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Fulltone Fat boost? Even-order harmonics?? Hmmm....I don't know, sounds good!!

Discussion in 'Effects [BG]' started by Modern Growl, Sep 21, 2005.


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  1. Sep 21, 2005 #1
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    So this thing is supposed to enhance anything that goes through it huh? I'm going to be a little more skeptical about this one before I go ahead and buy it, scanning for return policies!

    anyone on this guy? Site says can add bite and what go me.... yes can add 'growl' by even order harmonics or something?

    I mean, if this thing will enhance, and fatten up anything that goes through it, it should be the end all, everyone has one pedal, no?

    Anyone, before I go ahead and purchase this to see what its all about?
     
  4. Sep 21, 2005 #2
    David Wilson

    David Wilson Administrator Staff Member Administrator Supporting Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Lower Westchester, NY
    Mike Fuller isn't shy about blowing his own trumpet. Sometimes he's justified (Tube Tape Echo), sometimes not (Distortion Pro).

    The Fat Boost ia a very good pedal indeed, it works very nicely on the bass and as an overdrive at higher settings.

    Plenty of places to buy Fulltone with a return policy, go ahead and try it.
     
  8. Sep 21, 2005 #3
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    already ordered... lol :D

    have you had any experience with it? know what its going to do?
     
  11. Sep 21, 2005 #4
    David Wilson

    David Wilson Administrator Staff Member Administrator Supporting Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Lower Westchester, NY
    yes, I have experience with it. I don't say something is good or bad unless I've used it personally. If I haven't used something I'll say "I've heard good / bad things"

    It will fatten up your sound at lower settings, and give you more of an od at higher settings. I haven't used it much at lower settings, so can't comment on that really.
     
  14. Sep 21, 2005 #5
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    Gotcha, any word on the proclaimed "added even order harmonics" - did it add anything of the sort? hear any of this going on?
     
  17. Sep 21, 2005 #6
    Lyle Caldwell

    Lyle Caldwell

    Sep 7, 2004
    Memphis
    Hard to describe. Both the Fat Boost and the Bass Drive (at low gain settings in comp cut mode) add a very interesting character, that sounds much like a good tube amp. Even in front of a neutral/sterile (take your pick) SWR rig, the pedals can give a nice old Ampeg kinda sound. Still clean, just with more interesting harmonics and overtones.

    I agree with David about Fulltone overall. I use several of Mike's pedals, but others I thought weren't so hot (can't stand the Deja Vibe's brightness and too-intense throb, and the Distortion Pro sounds great on humbuckers but made my single coil Fenders fart out [on guitar, not bass]).

    The thing about Fulltone is that if you like how a pedal sounds, it's built to be bullet proof and you'll get that sound every time for years and years, usually with a lot less noise than less expensive effects.
     
  20. Sep 21, 2005 #7
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    thanks for the input. we'll see if I like it!
     
  24. Sep 21, 2005 #8
    Eric Moesle

    Eric Moesle

    Sep 21, 2001
    Columbus OH
    Opinions can certainly vary on the sound quality of the Fulltone pedals for different applications, but a few things are for certain:

    - The pedals are built like tanks.

    - The pedals use high quality components inside.

    - They retain a high resale value.

    - Fuller is a stand-up person to do business with.

    That being said, just my personal opinion, the Fat Boost isn't nearly as useful for electric bass as the BassDrive. YMMV.
     
  27. Sep 21, 2005 #9
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    *sigh*.. now i'm not expecting to like it... - oh well, only way is to use it right?

    Theres descriptive words that seem pretty attracive that I've heard associated with this unit from the Fulltone website and others comments such as

    'thicken', 'grit', 'more dynamic playing', 'grind', 'more harmonic content' and I EVEN SAW 'growl' - YES! :D

    do you guys think i'll hear any of this?/have you's heard any of this or just a buncha hype
     
  30. Sep 21, 2005 #10
    David Wilson

    David Wilson Administrator Staff Member Administrator Supporting Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Lower Westchester, NY
    At the higher settings I use it at, it definitely adds grit. I like the sound of the Fat Boost, of course that doesn't mean that you will. As always, only way to be sure is to try.
     
  33. Sep 22, 2005 #11
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    I will try and write a brief review.

    thanks to all.
     
  36. Sep 22, 2005 #12
    Eric Moesle

    Eric Moesle

    Sep 21, 2001
    Columbus OH
    I didn't mean to poo-poo your choice, they both work fine. Its a personal preference/application issue. The Fat Boost very well may be exactly what you're looking for.

    Look forward to it, enjoy it!
     
  39. Sep 26, 2005 #13
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    I'll keep this brief. Bassically, I liked the pedal, but started to miss my tone with it off. Every time I turned it off I was like "ahh, thats better" It does add balls, but it sounded very unnatural to my ears. I'm learning more and more, that growl isn't overdrive, no matter how much I try to trick myself in thinking so. I was trying to make myself like it, but it just didn't sound organic enough for me. Oh well. No biggie. It made my tone more aggressive. Cool.

    The worst thing about the pedal though, the reason why I decided to not keep it is becuase of the total loss of low end. The thing sucked all of the low end heft from my signal. The worst part is that I was using strings with limited low end... Rotosound swing 66's. Compared to when the pedal was on, the Rotosounds had truckloads of bottom end with it off.
    Sorry Mike, but not a great pedal for bassist's... of course IMHO.

    It also compressed... which I didn't like. Its a good pedal for adding grind and aggression, if you don't mind dealing with a vaccuum on your bottom end.
     
  42. Sep 28, 2005 #14
    David Wilson

    David Wilson Administrator Staff Member Administrator Supporting Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Lower Westchester, NY
    I'm somewhat confused by this, I have never experienced any loss of low end whatsoever using this pedal on a number of active/passive basses with nickel/steel strings. I've also never heard of anyone else experiencing this, the fat boost has always added plenty of low end IME.
    In what position did you have the tone control?
     
  45. Sep 29, 2005 #15
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    I had the tone control at 12 o'clock or forward (clockwise).

    I can't comment on your experiences, but the loss of low end was more then ovbious. To the point that I knew within 10 minutes that the pedal had to go back. :meh:
    I tried to like it! But to no avail.
    I know FET's compress but I didn't think it was going to have my loss of low end sucked that hard! I also did read on a couple reviews at harmonycentral.com that others noticed a loss of low end as well.... so I know I'm not completely alone.
     
  48. Sep 29, 2005 #16
    David Wilson

    David Wilson Administrator Staff Member Administrator Supporting Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Lower Westchester, NY
    All I can say is, I have a pretty good ear and would notice low end loss. Maybe it's more that I use it on very high drive settings (2-3 notches back from max) all the time
     
  51. Sep 29, 2005 #17
    Modern Growl

    Modern Growl

    Jun 7, 2005
    NY/NJ Metro Area
    I don't disagree with you, but I am certain about what I heard.
     
  54. Sep 29, 2005 #18
    David Wilson

    David Wilson Administrator Staff Member Administrator Supporting Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Lower Westchester, NY
    Could you highlight a couple of those reviews from the hc reviews section? Because I took a brief look and couldn't see any that complained about loss of low end.

    I'm not saying you didn't hear what you heard, just trying to work out if it's some particular combination of settings causing you to hear that.
     
  57. Sep 29, 2005 #19
    Lyle Caldwell

    Lyle Caldwell

    Sep 7, 2004
    Memphis
    I've never had that problem. At all.
     
  60. Sep 29, 2005 #20
    mgmadian

    mgmadian

    Feb 4, 2002
    Austin, TX
    I agree... to my ears, OD might or might help with growl, but really when it comes down to it, you can get a good growly (what's this really mean, anyway?) sound without having anything between the bass and the amp. I'm thinking a boost pedal placed before the amp when you're playing the bridge pickup alone is good for 'growl', but really it's not an instant recipe for it, nor is it required.

    Really? I haven't experienced that at all. Even though I generally prefer the SIB Fatdrive for providing boost in the signal, the Fatboost is also very good IME (esp at 18V), one reason being that it preserves the low-end well and gives sufficient control so that that it doesn't necessarily add any 'artificial' high-end as some boost/OD pedals do, IME.
     
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