My Dirt Bender - Another Jounal

[el murdoque]

Here is a possible Hot Take:

The Dirt options in the HX Stomp suck.

I've spent the better part of the afternoon playing around with that thing, looking for an option to get some Schmutz in my signal in a way that is pleasing to my ear. I went through the (impressive) list front to back and back to front, looking for something that makes my bass sound good, but I miserably failed.
If you ask me for my specific problem with all the choices the device offers, I'd say that I like a drive sound that can add some brightness and top end to my sound by creating those upper harmonics in the clipping process. These seem to be absent in this digital representation of the real dirt boxes. There are some copies in here where I can claim first hand experience with the original pedals, and I am quite sure the real deal pedals do something that is missing here.
They sound and feel dull. The whole lot of them. I started out with the Nobels drive because that is one I know well and liked a lot when I owned it, but while it does that impressive low end, it does not do the organic sizzle up top that I was quite fond of.

 

[Mr. voodoobass]

I sometimes use some of the guitar amp models for dirt. And if you put a drive block in freq split path, they seem to be less dull. But I tend to like my dirt with the focus in the mids, so you might be looking for something else.

 

[jcburn]

Tone board, missing RFE (it's en route.) I'm definitely missing some modulation and delay here. Will probably re-do this with a Nano Max.

I'm using the Diamond Comp with fours and the Cali76-CB with fives. The Analog Alien comp is used as a limiter.

This board is for my Warmoth p build.

View attachment 5377328

Not to derail the direction of this thread but I've always been intrigued by the Alien Bass Station. Most of the YouTube demos sound crappy to me but as far as I can tell it's based on emulating a B15 yes?

I'd love to try one in person.

 

[arepa_funk]

Not to derail the direction of this thread but I've always been intrigued by the Alien Bass Station. Most of the YouTube demos sound crappy to me but as far as I can tell it's based on emulating a B15 yes?

I'd love to try one in person.

It's supposed to be similar to a B-15 but it can get real SVTish depending on how much gain your cranking and compression too. I never use the amp sim without the limiter on. I find they work great together.

Be a judge yourself!

That's from the "compact" board thread. Short two minute clip.

 

[jcburn]

That sounds great! Nice and round but also enough nose to be defined in the mix.
I can get that tone from my THDI, but I think I'll hunt one of the Alien Bass Stations down at some stage to see what it can do.

Ok. Derail over

 

[el murdoque]

This would be a good moment for an (obscure) pedal brand to step forward and proclaim to have opened the next chapter in the book of bass preamp/dirt pedals.

Because when I browse what's there, I seem completely uninterested.

I am very glad that my personal enabler, @Charlie Tuna does not sit idle.
He fanned the dull embers of the fire under the GAS pot back up and it's cooking again. I already entered negotiations about a possible addition to my collection and will keep you posted when the calendar shows NPD.

 

[el murdoque]

I cannot believe that it has taken me this long to conceive this Idea:

The orchestra stand turned into a Pedalboard injection unit.
I will zip tie a Cioks 4 to the plate and run power along with the audio cables, so I can use that to inject one or more pedals into my signal chain and have them sitting at a position I can reach from a sitting position.

This allows for quick adjustments while playing and should result in much better fine tuning.

 

[Parzival]

Do you live in a beach souvenir shop?

 

[el murdoque]

Do you live in a beach souvenir shop?

I don't like to wear used flip flops and put on a fresh pair every day.

 

[Parzival]

I don't like to wear used flip flops and put on a fresh pair every day.

I love that, that is the dream. What I have to know is, what affect do fresh flip flops have on your tone? I would imagine it keeps the sounds fresh and airy with just the right amount of squishy goodness, maybe.

Not that flip flops aren't a very serious subject, but on a more serious note, have you looked into the new Overdrive Preamp from Trickfish? I am keeping my eye on that one as something I would like to try out.

 

[el murdoque]

I love that, that is the dream. What I have to know is, what affect do fresh flip flops have on your tone? I would imagine it keeps the sounds fresh and airy with just the right amount of squishy goodness, maybe.

It is less squished than worn ones provide, and on top of that it is much tighter, since the straps are new.

Not that flip flops aren't a very serious subject, but on a more serious note, have you looked into the new Overdrive Preamp from Trickfish? I am keeping my eye on that one as something I would like to try out.

I'll have to look into that, because when I had a Trickfish Minnow preamp, I absolutely hated it!
So I expect this thing to evoke a strong reaction, too - I don't know if positive or negative. Maybe their idea of drive is a good one?

 

[Parzival]

It is less squished than worn ones provide, and on top of that it is much tighter, since the straps are new.




I'll have to look into that, because when I had a Trickfish Minnow preamp, I absolutely hated it!
So I expect this thing to evoke a strong reaction, too - I don't know if positive or negative. Maybe their idea of drive is a good one?

I like what I heard in their video, but you know how that goes. There are some out in the wild with TBers so I'm waiting on more feedback from those folks.

 

[jcburn]

I cannot believe that it has taken me this long to conceive this Idea:

View attachment 5406264

The orchestra stand turned into a Pedalboard injection unit.
I will zip tie a Cioks 4 to the plate and run power along with the audio cables, so I can use that to inject one or more pedals into my signal chain and have them sitting at a position I can reach from a sitting position.

This allows for quick adjustments while playing and should result in much better fine tuning.

Maybe there needs to be a 3rd "Jounal" @el murdoque - one that involves discussion of flip flops?
I wonder what the best flip flop there is for metal.

I'm here all week......

 

[el murdoque]

Maybe there needs to be a 3rd "Jounal" @el murdoque - one that involves discussion of flip flops?
I wonder what the best flip flop there is for metal.

I'm here all week......

I'm sorry, but that's not likely to happen. I actually don't like to wear flip flops while playing bass. Even though I do cross the line for many people here and say I'm not afraid to get on stage wearing shorts (as long as I play the kind of music that will allow for it), I'm all for proper footwear when doing so.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

Maybe there needs to be a 3rd "Jounal" @el murdoque -
I wonder what the best flip flop there is for metal.

Not the ones Jimmy Buffett wore:
“I blew out my flip-flop
Stepped on a pop top
Cut my heel, had to cruise on back home
But there's booze in the blender
And soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on”

 

[el murdoque]

I can't find the interview, but Scott Reeder (Kyuss) once talked about wearing flip flops on stage (he usually goes barefoot) was the only time in his career he actually hurt himself in the pedal region.

 

[el murdoque]

Here's a pic with the device installed and populated - sadly not by dirt pedals, but at least by pedals.
I screw-mounted a Cioks 4 to the back that runs off a 24V laptop power brick, so I could run more than two pedals from there.

Let me tell you that it makes a world of difference!
Having the pedals within reach of your right arm without leaving the playing position lets you pluck a note and adjust the pedal(s) while the tone rings - I can really recomment a setup like that for every pedal-tinkerer.

 

[el murdoque]

As with any of the really anticipated NPDs, this shall be no exception:
Not only do I have no chance to skip work and go early, no I'll be swept straight from the shop to attend a social thing ... doing people things ... with people.



This might come as a surprise for you, but the NPD is triggered by the arrival of an Origin Effects Bassrig '64 Black Panel.

"Oh, @el murdoque" you cry! "You posted this in the wrong thread! The Bassrig clearly is a preamp, but this is the Dirt Bender Jounal!"

"That's where you err" I reply!
The Bassrig is labeled and sold as an Amp-In-A-Box pedal, a recreation of a vintage Fender amp, so much is true. It also says "Preamp" right on the box. But it comes with one feature that had me itching for it.

When I first read up about that thing, I was under the impression that the so called "Amp out EQ" section featured a LPF and HPF. While that sounded interesting, I also learned that the XLR out has a baked in speaker sim that cannot be switched off at all, and that the Amp out EQ only affects the 1/4" output.
This did not make too much sense for me in my particular situation and I did not buy one instantly.

However ...

When enabler @Charlie Tuna received his Bassrig and started experimenting with it, he told me this is not a simple HPF and LPF. It is capable of boosting or cutting the higher and lower frequencies. The idea is to match your backline amp to your tonal preferences without messing with the FOH sound.
That's what the good people at Origin intended.

The way I see it, you get a Fender tone stack in the proper position before the drive, but then you get another two band EQ after the drive. On top of that, you get a treble rolloff that starts either at 2k or 4k (which is meant to combat a cab with tweeter), so you might even be able to trim something off the top while boosting at the same time.

 

[Parzival]

As with any of the really anticipated NPDs, this shall be no exception:
Not only do I have no chance to skip work and go early, no I'll be swept straight from the shop to attend a social thing ... doing people things ... with people.



This might come as a surprise for you, but the NPD is triggered by the arrival of an Origin Effects Bassrig '64 Black Panel.
View attachment 5409511


"Oh, @el murdoque" you cry! "You posted this in the wrong thread! The Bassrig clearly is a preamp, but this is the Dirt Bender Jounal!"

"That's where you err" I reply!
The Bassrig is labeled and sold as an Amp-In-A-Box pedal, a recreation of a vintage Fender amp, so much is true. It also says "Preamp" right on the box. But it comes with one feature that had me itching for it.

When I first read up about that thing, I was under the impression that the so called "Amp out EQ" section featured a LPF and HPF. While that sounded interesting, I also learned that the XLR out has a baked in speaker sim that cannot be switched off at all, and that the Amp out EQ only affects the 1/4" output.
This did not make too much sense for me in my particular situation and I did not buy one instantly.

However ...

When enabler @Charlie Tuna received his Bassrig and started experimenting with it, he told me this is not a simple HPF and LPF. It is capable of boosting or cutting the higher and lower frequencies. The idea is to match your backline amp to your tonal preferences without messing with the FOH sound.
That's what the good people at Origin intended.

The way I see it, you get a Fender tone stack in the proper position before the drive, but then you get another two band EQ after the drive. On top of that, you get a treble rolloff that starts either at 2k or 4k (which is meant to combat a cab with tweeter), so you might even be able to trim something off the top while boosting at the same time.

I will say, I did not like the FOH sound of this one at all. Did not like that cabsim. No matter how we dialed it in, wet blanket.
But, just as a preamp to the amp, one of the best sounding preamps I’ve ever heard. And the dirt you can dial in just has that nice old school feel to it. I ran a DCX into it and that could have also contributed to the awesomeness of it.
As the used prices of these have come down just a tad, if I was playing passive bass more, I would probably pick one of these up since I have a Finally doing my DI.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

I will say, I did not like the FOH sound of this one at all. Did not like that cabsim. No matter how we dialed it in, wet blanket.
But, just as a preamp to the amp, one of the best sounding preamps I’ve ever heard. And the dirt you can dial in just has that nice old school feel to it. I ran a DCX into it and that could have also contributed to the awesomeness of it.
As the used prices of these have come down just a tad, if I was playing passive bass more, I would probably pick one of these up since I have a Finally doing my DI.

Yeah, I like running mine into an Audio Kitchen The Small Trees DI to give it some tube mojo afterwards, so fairly similar to your Finally at the end.