Geddy Lee Sansamp Pedal!

[jacoby75]

Since I got to tinker with it at NAMM, I can tell you that it has a nice and fat clean setting. I was never much of a fan of my v1 BDDI (and it hasn’t been on my board in a long time), but this model has some nice tones to it. I may end up using it as my main OD or for extra overall tone shaping.

Well, it probably enjoys living in the limelight.

Insert Rush song puns here ________

 

[Gefilter1001]

Nice. From what you recall, does shifting the "mix" knob between deep & drive require adjusting the master? Or could you set it so you can switch from mostly deep > mostly drive and not have a huge volume shift?

If I may jump in? There is no major volume shift going from "Deep" to "Drive" but there is a nominal increase if you have the tone controls above 12 o'clock. The "Deep" has a preset tone "footprint" and is not affected by the other tone knobs on the pedal...kind of like sending a clean signal and cutting the highs a bit. The "Drive" aspect has the same core tone of the GED-2112 and like the GED the Mid knob is really fun to play with. As you bring in the "Drive" channel it blends nicely, and naturally. This pedal is capable of many different tones and styles...I just happen to be better suited to the dirty, filthy, growly, variant.

 

[fauxtoe]

Nice. From what you recall, does shifting the "mix" knob between deep & drive require adjusting the master? Or could you set it so you can switch from mostly deep > mostly drive and not have a huge volume shift?

I don't recall there being a volume shift. However, it was very loud on the show floor and trying to hear something like that probably wasn't the best environment to test it in. I really liked that feature though, from what I remember. It went from nice and tight to drive without turning the knob too much past center. As obviously shown in the videos it nails the Geddy sound, but I think there are plenty of other in-between settings to be found.

 

[fauxtoe]

If I may, there is no major volume shift going from "Deep" to "Drive" but there is a nominal increase if you have the tone controls above 12 o'clock. The "Deep" has a preset tone "footprint" and is not affected by the other knobs on the pedal...kind of like sending a clean signal and cutting the highs a bit. The "Drive" aspect has the same core tone of the GED-2112 and like the GED the Mid knob is really fun to play with. As you bring in the "Drive" channel it blends nicely, and naturally. This pedal is capable of many different tones and styles...I just happen to be better suited to the dirty, filthy, growly, variant.

Which would make sense because the the tone controls are active. Thanks for the info!

 

[Gefilter1001]

Which would make sense because the the tone controls are active. Thanks for the info!

My pleasure!

 

[John Swartz]

If I may, there is no major volume shift going from "Deep" to "Drive" but there is a nominal increase if you have the tone controls above 12 o'clock. The "Deep" has a preset tone "footprint" and is not affected by the other tone knobs on the pedal...kind of like sending a clean signal and cutting the highs a bit. The "Drive" aspect has the same core tone of the GED-2112 and like the GED the Mid knob is really fun to play with. As you bring in the "Drive" channel it blends nicely, and naturally. This pedal is capable of many different tones and styles...I just happen to be better suited to the dirty, filthy, growly, variant.

I use the GED-2112 and yeah, while the selling point is Geddy's tone, you can get a wide range of tones clean to dirty with plenty of EQ options plus blending of signals.

Good point about the Mid knob - at my last gig I was trying to dial in "my sound" and using the mid-shift and mid-level helped me achieve that.

John

PS: Just downloaded the YYNOT album - good stuff!!!

 

[jacoby75]

Good point about the Mid knob - at my last gig I was trying to dial in "my sound" and using the mid-shift and mid-level helped me achieve that.

On a side note, and having nothing to do with Geddy Lee or his products . . .
For a very long time when I started playing I thought the mids were supposed to be dialed out. Like, if I had a graphic EQ available, I was supposed to make it look like a smile. Boost the lows and highs and cut the mids. Maybe that was just the thing back in the 80's and 90's. But I relatively recently discovered the power the mids have in shaping your tone and helping you be heard and cut through a mix. The right mid eq is a beautiful thing. And it can drastically alter how distortion/overdrives sound.

 

[Fuzzbass]

On a side note, and having nothing to do with Geddy Lee or his products . . .
For a very long time when I started playing I thought the mids were supposed to be dialed out. Like, if I had a graphic EQ available, I was supposed to make it look like a smile. Boost the lows and highs and cut the mids. Maybe that was just the thing back in the 80's and 90's. But I relatively recently discovered the power the mids have in shaping your tone and helping you be heard and cut through a mix. The right mid eq is a beautiful thing. And it can drastically alter how distortion/overdrives sound.

Cutting mids is still a thing with bass -- of course it depends on the bass and the rest of the signal path. The classic SansAmp Bass Driver DI gets some hate because it has a significant mid scoop when Blend is maxed out, but I know guys who wouldn't run it any other way. Modern pedals do it too: the Darkglass B7K and Tech21 DP3X both have a mid notch/mid cut vibe to them.

I agree that it was a bigger thing in the 80's and 90's. Almost every amp back then had some kind of contour/enhance switch or knob that cut mids. A number of amps (and cabs) had built-in mid cut even when set "flat". Even the grandpappy bass amp, the classic Ampeg SVT (1969), featured its Ultra Lo switch that had a serious mid cut to go along with it's low boost.

Nowadays it seems fashionable to hate the mid cut, but whatever, it's just another tone-shaping option. Mid cut can work great with a mid-heavy bass such as a P-bass, or with any bass if the goal is to leave space in the mix for other instruments... f'r instance a power trio where you want to leave space for guitar and have a "bigger" bass tone. Some talented bassists I know always set their graphic EQs with a U or V shape, and they get great results.

Me... it depends. I play with a variety of bands, from power trios to an 11-member band with horns, guitar, Hammond B3. I go with whatever works... sometimes it's cutting mids, sometimes it's strategically boosting them, sometimes I run flat (though of course flat is never perfectly flat no matter how much you've spent on your rig).

 

[jacoby75]

Cutting mids is still a thing with bass -- of course it depends on the bass and the rest of the signal path. The classic SansAmp Bass Driver DI gets some hate because it has a significant mid scoop when Blend is maxed out, but I know guys who wouldn't run it any other way. Modern pedals do it too: the Darkglass B7K and Tech21 DP3X both have a mid notch/mid cut vibe to them.

I agree that it was a bigger thing in the 80's and 90's. Almost every amp back then had some kind of contour/enhance switch or knob that cut mids. A number of amps (and cabs) had built-in mid cut even when set "flat". Even the grandpappy bass amp, the classic Ampeg SVT (1969), featured its Ultra Lo switch that had a serious mid cut to go along with it's low boost.

Nowadays it seems fashionable to hate the mid cut, but whatever, it's just another tone-shaping option. Mid cut can work great with a mid-heavy bass such as a P-bass, or with any bass if the goal is to leave space in the mix for other instruments... f'r instance a power trio where you want to leave space for guitar and have a "bigger" bass tone. Some talented bassists I know always set their graphic EQs with a U or V shape, and they get great results.

Me... it depends. I play with a variety of bands, from power trios to an 11-member band with horns, guitar, Hammond B3. I go with whatever works... sometimes it's cutting mids, sometimes it's strategically boosting them, sometimes I run flat (though of course flat is never perfectly flat no matter how much you've spent on your rig).

Touche. I would never say (now, in my old age) that it is ALWAYS right or wrong to cut mids. It certainly still works in the proper context. I'm just saying when I was younger I ALWAYS cut mids for every context I played in . . . because I was an idiot.

 

[jacoby75]

PS: Just downloaded the YYNOT album - good stuff!!!

And on another side note, I just discovered YYNOT. Fantastic stuff! Killer bass tone and playing! I'll definitely be checking out more of you guys.

 

[Gefilter1001]

I use the GED-2112 and yeah, while the selling point is Geddy's tone, you can get a wide range of tones clean to dirty with plenty of EQ options plus blending of signals.
Good point about the Mid knob - at my last gig I was trying to dial in "my sound" and using the mid-shift and mid-level helped me achieve that.
John

PS: Just downloaded the YYNOT album - good stuff!!!

Yeah man, the mid control adds a tiny bit of harmonic brilliance when you hit that magic spot! Thank you for digging the album!!

 

[Gefilter1001]

And on another side note, I just discovered YYNOT. Fantastic stuff! Killer bass tone and playing! I'll definitely be checking out more of you guys.

Thank you!!!!

 

[Fuzzbass]

Touche. I would never say (now, in my old age) that it is ALWAYS right or wrong to cut mids. It certainly still works in the proper context. I'm just saying when I was younger I ALWAYS cut mids for every context I played in . . . because I was an idiot.

Totally understand! I agree that mid cut was overly-fashionable in the 80s/90s. I owned a few amp rigs that sounded great on the showroom floor because of inherent mid cut, but didn't work out well at the gig: could have trouble hearing myself in dense mixes.

 

[jacoby75]

Totally understand! I agree that mid cut was overly-fashionable in the 80s/90s. I owned a few amp rigs that sounded great on the showroom floor because of inherent mid cut, but didn't work out well at the gig: could have trouble hearing myself in dense mixes.

I also relatively recently discovered . . . after playing for about 30 years . . . that it's not always proper to play with both pickups full on and the tone control at 100%. I discovered the beauty of playing both my jazz and p-basses, and my thunderbird too for that matter, with the tone at 50% or less. Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks, lol.

But I digress. Back to the original topic, I want this pedal! I have forever idolized Geddy Lee, but now you can add Gefilter1001 to my list of heroes. He's the player I want to be when I grow up. Wouldn't mind having any of those basses either. That black Ric in the Natural Science video is sexy.

 

[Jantelagen]

A couple short and sweet run-throughs. Shows the Deep and Drive side each on their own and then with the Mix

 

[jaco944]

Sort of thread related as it features @Gefilter1001....great stuff.

 

[jacoby75]

A couple short and sweet run-throughs. Shows the Deep and Drive side each on their own and then with the Mix

Hot damn. I wish May wasn't so far away.

 

[Gefilter1001]

Now with the Ric!

 

[jacoby75]

Now with the Ric!

Part of me wants to slap you and tell you to stop rubbing it in. "I know, I know! You have one and I don't! Sheesh!" But the other part of me wants to say, "please keep making more demos so I can live vicariously through you until I have the chance to get one!" Sounds so good.

 

[Gefilter1001]

Part of me wants to slap you and tell you to stop rubbing it in. "I know, I know! You have one and I don't! Sheesh!" But the other part of me wants to say, "please keep making more demos so I can live vicariously through you until I have the chance to get one!" Sounds so good.

HA! I actually have to send it back tomorrow so it can go to a trade show in Europe...then my wait begins.