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My band hates my VT overdrive...

#21
Frenchy-Lefty said:
In any case it is presumptuous to think you can emulate the tube sound without using tubes.
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That's an endless debate around here. For a while I gigged with a SIB FatDrive and it did a nice job with a single tube. Have to admit I prefer my Monique, but the latter has more tubes and is heavier than the FatDrive. An all-tube head is yet another magnitude of weight/bulk. If you love it, be prepared to carry it!
 
#23
Back to the OP's issue, I feel that a band is collective effort. He should consider his band mates request the same way a guitar player should listen when everyone is asking him to turn his effing amp down. The non-compromise thing is not always a good thing. My advice is to ask an outsider to listen to them and give some inputs on the bass sound.
 
#24
For those bagging on the VT bass, OP says he likes the sound he's getting with it. His drummer is the one that doesn't like it.

"Farty" is a common thing among overdrive pedals that emulate tube amp response...it also happens to be a common thing among some amps that actually use tubes, hence the pedal designs.

I'm guessing the drummer just doesn't like that pushed amp sound and wants to hear something clean and/or crisp along with his drum lines. I like the suggestion of listening to a recording (which is always a good idea and something I don't do enough of). Be objective and see if the bass sounds too loose. I try to keep my drummer happy, as he's a good player that makes me play better. When he's off the whole show is off no matter how tight I am or how good my bass tone sounds.
 
#32
My VT goes with me everywhere, and any time I've gotta go direct the VT is in my chain.

When going through the PA with the bass, mid, and character knobs near noon, and the treble all the way down (drive to taste,) it's not too far from the same colouring as my head and 15s give me. No, it doesn't sound the same as my rig, but its WAY better than a dry DI.

But, I don't like the VT through my rig, or any other bass amp I've tried it with.

Even if your head is super clean (I've never tried a Markbass,) I'd bet it does colour your tone some. So you wind up with the VT colour and Markbass colour added together. Have you tried going straight in to your effects return?
 
#33
VeganThump said:
Agreed. Personally I don't understand all the hype, in my opinion the only thing the VT emulates is scooped mids.
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I'm no huge fan of the VT either, but if anything it accentuates mids an high mids to the point of excess. I think that could be a reason OP's guitarists don't like it. It's hogging frequencies. The BDDI was more scooped, but didn't exaggerate highs in the manner the VT does.
 
#35
johnk_10 said:
you know, you don't have to run a VT dirty. you can also just use it for tonal 'enhancement'. usually run mine with just a teeny-tiny bit of OD.
IME, the controls on them are pretty touchy so a nudge here and there can make a huge difference whether you like the tone that you're getting out of it or not.
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Exactly. That is one of the things that I noticed when I first tried it. That's why I found being able to blend it in an effects loop was the best way for me to use it, because I could control it better with the FX blend control on the amp.

Now, if we could mod the VT Deluxe with it's own on-board blend pot, it would be useful for ampless applications.
 
#37
I had a VT/Markbass set up a few years ago and I liked the VT for very light gain applications, I'd hesitate to even call it "overdrive" just the slightest bit of grit, nice addition to the cleaner-than-clean Markbass sound. I didn't really care for the VT as a medium to high-gain pedal though. Had a Fulltone Bass Drive for those situations.
 
#38
Thanks for all the input! I'm not ready to give up on the VT yet. I like the presence and attack/grind that I'm getting. I agree w the last post, I don't like it for real aggressive overdrive. I'm just adding a tiny touch of "drive". I do need to hear it recorded to get a better opinion. For real dirt I want a Darkglass...when I hit the lotto.
 
#39
What I like about the VTBass is when I'm playing through headphones. You know when your signal chain is no longer going through a preamp and speaker cabinet how your bass and effects all sound different. Well, I just put the VTBass at the end of the chain and I can tweak the eq on that as I would on my amp without having to change settings on the effects or bass. I mostly enjoy the clean settings and agree that dirtier settings sound better when blended.
 

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