Geddy Lee Sansamp Pedal!

[tech21nyc]

I have a SansAmp Bass Driver DI with a power supply and I used that one. But I also tried the pedal with just a 9V powering it and got nothing out of it.

It's best that you returned it. It's possible that the pedal had been previously been sold and someone may have used the wrong power supply and damaged the unit. Sometimes when people return pedals the retailer will send them out again rather than testing.

We test all pedals before they are shipped. There is no way a burned out pedal would leave our factory.

 

[DJJazzV]

Great job, @DJJazzV! Don't think we didn't notice the background props, too! Especially for 'I Love The Night Life'.

That ball gotta spin, bro! Lol!

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. The "props" in the videos started a little later. Should have thought of them sooner. The YYZ pedal gave me such a great tone, especially in that disco song.

 

[Johno Dunn]

Hate to wake a Zombie, but I have a YYZ coming from JohnK tomorrow, and I'm wondering if anyone has gotten a Wal-ish tone out of this thing?

 

[Eric Boyer]

Hate to wake a Zombie, but I have a YYZ coming from JohnK tomorrow, and I'm wondering if anyone has gotten a Wal-ish tone out of this thing?

Sorta...I'm sure you are already aware that a Wal is super hard to imitate, that being said being said, I got ballpark-ish with my Stingray and the YYZ.

 

[Johno Dunn]

Sorta...I'm sure you are already aware that a Wal is super hard to imitate, that being said being said, I got ballpark-ish with my Stingray and the YYZ.

What settings were you using on the YYZ?

 

[jacoby75]

Hate to wake a Zombie, but I have a YYZ coming from JohnK tomorrow, and I'm wondering if anyone has gotten a Wal-ish tone out of this thing?

I’m not sure what a Wal-ish tone is, but my love for this thing was reaffirmed over the past couple of days. I think it probably can because of the mid-range punch and grind, which I associate with the Geddy Wal days.

For the past few months I have been cycling through actual tube-based pedals looking for that direct tube amp tone on a budget. I recently settled on an EBS valve drive, running into other things, which is great. But I’m having some noise issues from it. So I decided to try the YYZ to see if I could get some of that tube amp vibe from it, not just the Geddy vibe. And whaddya know? It’s perfect. I like it better than anything I’ve tried so far for that slight tube amp warmth and breakup. The grind it produces is phenomenal, especially in tight mode. And the dirt blends with the deep channel so smoothly. I actually want to get a second one so I can have switchable tones. It's just that good. So many tube and tube-sim pedals have come and gone since I bought the YYZ, and the YYZ remains.

That being said, I tend to prefer more of a slight distortion over the top blended in, and the midrange grind the YYZ produces is phenomenal for that. I'm not into the breaking-up-tube-amp-farty kind of overdrive. If you're into that, it can do that too, though.

 

[Johno Dunn]

I’m not sure what a Wal-ish tone is, but my love for this thing was reaffirmed over the past couple of days. I think it probably can because of the mid-range punch and grind, which I associate with the Geddy Wal days.

For the past few months I have been cycling through actual tube-based pedals looking for that direct tube amp tone on a budget. I recently settled on an EBS valve drive, running into other things, which is great. But I’m having some noise issues from it. So I decided to try the YYZ to see if I could get some of that tube amp vibe from it, not just the Geddy vibe. And whaddya know? It’s perfect. I like it better than anything I’ve tried so far for that slight tube amp warmth and breakup. The grind it produces is phenomenal, especially in tight mode. And the dirt blends with the deep channel so smoothly. I actually want to get a second one so I can have switchable tones. It's just that good. So many tube and tube-sim pedals have come and gone since I bought the YYZ, and the YYZ remains.

That being said, I tend to prefer more of a slight distortion over the top blended in, and the midrange grind the YYZ produces is phenomenal for that. I'm not into the breaking-up-tube-amp-farty kind of overdrive. If you're into that, it can do that too, though.

I currently have a Two Notes Le Bass, that I have midi'd to a Source Audio Programmable EQ. I will probably run the YYZ in the loop of Le Bass, and use it mainly for a clean tone. I have 2 channels of Dirt on Le Bass. But I'll know more in a couple days!!!

 

[Eric Boyer]

What settings were you using on the YYZ?

I feel so flakey, but of course, I can't remember...I think I'd used - ironically - either "YYZ Jazz Bass" or "Rickenbacker" from the manual that comes with the pedal as as starting point and just tweaked a few settings.

I actually want to get a second one so I can have switchable tones. It's just that good. So many tube and tube-sim pedals have come and gone since I bought the YYZ, and the YYZ remains.

Same! I think I want a second unit as well! One as a always-on, slight, warm overdrive and a second as more lead/distortion.

But I wonder if I should be looking at the Bass Driver...? or the VT Bass...? or put an EQ pedal before or after the YYZ???

 

[fourstringdrums]

I feel so flakey, but of course, I can't remember...I think I'd used - ironically - either "YYZ Jazz Bass" or "Rickenbacker" from the manual that comes with the pedal as as starting point and just tweaked a few settings.



Same! I think I want a second unit as well! One as a always-on, slight, warm overdrive and a second as more lead/distortion.

But I wonder if I should be looking at the Bass Driver...? or the VT Bass...? or put an EQ pedal before or after the YYZ???

I would get a VTBDI. I have one and the YYZ. Lots of choices.

 

[Eric Boyer]

I would get a VTBDI. I have one and the YYZ. Lots of choices.

Cool! so what does the VT do for you that YYZ doesn't? Or, what makes it different than the YYZ?

Am I oversimplifying the VT by saying it's supposed to emulate an Ampeg? BA-15 and/or SVT?

 

[jacoby75]

Same! I think I want a second unit as well! One as a always-on, slight, warm overdrive and a second as more lead/distortion.

But I wonder if I should be looking at the Bass Driver...? or the VT Bass...? or put an EQ pedal before or after the YYZ???

Here are my settings, for what it's worth. (tight switch is engaged). I mostly play ampless (sorry the pics are so ginormous. I couldn't figure out how to make them smaller):

I run it through either a Barber Linden or Broughton SVPre, set thusly (but never both the Linden and SVPre simultaneously. That would rip a hole in the space-time continuum):

I had a Tech21 VT Bass DI (and a non-DI version back in the day), but I sold it when I got the SVPre. The VT worked great as an amp sim, but I never gelled with the overdrive tone. As I noted earlier, I have yet to find a farty tube amp sim that I like. I just don't think it's the sound for me. I also don't care much for the SVPre when overdriven, but as a clean Ampeg sim, there is no comparison. It's phenomenal. And both it and the Linden take drives very well. I think the YYZ is also supposed to be a stand alone amp sim on its own, but I feel it sounds better through a separate preamp for when I want to add overdrive. I'm sure the YYZ would sound great into a VTBass or VTDI, if you're not also using an amp (because that would be overkill if you're using an amp). I intend to either pick up a second YYZ for the same reason you pointed out, or run my DSM SubAtomic into the YYZ (and then into the Linden) for layers of drive. But for the most part, playing primarily modern worship, the slight bit of grind I get out of the YYZ in and of itself will suit most purposes.

 

[TonyRo]

I think the key to getting a Wal-ish tone on a YYZ would likely be starting with a bass that has at least one humbucker, preferably two! I got very close to Justin Chancellor Tool tones with my Stingray and an HX Stomp when needed (Justin is even playing a Stingray a bit on tour now), and I know there's a Tool setting in the YYZ manual you can mess around with a bit as well. Good luck, that's a tricky task!

 

[Johno Dunn]

I think the key to getting a Wal-ish tone on a YYZ would likely be starting with a bass that has at least one humbucker, preferably two! I got very close to Justin Chancellor Tool tones with my Stingray and an HX Stomp when needed (Justin is even playing a Stingray a bit on tour now), and I know there's a Tool setting in the YYZ manual you can mess around with a bit as well. Good luck, that's a tricky task!

I know! I've been chasing that tone since Power Windows was released! I will never be able to justify buying a Wal, so close will have to do.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Cool! so what does the VT do for you that YYZ doesn't? Or, what makes it different than the YYZ?

Am I oversimplifying the VT by saying it's supposed to emulate an Ampeg? BA-15 and/or SVT?

Well I got the VTBDI first. I do use it for more of a B-15 tone. The YYZ seems to apply the grit more evenly between the high and low strings, where as the VTBDI for that purpos , if I wanted the zing of the opening note of Red Barchetta, the E string was too distorted. And since I'm a flats user, the VTBDI character knob can take some of that tone away when I don't want it.

 

[fourstringdrums]

I know! I've been chasing that tone since Power Windows was released! I will never be able to justify buying a Wal, so close will have to do.

Have you been able to use the YYZ to get close?

 

[Johno Dunn]

Have you been able to use the YYZ to get close?

I just got it a half hour ago. I’ll check it out tonight.

 

[fourstringdrums]

I just got it a half hour ago. I’ll check it out tonight.

If you do, post your settings.

 

[DJJazzV]

I usually prefer passive basses, but this one I recorded today has a Sadowsky A/P preamp in it with a slight treble boost that came out quite well. Same favorite YYZ setting as I always use. No editing. Just live recorded playing.
Sending you all back to 1981 today:

 

[fourstringdrums]

I still prefer the YYZ with my passive basses, but this one I recorded today has a Sadowsky A/P preamp in it with a slight treble boost came out quite well. Same YYZ settings as I always use. No editing. Just live recorded playing.
Sending you all back to 1981 today: (YouTube has the video on copyright hold, so I used Vimeo for this one so I could share)

Sounds great. Are you just using the stock YYZ setting?

 

[DJJazzV]

Sounds great. Are you just using the stock YYZ setting?

Thank you very much. Close to stock from the manual:
My favorite setting with a Jazz bass: Master: 11 o'clock, Low: just past noon, High: just past noon, Drive: Around 1 o'clock, Deep/Drive: Noon, Mid: 2 o'clock. No Tight button.