Does anyone make a B15 in a pedal format?

[MDBass]

Let me expand: I'm not looking for a REDDI. It's great at what it does, but not what I'm after, and I already own one.

I recently tracked in a studio with an actual B15 for the first time, and after picking my jaw up off the floor and taking myself home found that the UA plugin is a fairly close amalgam.

Unfortunately, using either of these things live is a non-starter.

What I'm hoping to find is something in pedal format that will allow me to avoid the cost and bulk of purchasing a Kemper and profiling a B15 for my touring work next year.

I currently have some REALLY excellent pedals (X7, AOU, DP3X, BDDI, Q/Strip, OCSD, and a whole mess of dirt and fuzz boxes) but as of yet everything has fallen short of the mark I'm looking for.

I'm interested in anything under $1k that offers the same rich midrange, musical overdrive/distortion and even punch across the entire fretboard as a B15.

There's a $20 in it for the chap who points me in the right direction

GO!

 

[Blu bro]

Interested to hear peoples response to this too

 

[Frodolicious]

It is not going to be to your exact specifications, but it is worth mentioning regardless. The Barber Linden EQ is a Baxandall tone stack. But the magic is with the two switches that control the tightness of the low frequencies, brightness, etc. No dirt or compression that I hear with this pedal.

Amazing pedal, and currently cheap.

 

[MDBass]

It is not going to be to your exact specifications, but it is worth mentioning regardless. The Barber Linden EQ is a Baxandall tone stack. But the magic is with the two switches that control the tightness of the low frequencies, brightness, etc. No dirt or compression that I hear with this pedal.

Amazing pedal, and currently cheap.

I’ll give that a look, but the musical distortion and natural tube compression are pretty big components of the magic I’m after.

Thanks!

 

[DirtyDuke]

Broughton P15 preamp. Not a pedal per se but we'll worth it

 

[MarkA]

I've only played a B-15 once -- last summer in a studio -- and though it's not the sort of tone and response that I typically hone-in on, I, too, was smitten -- rich and musical are apt descriptors; I felt I was playing an organ at times. It was addictive.

As far as getting that in a pedal format, I dunno -- I think a big part of the B-15 sound (though certainly not all of it) is in the cab. I've heard the Shaw B-150 tube amp described as "basically a more powerful B-15" (with, I suspect, more bass and treble extension and a snappier note envelope -- at least that's how it comes across through my cabs). Having only played mine through my modern and, relative to the B-15, hi-fi cabs (Hathor 1203 and MAS 112, for the most part) and having only played the B-15 through its original cab, it's hard for me to say how accurate that is, but, based on that indirect connection, you might consider giving the B15 in a pedal?? preamp a try. It has a provision for powering other pedals and looks pedalboard friendly -- similar to the Noble in that regard -- but I'm not sure if you'd call it a pedal or not. There's no footswitch that I can see and it costs more than most pedals -- it really is a full-featured pre. (To be clear, I haven't played the Tube Injection pre, only the B-150 tube amp.)

The Arkham stuff is inspired by (though not a clone of) old Ampegs -- don't know how close that would get you, specifically, to a B-15, but between the Range control and the James tonestack I think you could get close. Again, not exactly pedal format, but if you could find a used Bullet pre, it's fairly compact (10"x7"). I don't know how well these would play with other pedals after it in the chain (I think output is line-level) and I don't know whether you intend to (or would want to) use it or the Shaw (or whatever) in place of or in front of your usual Monique setup, but that's what comes to mind.

EDIT: If you're still running a rack setup, you might consider the 1U Arkham Zephyr as a possible companion to your Monique (there's also the Abyss, which is 1/2 rack width, I believe, and halfway between the Zephyr and the Bullet in terms of features).

As for more typical (and less pricey) pedal-type pedals, I don't know much, but a search turned up these:

B15ish pedal
Pedal for SVT/B15 from a "Modern" amp
Pedal That Emulates B-15 Overdriven Sound???
B15 in a pedal??
B15ish pedal

 

[MDBass]

Broughton P15 preamp. Not a pedal per se but we'll worth it

A lovely piece, but not capable of the drive sounds that an actual B15 is to my knowledge: I’ve considered replacing my REDDI with one though as it seems more versatile.

 

[MDBass]

I've only played a B-15 once -- last summer in a studio -- and though it's not the sort of tone and response that I typically hone-in on, I, too, was smitten -- rich and musical are apt descriptors; I felt I was playing an organ at times. It was addictive.

As far as getting that in a pedal format, I dunno -- I think a big part of the B-15 sound (though certainly not all of it) is in the cab. I've heard the Shaw B-150 tube amp described as "basically a more powerful B-15" (with, I suspect, more bass and treble extension and a snappier note envelope -- at least that's how it comes across through my cabs). Having only played mine through my modern and, relative to the B-15, hi-fi cabs (Hathor 1203 and MAS 112, for the most part) and having only played the B-15 through its original cab, it's hard for me to say how accurate that is, but, based on that indirect connection, you might consider giving the B15 in a pedal?? preamp a try. It has a provision for powering other pedals and looks pedalboard friendly -- similar to the Noble in that regard -- but I'm not sure if you'd call it a pedal or not. There's no footswitch that I can see and it costs more than most pedals -- it really is a full-featured pre. (To be clear, I haven't played the Tube Injection pre, only the B-150 tube amp.)

The Arkham stuff is inspired by (though not a clone of) old Ampegs -- don't know how close that would get you, specifically, to a B-15, but between the Range control and the James tonestack I think you could get close. Again, not exactly pedal format, but if you could find a used Bullet pre, it's fairly compact (10"x7"). I don't know how well these would play with other pedals after it in the chain (I think output is line-level) and I don't know whether you intend to (or would want to) use it or the Shaw (or whatever) in place of or in front of your usual Monique setup, but that's what comes to mind.

EDIT: If you're still running a rack setup, you might consider the 1U Arkham Zephyr as a possible companion to your Monique (there's also the Abyss, which is 1/2 rack width, I believe, and halfway between the Zephyr and the Bullet in terms of features).

As for more typical (and less pricey) pedal-type pedals, I don't know much, but a search turned up these:

B15ish pedal
Pedal for SVT/B15 from a "Modern" amp
Pedal That Emulates B-15 Overdriven Sound???
B15 in a pedal??
B15ish pedal

I’ve looked through a few of those threads and was surprised by what the Analog Alien Bass Station seemed to deliver: that may be a contender, I’ll have to get ears on that Shaw box as well.

You’re certainly in running for that $20

 

[MarkA]

I’ve looked through a few of those threads and was surprised by what the Analog Alien Bass Station seemed to deliver: that may be a contender, I’ll have to get ears on that Shaw box as well.

You’re certainly in running for that $20

I'd feel guilty taking money from another bass player for my uncertain gear recommendations. Should I win the cash prize, please use it to brighten somebody's day in whatever way you think best.

Good luck with your B-15 quest!

 

[MDBass]

Interesting to hear how other people's ears work, and/or perhaps how the internet helps perpetuate falsehoods...something like the SolidGoldFX Beta, while a cool sounding box, sounds nothing like a B15 unless you're specifically going for the "Motown" thing at low gain settings.

Lots of great other suggestions on that list though: the SFT seems like it could work at lower gain settings, as does the Tone Hammer with the AGS at a lower gain setting.

I owned a TH a long time ago but never really dug into the AGS circuit as I was using a very clean tone at the time.

The Analog Alien box seems very cool as well, though it'd be lovely if it weren't so garishly colored and not quite as spendy.

 

[MDBass]

I'd feel guilty taking money from another bass player for my uncertain gear recommendations. Should I win the cash prize, please use it to brighten somebody's day in whatever way you think best.

Good luck with your B-15 quest!

Consider it done: happy holidays!

 

[Alban]

The DG Vintage Microtubes with the Character knob all the way to the left is supposed to be a B15, I think?

 

[MDBass]

The DG Vintage Microtubes with the Character knob all the way to the left is supposed to be a B15, I think?

I've owned all iterations of the Vintage, and while it's a great pedal doesn't really sound like a B15: a B15 can actually be quite bright and very aggressive, as I mentioned above it's interesting that some people specifically think "Motown" when they hear "B15" even though all the Motown tracks were done via DI

 

[ericsmith]

Noble DI?

 

[MDBass]

Noble DI?

Much more in the Fender/Monique category as far as I know: fantastic, 3D sounding tone, but all but impossible to get them to break up.

 

[BassJuju]

I too have been in search of this to no avail. Sorry, I can’t help, but I am anxiously watching. One of your previous videos led me to the REDDI and gave me the Jones for a Monique.

Just out of curiosity, the next thing I wanted to try was the Le Bass. Have you tired that?

 

[Mosfed]

I think that the closest you will find presently is a BugCaster/Au-drive/modded-Valve Caster into a Broughton P-15.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

Sansamp VT Bass? I think it sounds pretty dang close set appropriately!

 

[ahc]

@MDBass You might want to converse with JimmyM. He may have a good suggestion.

 

[interp]

Much more in the Fender/Monique category as far as I know: fantastic, 3D sounding tone, but all but impossible to get them to break up.

You’re right about Monique not breaking up, although builder Jule Potter says it can be made to do so. But he recommends using an overdrive pedal for that.

FWIW, I’ve owned and played five or six B15’s and a couple of SVT’s over the years, and although the Monique does not really meet your criteria it’s the closest I’ve been able to get to that vibe.