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My Dirt Bender - Another Jounal
- Thread starter el murdoque
- Start date
Thanks for the Twain tip — I just found a Kindle version, so I’ll get right on it. I’ve read a bit of Twain, but there always seems to be something I’ve never heard of.
If you do try the G&P, I will read your impressions with interest (and doubtless amusement). I’m sure Lusithand would appeal to your elevated sensibilities — small, boutique, from outside US, nice aesthetic and build quality. Their Alma compressor is a well-reviewed homage to the Diamond bass compressor (the relevant circuit in the G&P is lifted from this, as I understand it).
When the Gladio arrived, I quickly opened it up and set the Bass knob to about 3/4 up, because I knew I had to grab my things and head straight out when the bell rings.
I got out of work a bit later than I thought, and traffic was bad, so I came ten minutes late to band practice instead of early, as I had wanted.
So I set up my pedalboard, plugged the Gladio in and quickly tried to set a sound, then used it in band context without trying it first.
Something entirely different to a normal first impression. Not me, alone in my room, gathering my thoughts and then trying it out with headphones, bass amp and mock PA setup as I usually do.
The very first thing I heard was that the grain was finer than most other overdrive pedals, like I think I read in this thread.
The edges were sharp'ish, but I was reminded of pebbles on a beach, mostly rounded off by the sea, but not so much that walking barefoot is a satisfying and painless experience.
The next thing I found was that this pedal is a feedback hog. I could coax all manner of feedback from it with minimal effort - I could even get it to squeal just by switching it on, with the volume on my P bass turned down completely - or with the volume up, but both hands muting the strings.
I got that to an extend that the others got a little annoyed. The lead guitarist had killed his Marshall head (three decades without service saw to it that one of the tubes died and it became unreliable) and brought his Diezel, which has a meaner sound with more gain, and more feedback. The rhythm guitarist had similar problems with his amp for some unknown reason. Only the singer had no issues with the PA, even though he usually has them - so it might have been opposite day when it comes to feedback, or there have been some freak electrons diffusing around the room, I don't know.
I did give up after a few tracks and left it off for the rest of the evening and will play it properly on the morrow.
I got out of work a bit later than I thought, and traffic was bad, so I came ten minutes late to band practice instead of early, as I had wanted.
So I set up my pedalboard, plugged the Gladio in and quickly tried to set a sound, then used it in band context without trying it first.
Something entirely different to a normal first impression. Not me, alone in my room, gathering my thoughts and then trying it out with headphones, bass amp and mock PA setup as I usually do.
The very first thing I heard was that the grain was finer than most other overdrive pedals, like I think I read in this thread.
The edges were sharp'ish, but I was reminded of pebbles on a beach, mostly rounded off by the sea, but not so much that walking barefoot is a satisfying and painless experience.
The next thing I found was that this pedal is a feedback hog. I could coax all manner of feedback from it with minimal effort - I could even get it to squeal just by switching it on, with the volume on my P bass turned down completely - or with the volume up, but both hands muting the strings.
I got that to an extend that the others got a little annoyed. The lead guitarist had killed his Marshall head (three decades without service saw to it that one of the tubes died and it became unreliable) and brought his Diezel, which has a meaner sound with more gain, and more feedback. The rhythm guitarist had similar problems with his amp for some unknown reason. Only the singer had no issues with the PA, even though he usually has them - so it might have been opposite day when it comes to feedback, or there have been some freak electrons diffusing around the room, I don't know.
I did give up after a few tracks and left it off for the rest of the evening and will play it properly on the morrow.
Just read “The Awful German Language.” I will persevere, but I will feel less bad about it. Auch schlag zug.
Well no thanks to you all I have an Origin DCX on the way. I know when I get an itch to try something it’s only gonna be a matter of time so I figured I’d get it over with. Same thing happened with Darkglass stuff in the early days and TB’ers were raving about a $200 pedal from Chile while I was like “I will never spend $200 on a pedal”. Now $200 is more the norm and $300 is the new threshold to get comfy with it seems…
I'm sorry. I did fly down to Sicily with the Missus for a while any only just got back.Did you give it a proper spin?
We were too busy soaking up sun and eating Italian food to do anything internet or bass related.
Now that I'm back, I will pick up my duties ASAP.
I think in my absence, another dirt pedal has arrived, will check tomorrow.
Liverpool and Manchester hate each other- Liverpool was the port city and Manchester the manufacturering one - and then Manchester built the ship canal so ships could come into Manchester. They don’t like each other.
This was in the 1890s mind, so the eras of dominance each club had probably has more to do with the rivalry.
I also think the loyalty of the fine folk of Burnley supporting their team is being questioned here!
Anyway as a spurs supporter it was an enjoyable Sunday.
I enjoyed the write up of the Baltimore Sonic Research Institute’s Everythinb we don’t know about the Ocean floor.
Not a drive pedal.
Back on topic and Top tip if you know someone who can solder and get the kit from musikding (if in Europe), Aion Fx’s diy version of a Lab series (Moog) L4 preamp is exceptional- similar to later pierce preamps but the most amp like 3D drive sounds I’ve had out of analogue solid state gear.
I have my own home brew ss/bs mini (barbershop topology but not as polite or farty-kazoo when you turn it up) into it and I’m sorted!
Rest assured I gave my best to make it drive - but I did my duty. In my role as the dirt obsessed bass player that drives this thread, I traded the beautiful yet useless pedal with the absurd name for something with a much shorter name and hopefully better drive capabilities.
Weird that I've never even heard of Lab Series. This looks ... like it might by right up my alley.
I lived with a bassist in a punk band who played either a Danelectro Longhorn or Rickenbacker 4003 through an old Lab Series stack and he had a really killer smooth saturation tone through that amp. I might build one of these myself!
Yeah - really interesting tuned odd and even harmonic distortion or something.
I think if you want the whole hi gain sheehan thing Suncoast is the way to go but I run the L4 with channel 1 clean fenderish tone and channel two higher gain thing but using the limiter to keep the volume jump down - worth building
I am well versed in the history of the Liverpool-Manchester rivalry. The ship canal was certainly a big part of the early enmity between the cities. But not too many punters worry about it these days; I was sat on the Kop for a home game against United about 7-8 years ago, so got to experience the passion and vitriol first-hand!
My Neve/Burnely comment had more to do with a fellow over here who frequents the place I bartend; he's Burnley born-and-raised, and said almost all of his mates at school were United fans. Apparently it's quite a problem in that city, if he is to be believed...
'Twas a fine Sunday, indeed
Something something dirt pedals, something something off topic. Did a Broughton Scorpion ever make it across the pond to you, @el murdoque? While this was a regularly in-stock pedal, I can understand why it was likely deemed a tool of the commoner, and therefore unworthy of consideration. But now? It's been gloriously discontinued, so the rarity factor will surely increase with time. Sounds like something a sniffer of corks would probably find interesting.
Jokes aside, I do think you would get a kick out of it. I know for you it's often about finding ways of breathing life back into dead flats, and the voicing on the EQ of this pedal makes me think it would be particularly well-suited to that task.
That's an interesting topic.
I know that my personal needs and preferences are off the trodden paths and somewhat exotic.
I also know that I don't really like the sound samples I get from the Scorpion, BUT(!) what I don't particularly dig is the treble content it adds. However, the demos I listened to were, of course, played with mostly fresh rounds and I learned that while the end product of my sound is somewhat on the darker side,
my P bass is wearing Chromes that went on there in '21 and my Le Fay has Optimas that went on in '20, so you could say they have been broken in by now, and I need a dirt pedal that can push the treble somewhat fierce - but not Darkglass fierce.
So that puts the Scorpion right up my alley.
Another BUT:
The Broughton Church of St. Joshua is holy to me because of the quality of the "boring" pedals.
The two Broughtons I own are the Studio One and the RFE. I like those for their sober tone.
Broughton gear, in my (limited) perception is often very well described using that term - sober.
Drive pedals should be a little bit funky, have a little mojo going on.
Last night I learned that the Oats And Molasses VB-2 is not a pedal you should bring to a band practice and try out there 
Okay, @sloppy_phil , I ordered a Broughton Scorpion.
Should be here on Tuesday.
What a time!
Time and again, I seemingly run into a wall and think that this is it, i've played all the relevant pedals and there's nothing more out there for me. This happened recently, when I acquired the Free The Tone Bass Blaster.
Now I'm sitting here and have the Gladio on the test bench, the VB-2 beside the test bench, a Scorpion on order - and another grail status dirt pedal that is very prominent in the synth bass community ordered, which should ship in a couple of days.
Should be here on Tuesday.
What a time!
Time and again, I seemingly run into a wall and think that this is it, i've played all the relevant pedals and there's nothing more out there for me. This happened recently, when I acquired the Free The Tone Bass Blaster.
Now I'm sitting here and have the Gladio on the test bench, the VB-2 beside the test bench, a Scorpion on order - and another grail status dirt pedal that is very prominent in the synth bass community ordered, which should ship in a couple of days.
