For smooth OD I use the Grizzly or Broughton Archetype. For harder edge as you're describing, the Catalinbread dirty little secret. Lot of bottom end, I have it set to 'superbass' mode, bass control barely turned up. Only issue is with high output basses I can't dial back the gain enough for my taste. But if you can try one it's worth checking out. Note that it will sound very dark unless you crank up the internal presence trimpot.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Need an aggressive OD for alt rock/indie pop
- Thread starter jaydnt
- Start date
-
- Tags
- aggressive od pop
rratajski
Commercial User
- Jul 1, 2008
- 6,121
- 2,671
- Disclosures
- Builder for FUZZROCIOUS PEDALS
@jaydnt there were a few suggestions for Fuzzrocious products (Cat Tail, Demon) and circuits we helped develop (MXR Bass Distortion). If you have any questions, I am free to answer any you have on here or via email - [email protected]. Best of luck in your quest!
I, too, back all things Fuzzrocious. Although my main OD right now is the EQD Monarch. It's based off an old Orange circuit (OR-120 if I'm not mistaken) and it sounds great. I use it with the Gain setting just about off and it gives me the exact amount of punch and dirt I like. It's mid-heavy and capable of some really hairy distortion as well.
Above is the demo that sold me on it.
Above is the demo that sold me on it.
I've tried the:
MXR M80 - great tone and good distortion.
JHS Moonshine - TS clone and a few other bits. Good but not awesome.
Crunch Box - BSIAB. Good with a blend pedal but quite specific sound.
Fairfield Barbershop - early, large enclosure version. Most warm and natural sounding overdrive, but not high gain.
Bearfoot BBBOD - Ok. Not as good as it's reputation IMO.
Most of these I ran with a One Control Mosquite Blend/Buffer pedal so i could mix amp and od signal and not lose bottom end. Quite a few of the above are quite unsuitable without it IMO.
But I've recently settled on a Darkglass Alpha/Omega. It's everything I've been looking for. Really wide range of sounds. Blend onboard. I think the low gain aspects of this pedal haven't been displayed as well as they might in all of the youtube demos and videos. Stay around anywhere up to 10:30 on the gain dial and it's a great natural, tube amp type sound. Go further and it of course gets wild.
To give you a reference point, I ended up running my V-4B reissue at 3:00 on the gain and master to suit. That great tubey overdrive/ mild grind produced by the amp in that mode is well simulated by the AO pedal at about 9:00 on the gain. Plus you get the broad variation from the EQ and the growl/bite switches. So i can have the amp clean, and step on a pedal for great natural overdrive, and tweak the gain knob before appropriate songs to go into heavier overdrive when I need it.
MXR M80 - great tone and good distortion.
JHS Moonshine - TS clone and a few other bits. Good but not awesome.
Crunch Box - BSIAB. Good with a blend pedal but quite specific sound.
Fairfield Barbershop - early, large enclosure version. Most warm and natural sounding overdrive, but not high gain.
Bearfoot BBBOD - Ok. Not as good as it's reputation IMO.
Most of these I ran with a One Control Mosquite Blend/Buffer pedal so i could mix amp and od signal and not lose bottom end. Quite a few of the above are quite unsuitable without it IMO.
But I've recently settled on a Darkglass Alpha/Omega. It's everything I've been looking for. Really wide range of sounds. Blend onboard. I think the low gain aspects of this pedal haven't been displayed as well as they might in all of the youtube demos and videos. Stay around anywhere up to 10:30 on the gain dial and it's a great natural, tube amp type sound. Go further and it of course gets wild.
To give you a reference point, I ended up running my V-4B reissue at 3:00 on the gain and master to suit. That great tubey overdrive/ mild grind produced by the amp in that mode is well simulated by the AO pedal at about 9:00 on the gain. Plus you get the broad variation from the EQ and the growl/bite switches. So i can have the amp clean, and step on a pedal for great natural overdrive, and tweak the gain knob before appropriate songs to go into heavier overdrive when I need it.
All of this is just IMO and of course YMMV!
I've owned both the Aggy Agro and MXR M85. Both can do gritty OD - full on gritty distortion. Each has it's own flavour, with the Agro being the most transparent in my opinion, but the M85 will retain better low end at higher saturation. Both retain low end at low saturation well.
I think both will do what you want.
I've owned both the Aggy Agro and MXR M85. Both can do gritty OD - full on gritty distortion. Each has it's own flavour, with the Agro being the most transparent in my opinion, but the M85 will retain better low end at higher saturation. Both retain low end at low saturation well.
I think both will do what you want.
Thanks so much! The cat tail sounds really, really good. I also stumbled upon the Beta germanium which to me sounds amazing. The b3k is also a perfect sound for what I go after in the studio. The agro is another more studio-sounding pedal to me, love it.
Anyone used the box of rock or low drive? I've heard a guys use them but never gotten the chance to mess with one.
Anyone used the box of rock or low drive? I've heard a guys use them but never gotten the chance to mess with one.
I'll always say Agro when it comes to OD. Especially when you're playing with fuzzed out guitars (it won't get muddy). The thing cuts through like no other, and has a very focused midrange. I've never had a problem with losing bottom. I find that it "keeps" the bottom rather than adding bottom,'and the mids are what makes it cut through. It can get very gnarly or be set as a subtle,
tubey boost/OD. It's my favorite pedal, hands down.
tubey boost/OD. It's my favorite pedal, hands down.
Thanks! I got the Beta Ge first, the bongripper demo is just fantastic. I used to have the LM308 one and it didn't cut enough, this one sounds sharper... The agro is next. Green Rhino and Mini after that.
To give you some super cheap options for great sounding drives, I recommend you to try out some of Joyo's drives and amp emulations intended for guitar.
Oddly enough they doesn't suffer from any noticeable low end loss, if any, unlike their drive specifically made for bass, Moon Base, which I would stay away from.
Other than that I am amazed by the quality of these dead cheap pedals.
What I would recommend you in specific for what you are asking for, was trying out either the Joyo Orange Juice or Golden Face in some their higher drive settings, the Orange Juice supposedly emulating an Orange amp and the Golden Face supposedly a Marshall.
They both seem to be capable of some quite raw medium level distortion, the Golden Face seemingly a bit smoother than the gnarly grindy character of the Orange Juice (I own 2 Orange Juice pedals myself, both in use).
Alternatively to the Golden Face they also make the Joyo Bristish Sound pedal, which also is a Marshall amp emulator, but with more tone shaping options.
For a heavier hard hitting kind of distortion, I can warmly recommend the Joyo California Sound, which is supposedly a Mesa Boogie amp emulator.
I use it myself, and it works well even without clean blend, though be aware that it isn't really a gnarly or grindy type of distortion but has more of a smooth character, even if quite heavy with the drive button maxed, as I have.
Finally there's the Tech 21 GT2, intended as a guitar preamp/DI, of which Behringer make a super cheap but quite accurate clone, the Behringer GDI21.
(The Joyo pedals mentioned are by the way also clones of the Tech 21's character pedals)
Here's a demo from YouTube demonstrating the Tech 21 GT2's capabilities as bass overdrive/distortion:
I know for a fact Justin Chancellor (bass player from Tool), use the GT2 as part of his dirt section.
Oddly enough they doesn't suffer from any noticeable low end loss, if any, unlike their drive specifically made for bass, Moon Base, which I would stay away from.
Other than that I am amazed by the quality of these dead cheap pedals.
What I would recommend you in specific for what you are asking for, was trying out either the Joyo Orange Juice or Golden Face in some their higher drive settings, the Orange Juice supposedly emulating an Orange amp and the Golden Face supposedly a Marshall.
They both seem to be capable of some quite raw medium level distortion, the Golden Face seemingly a bit smoother than the gnarly grindy character of the Orange Juice (I own 2 Orange Juice pedals myself, both in use).
Alternatively to the Golden Face they also make the Joyo Bristish Sound pedal, which also is a Marshall amp emulator, but with more tone shaping options.
For a heavier hard hitting kind of distortion, I can warmly recommend the Joyo California Sound, which is supposedly a Mesa Boogie amp emulator.
I use it myself, and it works well even without clean blend, though be aware that it isn't really a gnarly or grindy type of distortion but has more of a smooth character, even if quite heavy with the drive button maxed, as I have.
Finally there's the Tech 21 GT2, intended as a guitar preamp/DI, of which Behringer make a super cheap but quite accurate clone, the Behringer GDI21.
(The Joyo pedals mentioned are by the way also clones of the Tech 21's character pedals)
Here's a demo from YouTube demonstrating the Tech 21 GT2's capabilities as bass overdrive/distortion:
I know for a fact Justin Chancellor (bass player from Tool), use the GT2 as part of his dirt section.
Last edited:
Darkglass B7K has so many tone options you're almost guaranteed to get what you want from it. 4 Band EQ and the 2 toggle switches mean you can taylor it exactly how you need. You can dial in how much Drive you want and Blend in your clean tone to keep the bottom end in the sound.
I'm just a hobbyist in these kinds of sounds, but I sure like a variety of guitar-intended pedals rather than bass pedals. Particularly when heading in full-on blowtorch direction, hardcore metal pedals like the metal muff do some great things, and can leave plenty of low intact. I now have a Donner Giant metal on my board cuz it fits and I like it, though the metal muff is better and more flexible.
