Looking for Bass Overdrive pedal

[kleinenenten]

Well I bought the OCD and the love affair is over. It just doesn't have much low end. It is a v1.7 which is basically v1.4 from what I've read. I'm back on the market. Looking at Aguilar Agro but I have the Tone Hammer and since the AGS circuit is based on the Agro, might be a waste of money.

Have my eye on Bass Fat Drive by Pigtronix. Also Way Huge Pork Loin. I just got the MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe but didn't have time to mess with it before work.

I'm playing through a Markbass CMD JB Players School 200w 1x15.

More input please.

I like my MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe, but slight, bluesy OD it is not. Just wondering, why'd you gravitate towards that? Personally, I like the Joyo Ultimate Drive for my low drive stuff. It IS an OCD, clone, but with no low end loss (at least to my ears). It is, however, only $30 or so. I'd also recommend a Darkglass B3K at low settings (my always-on pedal), but realize that it's just too "metal" for some, so the VMT might be the one for you. That seems to be how it goes, generally speaking.

 

[Squawk]

Thanks all. I'm leaning towards the SFT. More opinions please. The Pork Loin is also an option. Mainly want that dirty blues sound without low end loss.

 

[catgut]

Summarizing and not original at all but look no further than Solidgold FX Beta, Catalinbread SFT, or Darkglass VMT (or Deluxe). All 3 are the money for taking on vintage grit to whatever amp you run.

 

[blindrabbit]

Well I bought the OCD and the love affair is over. It just doesn't have much low end. It is a v1.7 which is basically v1.4 from what I've read. I'm back on the market. Looking at Aguilar Agro but I have the Tone Hammer and since the AGS circuit is based on the Agro, might be a waste of money. Have my eye on Bass Fat Drive by Pigtronix. Also Way Huge Pork Loin. I just got the MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe but didn't have time to mess with it before work. I'm playing through a Markbass CMD JB Players School 200w 1x15. More input please.

Yup that's why I got rid of my OCD as well. Loved the tone, did not like the low end loss. Some say the Fuzzrocious OSD rectifies this, but I've never tried one, so I can't comment.

The Agro is probably too aggressive for what you are looking for.

What you do want is the Fairfield Barbershop. I've owned a Pork Loin, and I've also had an SFT. Neither stayed on my board for long. The Pork Loin lacked definition, and the SFT was too compressed and congested. Trust me, the Barbershop is exactly what you are looking for. Just get one and be done with it.

 

[silky smoove]

Another Fairfield Barbershop recommendation for type of effect, with the Darkglass VMT following right behind.

 

[dannybuoy]

Thanks all. I'm leaning towards the SFT. More opinions please. The Pork Loin is also an option. Mainly want that dirty blues sound without low end loss.

That's a good way to lean. Be aware that there are a couple of versions of this pedal - the old one with the white knobs sounds darker and boosts the low mids, then new one is brighter with more of an aggressive upper mid bump.

the SFT was too compressed and congested

It does sound more open when ran at 18v, makes quite a big difference. Make sure to get an 18v adaptor to try if you get one!

 

[tallboybass]

If you want to save some dough, look into the Joyo American Sound....works and sounds great with bass!!

 

[Kragnorak]

TH500. All the grind you need plus fat low end!!!
Both clean and dirty, great DI, amazingly useful and musical EQ and a great recording tool as well. I've used it on everything from a bass(obviously), guitar, keyboards...can't really go wrong.

Pretty much all you need!!!

Huh - I tried using mine as a DI and a recording tool and was told that it was extremely noisy and WAY too hot. Is there something I'm missing?

 

[JohnDeereJack]

Another +1 for Darkglass Vintage Microtubes. It's my 'always on' pedal and at nice low settings it does a great job of just dirtying up your sound for an old school blues type tone rather than grinding your face off with sandpaper, all with no low-end loss. Great pedals - buy one!

 

[Squawk]

Huh - I tried using mine as a DI and a recording tool and was told that it was extremely noisy and WAY too hot. Is there something I'm missing?

Maybe the person has an audio interface with a gain knob for each input and maybe that gain is turned up way too high.

I've used my DI, Fuzz and OD pedal at the same time going into an Apogee One and M Audio Box. Neither had a problem.

Is your bass Active or Passive?

 

[Greg75]

Tried quite a few. My favorite to date is the Pigtronix Bass Fat Drive.

 

[FretNoMore]

Summarizing and not original at all but look no further than Solidgold FX Beta, Catalinbread SFT, or Darkglass VMT (or Deluxe). All 3 are the money for taking on vintage grit to whatever amp you run.

+1 on those, and I'll add the Cusack Screamer Bass. They are all of the low gain type, just with slightly different character and mid voicing.

 

[RDUB]

I just got an sfx micro-Red Dragon. Very versatile, and I'm able to dial in a very natural drive sound. I can play with a medium touch and get a reasonably clean, warm sound, and dig in for some real dirt. It's very responsive.

 

[rob_thebassman]

Zoom MS60B, you can almost anything with it

 

[lakefx]

Zoom MS60B, you can almost anything with it

I love my Zoom MS-60B, but I really have not been happy with the low gain dirt models in it.

 

[FretNoMore]

Zoom MS60B, you can almost anything with it

Yeah, I agree it does many things very well, but maybe not dirt so much, I do prefer other pedals for that.

 

[dannybuoy]

I've been playing with the Zoom units and have gotten some nice low gain drive sounds by using the BB Pre set to low gain into one of the amps (B15, SVT, Fender) set to high gain, with the cab sim off. Not perfect but pretty damn good.

Just got a Darkglass Vintage on loan today, it's a lot darker than I was expecting but it sounds great, I can add this to my recommendations alongside the SFT and Beta!

 

[rob_thebassman]

I love my Zoom MS-60B, but I really have not been happy with the low gain dirt models in it.

I've been getting good tones by using the sansamp emulation before the Hartke model and Ampeg model, loving it

 

[Kragnorak]

Maybe the person has an audio interface with a gain knob for each input and maybe that gain is turned up way too high.

I've used my DI, Fuzz and OD pedal at the same time going into an Apogee One and M Audio Box. Neither had a problem.

Is your bass Active or Passive?

Maybe I just have a faulty pedal. I've got the same problem with a GK combo. I was loving it until I brought it into a studio and the balanced out was extremely hissy. I still don't know if that's normal for the model or not.

My basses are all active but they have a HUGE spectrum of volumes. One is quieter than most passive basses while my newest has an 18v pre-amp and is very loud. I got a Morley ABY pedal with the intent to balance volumes in live settings. Most of what I use my Aguilar pre for right now is moving the Master volume up and down depending on what bass I'm playing :/

 

[Squawk]

A friend has suggested I get the Sansamp VT Bass pedal. Not the DI version as I have my tone hammer for that.

Thoughts? He said it would fill the void I have between the MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe and the Tone Hammer DI. Listening to videos, it sounds nice. Diverse.