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Deep thought

JimmyM

JimmyM

Apr 11, 2005
127,255
125,172
Plymouth NC
Disclosures
Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
#1
Doesn't it really seem bizarre to you all that when someone wanted to get the SVT sound, the answer a year ago was "Buy an SVT," and now it's "Buy an SVT or a $150 stompbox"?
 
#4
TheNightLife said:
yea. i have one of the sansamp pedal and in all honesty it really does not replace an svt and an 810 cab. it does kinda give the bass more of growl but nowhere near actually playing the head and cab IMO.
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I agree. However, if we're talking just the sound, the VT's got it goin' on. Just today I mic'ed up my B-15 to see how a track I recorded for a client with the VT compares. The VT track sounded so close that I stuck with it. And when I say close, I mean pretty much dead-on.

So while they haven't been able to cop that great feel of the full-on SVT/810 rig, the sounds are there as far as I'm concerned. And there's something really great about it, but at the same time it's kind of a letdown. Not a total letdown since they still can't cop that tube feel as the player feels it, but I never thought they'd nail the tones in my lifetime.
 
#6
Why bizarre? Seriously, who in their right mind wants to cart out that kind of weight at 3 in the morning regularly? Man, I thought I had it made 18 years ago when I gave up the 810 and went to a 410. That 410 was 90+ pounds. I won't even consider a 90 lb. cab today. And an 85 lb. head? Really, I know there is a lot to be said for mojo, but man, mojo ain't grabbing one side to help you carry and heft the sob into the back of your vehicle. If you can cop the tone in a lightweight package, then by all means, go for it.

Ljazz
 
#9
You think it's bizarre that people look for low cost, low weight alternatives? I think it's smart! It would be different if someone said "I am looking for that SVT sound and I have $1500 to spare, what should I get?" However, I imagine that most people who ask for that type of advice are not in a position to just go out and buy an SVT.
Sure, nothing will replace the mighty old SVT, blah, blah, blah, but for some people the alternatives are good enough :D
 
#11
If they can replace an SVT with a VT pedal, next thing they'll want to replace the bass player with an emulator and sequencer. The union needs to put a stop to this before it gets out of hand!

On the other hand, I like the additional tonal variation that the VT pedal brings to an amp. It seems to make it easier to dial in useful tones. For more intense sounds, sometimes I put a pre-amp in front of the VT pedal.
 
#12
Sorry a quick question from a long time lurker:

If I were to use the VT pedal to cop an SVT tone, then where does that leave the preamp on my amp? I understand that some of you guys leave the VT on perpetually, but what if I wanna use it more as an effect?

P.S. I'm using the Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 by the way.
 
#13
*EDIT* you wanna be plugging it into the FX in, ideally the aux/line in is best but I'm not sure that the VT pedals have enough level to feed them properly, try both and see what you think.

I'm sure that when your using these emulators for recording and FOH then in those places it's gonna sound pretty close to the real thing. But personally, when your on stage plugging them into the FX in on a Hartke setup then it doesn't really have the same kinda vibe as the classic setup.

The Sansamp (BDDI at least) I can't really see the SVT sound in too much though, it has a pretty cool tube sound for the situations that suit it, but it's sound doesn't really remind me of any of the SVT sounds that I'm familiar with, even when the things are used without raging overdrive and scoop put on the scoop. Maybe the para driver version is voiced a little differently but the bass driver doesn't sound very SVT like to me.
 
#15
JimmyM said:
Doesn't it really seem bizarre to you all that when someone wanted to get the SVT sound, the answer a year ago was "Buy an SVT," and now it's "Buy an SVT or a $150 stompbox"?
Click to expand...


Honestly, If I could locate a decent condition mid 80's 810... that's what I would run. The new SVT heads actually sound quite decent, but the cabinets just sound awful. It takes two to tango baby!
 
#17
JimmyM said:
Doesn't it really seem bizarre to you all that when someone wanted to get the SVT sound, the answer a year ago was "Buy an SVT," and now it's "Buy an SVT or a $150 stompbox"?
Click to expand...

My trusty GB series 2 died on me last weekend, or so close to it that it needs replacing.

I'm giving serious thought to a VT pedal into a nice power amp, which will run me only a few hundred less than an SVT-VR, but still about half the weight. I'll be running it into the aforementioned mid-80's 810, which I'm blessed to own.

I've played actual SVTs, I'm wondering how close to the feel it'll get with the pedal/power amp/810 rig. Plus, mojo may not carry my bass rig, but the rest of my band will, since they're the ones that insist I don't simply plug in direct and use the stage wedges.

Anyone done anything similar yet?
 
#19
JimmyM said:
Doesn't it really seem bizarre to you all that when someone wanted to get the SVT sound, the answer a year ago was "Buy an SVT," and now it's "Buy an SVT or a $150 stompbox"?
Click to expand...


No ... :p


Fritzbombthumb.jpg
... Now if you had said the whole SVT experience :eyebrow:
 
#20
I'm going to second KA on this one. Sound and Feel are different. Sound one a recording is one thing, people have been using DI/EQ/modeling to get a tube-sounding bass tone for a lot longer than the VT bass has been around. But in a live setting, do you feel that the VT pedal into a little solid state head gives you the same tone/response/feel of a full tube amp? I certainly don't. At least with any SS head/pedal combo I've played, it's just not the same.

Plus, all that heavy lifting is good exercise.
 

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