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Please recommend an OD/Distortion preamp/pedal!

::fred::

::fred::

Jul 3, 2009
28
0
Russia
#1
Hey guys, I realize that this might've been asked a thousand times before, but I myself am a guitarist and don't know **** about bass. A fellow musician asked me out to help him out since he doesn't speak English.

Anyway, he plays in a famous local pop-punk band and he wants to get a nice rich and warm overdrive for his bass. He can get it with a couple of combos, but their rider isn't available in all cities.

When I asked him to name a band that has THIS sound, he immediately answered: MUSE.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions (if you can, please include approximate prices on the used market).
Thanks!
 
#4
bwv1013 said:
i'll say it first and you'll see it a lot: VT bass.
Click to expand...
you mean the Tech21? Thanks, I'm checking out the video samples at the moment.

FreaqyFrequency said:
I wouldn't exactly call Chris Wolstenholme's tone a "warm overdrive". A blended muff/distortion would be much closer.

Does he want to sound like Chris W, or does he want to have a sound that will mix nicely with a punk band? Recommendations will ensue as you provide more info.
Click to expand...
Um, since I don't listen to Muse anymore, and definitely not pop-punk, I have no idea (sludge's where it's at, baby :bassist:). Can you provide suggestions for both?

The guy says that when he saw Muse live he was really knocked out by the thick distorted bass sound that was very tight, and sat in the mix PERFECTLY allowing guitar and drums their own "space", no overlapping frequencies etc. We do understand that this is probably the soundman's good job mostly. Yet my friend asked me if anyone could recommend some good pedals to get closer to that sound.
 
#6
Alrighty then...

The Tech 21 VT Bass is designed, basically, to sound like vintage Ampeg units. It will get you a great woolly overdrive, albeit it can get a bit clanky or it can make you lose note definition if you aren't careful. It is one of the most sensitive-to-touch pedals I've ever used. I would recommend it as a punk overdrive.

As for MUSE, I'm a huge fan of them, have been for a long time. Although Chris' tone is often oversimplified here into "It's Sovtek Muff-->Animato-->Deep Impact-->Amp", I've always heard it as being more sophisticated than that. A clean blend will be required, because his clean tone is an important part of his overall tone as well as preserving some natural bottom that he most certainly has going on.

The abridged version: your friend is going to have to jump through a lot of hoops to nail the nuanced awesomeness that is his tone. As a starting point, I might recommend an Ibanez PD7 and an Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi. Please do not lead him to believe, however, that this combo will instantly make him sound like Wolstenholme; it will do nothing more than approximate some of his dirtier lines. Attempting to put the button on his tone will be an exercise in futility.

Good luck.
 
#7
Chris Wolstenholm's sound is various flavours of Russian Muff and Akai Deep Impact Synth pedal, with various other accompaniments. He also uses two Marshall stacks in his live setup, one clean and one overdriven.

A few good pedals that I would reccomend for a nice fuzzy sound without having to buy all of Wolstenholm's gear would be a Bass Big Muff (took me awhile to dial in the right sound, but now its awesome), a MXR Blowtorch (great synthy fuzz sound that cuts through like crazy, great for Time is Running Out), and I've been swearing by the Ibanez PD-7 Phat Hed OD / Distortion lately. Mine is on almost constantly these days in distortion mode. The Ibanez SB-7 is also good for some basic synth sounds as well.

Nice thing about these pedals is that none is overly expensive - the most would be the Blowtorch at around $150 or less. The Bass Big Muff should be around $80 and the Ibanez pedals around $40-60.
 
#11
Wasted Bassist said:
I think the correct answers here are to

A) Search

B) Go and TRY some pedals yourself. You'll end up with a much better result trying things out in person (with your gear if possible, most shops will be fairly accomodating about this).
Click to expand...

Thats not very helpful is it?

A) He set a parameter for a certain sound atleast. Albeit he got the usuall names pop up.

B) Ever thought it might not be possible for them to go and do that? Only 1 shop out of 3 in the closest town to me stocks pedals, and its 90% guitar ones.

Looks like he lives in Russia, so trying not to be stereotypical it might be hard to come accross these pedals easily over there.
 
#12
Synplicity took the words out of my mouth.

Wasted Bassist, I live in a country where bears walk the streets and have sex with hot women while drinking vodka and eating black caviar. Nobody here knows about the pedals mentioned in this thread (well, albeit Big Muffs obviously). :)

So Synplicity is right. I'm going to make a decision based on this thread and probably jump into the classifieds of this board (or HCAF).

Anyway, you guys are VERY helpful! I'm reading all of your posts very carefully! Keep em coming!!

one question.. Can the VT Bass be plugged into a head? I mean, can the ampsim be bypassed?
 
#13
I worked with a guy from Russia. Told me a lot of stories, but never mentioned the bears...

In other news, your best bet (seeing as trying things seems impossible) would be to find sound clips. It really sounds like a Big Muff or some variant might not be a bad bet. I personally don't like Muffs that much, but then again, I do use love my ODB-3 (in the proper combination).
 
#16
::fred:: said:
Synplicity took the words out of my mouth.

Wasted Bassist, I live in a country where bears walk the streets and have sex with hot women while drinking vodka and eating black caviar. Nobody here knows about the pedals mentioned in this thread (well, albeit Big Muffs obviously). :)

So Synplicity is right. I'm going to make a decision based on this thread and probably jump into the classifieds of this board (or HCAF).

Anyway, you guys are VERY helpful! I'm reading all of your posts very carefully! Keep em coming!!

one question.. Can the VT Bass be plugged into a head? I mean, can the ampsim be bypassed?
Click to expand...

:) S'all good.

And to answer your question, yes the VT can be used as a pre-amp.
 

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