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NEW Sansamp Geddy Lee MP40 Preamp Pedal

#341
Master of Puppets complete!



I'm more satisfied with the performance in this one but not as much re: the sound - I'm using some crappy headphones where I really couldn't hear the complete sound - I tested with good headphones but over a couple of sessions I think I messed around with the levels by accident. I'm putting the mp3 and my bass through an old Mackie mixer, then taking that mix out to the Roland interface to iPhone - might be time to go back to plugging the bass directly into the Roland.

The other funny thing is that I tried using Moises to remove the bass, but it had a hard time figuring out what was bass on the original track! During the "mellow" section in the middle it did a good job but had trouble during the heavy parts. Wish the original release could be remixed! No wonder Jason Newstead completely disappeared...
 
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#342
Derek Williams said:
Mine came a couple days early (yay for unexpected weekend delivery), but have only been able to briefly try it out. I think this might be the drive pedal I have been looking for (I never owned a YYZ before). The normal YYZ stuff is great, and the added boost seems very useful. Since the boost is only on the top end, it doesn't really make it much louder but it does help it to stand out more. The shape shifter is much more subtle, and while I can hear something change (especially while the boost is engaged), so far it remains indefinable (as advertised!).
Click to expand...
The Shape Shifter work only when the Boost is engage actually. It is a mid boost from 600-1Khz
 
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#343
mmbongo said:
I'm curious now, for those who have the YYZ pedal and the MP40, how do they compare? I know the YYZ does not have the Boost and Shape Shifter, so is the YYZ basically the same as the MP40 with those functions turned off?
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Yes and no. Without the boost function there is a difference in cabsim too. But the new YYZ with the boost is the same as the MP40, just 240$ instead of 400$
 
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#344
Ordered one of the new YYZ pedals, but while I'm waiting on shipping, I'm curious what people here think about it for non-fender basses? I primarily play jazz basses so I'm sure I'll love it for that, but for the most part it's hard to find sound examples of people playing it with anything but a J/P/JP. I'm happy to add it to my setup but I wouldn't complain if it kicked some other pedals off the board.

Curious about how it likes humbuckers and actives in particular.
 
#345
satantango said:
Ordered one of the new YYZ pedals, but while I'm waiting on shipping, I'm curious what people here think about it for non-fender basses? I primarily play jazz basses so I'm sure I'll love it for that, but for the most part it's hard to find sound examples of people playing it with anything but a J/P/JP. I'm happy to add it to my setup but I wouldn't complain if it kicked some other pedals off the board.

Curious about how it likes humbuckers and actives in particular.
Click to expand...
I use my MP40 with a Dingwall Super J 3X all the time. It works great with the Dingwall FDV humbuckers and Glockenklang onboard preamp for me.
 
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#346
I use my MP40 (and YYZ original) with PJs. And a double P. And a MM/P. The pedal works well with all. I sometimes move the bass and middle knobs around a little bit depending on the bass I'm playing. But I don't need to change it much.
 
#348
satantango said:
Ordered one of the new YYZ pedals, but while I'm waiting on shipping, I'm curious what people here think about it for non-fender basses? I primarily play jazz basses so I'm sure I'll love it for that, but for the most part it's hard to find sound examples of people playing it with anything but a J/P/JP. I'm happy to add it to my setup but I wouldn't complain if it kicked some other pedals off the board.

Curious about how it likes humbuckers and actives in particular.
Click to expand...
I play the MP40 with a Warwick Thumb and a Dingwall NG3 (but Dingwall have a P style pickup too, split coil, even if it is not a PJ). It sound really really good, the cabsim in it is different than the original YYZ cabsim, but you can use your own cab after it or an IR Loader too, it will not sound super dull or weird.
I have got the old tone like the SansAmp is known for (the drive is a ParaDriver), but you can get super angry and precise too, modern tone with it, with a nice midrange growl.
The thing with that unit is that the "Deep channel" is not really a dry tone, it has more bass and low mids and you can't change it, the EQ, Presence Boost, Shape shifter (boost mids around 600-1000), and tight will only change the Drive channel. I really like that but you need to like the clean deep for sure. That make the pedal super versatile because I can completely cut the low on the drive, which make it super tight and a lot more modern (cut through) and got the low mids and low end from the deep channel.
Also, the low and highs are after the drive, but on a Paradriver the mids are before the drive, so I think it is the case too on this one maybe. That way you can boost the mids and you will get way more gain, or cutting mids and the drive will be cleaner (an EQ before change a lot the tone compare to an EQ After a distortion).

Tell us if you have other questions
 
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#351
melloncollie said:
The YYZ and shape shifter have a cab sim? That's not terribly surprising but it's not mentioned anywhere in the respective manuals.
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Agreed. I don't see it mentioned anywhere, but I've always found my MP40 to sound very amp'like as opposed to just being a distortion circuit added into the chain. It wouldn't surprise me if there's some sort of cab sim, or at least a pleasant sounding low pass filter to get rid of fizzy tone up top like a speaker would do.
 
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#352
silky smoove said:
Agreed. I don't see it mentioned anywhere, but I've always found my MP40 to sound very amp'like as opposed to just being a distortion circuit added into the chain. It wouldn't surprise me if there's some sort of cab sim, or at least a pleasant sounding low pass filter to get rid of fizzy tone up top like a speaker would do.
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I know there's a cab sim on the BDDI. They're not super upfront about it but do mention it in the manual so it's likely the YYZ has at least a little something going on so you can go direct with no irs or other cab sim products.
 
#353
as the owner of multiple flavors of sansamp I still don't really understand what their speaker sim tech is, I guess if I had to wager a guess it's just a predefined eq circuit at the end of the main circuit, but I have no idea. whatever it is, it plays nice with real amps and other cabsims so it's not a big deal.
 
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#354
I'm using it here with an Alembic:



You can maybe hear it best at the end when the music fades out. I need to redo this with the original bass track removed!

Alembics are kind of their own animal so not sure how much it maps onto other "active" basses. These pickups are "stacked humcancelling pickups" so technically not humbuckers. But hopefully it helps a little.

I also decided to use the boost, though I don't think with the shape shifter - I should have since it's Vital Signs!
 
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#356
satantango said:
ah yes, the very relatable feeling of owning an Alembic :roflmao:

sounds wonderful though

edit: especially the tone you get on the chorus there, good stuff.
Click to expand...
Thanks! The MP40 has become my go-to preamp. I haven't used it live yet, but I'm enjoying it direct. It may be a bit bassy - that deep channel is powerful! I need to experiment with only blending in a little. Right now I have the blend at about 2:00, may use even less, especially live. I have a "gig" coming up, though it's just me playing along with prerecorded tracks, but I'll try and give a report.

I should add that my Alembicized PJ bass is the only bass I've been playing the past few months and they work together well.
 
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#357
hieronymous said:
I'm using it here with an Alembic:



You can maybe hear it best at the end when the music fades out. I need to redo this with the original bass track removed!

Alembics are kind of their own animal so not sure how much it maps onto other "active" basses. These pickups are "stacked humcancelling pickups" so technically not humbuckers. But hopefully it helps a little.

I also decided to use the boost, though I don't think with the shape shifter - I should have since it's Vital Signs!
Click to expand...

Nice playing, dude! :thumbsup:
 
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#359
You need to put the whole package together - add the vocals.... :D

hieronymous said:
I'm using it here with an Alembic:



You can maybe hear it best at the end when the music fades out. I need to redo this with the original bass track removed!

Alembics are kind of their own animal so not sure how much it maps onto other "active" basses. These pickups are "stacked humcancelling pickups" so technically not humbuckers. But hopefully it helps a little.

I also decided to use the boost, though I don't think with the shape shifter - I should have since it's Vital Signs!
Click to expand...
 
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#360
WRM said:
You need to put the whole package together - add the vocals.... :D
Click to expand...
Actually, I do try and practice mouthing the lyrics. My problems are: 1. I have trouble memorizing lyrics 2. I don't know what the real words are a lot of the time 3. I start messing up b/c of the lyrics/vocals! But I have learned some Rush lyrics through all of this, like "Each of us - a cell of awareness - imperfect and incomplete"

Actually singing - I like to think I can do the lower parts, like Freewill - until that "each of us" part at least! :hyper:
 
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