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Digitech BP8 vs Hartke Bass Attack

T

tabdog

Feb 9, 2011
1,447
133
#1
Hay Folks,

I never used a stomp box or preamp with bass until I
got a Hartke Bass Attack for my son. Before I gave
it to him, I got a chance to use it for about a week.

I loved it.

After that, I just wanted a preamp to play around
with at my house.

I found this for $25 plus $10 shipping on eBay,

4-9-2.jpg


It is in "very good condition"

The BP8 has a vac tube and has a kind of cool sound.
It is hard to adjust parameters right now. I'll have to
get use to that.

So far, most of the features on the BP8 are of no use
to me, but it is fun to play with. But that gets old fast.
I am just concentrating on getting a few nice settings.

When comparing it to the Hartke Bass Attack, the
Hartke is miles ahead.

The Hartke is easy to dial in several really nice sounds.
It sounds much better also.

The BP8 has a few nice sounds and is difficult to access
and adjust. The EQ does not work as well as the Hartke.

But, I still am glad I got the BP8. Now, I can learn about
compression and what, if any, features I like.

I thought I really needed compression, but I am finding
out it is limited. I loose dynamics in my playing, to some
extent. But, I can see how it could be nice for some
applications.

If you made it this far, you must have been interested.

Thanks lookin,

Tabdog
 
#2
while i'm not using compression anymore and have developed a bit of dislike for it quite honestly, i wouldn't judge compression by that digitech thing. get a really good one and it's a lot better.

however, i have a bass attack and i agree with you that it's a super hot pedal.
 
#3
Once you get into the BP8 some more you'll find it's a pretty deep machine especially considering it was one of the 1st bass multi effect processors. The compressor has a lot of parameters and it can be a challenge to get it dialed in just right, start with the F42 patch and tweak the compressor from there to your taste and touch.
 
#4
I own a hartke bass attack pedal myself. it's a pretty cool sounding preamp pedal. I do dig how it sounds when I use distortion with it. I've had a digitech bass driver and I once tested that pedal with the hartke bass attack pedal. I've gotten a pretty sound with this combination. I haven't own a digitech bp8, but I have heard some good things about this multi-effects processor.
 
#5
Thanks for the replies.

I do agree that I have not given the BP8 enough
time.

The fact that you guys like it gives me more drive
to learn it.

I like the jam along concept. I haven't used that
yet.

I can't believe that guy sold this thing for that price.

That gives this old fart something to do,

Tabdog
 
#6
I had a Hartke bass attack - still do, it's boxed up, I tried to sell it locally but there aren't a lot of bass players in my neck of the woods who use that kind of sound. (Seoul, Korea)

One thing I LOVED - the 'Shape' control. Awesome, like a parametric EQ on steroids.

Lots that I HATED - the gutless, digitized fizz of the harmonic overtone circuit, how lossy the pedal is in tone-sucking, hos vastly different the fundamental/volume level is when kicking in either footswitch. (Yes, I know that even levels can be dialed in, I did it, I played with this thing for over 2 years of fairly steady gigging, but I found that to reduce the pedal's versatility quite a lot.)

I ended up just using the Shape to supplement the tone I'd get from my Sansamp.

So: where to get something that works like that Shape circuit, but in a high-quality enclosure with good components? I mean, the Hartke retails for like 80 bucks, so how can I really knock its quality? It's not build to be class A, is it?

Any ideas? Because I've looked, and I've come up short.
 
#7
I don't have much time on any effects
for bass.

I got a Peavey with some different pups
that is quiet as a church mouse when
using the Bass Attack, unless I dial in
too much digitized fizz.

Some basses just make noise. Mine is not
one of those.

At first, I found the digitized fizz of the
harmonic overtone circuit to be of little
practical use. Yes, it a lossy tone-sucking
pedal when using a lot that digitized fizz.

But, after going through the supplied list
of settings, I realized that I could get
several pleasing tones with a few quick
turns of the knobs.

Sure, I'd rather have a $3,000 preamp.

That's just not going to happen to this
old disabled fart trying to get my last kid
through college.

I'd like to be a snob,,,,,,

just can't afford it.

The do little SansAmp comes up short
on sound and high on price.

I can't see why everyone likes them.

I guess it's just a matter of taste,

Tabdog
 
#8
I am so old and disabled, the only gigs
I get are at the old folks home.

My son had two SansAmps and another
preamp. He tried all kinds of ways to get
a pleasing sound that would cut thorough
the drums and guitars in his punk band.

His SansAmps, tuner, amp, preamp and
stuff got stolen. They only got one of his
basses and he still has a very nice Genz
Benz 410 cab. I got him a Bass Attack
and a Crown PA amp.

That alone was all that was needed. No
preamp, no SansAmp and the sound much
improved.

I admit, the SansAmps may have not had
the best setup, but the Bass Attack can
even breath in new life in my Peavey Basic
40 practice amp. Bass Attack don't need a
good setup. It just works.

I am saving my pennies to get one of my
own,

Tabdog
 
#10
bassbrad said:
Hey Tabdog, I have attached an excel cheat sheet i use with the BP8 for parameters and presets and there is a place to make up your own patches. There are some other cheaters there just tab across the bottom, i'm heatstroke lazy today.
Click to expand...

WOW!!!

Thanks Brad,,,,,,

That is just awesome.

I am starting to get the hang of it.

That helps arrange things a bunch,

David
 
#13
AnDerSon BoLLo said:
bassbrad

You appear to have the two pedals (B2.1u and Bp8 valve)

What are the real differences?

comparing effect quality, amp model quality, parameters and adjustments, defects and best feature, etc, etc
Click to expand...

The BP8 is an amazing bargain these days but a bit of a dinosaur, great compressor, very good actual tube preamps (no modelling), versatile 4 band Semi parametric EQ, 3 wahs, actual Whammy effects (perhaps worth the purchase alone), studio quality reverb and delays, highly variable chorus, flange, tremolo, vibrato, interesting envelope followers, input gain and output controls, stereo outs. The down sides are it's age, size and limitations because most "effects" are grouped in the same bank and you can only use 1 at a time. I use the BP8 for recording and in one band of tone freak/snobs. I have used the BP8 in a loop for mixing just for the delays and reverb and auto pan effects.
The Zoom B2.1u is a lot of really cool stuff in a small package, for some stuff I do it's all I need to take but it also plays well with other effects. I like some of the models, Bassman is my fave, and the fact that there are 2 banks of "effects" allowing me to combine things like octaver and chorus. The synth sounds are pretty useful espcially in combo with the other effects (I have a B2 just for synth sounds). With all that is available I mostly use a neutral channel, plain Bassman, add chorus, add flange, pitch shift 1 octave, pitch shift 2 octaves and a couple of envelope effects.

Both effects suffer from a challenging user interface but IMO are worth the grapple, I really would not like to have to choose just one.
 
#14
Bassbrad,

Thanks for posting those cheat sheets. I've had my BP8 for over a year and have not done anything with it until last week.

It's a little daunting, but I am getting the hang of it. Your cheat sheet will be a great help.

I'm trying to get a compressed, dirty-distortion sound as on "uprising"by Muse, and am going to try to add the octaver sound to see if that helps.
 

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