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Overdrive pedal that keeps the lowend

#61
I think all of us are talking in too many general terms. Losing low end around the 100hz section versus the 40hz section - you are going to notice the 100hz section much faster since our ears will pick that up quickly. Depending on on our rigs and how we are using the pedal, it's going to be a different result each time. I believe searching for a overdrive pedal which keeps the low end is frivolous. Get a blend pedal and get ANY overdrive/distortion pedal you want. Make your life simpler. :D

There definitely could be something wrong with the ODB-3, however, the pedal sounds like midrange scooped garbage in my opinion. At this point, replace it.... However, I should not jump to conclusions so fast. :) Was there a phasing issue? Like the board was completely out of phase with your signal and the low end disappeared? The X-Blender has a phase switch which would fix this problem in seconds.

I suggested the X-Blender because modern recording techniques say "two channels for bass" one for effects and one for the clean. That's how you get that heavily overdriven tone mixed in with bone-crushing low end. The X-Blender is the closest thing I have found for two channel sound in ONE bass rig.
 
#67
I'm kicking around the idea of getting either an Ashdown James LoMenzo OD or the new EBS Billy Sheehan. I like the blend option on both, and the JLM seems to have a lot of control over the precise nature of the distortion which is cool.

Anybody have experiences with either? I'm liking the EBS signal loop feature as well.
 
#68
I use an OBD3. I found it in a storage space. It had been sitting there for about 8 or 9 years. It had a bad capicitor in it so I replaced it and threw it on my board. I am using a B7K as a preamo and all around tone shaper as well last in my chain. As you said, the ODB3 by itself its OK. But with the B7K with it in my chain, its AWESOME. I can actually get some Timmy C sort of tones and distortion out of it. I dont generally crank the OD on the ODB3, I keep the blend knob at noon and the OD knob just so it starts to kick in around 7 oclock. Im very happy with the sound it makes. The only thing I dont dig with it is if I kick on my OCD the sound gets really compressed. It sounds pretty bad a** in my room, but in the band setting, I think it would disappear.
 
#71
If you like the Bad Monkey/Badder Monkey you'll LOVE the Hardwire Tube Overdrive CM-2. It's similar in sound to a Badder Monkey, only everything is better and has none of the problems of a BM...like not being able to handle a high output bass. (Hardwire is Digitech's high end line). They are $99 new, $60 or so used. Incredible pedals that are sadly overlooked.
 
#72
Darkglass Vintage Microtubes.


8638985442_c0c0289db4_z.jpg


Really nice drive, lots of bottom end (even with the blend knob maxed), very dynamic…
 
#73
Weird, the ODB3 is the only pedal I've ever tried that actually has the low end and sits in with a loud band mix (I crank the bass and cut the treble), keep the blend and gain lower. I think in general, distortions and overdrives and esp fuzzes fundamentally alter the signal, which kind of removes the low end by default. Hence the above comment about the futile process and the need for a blend pedal.

The Catalinbread SFT has tons of boom in it, though the gain overdrive is a little too compressed and squishy when I want a grindy sound. Was hoping the BB Preamp would solve that, but I really notice the fact it cuts off at 100hz when playing with a band.
 

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