• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Overdrive

M

McGroovin'

Oct 1, 2007
112
1
Tupelo Mississippi
#1
I've searched around, but have not found a thread on this. I was wondering what overdrive pedals you think are good. I have no experience with them. I want something to give my sound just a little raw sounding boost, but no fuzz or distortion pedals, not my cup of tea.

I'm looking at the Boss ODB-3 right now. Mainly because it's the only one I know of in my price range, around $100.

Thanks
 
#4
Fair enough, What kinda sound are you looking for exactly? A Geddy Lee type tube OD or more ratty? something else? Some want a smoother tube OD,some want more of a heavier distortion, and of course there's always that creamy harmonic rich fuzz that many of us love. More info please.
 
#5
McGroovin'

I'm in the same boat myself...

here is a list of what i'm going ot test out this weekend

all these are in the $100.00 to $200.00 dollar range

Tech 21 XXL Bass Edition
Tech 21 American Woman
MXR Custom Audio MC 402
GK Diesel Dawg
BBE Green Screamer
EH English Muffin
Digitech Bad Monkey
Krank Krankshaft
VooDoo Labs Sparkle Drive

also on the high end $200.00 plus

T-Rex Moller

I'll let you know what i come up with

I have the Boss ODB-3 now running into a Big Muff Pi and I hate both of them...lol
 
#7
Out of that list I'd go for the EHX English Muff'n, if thats too expensive and you fancy a cheapy then you can't go wrong with the Ibanez PD7 (which I've found to be better than some of the Boss pedals). If your after the tube sound why not check out DHA everyone who's used his pedals have always been impressed (especially me). Just search DHA or Dave Hall on here and you'll get quite a few threads otherwise Link Removed . Plus they look very 1960's hippie and unique.
 
#9
Ok guys and gals i was going to wait till this weekend to go to GC but i had the day off and i figured there wouldn't be many people there on a monday morning (translation i have G.A.S. and no patientce)

I spent 4 1/2 hours trying out pedals...lol i'm these guys hate me now that it is all said and done...

Here is a list or what i tried out..now keep in mind i wanted something to just clip my sound and add an edge to my drive nothing seriously in your face...

Keep in mind I'm not a gear head and I don't usually play through a lot of pedals.

MXR M 181 Bass Blowtorch....$139.99 way too much buzz for me not my thing

E.H. English Muffin....$189.99 the sound was ok but still kind of muddy for my taste it was warm but no brights to my ears...

Visual Sound Jeckyl & Hyde overdrive....$129.99 i liked the sound of the overdrive on this pedal but its color an size were a bit of a turnoff and i would never ever use the distortion side of this pedal for what i play so i moved on down my list.

T Rex Moller Overdrive w clean Boost...$279.99 Wow is all i can say at half clean and half dirty this thing is simply amazing... however it is kind of on the large size and the cost...sheesh i really didn't want to spend this much on one pedal but considering the advantages of the boost feature i made note of it and moved on...

GK Diesel Dawg...$149.99 yuck not my thing, although i like the casing and overall look just way too much noise for what i play

MXR Custom Audio MC-402 $139.99 nice pedal i liked the sound of this one too, but overall it seemed kind of thin and sounded kind of like it was being covered with a pillow...and the build seemed a little flimsy

Tech 21 American Woman Overdrive $109.99 great sound i have to admit but the gate feature sucks and is way too sensitive even on the lowest setting it kept stopping my note ring, it decided for me when i was done...i figure you can find a way to disable it but why bother..i moved on

Digitech Bad Monkey $49.99 great sound for a fifty dollar pedal but overall it sounded very much like somebody stuck your amp in a cardboard box and sealed it if you could find a way to brighen this thing up it would work great plus i don't like the casing...i moved on

T.C. Electronic Vintage Overdrive.....$199.99 Wow like warm butter and honey on a soft freshly and lighly toasted muffin. i like this pedal a lot guys so i set it aside as i had a few more to try out...

T.C. Electronic VPDI Overdrive $299.99 not much of an improvemnet over the pedal posted above, in fact i didn't like it as much not for 100.00 bucks more

DNA Analog VT-1 Virtual tube overdrive $239.00 ok sound but for the price i had already tried better...I moved on

Ibanez PD7 Phat Head $49.99 um... seriously does anybody think this things sounds good? I couldn't get one single usable tone out of this thing.

VooDoo Labs Sparkle Drive...$129.99 wow this thing is almost perfect, good price, good sound, nice casing, and built/ made in the U.S. 5 year warranty plus a clean boost channel....however the only trouble with this pedal is when you kick in the clean boost you loose a little of the drive...however at half and half it sounds really really....well nice. While i didn't like the sound quite as much as the T.C. Electronics pedal or the T Rex, the price and the boost channel made my decision that much harder to make...

and Finally

The BBE Green Screamer $99.99 and comes with it own ac adapter...as i understand it this is a modded clone of the Ts808 for 100.00 bucks i honestly can't understand why people are still buying the Ibanez Tube Screamer re-issue (yes i tried it too) as this pedal sounds so much better and at $70.00 bucks less its a no brainer...

man My decision are getting that much harder...lol especially when i put the Green Screamer with the BBE Boosta Grande all i can say is damn this nails it....

Ok well now i'm down to what really sounds the best and what do i want to spend

The T Rex I really like but at $279.99 i didn't like it that much
the T.C Electronics pedal at $199.99 man this is hard
The Green screamer at $99.99 paired with the Boosta Grande at $79.99 thats 10 bucks less than the T.C. the sound is very much the same but i have to say i like the Green Screamer and Boosta paired together better...

Then there is the VooDoo Labs Pedal at $129.99 i could live with the slight loss of drive with the clean boost kicked in..especially for the price and the added benefit of a 5 year warranty and being made in the U.S.

In the end i walked away with the Vodoo Labs Sparkle Drive paired up with An MXR M-80 bass Direct box and an Aphex Bass Xciter out the door for $290.00 plus tax, as i had an $ 80.00 credit (returned a big Muff Pi and an adapter)

only reason i'm not playing now is the wife went to sleep...lol after a 14 hour work day....i 'll wait till in the morning to tell her i spent 300.00 bucks today...lol

so McGroovin I hope that helped you out some and gave you some options to try

I almost bought the Green Screamer and the Boosta Grande as paired together they were simply superb....

but i'm a cheap bastard...lol
 
#11
73jbass said:
Try the Ibanez Turbo Tube Screamer. In the Turbo setting,you get more control over the overdrive,and very little loss of low end. Great pedal for bass!
Click to expand...

I actually like a regular TS-9 better on bass in a lot of ways, especially if you can blend in the clean sound (or go with the sparkle drive which does that for you!). The TS-9DX is also a lot more expensive that a regular screamer ... and I agree that a clean boost into a TS-9 can be fantastic. A DS-1 in front of a TS-9 is cool too ... nasty. Just need to make sure not to use a cab with a tweeter in it or any of these guitar effects will sound fizzy and scratchy.

If you're upping the budget a bit, nothing beats the aguilar AGRO IME.
 
#13
I have owned a Big muff "fuzz" pedal, and I have an MXR Blowtorch now. I have also tried the OBD-3, Boss bass overdrive and all sound good...

But here is my best secret... Boss HM-2. This pedal is awesome on bass... Great overdrive/fuzz, and you can eq and custom tailor the drive. Put it this way. The guitarist from Steely Dan uses one. You can make it a boost pedal, a synthy fuzz, all out distortion, or overdrive...

Got one on ebay for $30...
 
#14
Puni said:
Impressive, Snakeman1066.
That´s a true personal review. Simply amazing, thaks!
Click to expand...

um your welcome i guess?

not so sure it was amazing....

personal yes, I had a very definite idea of sound in mind when i went looking...

just thought it might help a few others trying to decide on a few of these pedals themselves...

and seriously if i had another $70.00 bucks in my pocket i would have gone with the BBE Green Screamer coupled with the BBE Boosta Grande...

I tried a few other pedals too (note the MXR and Aphex i mentioned) but they didn't apply to this thread so i will shut up now...lol
 
#16
Mine is permently on all the time, to get it really dirty and have my ts9 running through it. To get to distortion heaven I run my Big Muff through ehx compressor then through my VT-1, the mid ranges are a complete joke. It just gives a more fuller/rounder sound and brings out the best in some of my pedals. I can't recomend the DHA VT-1 higher enough, unless you go for his higher end pedals which will be better.
 
#17
Snakeman1066 said:
personal yes, I had a very definite idea of sound in mind when i went looking...

just thought it might help a few others trying to decide on a few of these pedals themselves...
Click to expand...

That´s it.
I had the same illness some months ago, and for what I´ve read from your opinions in this subject, I think the sound you´re looking for is the same one I was. I bought a Fulltone Bassdrive, but after a month or so I sold it because it distorted the sound too much for me even at low levels.
Then tried MXR M80 D.I. and the overdrive was softer, closer to what I wanted. Finally I managed to get a Valvedrive, and after trying different settings, finally it seems I found what I was looking for. Now I´m using it through effects loop and I love the soung it gives to my different amps (GK 1001RB2, Ampeg B2 or even a small Peavey Basic 60). For the first time for me, it´s more difficult with this one to get a strong distorsion than a cool overdrive, which is what I wanted.
EBS toys are great.
Oh, and my comment about "amazing review" is true, I´d have liked a lot having some of that when I was in my overdrive search quest.
 
#18
hallo said:
Mine is permently on all the time, to get it really dirty and have my ts9 running through it. To get to distortion heaven I run my Big Muff through ehx compressor then through my VT-1, the mid ranges are a complete joke. It just gives a more fuller/rounder sound and brings out the best in some of my pedals. I can't recomend the DHA VT-1 higher enough, unless you go for his higher end pedals which will be better.
Click to expand...

:( So you are not too happy with that one. Do you have any experience with the VT1-HP-bass pedal or is that just another name for the same thing?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back