix in a 5 pice or bigger band; it can get agressive in a good way.
I've used Tech 21 for years, so my ears may just prefer their sound.

 

[Pbass182]

The DG VD just seems thiner; might work well in a dense mix in a 5 pice or bigger band; it can get agressive in a good way.

I Im in a 4 piece band and I cut well for my band. It’s a more agressive gain but it’s clearer and the drive is a little less mid focused. I guess it depends on the music you play and the other piece of the band. I really love to hear sansamp tones from other band but I tried a few ones and never really loved them as much as my DG. It’s a matter of taste I guess...and maybe a bit of my « fingers tone »...

 

[dannybuoy]

The YYZ is a cool pedal and I understand why others love it, but I couldn't get it to work for me as well as other pedals I own (which includes Darkglass Vintage Deluxe), so I sold it.

The Darkglass Vintage Deluxe is a cool pedal and I understand why others love it, but I couldn't get it to work for me as well as other pedals I own (which includes YYZ), so I sold it.

 

[Fuzzbass]

Am I missing someting with the Darkglass Vintage Deluxe (V1). I got the V1 version becouse of the ERA drive control; it sounds good but I like my Sansamp Para Drive V2 (Music Man Sterling Active) and Geddy YYZ (P-bass) pedal more.
The DG VD just seems thiner; might work well in a dense mix in a 5 pice or bigger band; it can get agressive in a good way.
I've used Tech 21 for years, so my ears may just prefer their sound.

We all have our own taste... and our own signal chains (basses, amps, other FX). I have certain pedals that I'll use in any situation, but I also own some pedals that sound better with a particular bass, or with a particular signal chain: I like to stack distortions, but some distortions don't play well together.

Anyway, you might not be missing anything: could simply be that the Vintage isn't for you. OTOH, your ears might need time to adjust, or you might need to tweak a bit more to find a setting that works for you.

FWIW I like the Vintage by itself, but like it even better when run into my B7K. To my ears the mid bump on the Vintage and mid notch on the B7K play well together (they aren't opposite; i.e. they don't cancel).

My favorite pedals come from Tech 21 and Darkglass, but I've found out first-hand that I don't love every pedal made by either company.

 

[dannybuoy]

H everyone, any of you have owned these pedal and can give me some advice? I own a vintage ultra that is an always on preamp set up to mimic a tube amp. I play punkrock with a P bass and the preamp is open in the High mid and medium gain. I really love it but I want an other drive in the same flavour but with a different texture. I once owned a tech 21 vt di that I didn’t really like so I wonder if it’s more like the darkglass vintage or the vt di?

Look out for a Pike Vulcan XL. It has 2 drive circuits in it that you can blend between, both of them very Darkglass-like. Sounds a bit more grainy / aggressive than the Vintage.