New SolidGoldFX Beta V Bass Preamp Pedal

[dannybuoy]

I’m not sure the Beta V is a pedal I’d be switching on and off all the time

The Sadowsky pre makes an enormous pop when switched on

I can’t hear anything from any other pedal I have here

My original Beta is my dirty boost, it gets turned on and off more than anything else on the board!

 

[krispn]

Got the MkV a couple of days ago but just got round to trying it out this morning at length. Initially had it after Simone but with my preferred Simone tone it was adding extra gain to the Beta so have settled for
Tuner >BetaMkV >HL comp> two LBA2020s units hidden underneath the board > Simone > Duality >Thumpinator hidden underneath the board >Amp

Although maybe a bit of overkill I have the DI out from Simone with its own wee bit of mojo going on…

Simone DI >TRex (which is basically just a bit of level boost by having the pedal on with the level ever so slightly above unity) >Element >FOH/IEM

It’s a pretty great sound. Nothing set to be too crazy just a really present assertive sound with some low gain and a bit it too for presence. Won’t hear it live until next weekend but aiming to have the bass sit nice and present but never too cutting or harsh.

 

[Iofflight]

I for one can't get enough of hearing keys through pedals.

 

[foal30]

Thursday night had a genuine proper lash of the Beta V through my Ashdown CTM-300 rig. Like cranked in a Rock Blues trio setting.

I only used a 70’s Precision with Chromes
Ended up using a plectrum quite a bit more than normal it just seemed to suit.

Overall I think the Beta V really is an excellent piece of kit.

 

[krispn]

I used my Beta on my gig at the weekend initially trying it on and off during songs to A/B taking care not to simply have it as a “louder=better” effect. I ended up leaving it on after a while as I liked what it does and with occasional reaches down to tweak a bit of treble here and there, adjusting the lows to keep things under control it did what I expected to which was great and what I wanted it to which was even better.

I described on another forum that to me the MkV is kinda like three pedals I’ve owned and enjoyed a lot butmoved on for small niggles which made each of them just not perfect on their own. I felt that the MkV is the love child of the original Beta/Spark Booster (4knob)/Bass Soul Food made with a focus on bass and made with better components. It’s addresses the sort of things I as a bassist wanted in a low gain pedal either as an always on sweetener or really useable switchable drive. I liked what @foal30 said a page or two back as he found what worked for him and identified where it didn’t - I’ve not gone full deep dive yet and so plan to experiment more but what I’ve messed with so far works wonderfully in my set up.

 

[kalmar]

I felt that the MkV is the love child of the original Beta/Spark Booster (4knob)/Bass Soul Food

Wow, have them all an always miss something. So the BetaV is a Must, I think.

 

[krispn]

Wow, have them all an always miss something. So the BetaV is a Must, I think.

That’s just my opinion of course but I can hear touches of the BSF if you think of how it could do that 70’s recorded bass sound like on “Sure Know Something” by KISS kinda tone, it has EQ like the Spark and the mini switch (not saying they’re set at the same frequencies) which adjust the voice and give that OG Beta preamp sound. So if the OG Beta was too baked in with the low end you can use the body control to dial that for your tastes and rig. Push or scoop the mids with the toggle and use the filter and eq to dial that in too and of course in preamp only mode you can sweeten any rig with the right amount of grit or drive without sounding like a Darkglass pedal, pedals I use and enjoy but they don’t add the stank like the MkV.

If the comparison of the BSF/Spark/OG Beta sounds good to you on paper you’ll dig it live in the room!

 

[DuluthDank]

how much does mild OD compress the low frequencies on the Beta V? I'm sort of thinking I might need to do pedals with a clean blend only with the band, but I like the way this pedal sounds in the demos quite a bit.

 

[krispn]

I couldn’t say as I was limited in the time I had to mess around between delayed delivery, long shifts at work and unexpected travel to see family and with an imminent gig I wanted to dial in some sounds with the Beta in its ‘best for my ear’ slot on the board. I tried it in a couple of positions and I had my comp on and off for some initial listening purposes but ultimately I was fitting the beta in with my whole signal chain…which has a valve pre, two LBA2020Ss and a Thumpinator all adding their mojo.

I don’t recall hearing any low frequency compression when driving the beta on my initial solo play through but wasn’t focused on listening for it and was keeping it lower gain - aiming to get lower gain as I knew additional gain would be added along the signal chain.

I’m super happy with it and sure you’ll enjoy it if you get a chance to try one. A clean blend pedal might be a good idea for you if you don’t already have one but try the beta first it doesn’t lack oompf!

 

[foal30]

Using this setting with a flatwound strung active MTD 5

This is the “most “ I’ve goosed this pedal

It’s brightish without being honky or abrasive.

 

[foal30]

how much does mild OD compress the low frequencies on the Beta V? I'm sort of thinking I might need to do pedals with a clean blend only with the band, but I like the way this pedal sounds in the demos quite a bit.

I’m not convinced it does in what I’d consider a meaningful way (noticeable??)

What is cool is a Diamond BCP in front of the Beta V or a VCA type Compressor afterwards. Good tone

 

[krispn]

Yeah I’m running the Beta into a valve pre then a Hyper Luminal. This lets me hit the LBA’s with additional gain to get them doing their thing. The signal chain just adds colour and character with each pedal but not in a cluttered or muddy way. The beauty of the MkV is having the additional control so it can slip onto a board and easily be dialled in.

 

[foal30]

Yeah I’m running the Beta into a valve pre then a Hyper Luminal. This lets me hit the LBA’s with additional gain to get them doing their thing. The signal chain just adds colour and character with each pedal but not in a cluttered or muddy way. The beauty of the MkV is having the additional control so it can slip onto a board and easily be dialled in.

what is a LBA?

some people think the Beta series is too “dark” but I don’t hear that myself…. However my overdrive requirements are subtle not harsh

 

[el murdoque]

Using this setting with a flatwound strung active MTD 5

This is the “most “ I’ve goosed this pedal View attachment 5098517It’s brightish without being honky or abrasive.

Could you put this into perspective by comparing it to another pedal?
I play even duller strings than you (my P bass with Chromes is my bright bass) and therefore need something to add a bit of top end sparkle when I use dirt.

I liked the Beta DLX quite a bit, but it was lacking a bit of an organic feel, was a bit too surgical - plus I could not find a proper use for the boost side.

 

[C-60 Bass]

Could you put this into perspective by comparing it to another pedal?
I play even duller strings than you (my P bass with Chromes is my bright bass) and therefore need something to add a bit of top end sparkle when I use dirt.

I liked the Beta DLX quite a bit, but it was lacking a bit of an organic feel, was a bit too surgical - plus I could not find a proper use for the boost side.

I certainly agreed about the DLX not being so organic and I also found the MK1 a bit too dark unless compensated for at the amps EQ.

Anyone using this that can compare it to the Beta MK2?

 

[krispn]

what is a LBA?

some people think the Beta series is too “dark” but I don’t hear that myself…. However my overdrive requirements are subtle not harsh

The original Beta did have a baked in dark low end wven with the tone wide open which was a great sounding pedal but I’d have had to keep it as an always on unit because switching it on and off for different sections was quite noticeable. The MkV has added flexibility with the 2 band eq that really lets it be dialled in to suit your needs along with its other features.

LBA= Lightening Boy Audio 2020s passive transformer pedals. I have two of them running one into the other and they add in some colour and transformer character. They do benefit from being pushed with some gain so they come after my preamp/compressor and Beta. Overall it’s a pretty nice organic sound. I’d describe my tone as assertive but not harsh, full but not muddy. It’s a pretty killer tone I think. It’s what I wanted to achieve with other pedals but never quite got it there but now I’ve settled on third and it fits my style of playing nicely, mostly on Jazz basses. About time I got it right

 

[foal30]

The original Beta did have a baked in dark low end wven with the tone wide open which was a great sounding pedal but I’d have had to keep it as an always on unit because switching it on and off for different sections was quite noticeable. The MkV has added flexibility with the 2 band eq that really lets it be dialled in to suit your needs along with its other features.

LBA= Lightening Boy Audio 2020s passive transformer pedals. I have two of them running one into the other and they add in some colour and transformer character. They do benefit from being pushed with some gain so they come after my preamp/compressor and Beta. Overall it’s a pretty nice organic sound. I’d describe my tone as assertive but not harsh, full but not muddy. It’s a pretty killer tone I think. It’s what I wanted to achieve with other pedals but never quite got it there but now I’ve settled on third and it fits my style of playing nicely, mostly on Jazz basses. About time I got it right

This LBA I’ll have to read up on. Thanks
Pleased you are happy with your sound

I have never used an original Beta, but do have the Beta Germanium which I’ll sell off this week. Again that didn’t sound too “dark” to me

 

[foal30]

Could you put this into perspective by comparing it to another pedal?
I play even duller strings than you (my P bass with Chromes is my bright bass) and therefore need something to add a bit of top end sparkle when I use dirt.

I liked the Beta DLX quite a bit, but it was lacking a bit of an organic feel, was a bit too surgical - plus I could not find a proper use for the boost side.

I’m not sure what Organic and Surgical mean as a description of sound sorry.

For my ears the Beta V is definitely sounding more like the Gain of a big Valve AMP is turned up rather than a Fuzz or “Distortion “

I play a 70’s Precision strung with 15 year old Chromes , the Beta V into my Ashdown CTM-300 was quite nice (cranked and probably the best I have liked the tone using a plectrum)

Other Bass Overdrive I have are Wounded Paw Battering Ram and Free The Tone Bass Blaster. The Beta V fits in well for me.This might not be a very good descriptive word but I have no need for “Fizzing” Overdrive and those 3 pedals can generate excellent tone with no fizz or disruption to the low end bass which I like the most

 

[Doug4321]

The original Beta did have a baked in dark low end wven with the tone wide open which was a great sounding pedal but I’d have had to keep it as an always on unit because switching it on and off for different sections was quite noticeable.

Definitely noticed that in YouTube demos. Big bass boost and tone roll off even without the tone knob rolled off, vs. the bypassed sound. But a very nice puffy airy overdrive sound. Would be good to have a suddenly bass heavy sound when clicking it on but that’s a limited use. This MarkV looks more flexible for sure.

 

[krispn]

Definitely noticed that in YouTube demos. Big bass boost and tone roll off even without the tone knob rolled off, vs. the bypassed sound. But a very nice puffy airy overdrive sound. Would be good to have a suddenly bass heavy sound when clicking it on but that’s a limited use. This MarkV looks more flexible for sure.

The low end bump can be there if needed but we now have the choice. I was messing with some more settings tonight. Using the two settings on the mini toggle and the tone control (LPF) and compensating with the presence (active treble) for some really nice mid forward sounds and some more bass and low bassy tones.

There’s at least one good tone on each of all three switch settings - depending on your needs you’ll find preamp only always on tones, bassy Motown stank and a more top end punky clank. If you’re on the fence about a MkV from negative comments about the original Beta try/buy with confidence. This is a great pedal that might be just what you’re after.