Overdrive Suggestions?

[Sir Sly Ry]

I see the Pork Loin getting a lot of mentions. What about the Swollen Pickle? That one seemed like it would be good for bass.

edit: oh wait, Swollen Pickle is fuzz isn't it?

 

[FretNoMore]

Yes, it's a fuzz so not really in the same category of dirt.

 

[gregmon79]

The fuzzrocious dark driving is also a very warm, dark of course, OD. I had one and dug it. It is dark though. The bright mod helped brighten up too. Who would've think?! Haha. The dd may be something to look at too.

 

[BeowulfKingsley]

Woah, I was out for a day and what a lot of excellent options you folks put forth!! Thanks...someone was asking for a more detailed definition of what I'm looking for, and if I'm thinking of using a preamp with the pedal, and what my real budget price range is. Answer #1 is - I'm not quite sure!! I'd like to get the smooth natural sound of a large tube amp being run hot...although it would be nice to be able to get a bit over the top on occasion. I've tried things like the Boss ODB-3 and the Sansamp Bass Driver, and both of them sounded artificial, fizzy and overly gritty to me. I wouldn't be running a preamp (although several of my basses are active and have preamps in them...does that count?), and my price range would be topping out at around $100 or thereabouts. I'm running an old Jazz Bass or a Kawai FB2 (or sometimes a Peavey Grind 6 or a Douglas 6) into a GK RB400 and a Fearless F112 cabinet. Thanks again!!

 

[Stevorebob]

Fairfield Barbershop gets the tone you describe. $175 new, and worth it. I've seen them used for $125.

 

[gregmon79]

Woah, I was out for a day and what a lot of excellent options you folks put forth!! Thanks...someone was asking for a more detailed definition of what I'm looking for, and if I'm thinking of using a preamp with the pedal, and what my real budget price range is. Answer #1 is - I'm not quite sure!! I'd like to get the smooth natural sound of a large tube amp being run hot...although it would be nice to be able to get a bit over the top on occasion. I've tried things like the Boss ODB-3 and the Sansamp Bass Driver, and both of them sounded artificial, fizzy and overly gritty to me. I wouldn't be running a preamp (although several of my basses are active and have preamps in them...does that count?), and my price range would be topping out at around $100 or thereabouts. I'm running an old Jazz Bass or a Kawai FB2 (or sometimes a Peavey Grind 6 or a Douglas 6) into a GK RB400 and a Fearless F112 cabinet. Thanks again!!

For $100 shop used here on TB and I'm sure you'll find something pretty quickly. You can find quite a bit for what you're looking for and in your price range and maybe just slightly higher by 20 to $30.

 

[BeowulfKingsley]

There's just so many new standard and boutique lines these days, I can't keep track. I'll look in the Effects Classifieds and I'm just overwhelmed sometimes...I see the Baffletone Defibrillator or whatever, and I don't even know what it does.

 

[Worshipbass12]

A time-honored question I know...but I'm looking for a smooth, warm, natural-sounding overdrive pedal for someone (well, me actually) on a tight budget. Don't need to fuzz out or anything, although the option is always nice. Suggestions welcomed!!

on a tight budget get a porkloin i had one and sold it and wish i never had the only drawback is that its a bigger pedal than a standard sized so if space is limited it may not work

 

[jumblemind]

There's just so many new standard and boutique lines these days, I can't keep track. I'll look in the Effects Classifieds and I'm just overwhelmed sometimes...I see the Baffletone Defibrillator or whatever, and I don't even know what it does.

I would agree with the above suggestion on a Fairfield Barbershop for a tube amp hot sound. Given you have $100 and want more than just hot tubes, there's an Earthquaker Devices Monarch overdrive in the classifieds right now for exactly $100. It's based on an Orange amp type overdrive sound with extra gain on tap for more distortion if you want, and even has preamp style bass and treble controls.

 

[FretNoMore]

Some would also consider the Pork Loin's color a drawback. I would live with it, but can't say I love it.

 

[Worshipbass12]

Some would also consider the Pork Loin's color a drawback. I would live with it, but can't say I love it.

really everyone needs a big purple box on their board

 

[BeowulfKingsley]

Ah, but are you talking about box color or tone color?

 

[FretNoMore]

Purple.

 

[lowman]

My 2 cents:

The Boss ODB-3 is misnamed, its really a distortion not an overdrive. Sounds great but its not going to provide a gritty sound.

Sansamp: The ebay gods smiled on me and I managed to pickup an open box Bass Driver Programmable for less than what I would pay for the standard model. When I first tried it I was using a Hartke HA4000 head in to a 2x12" cab and I didn't like it. It sounded "tubby", the low end was flabby, no character in the mid range. However now I'm using a GK 212 combo it is like a different pedal. At low settings it adds just the right amount of grit to dirty up the sound which it otherwise too clean/modern from.

I've also used the Tech21 comptortion to good effect. Don't be afraid of trying 'guitar' pedals.

 

[MatticusMania]

Ive got a Nobels Natural Overdrive that I found used for about $40.

Its been my go-to overdrive for a while, though Im not certain how well it fares the descriptions of "smooth & warm". but to me it does fit "natural sounding".

 

[zazin]

N why didn't I think of that!

 

[mmbongo]

Zombie thread!

But as an update, the SolidGold FX is now the king of the warm, fat overdrives. The Smallsound/Bigsound Mini can get surprisingly close, but the Beta has more bottom end.

 

[zazin]

Hahaha.....zombie is cool! Btw that NOBELS NATURAL OD looks tough. But I can't find it anywhere......

 

[zazin]

Nowadays mini pedals are in the focus. NUX, MOOER then FENDER! Hopefully the sound is not compromised.