Distorted tone, clean low end?

[Joe Lonsdale]

I think the Broughton can deal with that on its own, creating a loop for low end (compression, light overdrive) and high end (distortion) and then recombining.

I stand corrected, the Broughton only creates a single external loop, meaning you can't treat the low end, only feed it in clean which may sound a little weak when compared to the more compressed high end.

 

[Loring]

The genzler 4 on the floor has high pass and low pass filters that only affect the distorted channel - you can carve out exactly where you want the breakup and balance clean and dirty.

the four channels are modeled after different amp breakups - very musical OD pedal. Im also using MBD-2 and plasma pedal for different flavors of dirt…

 

[jimfist]

Iron Ether Divaricator
Iron Ether » Divaricator

 

[AdamR]

I've just looked it up and it looks very interesting! Thanks for the direction...

I have one listed in the classifieds

 

[Killing Floor]

Not sure your thoughts. I also play a lot of guitar and have a ton of dirt pedals. In my experience trying everything with my bass at least once I find most blues breaker and K type drives leave the bottom alone.

 

[Jack Deth]

Maybe a KMA tyler (or the newer deluxe) do the job?

This.

 

[biggredd]

The Darkglass Microtubes X7 Ultra might be what you're looking for. I actually have one for sale in the classifieds. I like it but am not playing much these days. Here is a good YouTube video. It can do subtle overdrive or chainsaw distortion with clean lows.

 

[MikeBass]

The EBS Billy Sheehan Sig pedal has almost everything your describing.

you’d be doing yourself a great disservice by not checking it out. it does a LOT more than make Sheehan type overdrive.
Like a ton more.

 

[biggredd]

Also, the Line 6 Helix products are capable of parallel processing so you can set distorted highs and clean lows. There is a bit of a learning curve.

 

[BAG]

You could run a splitter into two amps with one completely clean and one distorted but with all the bottom end rolled off. That way you get full range clean and you can blend in as much or little of the distorted mids and topend.

I hate carrying heavy poopie, so that's a definite no, although inarguably a very flexible solution for those who DO enjoy carrying heavy poopie

Fair enough... and pretty much what I expected. Who wants to carry more gear than needed.

You could also split your signal with a splitter lead or pedal and run one path clean. The other can run through a dirty preamp type pedal that has at least three band EQ or an HPF to pull out the bottom end, and then you'd need to sum them again with another splitter lead or pedal before going into your amp. Not sure how good that would sound but it may work.

 

[bigsnack]

My votes are for the 4 on the floor and my personal fave, the Sheehan signature drive. The Sheehan drive has a clean channel, and the drive channel is just a sweepable midrange band. It keeps the lows clean and you can distort the upper frequencies as much or as little as you want depending on how you setup the drive channel. It rules!

 

[GreyBeard]

I've had a look - this send to be SansAmp's Geddy Lee signature pedal / unit. Or didn't seem to have a crossover to separate the lows from the highs, although it does seem to be amazing and I'm really not comfortable with being unsatisfied with something Geddy Lee designed!

Your post heading says you want distortion on the highs with a clean bottom. This is exactly what the YYZ pedal does. You can add crunch to the bottom end if desired or you can make it as clean as deep as you want while adding as much drive to the top end as you may like. The 2112 pedal and rack mount pre has low and high output which separates to low and high output but it does require 2 amps or a stereo power amp with a stereo type speaker setup. These pre-amps can be modified to work mono but, if you are going that rout, you might as well just go with a YYZ.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I play with an overdriven tone, more of a tube growl than out and out distortion - very dynamic and suitable for soul to rock. I have recently been wonding how I might clean up just the bottom couple of octaves, day 40 to 160? I run my pedals with a parallel / mix of something like 50/50 and love my tone, but even on 50/50 the super lows can get pretty gnarly... I think I want a pedal that can separate out the frequency bands and treat them independently... Anyone had the same thoughts and found a workable and successful solution? I'm a super experienced player with a heavy gigging and studio schedule but have never come across anything in pedal form that can do what I'm asking, which is something I do in the studio all the time!

HPF

 

[NoiseNinja]

Also, the Line 6 Helix products are capable of parallel processing so you can set distorted highs and clean lows. There is a bit of a learning curve.

A bit of an overkill for just overdrive, wouldn't you say?

Though it's no doubt a great unit.

 

[Joe Lonsdale]

This is also a great pedal. I know a gut that has one for sale: Grombass v2 – OnkartGromt

That Sugar Britches does look pretty cool...

That pedal looks great, although I wish they would name the controls in straightforward language, mid-gig I need obvious!!

 

[Joe Lonsdale]

Fair enough... and pretty much what I expected. Who wants to carry more gear than needed.

You could also split your signal with a splitter lead or pedal and run one path clean. The other can run through a dirty preamp type pedal that has at least three band EQ or an HPF to pull out the bottom end, and then you'd need to sum them again with another splitter lead or pedal before going into your amp. Not sure how good that would sound but it may work.

The KMA Tyler seems to do all that and more - it's pricey and seems a little vulnerable to me with lots of tone-ruining switches open to the elements, clumsy feet and drunks, but it is super capable...

 

[Joe Lonsdale]

HPF

A man of few words...

 

[Joe Lonsdale]

Your post heading says you want distortion on the highs with a clean bottom. This is exactly what the YYZ pedal does. You can add crunch to the bottom end if desired or you can make it as clean as deep as you want while adding as much drive to the top end as you may like. The 2112 pedal and rack mount pre has low and high output which separates to low and high output but it does require 2 amps or a stereo power amp with a stereo type speaker setup. These pre-amps can be modified to work mono but, if you are going that rout, you might as well just go with a YYZ.

I can't see that it does exactly what I'm after, it seems to be able to blend the two channels but I can't find mention of a crossover / LPF circuit to remove distortion from entering the lower octaves. Blend is common and I have this already but I am trying to keep the lower octave 100 clean. It's as great line of processors though and you can't do much better than Geddy Lee in terms of tone...

 

[micguy]

The Genzler 4 on the floor is right up this alley. I’ve tried most of the suggestions that circulate around here, and that’s the one that stuck on my pedal board.

 

[darren1970]

Darkglass X7 is my go to pedal for this type of sound ( as it has a built in crossover ).

I run mine with very light drive on the upper frequencies and the bass ( and some low mids ) clean and compressed.

It's my "always on" mildly driven tone.