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DISTORTIOOOOOOOOOOOOON...which one?
- Thread starter A. D. Fairhurst
- Start date
Right then, I have made my purchases...I bought a BOSS BB-1X Drive pedal and a BOSS MT-2 Overdrive (the modern version of the HM-2, which my dad loved to bits in the 80's). Currently I turn the drive pedal on during heavier parts of songs, and break out the overdrive for solos or really aggressive songs (eg: Breed by Nirvana.) I couldn't be happier! Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll make a demo when I can be bothered.
My current favorite is the @dunwichamps Volt Thrower. I own a number of other distortions but nothing that works as well for me in the mix as the VT.
I know everyone's experiences and gear are different, but I have 5 Boss pedals and I have never experienced this "tone suck" or volume drop I read about on here. I have A-B'd with or without effects, and if there is a difference, it is minuscule at best and definitely not noticeable at a gig. I play through an Ampeg Tube Amp, 8 x 10 cab with a Fender P.
Like I said, I'm sure people have different experiences or ears for this, but I'm insanely anal about my tone, and there is no significant difference to me with using Boss pedals. And even if there was, I think it's more important to buy a pedal you like and compensate a "tone suck" with a good preamp or something. For example, I will never play a gig without my OC2!!
Just my peaceful 2 cents!
FYI, the only thing that the HM-2 and the MT-2 have in common is the word "metal" is used in their name. The two pedals are NOTHING alike. The HM-2 is actually quite cool, and a lot of boutique builders are doing clones of the circuit nowadays. As for the MT-2...well, let's just say no one is cloning that. I've known and played with three guitarists that have that pedal, and their unanimous opinion is that it sounds pretty terrible. YMMV though, so good luck with it.
That's actually false, they are different circuits, and a quick google search along with YouTube videos will provide that evidence along with the fact that they sound nothing alike. Whether each of them sounds good, bad, or otherwise is up to you of course.
In the end though, if you like it, or if your ears believe they sound the same, that's all that is important when it comes to your own rig.
I note the points above only to help others who stumble across this thread in the future.
I got lost in the streets of Cheshire in 2000 and finally wandered into a music store where they had very interesting effects like Colorsound and Westone basses, plus there's the grey cat and a castle. Boss's new bass pedals might not be so bad, but you can't tell tone suck with an Ampeg tube / 8x10, that rig complements the losses.
The best two distortions I've ever used for bass are the Darkglass B3K and Idiotbox Blower Box. I've also used a Boss Bass Overdrive, which I consider a distortion. In that aspect it does the job well.
+1 for the Idiotbox BLOWERBOX. IMHO it's really one of the best RAT based clone ever made. Actually it's a modded RAT for with with a much better tone stack; it's has a huge bottom end on tap. Check out some vids on youtube.
I built and etched my own clone. It can really go from light overdrive to blown out distortion. Mine looks like this. It's in a 125B enclosure, knobs are too tight, my fault.
BTW I also have a BOSS MT-2 which I didn't like; the was was really too harsh and with an important low end loss. I performed the Monte Allum mod, and now it sound better. Less nasal, less harsh, a bit less gain too. It becomes usable, I would say. But surely not as good as a Blowerbox.
I built and etched my own clone. It can really go from light overdrive to blown out distortion. Mine looks like this. It's in a 125B enclosure, knobs are too tight, my fault.
BTW I also have a BOSS MT-2 which I didn't like; the was was really too harsh and with an important low end loss. I performed the Monte Allum mod, and now it sound better. Less nasal, less harsh, a bit less gain too. It becomes usable, I would say. But surely not as good as a Blowerbox.
And I'm sure unicorns are a great ride, but the odds of finding either are about as good.
I have a VT, and it took me a year and a half to get. Its an awesome Rat clone, but telling someone who looks like a young novice (sorry if you aren't, OP) to get a VT is a fools errand. A Cat\Rat Tail or Don't Shred on Me is far more likely.
Another run of Volt Throwers is imminent. Also, there was a Dunwich One-Knob distortion that is like a stripped down VT that sat here in the classifieds for weeks before going.
So while the search may be tough, it isn't impossible and won't be long before more options are out there.
And a run of ODBs have been imminent since last Nov.Another run of Volt Throwers is imminent. Also, there was a Dunwich One-Knob distortion that is like a stripped down VT that sat here in the classifieds for weeks before going.
So while the search may be tough, it isn't impossible and won't be long before more options are out there.
Look, I'm a patient guy and won't knock DA. I've gone through great effort for my VT and Wizard Fuzz, and will wet myself when the OBDs become available (some day) but I'm a dork with a regular income. Telling a young guy looking at Boss pedals at his local shop "Yeah, you should get this $220 super rare hand made pedal" isn't the best way to help him.
