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DigiTech Bass Driver or Ibanez PD7

#21
gregstj114 said:
I currently have the PD7 but there might be a flaw in the circuitry. The pedal doesn't produce any distortion, just a volume boost with a little grit. I'm going to eventually buy another pedal, like a fuzz.
Click to expand...

Does it do that on all three modes? The first mode is supposed to be like that; the second two are overdrive and fuzz distortion.


I'm really glad i got one of these.... don't remember where or how I got it either, but it's awesome and i haven't had any switch problems (woodknocking ensues).
 
#23
gregstj114 said:
Yeah it does that in all 3 modes. I even turned the drive and volume all the way up and never got heavier.
Click to expand...

Definitely bad, then.
Return it.

I have had a PD-7 for a while, and I nver manage to sell it. Whenever I forget about it, I try it and remember why I still have it. I have mine currently in my pedalboard, inside a loop of a Boss LS-2, so that I can actually blend it with undistorted bass. There it sounds even better.
It's a bit noisy, electronically, which is why sometimes I remove it. But that's just me being picky.
I use it mostly on OD mode with the attack off and medium gain. Or sometimes in clean mode with the attack 1 engaged. That adds some metallic overtones that are really nice. The problem is that it scoops the mids a lot and it tends to disappear in the mix live, but blending in a bit of dry bass with the LS-2 helps with that.

Return that PD-7 and get another.

I also have the Digitech Bass Driver (currently for sale locally, actually) and it's ok, but the PD-7 wins everytime.
 
#26
I'll add the Digitech bad monkey inn, as it is the best OD pedal for such a low price.
In addition, if one wats several options for bass OD/ distortion, then the Norwegian Grombass pedal is something to consider.
The Grumbass have 3 diods, led, germanium and silicon with several filters, so many possibilities with this pedal. but the Grombass is not cheap.

Back to the OP choices, the Digitech bass driver I find a bit too metalic as general OD, while the PD7 is more of a tubes creamer variant, hence, thats why I think the bad monkey is the best choice from Digitech. As said the bad monkey is cheap.
 
#27
Most of those google search links don't lead to any actual PD7 on sale. I just snatched one from ebay. They are getting hard to find.

Does the Digitech Bad Monkey benefit greatly from a Bass Mod or is it just fine with bass out of the box? Humphrey audio does two different mods, one for bass. But then the price is twice the original.
 
#28
The Bad Monkey is ok as is. But, like the tube screamer, a bit too mids rich.

I have a Danelectro CoolCat Transparent Overdrive, the first edition before they changed it, and it's a fantastic pedal both on bass and guitar, from totally clean to quite a lot of overdrive. Very "transparent", it's the tone of your bass, only overdriven. They were even cheaper than the Bad Monkey.
I have not tried the new version, which was modified apparently because it copied the Barber design too closely... but I can't imagine it would be very different.

Another cheap but nice overdrive is the Joyo Ultimate Drive. Sounds very close to a Fulltone OCD. Again its strength is in low to medium gain, and it's less than $40 new.

I would use either of those two instead of a Bad Monkey, unless you really want that sound (a bit of a mids boost, cuts through but lacks body despite the 2band EQ)
 
#29
Whoa, looks like I have to catch myself a PD7 while I still can, Ibanez has indeed discontinued the entire Tone Lok pedal series. Used to have one but sold it a few years back. Shouldn't have.

The pedal switch in all Tone Lok pedals is awful, I admit that. I think it could be replaced with a better part, though. I have a SM7 pedal which I really don't use so I could probably use that as a practice unit... :D
 
#32
anybody know if replacement parts for the switch are available? is it possible to modify it for some other type of more reliable switch, like a push-button or something?

mine wont click on, getting signal through so i dont think there is anything wrong other than the switch.

im curious cuz i just dug this thing out after buying it about 10yrs ago, trying it a few times, having it sound like crap with uneven tone across the strings, then put it away convinced it was the worst bass distortion ever.

i wanted to see if i could EQ it to get something useful out of it but it wont click on.
 

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