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My Dirt Bender - Another Jounal

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Harr!
Someone arrived a day early!


One thing about Hamstead: Let me sing the highest praise for their manual!
They explain the knobs in a short manner, then give you a list of sample settings, then give you the start setting for your own exploration and then explain the knobs in greater detail and tell you what to do with them to best experience their function with your own ears.
Apart from that, it's a very simple drive pedal, only 6 knobs and 4 switches.

You only have three different clipping options and can put the (active) EQ before or after the gain stage, plus a tone control and clean blend . . .
I can't wait to get home. This is exciting!
 
OMG that Subspace is gorgeous!
I've played it for a while and I feel like I have only scatched the surface.
I also understand why that manual is going into that much detail. Those setting suggestions really make good starting points for exploration.
Of course I had to dime everything and see how far this can go, and I'd say that roaring spluttery fuzz is where it can get those who dare. From there I spent most of my time in the low gain region and playing around with the EQ& blend as well as the switches for EQ pre/post and clipping options.
That's a lot to take in and right now I am at that point where I can't decide if the pedal has way too many controls or not nearly enough of them.
However, I got that beautiful amp like breakup tone after a while. The notes felt like the core is solid, but its a but fuzzy around the edges, that kind of drive that softens rather than makes it punchy and harsh. I reduced the gain a little bit and the result kicked the thought into my head that if I was playing rock, harder blues or any kind of metal, this could easily become an always-on pedal.
In this regard, it reminds me of the Fairfield Barbershop.
You can set it to a very subtle setting that feels really good under the fingers and invites you to play with the dynamics, and when you switch it off, your clean tone feels boring.
 
OMG that Subspace is gorgeous!
I've played it for a while and I feel like I have only scatched the surface.
I also understand why that manual is going into that much detail. Those setting suggestions really make good starting points for exploration.
Of course I had to dime everything and see how far this can go, and I'd say that roaring spluttery fuzz is where it can get those who dare. From there I spent most of my time in the low gain region and playing around with the EQ& blend as well as the switches for EQ pre/post and clipping options.
That's a lot to take in and right now I am at that point where I can't decide if the pedal has way too many controls or not nearly enough of them.
However, I got that beautiful amp like breakup tone after a while. The notes felt like the core is solid, but its a but fuzzy around the edges, that kind of drive that softens rather than makes it punchy and harsh. I reduced the gain a little bit and the result kicked the thought into my head that if I was playing rock, harder blues or any kind of metal, this could easily become an always-on pedal.
In this regard, it reminds me of the Fairfield Barbershop.
You can set it to a very subtle setting that feels really good under the fingers and invites you to play with the dynamics, and when you switch it off, your clean tone feels boring.

I've been on a mission recently to get a bass overdrive that can do subtle-medium levels of overdrive, with the nature of that overdrive being smooth/creamy (I'm not sure of a better word!!). I had thought about a Way huge Pork Loin and maybe the older BBBOD. I've just bought a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes but it doesn't quite do what I want (the drive is still a little spiky/square sounding to be exactly what I want. But the Hamstead sounds like what I'm after.

Thank you for the review. These are quite pricey here in Australia.
 
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I need a history lesson here. A BB pedal means that it leans on the Xotic BB Bass Preamp? Or is BB a certain kind of circuit, and the Xotic BB is just one of many?
What does BB mean in this context?
Bluesbreaker. It’s a variety of a common overdrive circuit. Originally from Marshall and it is one of the more popular amp in a box dirt pedals. Named for John Mayall’s band I believe.
 
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I've been on a mission recently to get a bass overdrive that can do subtle-medium levels of overdrive, with the nature of that overdrive being smooth/creamy (I'm not sure of a better word!!). I had thought about a Way huge Pork Loin and maybe the older BBBOD. I've just bought a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes but it doesn't quite do what I want (the drive is still a little spiky/square sounding to be exactly what I want. But the Hamstead sounds like what I'm after.

Thank you for the review. These are quite pricey here in Australia.

If you're looking for something that goes easy on the ears, something that will do a distorted sound that tastes more like custard and not like a chainsaw to the face,
you will find the Subspace capable of those tones (and many more).
You will also find the Pork Loin (or even better, the P&P) capable of those tones, and I would also recommend that you have a look at the different versions of the SolidGoldFX Beta.
 
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And forgive my ignorance yet again, the Marshall guitar combo or the pedal?
Is the pedal based on the combo?
Lots of pedals like that Wampler Pantheon are based on the old Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal. It was originally designed to sound like a cranked Marshall amp.
If you see overdrive or other dirt pedals called “BB” or even as subtle as coloring the enclosure blue it is often based on that circuit.
If a pedal starts with K or C or has a mythical winged hybrid image it is often a clone of the old Klon Centaur. Those clones are often called Klone or K type.
Just like “Bender” refers to Tonebender and 808 or TS is a Tube Screamer.
Not saying everything is a copy. But there are a handful of commonly replicated circuits in guitar pedals. The Green ones are either Nobels or TS types.
Lots of continuity in the market.
 
For some obscure reason, that BB thing completely escaped me.


...But we shall remedy that.
As far as I gather, the Xotic BB Bass is the most prominent bass pedal with a BB in the name, but those are somewhat elusive.
I remember talking to a guy about these, and he had one, and I showed interest, but he was reluctant to sell - so I asked if I could borrow it to give it a test drive and he was not exactly open to that Idea so I did not push the issue any further. That guy contacted me now and told me he decided to sell the pedal and asked if I wanted it.
Well, since I just found out that BB is a thing, I said yes first and will do the thinking (maybe) later.

I doubt it'll be sent out today, so it should arrive next week.

Then there still is the Wampler. I can't find a good deal on the Pantheon in my neck of the woods, but discovered the Deluxe version.
Not only is it a double drive thing, it also has Midi, which sparked my interest!
 
I've been on a mission recently to get a bass overdrive that can do subtle-medium levels of overdrive, with the nature of that overdrive being smooth/creamy (I'm not sure of a better word!!). I had thought about a Way huge Pork Loin and maybe the older BBBOD. I've just bought a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes but it doesn't quite do what I want (the drive is still a little spiky/square sounding to be exactly what I want. But the Hamstead sounds like what I'm after.

Thank you for the review. These are quite pricey here in Australia.
I had a Subspace at one point and I think it will do exactly what you're after. There's one listed on FB marketplace at the moment, same page you have your Microtubes listed, I believe. Actually I just looked at the serial number on that Subspace and it is my old one! :laugh:
 
I had a Subspace at one point and I think it will do exactly what you're after. There's one listed on FB marketplace at the moment, same page you have your Microtubes listed, I believe. Actually I just looked at the serial number on that Subspace and it is my old one! :laugh:
Hopefully I can get the VMT on the move and go for the Subspace.
 

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