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dUg Ultra Bass 1000 - Tech 21

#384
So...I went to check out my buddy's Iron Maiden tribute band last night... Look what hitched a ride home with me...

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#385
andrew said:
Thanks! For reference here's a longer clip of me wanking on a Spector bass with the amp eq'ed to dUg's personal setting, which you can see in the recommended settings of the amp's manual. Sorry for the schizophrenic riffing but I wanted to show the sound on both high and low notes and played fast and slowly.

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While dUg's setting sounds great too, it has a lot less mids dialled in and less drive and overall lower eq settings. Not really a wrong choice here but if you compare this to the clip I posted previously you can hear the difference the added mids, gain and eq add, which personally I like. I know others will prefer the scooped mid sound of dUg's personal setting.

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Personally think your settings are great. Just dialed them into my dUg and cranked my P up. Awesome.
 
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#388
Bumping this thread to report that after using my dUg for a couple of weeks now, at practice and live onstage, I continue to be impressed. The compliments on my tone don't hurt either. ;) I can honestly say that this is the first time since my SVT II - Pro that I am excited about, and completely satisfied with my sound. Amp GAS has been completely eliminated.
 
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#390
Spageddy Lee said:
Does anyone else feel the compression is too aggressive for those with a heavy hand?
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I have a very heavy hand (too heavy, I break E strings too often), and haven't found the compression to be too aggressive.

Are you a fingers or pick player?
 
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#393
BassmanPaul said:
That is if you like that "Tech 21" tone!! As I said to each his/her own!!

Now just to lighten to mood a dog tale: Seattle pooch catches bus solo to dog park

:D
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I've been an avid SVT user for my I tire career since the late 70's. Until this amp came along I would have never switched to an analog/solis state head. This amp smokes them hands down. Tons of clean low end, but you can dial in a harmonic top end that you simply can't do with other heads. Until this came along I was always using both bass and guitar amps to get me tone. Now I can run this straight to the house without cabs on stage and sound monstrous with both my standard and 12 string basses. You can't do that with tube heads.
 
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#394
Scootbass1 said:
Here is my dUg sitting on top of my Ampeg 610. I keep the head throttled back due to the cabinets 600 watt rating. I'm still discovering what this head is capable of. So far it has impressed me very much.

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Hey man, I just saw your commentary here about the DUG. I'm still using the Landmark 600 you sold me a few years back. I'm completely happy with it and the only amp that has given me any pause is the DUG.

Can you compare them at all?
 
#395
sevdog said:
Hey man, I just saw your commentary here about the DUG. I'm still using the Landmark 600 you sold me a few years back. I'm completely happy with it and the only amp that has given me any pause is the DUG.

Can you compare them at all?
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Sevdog, I am glad to hear you are enjoying the Landmark 600. As to comparing the Dug to the Landmark it is not possible as far as I see it. They are similar by manufacturer, two channels, mix and the gain boost. The Landmark abilities can be achieved with an RBI, RPM, power amplifier, footswitching and paralleling the preamps for the most part. The dUg is a specialized unit designed to emulate the sound of his personal setup in the past. The LPF/HPF is the key along with a guitar type channel. The closest I came to this setup weighed 150 pounds plus in a 20 space rack with parametric equalisers, compressors, rack mixer and two channel power amp with bass and guitar cabinet. I was using an RBI with two of the original SansAmp rackmount preamps. I rolled the low end out of the SansAmp preamps and used the parametric as crude LPF and HPF filters. It came close but weighed too much for a specialized tone. Plus it was complicated and was a PITA when technical difficulties came up. I now use the dUg exclusively for everything I do. The pluses are that it is capable of many tonal textures, light weight and amazing power reserve. Cons are the channels individually do not impress me solo especially the low channel. The low channel compressor is always engaged unless you dial it out and then the level of that channel drops dramatically. The compressor is capable of an absurd amount of compression and works fine for dUg type tones but is overkill for anything else. I generally use the head in mix mode with the compressor eased in enough to regain the low channel level and use the playing dynamic control in my hands. I guess the compressor is the only thing I am not pleased with, but I work around it with playing technique. The high channel is actually very adjustable gain wise and I use it for my mids and high end tweaking. The two channels mixed together are phenomenal. It is a niche head for sure, and is very expensive to buy to try. I wanted a head capable of its namesake and came out with an amp capable of so much more for me. I needed a rig that I could use with 4,5,8,10 and 12 string basses and this one is it. It works great with passive pickups, but is also good with active pickups. Try to find one to sit and try for at least an hour through non horned cabinets. This amp has no need for horns or tweeters. Mid drivers will come to life with this head, and let the mix mode show you its magic. I hope this helps you in your interest in this head.
 
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#396
Wow, thanks for the detailed review!

You know, that you are not the first person to say they only like the setting with the channels combined is going to keep me from pulling the trigger until I could have a chance to take a test drive, as you recommended. With the landmark I use the RPM channel for my clean(er) setting and then add the RBI channel for dirt and brightness. And I go back and forth quite a bit so, in the end the DUG might not be for me. And for me, weight is not really a consideration. Size/bulk is a consideration but while lightweight is nice, I just don't have to worry about it too much.
 
#397
sevdog said:
Wow, thanks for the detailed review!

You know, that you are not the first person to say they only like the setting with the channels combined is going to keep me from pulling the trigger until I could have a chance to take a test drive, as you recommended. With the landmark I use the RPM channel for my clean(er) setting and then add the RBI channel for dirt and brightness. And I go back and forth quite a bit so, in the end the DUG might not be for me. And for me, weight is not really a consideration. Size/bulk is a consideration but while lightweight is nice, I just don't have to worry about it too much.
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I am considering a VT1000 for the situations where I am asked for more traditional tone. That may be an alternative for you to consider. I still have all of my Tech21 pedals and rack preamps and find myself taking the VTDI or Bass Fly Rig for non amplified situations and open stage jams. The VT series is very good at what it is intended to do. I need to get around to thinning my gear out a bit, I don't use the rackmount units anymore. I like the all in one package the dUg and possibly the VT1000 offer. I know my back and right knee like it a lot.
 
#399
The VT 1000 is basically two RBI's linked to an output section. Using the dUg is much more specialized as one is a LPF and the other a HPF. I personally don't think the Low end channel is good on its own. I'm running a separate amp for a clean sound and effect, while running the dUg for an additional sound. It's a must for 12 string bass unless you drag a guitar rig around as well. Something I did for my intire career until this amp came along! I have the best tone I've ever had from my Hamer 12 strings.
 
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#400
The VT 1000 is based on our VT Bass circuit and is a 1000 watt version of the VT Bass 1969 head. It can switch between both channels, mix the two and also has a tuner mute function that can all be accessed by a foot switch. Both heads also feature a 10dB gain boost available at the input. Very different than the RBI.

The low end channel solo'd is just a full range clean channel with compression and the LPF filter is bypassed.
 

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