Digitech Bass Synth Wah Review and Soundclips

[Nyarlathotep]

Clips:

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Settings: (# = tick marks around knob w/ 0 being off, 10 being max, and "X" being "does not matter")

Mode 1: Sens = 2; Control = 8; Range = 2->5

Mode 2: Sens = 2; Control = 8; Range = 2->5

Mode 3:

• Sens = 8; Control = 2; Range = 8 "Funk"
• Sens = 8; Control = 8; Range = 8 "Warning"
• Sens = X; Control = X; Range = 0 "Dubby"
• Sens = 0; Control = 0; Range = 2 "Cocked Wah"

Mode 4:

• Sens = X; Control = X; Range = 0 "Fuzz"
• Sens = 0; Control = 0; Range = 3 "Dirrrrty Fuzz"
• Sens = 8; Control = 8; Range = 8 "Synthy"
• Sens = 8; Control = 2; Range = 8 "LazorFunk"

Mode 5: Sens = 9; Control = 4; Range = 5 "Doggy Dogg"

Mode 6: Sens = 8; Control = 2; Range = 4 "YA!!!"

Mode 7:

• Sens = X; Control = 2->10; Range = 0 "octaSUB"
• Sens = 8; Control = X; Range = 2->10 "Lazorz 2"

Review:

1st off I'd like to say what a wonderful unit this little thing is. Quite versitile, and impressive IMHO. Even though it only cost me 40$, I can honestly say I'd replace it if lost/stolen/broken Out of the 7 modes, only mode 1 really failed to impress. I found a fun or useful setting on all the other 6, but mode 1 just came out "meh" no matter what I did with the knobs. Considering what I read on here about this unit I thought that it would seriously suck.

Out of the 7 modes, the most useful IMO are 3, 4, and 7. Mode 7 is a basic octave down, and one that actually sounds better in some ways, over the POG. I know... Well, maybe not better, but different enough. I actually found the BSW to be thicker, and it stands out more even if you just add a little of it. Its tracking is not bang on, but it seems pretty good, even when compared to the POG. It glitches a little on long notes (im talking like SUSTAINED notes), and it doesn't totally like chords. It tracks well enough to be useful even to just thicken chords tho.

Mode 3 and 4 are almost the same just with a different direction on the filter. For mode 3 the filter goes from bass to treble, and mode 4 does the opposite. I actually like mode 4 better as a fuzz or synth type thing as it seems to start out pretty well balanced and can get pretty thick depending on where you set the filter to stop, and how fast it gets there. Mode 3 is more bubbly IMO.

Out of the remaining modes, the 3 I found "fun" were 2, 5, and 6. Modes 5 and 6 are just plain funny, and are great if you want a barking dog, or YA! type sound. Nothing much else useful was obtainable from those modes IME. The lower the range, the less effect there was, and the higher just caused massive bass/volume loss. Mode 2 is pretty good, and excels a little bit where mode 1 falls short. I find mode 1 just has no effect, or loses volume/bass. Mode 2 having the octave down added in is a lot thicker. Its still pretty limited on sounding like somethings happening.

IIRC from when I did a search on this thing, someone asked if it could do a dub sound like the FX-25. Not with mode 1. I tried and the filter starts to high. Its almost ear-bleeding squeaky . Mode 2 is the same way (squeaky), it just has an octave down added in. I got a fairly good "speaker spanker" sound on mode 3, which you can hear in the clip. That's prolly as close as your going to get with this unit.

Like I said in my "1st Impressions" thread the ONLY 2 things I would love to see added are a volume cut/boost and a filter start knob. I amplified all the parts of the clips separately so I might do one that illustrates some of the cut/boosts that happen. I basically amplified that way so that everything was equally audible. As for the filter start, it would be awesome to bypass the really bassy start on mode 3 and create more of a range on mode 4 for different sounding fuzz/cocked wah variations.

One last thing I guess. As you will notice from the clip settings, some of the knobs do absolutely squat if the range in on minimum. Normal, since in those modes range controls the range of movement for the filter. The OctaSub (mode 7) is a little different tho. Sens and range are interrelated. The sens knob controls how sensitive the synth trigger is and range controls the volume of it. Control just adds the octave, which is independent of any trigger.

Well, that's it. Enjoyeth!

 

[dantheman6690]

I like this pedal a lot as well. I, however, do find myself using the envelope filter on mode 1 a lot. I've never really experimented with any other envelope filters so I don't really have anything else to compare to but I've gotten some nice sounds out of it.

 

[Jayce Bass]

I ordered the Ibanez bass synth last month for a "present". Man, I was entirely dissapointed with the thing. Just sounded like a$$. Nothing like the sound clips I heard. It's going back in place of a rackmount tuner! Wont EVER order a piece of gear without playing it or through it again. A lesson learned.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

I like this pedal a lot as well. I, however, do find myself using the envelope filter on mode 1 a lot. I've never really experimented with any other envelope filters so I don't really have anything else to compare to but I've gotten some nice sounds out of it.

Wanna share some mode 1 settings?

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Nothing like the sound clips I heard.

If it makes any difference, I do all my clips direct from the pedal. Just run your headphone out to your amp, trying to adjust for level (why I include a clean ref ). That should give you a decent idea on the sound

 

[bigchiefbc]

Thanks for the clips Dan! We need more actual demos of pedals around here (other than od/dist/fuzz pedals, which we have millions of). I have to say that mode 7 was a really good octave-down. I'm kinda meh on the other modes, but that's because I'm so in love with the BMS for synth sounds.

 

[dantheman6690]

Wanna share some mode 1 settings?

I'm pretty sure they're fairly similar to yours. I think I just had the range on 0. I don't have time to mess around with it right now but that's what the settings are on it now anyway. It also sounds pretty cool when I run my B:Assmaster through it on those settings
I haven't used it on my full rig in a while though. I'm at college and have been using a Crate practice amp. My SVT-III Pro is at home

 

[Nyarlathotep]

I decided to whip up a sample for the volume differences on each mode:

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The track goes:

• Clean
• Mode 1 setting from OP
• Mode 2 setting from OP
• Mode 3 "Dubby" setting
• Mode 3 "Warning" setting
• Mode 4 "Fuzz" setting
• Mode 4 "Synthy" setting
• Mode 5 setting from OP
• Mode 6 setting from OP
• Mode 7 no synth lazors/octave control @ noon
• Mode 7 full synth lazors/no octave
• Mode 7 full lazor/octave at various positions

I recorded all this in one go, so if you run this thru your rig and adjust the volume so that the initial 15 seconds is about the volume of you bass, it should give you some idea of the volume spikes that some modes have. Especially 2, 5, 6, and 7 (depending on the octave level)

Thanks for the clips Dan! We need more actual demos of pedals around here (other than od/dist/fuzz pedals, which we have millions of). I have to say that mode 7 was a really good octave-down. I'm kinda meh on the other modes, but that's because I'm so in love with the BMS for synth sounds.

Hehe thanks Actually, after messing around with this thing I really wanna try a BMS to compare. I think both have enough similarities (fuzz/filter/octave) to do so.

I'm pretty sure they're fairly similar to yours. I think I just had the range on 0. I don't have time to mess around with it right now but that's what the settings are on it now anyway. It also sounds pretty cool when I run my B:Assmaster through it on those settings
I haven't used it on my full rig in a while though. I'm at college and have been using a Crate practice amp. My SVT-III Pro is at home

Sounds like I'll have to mess around with the 1st 2 modes some more

 

[sonic assassin]

mode 5 sounds like cthulucore vox!

 

[Nyarlathotep]

LOL

 

[FanOfAlice]

another cool thing you can do with this pedal is to put it on mode 7 and turn the range and control all the way down and place it in front of a fuzz. since the pedal it gated you get a gated fuzz. i have found this to work great in front of my BOSS heavy metal HM-2. YMMV

 

[Nyarlathotep]

I did not know that Thanks!

 

[Fendr1320]

I love this pedal, but that's not why I've bought two of them; the switch broke on the first. And the second. If Digitech would make them a little sturdier, I'd gladly pay a little more money. It's a shame, cause this thing does beat the Ibanez and the BOSS.

 

[the_ruckus]

that pedal was stolen from my collection and I WILL buy one again.

if interested, check Link Removed and check the song Away Home. I used that pedal through the beginning of the song for that wild cougar like effect. you'll get it.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Nice logo there ruckus

Mind sharing the setting for that (if you remember). It sounds nicely like RATM, but not quite. Awesome

 

[p4toda]

another cool thing you can do with this pedal is to put it on mode 7 and turn the range and control all the way down and place it in front of a fuzz. since the pedal it gated you get a gated fuzz. i have found this to work great in front of my BOSS heavy metal HM-2. YMMV

is it possible if you can share some clips. right now i am running the BSW in mode 3 and it is before the ibanez pd7 in distortion mode. and i love what i am hearing.

 

[bobulibobium]

i own this pedal too. i cant say i find too much use for it in a band setting, it gets a bit too crazy. i like to layer some of the settings with overdrive or fuzz to calm it down a bit. especially mode 4, i like make a flange esque sound then run it into my ODB-3. it screams like hell! (in a good way)

the sub-octave setting is quite good, it tracks alot better than most octaver pedals tehmselves.

id rate it 7/10

 

[Warfender]

I can't get any clips to work. Are these still avail?

 

[Bassmike62]

Don't work for me either. Maybe he pulled them out.