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Disappointed in Darkglass B3K

#41
yakmastermax said:
I wonder if my problem is the Fender Precision.




Hi-Fi modern clanky growl with lots of articulation. I play in a three piece, fingerstyle only.






I used it at rehearsal yesterday evening. Cut through as normal but with a pretty round and tame tone. If I turned the drive or blend up I got more of a fuzz and true distortion tone. I have my Fuzz pedal for that.



My fault for not being more clear. I overlooked the VMT precisely because I'm going for a more technical and modern sound. Stray From The Path comes to mind.



Grindy and Aggresive is exactly what I'm after, not organic and earthy.



It might be the passive P-Bass...

In the meantime I'm going to hold on to the pedal because they hold their value well.

Thanks TB!
Click to expand...


IME, I found that adding a Jazz pickup to a precision sounds wonderful for more modern tones and I prefer it to a standard P or a jazz bass!! I have a "double P" setup in my Mockingbird and by itself into a uncolored DI it sounds fantastic, so I like this *even better*!! I'm not sure if your willing to go down this rabbit hole of modding your bass but I've added jazz pickups to both MIJ precisions I've owned and I was more than happy with the results... It opened up the tone of the bass with treble and midrange it wouldn't have otherwise had, and without the scoop of a Jazz!! You get the bite of a Jazz with the beefy growl of a P!!

For settings on the B3K, try the blend at 3:00, drive between 8:00-9:00 for a more natural tone!! Also keep in mind Doug from Darkglass *revised* the VMT with the same Attack and Grunt switches that were exclusive to the B#K pedals, through my cab I don't need that attack but yours might be different!?
 
#42
I bought a Bk3 used, enjoyed messing with for a few months and sold it for what I had in it. Cost to find out it just wasn't my cup of tea? A few bucks for PayPal and postage.

The Darkglass gear is well built and holds its value pretty well. It shouldn't be hard to swap or sell your pedal.

Seems like the biggest disappointment is paying for that "new pedal smell".

I'll throw down for new if a product I really want is too new to be available on the used market. I'll wait to catch a good coupon or discount, and order it in to my local GC. Saves me shipping and sales tax. Then, if it's not my dream realized, I've got a mint item without much competition to throw in front of my fellow TB'rs. Usually, they snap it up like a pack of starving wolves.

Over the years, my used pedal catch and release program has still cost a stupid amount of dough. I'm left with a Zoom B3 and a Ovnilab Smoothie, and my trusty MXR M-80. And the looper, I still love my RC300 loop station. Funny thing is, I bought the looper and smoothie new, and the Zoom B3 is now $150 new, which is what I paid for my mint, used, unit a couple years back. Great unit!
 
#43
Take a look at the Brimstone XD-2. It's easily one of the best sounding and most flexible pedals I've ever used. Has all but killed my GAS for any kind of dirts and my only complaint is that I can't give them many, many moneys for a version akin to a Mesa Triaxis (digital controls and memory).
 
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#44
I know it's probably not the answer you're looking for, but maybe the B7K will get you there. The EQ and voicing options go a REALLY long way.

In the end, the DG sound may not be what you're looking for. The other pedals you named on your consideration list are quite different from all the DG offerings aside from the possibly the VMT. I'm a huge fan of the OCD. The only issue I started having with it was its lack of low end presence in the mix. In fact I still have plans to get a custom built OCD with either a clean blend or more suited for bass one of these days. I really like the fulltones character and drive. But it's completely different from the DG sound on most their pedals. All the DG pedals have a baked in flavor (I'm sure most are tired of seeing that term, but it's true) that some either love or don't. I love it. I've been using the B7K for almost 4 years now I think and I don't plan to change any time soon. In fact, I just ord an Ultra :) but when I run all my other dirt pedals into the B7K, they come to life.

So maybe the B7K is the answer. Maybe it's not. There are so many dirt pedals out there for bassists nowadays. You seem like you like the tube screamer and OCD variants. Check out Big Game. Ryan makes the Bedlam drive that is OCD based. I also have one of those as well and I really like it.

Welcome to dirt nirvana my friend! Haha there are so many great options out there for bassists today. This is good and bad. It's great because we have all that to choose from, otoh, we sometimes have to go through a handful of dirt pedals to find the right one for us. It's fun IMO. But can take time and money. So good luck @yakmastermax!!
 
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#45
When I hear "stoner prog" I think of a more burly, thick tone than the aggressive clank of the B3K.

A Blueberry would be a good pedal to check out.

Check out the "Stonerberry" clip from TBer Icarussmicarus from a few years ago.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It's a BJFE Blueberry rather than the Bearfoot version (which I haven't owned) but my understanding is that they sound the same.

The Creation Grizzly Bass can also get Stoner rock tones. Roll the tone back and add a bit more gain from this sound and I think it'd work well.



If you want something relatively cheap the EHX Glove is worth checking out.
 
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#47
ole Jason said:
No not at all. Think more clankity clank modern Meshuggah or aggressive metal sounding tones. It does that better than anything else on the market. The b3k/b7k ARE a little more versatile than people give them credit for but that is what they really excel at. Most people using them for more "vintage" or "natural" settings would be better served with something else IMO. The hype sells a lot of pedals.
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Ok, thanks, most appreciate the info...see ya over at the simulated keyboard thread :D ;)...

EDIT: Do you have a recommendation for what Im asking for?
 
#48
My B3K into a GK fusion 550 has beat out every other amp/pedal combo for me. Whether that was an SVT, 100t, solid state amps, etc.

It's all personal preference and what your setup is like.

I've been blown away by anything darkglass has put out, but thats because it clicks with me.
 
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#51
Jared Lash said:
When I hear "stoner prog" I think of a more burly, thick tone than the aggressive clank of the B3K.

A Blueberry would be a good pedal to check out.

Check out the "Stonerberry" clip from TBer Icarussmicarus from a few years ago.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It's a BJFE Blueberry rather than the Bearfoot version (which I haven't owned) but my understanding is that they sound the same.

The Creation Grizzly Bass can also get Stoner rock tones. Roll the tone back and add a bit more gain from this sound and I think it'd work well.



If you want something relatively cheap the EHX Glove is worth checking out.
Click to expand...

Wow! I dig that pedal.
 
#53
Post-decisional dissonance? After getting all excited and buying something it can be hard to adapt to the reality. I say really give it a workout, get a feel for all its settings and use it in a few different situations. Some of my fave items have had me in a bit of a panic until I got to know them and also matched my expectations to what they really were.
 
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#54
The B7 didn't float my boat. I've moved to and stayed with the BBBOD, the Aguilar Agro, and the W&C TFR. For doom, I find the TFR green Russian style clones hit the mark. The W&C at low gain is warm and tasty; not what I'd call fuzzy at all. The Agro at lower gain can can give some snarl and tighten up the low end; the presence and contour offer decent adjustment range. The BBBOD has quite a range with the dial going from big bottom to focused mids. Love em all with my P.

I've got the Idiotbox Blower, but it's not currently in my top 3 and might get voted off the island soon. I did like it more than the B7k.
 
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#55
yakmastermax said:
As always thanks TB for the help.

I should clarify; we play stoner rock in terms of theme, riffs, structuring and vocals. However, the tone that we're after is certainly modern metal though. I personally am looking for something pretty Hi-Fi and modern, a la hardcore, with clank and articulation. Billy Sheehan, Dean Bernardini are my favorite bassists.

I wonder if my problem is the Fender Precision.




Hi-Fi modern clanky growl with lots of articulation. I play in a three piece, fingerstyle only.






I used it at rehearsal yesterday evening. Cut through as normal but with a pretty round and tame tone. If I turned the drive or blend up I got more of a fuzz and true distortion tone. I have my Fuzz pedal for that.



My fault for not being more clear. I overlooked the VMT precisely because I'm going for a more technical and modern sound. Stray From The Path comes to mind.



Grindy and Aggresive is exactly what I'm after, not organic and earthy.



It might be the passive P-Bass...

In the meantime I'm going to hold on to the pedal because they hold their value well.

Thanks TB!
Click to expand...


Is a P bass being used on that clip you shared? It sounds thicker than a B3K and less clanky, more furry. I def think it sounds like the new VMTD territory. The B3K is more grindy and less full in the low mids. Honestly, both the VMT and B3K work awesome together. I see the new VMTD as a kind of middle ground between the two.
 
#58
monsterthompson said:
The B7 didn't float my boat. I've moved to and stayed with the BBBOD, the Aguilar Agro, and the W&C TFR. For doom, I find the TFR green Russian style clones hit the mark. The W&C at low gain is warm and tasty; not what I'd call fuzzy at all. The Agro at lower gain can can give some snarl and tighten up the low end; the presence and contour offer decent adjustment range. The BBBOD has quite a range with the dial going from big bottom to focused mids. Love em all with my P.

I've got the Idiotbox Blower, but it's not currently in my top 3 and might get voted off the island soon. I did like it more than the B7k.
Click to expand...

That's funny haha the blower box and B7K are the ONLY two pedals that have never even been considered to be swapped out or sold or flipped on my board. Those are the only two pedals I've had in the last say, 4 years, that haven't been removed or swapped out. Just goes to show......
 
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#60
gregmon79 said:
That's funny haha the blower box and B7K are the ONLY two pedals that have never even been considered to be swapped out or sold or flipped on my board. Those are the only two pedals I've had in the last say, 4 years, that haven't been removed or swapped out. Just goes to show......
Click to expand...

It is funny. Everybody is different. There's a TB'er near me and we have traded gear over the years. Our collections and tastes have been nearly identical, from pedals to cabs to amps to basses.

I've really wanted the DG stuff to work for me but it doesn't. I've had the same experience with Dingwall basses. I hear others use those tools and get great sounds, but my fingers must be the wrong gauge ;)
 
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