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Overdrive or Distortion Pedal for SVT?

snakesandarrows

snakesandarrows

Oct 12, 2009
134
0
#1
Well I just bought my very first tube amp, an Ampeg SVT-VR, and I was wondering if a distortion pedal or an overdrive pedal would be better for it. I own the Boss Bass Overdrive pedal right now, and I want to expand my distortion options.

To me it makes sense to use an overdrive pedal with a nice tube amp since an overdrive pedal puts stress on the tubes which creates distortion inside the head, therefore utilizing my SVT's awesome tone. The distortion would actually come from INSIDE THE HEAD. It seems like using a distortion pedal may not allow me to use my SVT's full potential, if the distortion is artificial and made in a cheap pedal. Does anyone get what I'm saying?

As for my gear, if it makes any difference, I play an Ampeg SVT-VR head with a 1974 4001 Rickenbacker, a newer Fender P bass, and Im planning on purchasing a Gibson Thunderbird pretty soon.

Any help or opinions on this?
 
#2
It depends on what tone you're trying to achieve.

I can make my SVT-II clip on its own but it's nice to be able to only do that when I want it to, and at volumes that aren't practice room destroying. So, I play at a medium level (say, 9 o'clock or so) before breakup starts becoming too heavy but while still giving me some grunt and then add whatever tone enhancing I want.

If you plan on going balls out all the time and want a glowing powertube tone then just throw a boost in front of it and crank it to 11, but if you want to have a variety of tones you'll probably have to compromise on some of your plans.
 
#3
Unrepresented said:
It depends on what tone you're trying to achieve.

I can make my SVT-II clip on its own but it's nice to be able to only do that when I want it to, and at volumes that aren't practice room destroying. So, I play at a medium level (say, 9 o'clock or so) before breakup starts becoming too heavy but while still giving me some grunt and then add whatever tone enhancing I want.

If you plan on going balls out all the time and want a glowing powertube tone then just throw a boost in front of it and crank it to 11, but if you want to have a variety of tones you'll probably have to compromise on some of your plans.
Click to expand...

Ya, I should've included that before.

Well I want a to be able to use a really light distortion to throw on my Rickenbacker.

With my p bass and my future thunderbird that i will hopefully have I want 2 really overdriven sounds. For the first one, I'll probably just end up getting a big muff pi b/c i want a really fuzzy distortion that the big muff pi has. (btw, is the big muff pi a distortion or overdrive pedal?)

For the second sound, (and this is the main sound that i posted this whole thread for) I want a Chris Wolstenholme (Muse) type of distortion. His distortion is really modern, heavy and wet sounding, yet its a really clear sound to me. I've looked into his gear, but he uses like 20 different dist pedals so I'm just trying to narrow them down a little bit...
 
#4
You just have to try a bunch out and find one you like. Dirt is a very personal thing, and will sound different depending on what you're putting into it. I have my favorite, it's names overdrive but called a distortion, so.... Anyways, I tried a bunch. Couldn't find the sound I liked. I heard my pedal and liked the tone, got one, and it worked for me. I tried a few others, when my first one was stolen, they didn't cut it, so I bought another. For the price, I probably could have bought 3 other great pedals that sounded close, but for me, this was the pedal.

The point I was trying to get to: try a bunch and find the one you like. They way they interact with your amp is going to depend on your playing, your equipment, your volume levels, etc, so you really have to try it out in your own situation.
 
#5
snakesandarrows said:
Ya, I should've included that before.

Well I want a to be able to use a really light distortion to throw on my Rickenbacker.

With my p bass and my future thunderbird that i will hopefully have I want 2 really overdriven sounds. For the first one, I'll probably just end up getting a big muff pi b/c i want a really fuzzy distortion that the big muff pi has. (btw, is the big muff pi a distortion or overdrive pedal?)

For the second sound, (and this is the main sound that i posted this whole thread for) I want a Chris Wolstenholme (Muse) type of distortion. His distortion is really modern, heavy and wet sounding, yet its a really clear sound to me. I've looked into his gear, but he uses like 20 different dist pedals so I'm just trying to narrow them down a little bit...
Click to expand...
Most here would include any of the Big Muff variants in the fuzz category which is generally considered to be the heaviest clipping of the original waveform compared with distortion (moderate clipping) and overdrive (mild clipping).

There are a number of threads discussing light/mild overdrives that you might want to search through to get an overall tone for your Ric. I personally like the versatility of my Fulltone Bassdrive, but there are many others that are recommended here frequently as well.

A search for Wolstenholme should yield tons of results as well, as there are a lot of people looking to duplicate his tone. From what I've read, his tones are expensive and difficult to duplicate though -- be forewarned.;)
 
#6
Looks like I also have to re-state what I posted in your earlier thread, that I guess you decided to ignore. Most pedals that say "overdrive" on them are designed to emulate the entire sound of an overdriven tube amp. They may do it well or they may do it terribly (like the ODB-3), but you need to expect that an "overdrive" pedal will distort on its own, they are designed that way. You have a terribly mistaken idea stuck in your head, that overdrive pedals conform to some idealized conception you have about what they "should do". Let me make it as clear as humanly possible, right now: the words printed on a pedal do not follow any rules of logic. They are just there to entice you to buy the pedal, and maybe give you an idea of what general sound they make. It is especially difficult to see how you can not have realized that, owning the ODB-3, which is a straight-up distortion.

If you want a pedal to just drive your amp's tubes, and not add any distortion from the pedal, then what you want is called a "clean boost". A boost pedal boosts the level of your signal, driving the tubes.

That said, any pedal that can increase your signal level can also drive those tubes. A graphic EQ, an "overdrive", a filter with boost, a compressor, it doesn't matter. Just anything that boosts your levels.

Again though, please do not persist in thinking that an overdrive pedal is a clean boost.
 
#7
bongomania said:
Looks like I also have to re-state what I posted in your earlier thread, that I guess you decided to ignore. Most pedals that say "overdrive" on them are designed to emulate the entire sound of an overdriven tube amp. They may do it well or they may do it terribly (like the ODB-3), but you need to expect that an "overdrive" pedal will distort on its own, they are designed that way. You have a terribly mistaken idea stuck in your head, that overdrive pedals conform to some idealized conception you have about what they "should do". Let me make it as clear as humanly possible, right now: the words printed on a pedal do not follow any rules of logic. They are just there to entice you to buy the pedal, and maybe give you an idea of what general sound they make. It is especially difficult to see how you can not have realized that, owning the ODB-3, which is a straight-up distortion.

If you want a pedal to just drive your amp's tubes, and not add any distortion from the pedal, then what you want is called a "clean boost". A boost pedal boosts the level of your signal, driving the tubes.

That said, any pedal that can increase your signal level can also drive those tubes. A graphic EQ, an "overdrive", a filter with boost, a compressor, it doesn't matter. Just anything that boosts your levels.

Again though, please do not persist in thinking that an overdrive pedal is a clean boost.
Click to expand...

There's an explanation I was looking for! Obviously I need to research this a little bit more.

So although a clean boost pedal will create distortion at a certain point, it will also increase volume a lot. right?
 
#8
snakesandarrows said:
There's an explanation I was looking for! Obviously I need to research this a little bit more.

So although a clean boost pedal will create distortion at a certain point, it will also increase volume a lot. right?
Click to expand...
Yes, a clean boost will create distortion in your (tube) amp at a certain point.

Yes, it will increase volume as it increases the output signal of your bass.

If you're looking to maintain a lower overall volume you're likely going to want to purchase a pedal that simulates the sound of an overdriven amp rather than actually overdriving your amp using a clean boost. Those are the basic options.
 
#9
Dude, you need to go try out a Tech 21 VT Bass pedal... it's awesome IMO.

I ran it direct into my computer with no effects or modelers and it sound KILLER by it self. Sound like a cranked SVT without even having an amp! crazy, i know!

I put it in front of my SVT classic and it's freakin amazing.

Go to your local store and try one out.
 
#11
bongomania said:
Looks like I also have to re-state what I posted in your earlier thread, that I guess you decided to ignore. Most pedals that say "overdrive" on them are designed to emulate the entire sound of an overdriven tube amp. They may do it well or they may do it terribly (like the ODB-3), but you need to expect that an "overdrive" pedal will distort on its own, they are designed that way. You have a terribly mistaken idea stuck in your head, that overdrive pedals conform to some idealized conception you have about what they "should do". Let me make it as clear as humanly possible, right now: the words printed on a pedal do not follow any rules of logic. They are just there to entice you to buy the pedal, and maybe give you an idea of what general sound they make. It is especially difficult to see how you can not have realized that, owning the ODB-3, which is a straight-up distortion.

If you want a pedal to just drive your amp's tubes, and not add any distortion from the pedal, then what you want is called a "clean boost". A boost pedal boosts the level of your signal, driving the tubes.

That said, any pedal that can increase your signal level can also drive those tubes. A graphic EQ, an "overdrive", a filter with boost, a compressor, it doesn't matter. Just anything that boosts your levels.

Again though, please do not persist in thinking that an overdrive pedal is a clean boost.
Click to expand...

great post that should probably be stickied haha, especially the bolded part
 
#13
Wanna go through tubes every few months and get your band fired from a lot of venues? Clean boost an SVT into distortion. You want some great sounding SVT overdrive now and then and be able to play at sensible levels that don't get you fired or burn out your tubes quickly? Get a VT Bass pedal.

While the SVT does have incredible sounding distortion at higher levels, let's not forget that the SVT was originally built to be a tube amp with a lot of headroom for CLEAN playing ;)
 

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