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Need an aggressive OD for alt rock/indie pop

J

jaydnt

Jun 18, 2017
38
10
#1
I'm having a hard time finding something that can cop the sound I need to get live. Focused with some "poke" but leaves enough room for fuzzed out guitar and synths. Not too woolly/compressed either but lots of grit.
I'm using a P-bass or Stringray into a tech 21 british which is set up for a somewhat Chris Squire-esque clean sound.

What I've tried - Han Taun (love it but sounds better on guitar), dod 250, boss ds-2, Hot Cake, Honey Bee, VT bass, SFT v1, Diabolik, some other modded TS-types. (Loved some of these a lot but they haven't quite fit the mold)

What I'm looking at - Suppa Phat Phuk, SGFX Beta, Aguilar agro, darkglass VMT/b3k, TC Spark (full size), Box of Rock/distortron, and the SFT v2.

I'd love to have some good opinions/suggestions on what could get the sound I have in mind.
 
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#5
jaydnt said:
What I'm looking at - Suppa Phat Phuk, SGFX Beta, Aguilar agro, darkglass VMT/b3k, TC Spark (full size), Box of Rock/distortron, and the SFT v2.
Click to expand...

Some very different sounding units there.
Suppa Phat Phuk is intended more as a dirty boost than a distortion/overdrive. From what I've heard, it can still get a little dirty. I like the germanium sound.

SGFX Beta. Tried it out but it was darker than I liked, and kinda wooly. I'd not use it to poke out.

Agro. Owned one. Can get pretty nasty and it can poke through. It can also feel like the bottom falls out in some settings. It's almost the opposite of the Beta.

VMT/B3K. I've heard people use these to get good sounds, but I could never make them work for me (B7K and VMTD). It's an expensive route, but the AO is worth a look if you can afford it. It's got quite a range of sounds. I like mine and sold my B7K after getting it.

Don't know the others.

These might be a little high priced for your budget but I'll mention them...
If you can find a used Damnation MDB-1 (new ones aren't currently available, but might be soon) I'd suggest giving that a look. Versatile box with a good range of sounds and a clean blend.

The Dunwich ODB is a good OCD clone for bass. Three band EQ is helpful, as are the clipping diode selection options. There are still a few available new, but once they go, they don't usually return fast.

Many other good options out there, and I'm sure they'll get mentioned. I'm sure Fuzzrocious will be suggested.
 
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#7
Alt rocker here, whose played the majority of the pedals you are looking into.

Of those, I would personally back up the SFT V2 and the Distortron. Played with a pick, they both get very gritty but still leave a nice bottom for everything to sit around them. I would actually give the Distortron the edge over the SFT but only because I prefer the darker tones of the V1 SFT over the V2 (thought it's still a great pedal in it's own right.) The Distortron has been on my board since I purchased it almost a decade ago. Every other drive gets compared to it and I always come back to it for doing the job of grit with a slight grind that is forward but still full.

It depends on how much grit you want, but from experience, I would discount the Beta (it's not where that pedal's strong suit is, IMO) and the Suppa Phat Phuk (I found clips to be misleading on the original Phat Phuk B from my experience with it.) I used to own the Agro and parted ways fairly fast with it. Like @monsterthompson, I found the bottom to drop out too much. VMT didn't click with me, the Distortron did a better version of some of it's tones for my money.
 
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#9
They are all good suggestions

Also try a Free the Tone Bass Blaster or a triton labs Fet Bass Overdrive.

The Triton can get much more aggressive than the Bass Blaster if necessary
 
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#10
From the list that you've placed, I think you can rule out 2 pedals: the Suppa Phat Phuk and the TC Spark. Both can be really great low OD pedals, to fatten up your sound or to add a bit of grit, but won't give you that agressiveness you're looking for.

I think you can get closer to that sound with a RAT variant like the Blower Box, the Cat Tail or the Dunwich Volthrower.

Also the OCD based pedals could get you that tone, like the Dunwich ODB, the Bedlham Drive, the Fuzzrocious Demon.

Other pedals that could work great are the Ss/Bs Mini OD or the Big Game Solace State.
 
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#15
jaydnt said:
I'm having a hard time finding something that can cop the sound I need to get live. Focused with some "poke" but leaves enough room for fuzzed out guitar and synths. Not too woolly/compressed either but lots of grit.
I'm using a P-bass or Stringray into a tech 21 british which is set up for a somewhat Chris Squire-esque clean sound.

What I've tried - Han Taun (love it but sounds better on guitar), dod 250, boss ds-2, Hot Cake, Honey Bee, VT bass, SFT v1, Diabolik, some other modded TS-types. (Loved some of these a lot but they haven't quite fit the mold)

What I'm looking at - Suppa Phat Phuk, SGFX Beta, Aguilar agro, darkglass VMT/b3k, TC Spark (full size), Box of Rock/distortron, and the SFT v2.

I'd love to have some good opinions/suggestions on what could get the sound I have in mind.
Click to expand...
I've got a Darkglass B3K, it can be super crunchy, aggressive, dirty, whatever you need it to be, if its good enough for Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse, it should be good enough period!
Its actually way more aggressive than I prefer, I am a Sansamp kind of guy.
If you decide you want a B3K, then PM me and we can work it out.
 
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#16
Microtubes
Way Huge Porkloin
Source Audio Aftershock,

I have been through this exact search and these are the ones I have come up with that allow the bass frequencies to remain intact, provide a nice drive that is not overly woody or shrill, and all have a decent degree of flexibility.
 
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#17
+1 to the Grizzly.

I'll also throw in one that gets very little mention: Greedtone Overdrive. As much as I try other ODs, I keep coming back to it. It's more than just a Red Llama/Polish Love/etc. It has this gnarly drive in the mids that sounds great and really cuts through. FWIW, the Empress MultiDrive's OD channel has a very similar voicing to the Greedtone OD, and has fuzz and distortion as well. So there's three for you :)
 
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#19
jaydnt said:
I'm having a hard time finding something that can cop the sound I need to get live. Focused with some "poke" but leaves enough room for fuzzed out guitar and synths. Not too woolly/compressed either but lots of grit.
I'm using a P-bass or Stringray into a tech 21 british which is set up for a somewhat Chris Squire-esque clean sound.
.
Click to expand...

Couple of suggestions:

-Darkglass B3k/B7k
-Bearfoot FX Model G
-Zvex Basstortion

I personally think that the Beta and Phat Phuck are kind of the opposite of what you describe as wanting. If you like the "Ampeg" thing then the SFT V2 would probably be an awesome choice (along with the Basstortion).
 

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