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Offordable Ben Shepherd-sounding Overdrive, questions

Discussion in 'Effects [BG]' started by b4nny, Jan 14, 2009.

  1. Jan 14, 2009 #1
    b4nny

    b4nny

    Aug 24, 2008
    Bellevue, WA, USA
    Lately I've been obsessing pretty hardcore over Ben Shepherd from Soundgarden's tone. I love that grindy sound he gets despite using flatwounds. I was inspired to string my bass with Rotosound 77 flats and this is going to be quite an experiment.
    However, I can hear some really intense attack on songs such as Rusty Cage and Jesus Christ pose. Clearly he used a pick for those recordings, or is it his distortion doing the work? What makes me wonder is that he played those same songs with his fingers in live videos.


    More on topic in terms of effects:

    What I am looking for now is a really crunchy overdrive as heard on Spoonman (isolated bass) as I assume this is the kind of effect he uses on most of his songs. I really like how that overdrive sounds during the chorus. I have read that he used a Mesa V-twin however that is too expensive for me. I don't want something fuzzy but rather more crunchy and grindy.
    What kind of things would fall in the $100 - $120 range which can get this sound and preserve low end? I am assuming I will end up buying a guitar distortion because most bass pedals I have heard are fuzz fuzz fuzz and not like this!

    Note: Affordable
     
  2. Jan 14, 2009 #2
    Mark Olson

    Mark Olson Inactive

    Mar 19, 2008
    Michigan
    Hmm, are you going for the main tone, or where he is clearly kicking on some heavy dirt?

    If you could get together a few more bucks, I'd think that an EHX English Muff'n would be something you'd really dig. I used to own one of those, played with flats, I used it for something in between the "clean" (still a little dirty) tone on that track and the extreme dirt. It served me well, the only reason I got rid of it was because it's rather inconvenient to power... not a big deal if you're not looking to use a whole bunch of effects, and of all the pedals I've gotten rid of (which is A LOT, many thousands of dollars worth) I miss the English Muff'n the most. It's a very good pedal.
     
  3. Jan 14, 2009 #3
    superbassman2000

    superbassman2000

    Dec 20, 2000
    Minnesota
  4. Jan 14, 2009 #4
    sonic assassin

    sonic assassin

    Nov 8, 2008
    cincinnati
    i like that the clip has bleed from the vocals. likely from it being on tape
     
  5. Jan 14, 2009 #5
    b4nny

    b4nny

    Aug 24, 2008
    Bellevue, WA, USA
    I am looking for the full dirt sound or some info on how he gets that vicious attack as heard on Rusty Cage.
    I checked out the clips of the English Muff'n that are on the wiki and it seems fuzzy like most pedals I have heard. I have a SA BDDI which can give me an overdrive but alas, it sounds very similar to the English Muff'n which doesn't come close the grindy tone that I hear on Spoonman.

    PS The clips for the 80s RAT sound a little bit closer. Same for the Turbo Rat, but there appears to be too much low end lost.
     
  6. Jan 14, 2009 #6
    Gasman

    Gasman Supporting Member

    Apr 9, 2007
    South Carolina
    Not a Turbo Rat. Try a Marshall Guv'nor- the old black ones will get that sound pretty well. I got mine around $100 bucks on ebay.