Got this for Christmas, been playing around with it along with the American sound. They both do their own thing, and do it pretty well. I have landed on the American Sound doing a mild overdrive that is softer. The California has a bit more treble and bite. Both are very touch sensitive, breaking up the more you push them. I recorded a sample. Played on my Ovation Magnum III bass into pedal chain. Only effects used on recording are Joyo Dyna compressor, Donner boost killer, then the american or california sound, SVT settings on a Sansamp deluxe bddi. ran straight into my presonus interface with no editing in the software. The 3 riffs are as follows. Clean, American, California. Enjoy. Pardon the sorry pick-style. I'm learning.
Nice! thanks for recording those comparisons. Could you describe the difference in the bass control between the two? I use an American Sound and wish the bass control was a little more tight and punchy, I feel like it's loose and undefined
I get punch from tweaking the mid and the voice/tone knob. I do run compressors in front though, as well. The bass never really added punch for me.
Thanks! I intend to go for the British sound next. May even sell off my SansAmp bass driver deluxe if it works as well as the other two.
I was just checking those pedals out on Amazon. $35? Seems cheap enough just to try one. If you don't like it, gift it to a friend.
I love the Cali Sound, mine has seemingly found a permanent spot adding grit to my Hohner Planet\Clavinet duo and Wurlizer.
It’s based on Fender tube amps, so it’s saggy because they’re saggy. The California is a lot darker and bassier IMO, and the Joyo Orange Juice is another keeper - I’d say it has a tighter feeling low end than the California, but both more so than the American. Those are the only three I have experience with, I own all three.
Great synopsis. I love my 2 for what they do. If I give the American sound a punchy signal, it will maintain it, but it won't create one that isn't there. But it really reproduces a round tube warmth very well. I do not like the more overdriven sound much. The California does higher gain much better, imo.
This is a great comparison. The American & Cali, for different reasons, are great bass preamps and/or od pedals. I can add owning all 4 that the British & AC are great for guitar but I don't like them on bass. If you need a specific vintage british sound, There's 100 Marshall pedals and the Wampler plexi based/clones are better than the British for bass. I got mine to get a Lemmy sound without a Ric, and the Joyo Plexi Drive did it better for me. I really wanted a pink pedal on my board too. And to add, the Behringer V tone bass whatever its name is, is a $30 clone of the VT Bass and has a DI out. So if you wanted the whole set of Tech 21 character series clones, this would complete it.