Can you compare the Beta Germanium with the Beta V? Can the Germanium do low gain and somewhat transparent just as well? Does it feel as good to play?
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New SolidGoldFX Beta V Bass Preamp Pedal
- Thread starter TwototheValley
- Start date
Can you compare the Beta Germanium with the Beta V? Can the Germanium do low gain and somewhat transparent just as well? Does it feel as good to play?
I think the Beta V is a well thought out upgrade on the Beta Germanium (which I wouldn’t describe as transparent)
As ever YMMV!
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,638
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
i just received my betaV today. so far, i'm not very impressed, but i haven't had a chance to spend very much time with it. i previously owned their beta germanium and the beta mosfet, both of which sounded too dark for my taste so i sold them. the BetaV can get too dark too but it can also be much brighter than the other two. I'm just not sure that i like the nature of the distortion yet.
Agreed. To me it sounds more like hard clipping. It blends in nicely though. Bass by itself I don’t like it much, in a mix it is fine since the character transition isn’t as obvious.
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,638
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
i agree. i just just spent some more time with it, and played thru two different amps (a 100% tube Fender and a solid state Ampeg). but it distorts on some notes more than others on my passive basses (it has really ugly clipping on my A string, 5th fret but not on others). even at the lowest drive settings, for me, it's distorted, and it's not a very nice distortion at that, so i'm going to return it.
Horses for Courses eh
No clipping here and it’s a very smooth Overdrive. I can’t even make it sound like “distortion “ in fact I give it a bit of tweak to get some hair
Probably no one is interested but the other Bass Overdrives I really like and have owned for years are the Wounded Paw Battering Ram v2.6 (low settings) and the Free The Tone Bass Blaster. The Beta V strictly as a pre pairs nicely with both, in fact I’m even some Fuzz into the Beta in a Rawk trio where normally I avoid Fuzz at all costs
No clipping here and it’s a very smooth Overdrive. I can’t even make it sound like “distortion “ in fact I give it a bit of tweak to get some hair
Probably no one is interested but the other Bass Overdrives I really like and have owned for years are the Wounded Paw Battering Ram v2.6 (low settings) and the Free The Tone Bass Blaster. The Beta V strictly as a pre pairs nicely with both, in fact I’m even some Fuzz into the Beta in a Rawk trio where normally I avoid Fuzz at all costs
I have never used a Broughton pedal (or in fact seen one)
I used the old Diamond Fireburst Overdrive pedal but it wasn’t quite right for me though. Was well made.
I used the old Diamond Fireburst Overdrive pedal but it wasn’t quite right for me though. Was well made.
Just got the Beta V. The range of tones goes all the way from dark dirty but punchy to f%*£ing dark dirty but still punchy. Reminds me of my Fender Rumbles a few years ago. Didn’t like them, couldn’t hear anything. But the Beta V is the good version, it cuts through.
It’s a very interesting alternative to my Broughton SVpre. I also have the Broughton Scorpion Overdrive pedal. Its Fender Rumble-ish tone is comparable to the Beta V. The Scorpion is more clear and bright but less punchy. I’m spoiled to have both.
It’s a very interesting alternative to my Broughton SVpre. I also have the Broughton Scorpion Overdrive pedal. Its Fender Rumble-ish tone is comparable to the Beta V. The Scorpion is more clear and bright but less punchy. I’m spoiled to have both.
Whatever it is, it seriously closes off the tone and boosts bass, gives a bottom-of-the-pit deep dark boomy tone, but keeps the punch.
Good on ya!
Early days yet but I prefer the Diamond BCP-1 in front of the Beta V but the new Diamond/SGFX BCP/EQ after it.
not entirely sure why
Early days yet but I prefer the Diamond BCP-1 in front of the Beta V but the new Diamond/SGFX BCP/EQ after it.
not entirely sure why
Some folks mentioned they dislike
the pedal and its clipping. I’m not one to jump in and take offence because we have different tastes but initially when I first sat with the MkV I was kinda in two minds with it but like a lot of pedals once I got more familiar and comfortable with the controls it was easier to dial it in. Also in a band setting especially with some drive pedals they come into their own and ‘make more sonic sense’ than in isolation. I found this with a few drives including the Bass Soul Food which I ended up really enjoying in a band mix… but hey if it’s not the unit for everyone.
I’ve been running a CAL Funkulator after my MkV (it adds in a scoop at 800Hz but maintains/volume matches the bass and treble frequencies- basically an instant slap tone pedal with the ability to dial in more or less of that scoopy tone).
It really enhances the MkV and makes it more Ampeg like. Set low the finger tone tightens nicely and dialled way up its a more pronounced classic slap scoop.
What I will say about the LPF isn’t like a classic LPF but in conjunction with the switch it offers a mid scoop or bass bump and the corresponding LPF knob can work with the presence/treble knob to adjust high end roll off and help you dial the control in to suit.
the pedal and its clipping. I’m not one to jump in and take offence because we have different tastes but initially when I first sat with the MkV I was kinda in two minds with it but like a lot of pedals once I got more familiar and comfortable with the controls it was easier to dial it in. Also in a band setting especially with some drive pedals they come into their own and ‘make more sonic sense’ than in isolation. I found this with a few drives including the Bass Soul Food which I ended up really enjoying in a band mix… but hey if it’s not the unit for everyone.
I’ve been running a CAL Funkulator after my MkV (it adds in a scoop at 800Hz but maintains/volume matches the bass and treble frequencies- basically an instant slap tone pedal with the ability to dial in more or less of that scoopy tone).
It really enhances the MkV and makes it more Ampeg like. Set low the finger tone tightens nicely and dialled way up its a more pronounced classic slap scoop.
What I will say about the LPF isn’t like a classic LPF but in conjunction with the switch it offers a mid scoop or bass bump and the corresponding LPF knob can work with the presence/treble knob to adjust high end roll off and help you dial the control in to suit.
To me the LPF switch reminds me of the Ultra Lo on Ampegs (in my case the Broughton SVpre pedal). The difference is the Beta V switch has punch and little high end, whereas Ultra Lo retains at least some treble but lacks punch.
The difference between the two switch settings, to me, is one is cleaner and the other has some grit and mids.
I don’t usually use these sorts of very dark tones, but I find the the Beta V LPF switch interesting and useable, rythmic Motown stuff or slow quiet moody music.
The difference between the two switch settings, to me, is one is cleaner and the other has some grit and mids.
I don’t usually use these sorts of very dark tones, but I find the the Beta V LPF switch interesting and useable, rythmic Motown stuff or slow quiet moody music.
Can someone explain what the LPF dial and switch actually are and how they work, and the difference with the Presence dial?
Main Features:
- Bass Preamp and Overdrive effects pedal
- Designed tcapture the warmth and grit of vintage tube amps
- Low-Pass filter with 2 settings
- 0 - nlow pass filter
- 1 - mid bump
- 2 - mid scoop
- Drive control, from mild grit twarm overdrive
- Active 2-band post-Gain EQ
- True-Bypass switching
- Hand-made in Montreal, Canada
- Powered by a regular 9-18 V DC PSU (center -, 2,1 mm, 13 mA current draw at 9 V)
SolidGoldFX Beta V Bass Preamp Pedal
What is the difference between the LPF dial and the LPF switch? Both are said to set the LPF frequency, but they are obviously two very different controls and effects.
Im also confused and I’ve been using it for a while. Seems like the switch changes the curve the dial adjusts, but the description is lacking. There’s probably just a frequency point shift not a mid “bump”.
Yes, it seems like the switch maybe bluntly walls off treble frequencies (and sounds like mid boost) and middle frequencies (mid cut), and the dial is like a frequency fine-tuner around those two.
There is also no mid eq besides those two switch positions.
Still I must say those three switch tones are very useful and effective without even meddling with anything else.
There is also no mid eq besides those two switch positions.
Still I must say those three switch tones are very useful and effective without even meddling with anything else.
@butterfingers1
lpf 9 o’clock
Drive 9 o’clock
Presence 9 o’clock
Body 7 o’clock
Switch position 1
this is boosting mids
lpf 9 o’clock
Drive 9 o’clock
Presence 9 o’clock
Body 7 o’clock
Switch position 1
this is boosting mids
