• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Reccomend any pedals to get this tone?

70s op amp overdrive used in punk bands? Says Preamp in the description? Doesn't really sound like a rat?

DOD Overdrive Preamp 250

It's probably a variation on that.


or


Would be my suggestions. Look for them used or new. They have the diode swap for roll off and they have the controls similarly.


Extensive video on the history of the DOD Overdrive Peramp 250.

 
  • Like
Reactions: gregmon79
Yeah I wouldn't say this sounds like a rat. This is more of a dry, as @erratick stated, 250 type OD/dist that still has a strong mid/high mid clank. I'd def try a 250 variant first. If that doesn't get you where you want, I'd try something like an OCD possibly. And OCD may not get you there either. This is a very dry, mid forward drive sound. It's great. A boss SD1 could do it too possibly.

I had a special 250 preamp built for me years back and it could nail this sound. I ended up selling that pedal. Really wish I hadn't because I really miss it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: erratick
There are a lot of overdrives that can sound like that. I know because it's not the tone I'm looking for, and I've tried a lot of overdrives that (unfortunately for me) sound like that. I would think any of the Darkglass BnK (where n is 1, 3, or 7) would do that just fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Camarillo
Yeah I wouldn't say this sounds like a rat. This is more of a dry, as @erratick stated, 250 type OD/dist that still has a strong mid/high mid clank. I'd def try a 250 variant first. If that doesn't get you where you want, I'd try something like an OCD possibly. And OCD may not get you there either. This is a very dry, mid forward drive sound. It's great. A boss SD1 could do it too possibly.

I had a special 250 preamp built for me years back and it could nail this sound. I ended up selling that pedal. Really wish I hadn't not because I really miss it.

Yup. That plus the description of the pedal in question by the manufacturer:

70s op amp overdrive preamp used in punk bands? It's an 250 variant. Sounds like it in the clip, with roundwounds, probably P bass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gregmon79
Coincidentally, I was just playing this song this morning. I used a Joyo Double Thruster, and was very pleased with the sound it gave. It is supposed to be modeled after a Darkglass b3k, but it kind of has its own thing going on. It has less of a baked-in "modern metal" sound. It's quite cheap as well and shockingly versatile.
 
Last edited:
Yeah I wouldn't say this sounds like a rat. This is more of a dry, as @erratick stated, 250 type OD/dist that still has a strong mid/high mid clank. I'd def try a 250 variant first. If that doesn't get you where you want, I'd try something like an OCD possibly. And OCD may not get you there either. This is a very dry, mid forward drive sound. It's great. A boss SD1 could do it too possibly.

I had a special 250 preamp built for me years back and it could nail this sound. I ended up selling that pedal. Really wish I hadn't not because I really miss it.
A DOD 250 and a Rat have very similar clipping stages, so some of the many flavors of modded Rat derivatives can definitely get in the same ballpark in my experience assuming you can get the gain low enough. I could even get my old Keeley modded Rat into similar territory with a P-Bass, no diodes, low gain, and tone rolled down on both the bass and pedal- and that Rat had very little of the sound-shaping mods of many modern and more bass-friendly options (which presumably keep more bass in the circuit vs the hefty mid-boost of the stock circuit). That said, you may well be right that it is based off the 250 circuit instead, which makes sense too based on the description and pedal layout (and assuming the Truck Louder is actually what is actually being used in this recording).

I also only listened to this clip on my phone speaker so maybe not heard the best representation, and I honestly haven't touched a Rat or DOD 250 derivative for bass since picking up my first Tronographic Rusty Box a dozen years ago which does that kind of asymmetric drive/distortion the way my ears want to hear it!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: gregmon79
A DOD 250 and a Rat have very similar clipping stages, so some of the many flavors of modded Rat derivatives can definitely get in the same ballpark in my experience assuming you can get the gain low enough. I could even get my old Keeley modded Rat into similar territory with a P-Bass, no diodes, low gain, and tone rolled down on both the bass and pedal- and that Rat had very little of the sound-shaping mods of many modern and more bass-friendly options (which presumably keep more bass in the circuit vs the hefty mid-boost of the stock circuit). That said, you may well be right that it is based off the 250 circuit instead, which makes sense too based on the description and pedal layout (and assuming the Truck Louder is actually what is actually being used in this recording).

I also only listened to this clip on my phone speaker so maybe not heard the best representation, and I honestly haven't touched a Rat or DOD 250 derivative for bass since picking up my first Tronographic Rusty Box a dozen years ago which does that kind of asymmetric drive/distortion the way my ears want to hear it!

Haha the rusty box was one of my initial thoughts. It could probably get there as well but I wanted to keep it simple for the OP. And yeah, a rat could get in that same realm but that clip sounded much more "dry" to my ears. Odd the terms we use to describe these pedals and their sounds. The rat always sounded brittle but in a more saturated way. Even at lower gain. More "natural" sounding than say a 250 or an opamp dist. Even though a rat doesn't sound natural! :laugh:

To my ears, opamp dirt sounds like a solid state, or dry and harsh (not usually in a bad way mind you), to my ears while a rat style sounds wet or more cohesive in its gain structure. If that makes any sense at all!?
 
it's super simple it's a 250. so the cheap 250 clone from china it has all the switches. also the rat clones on led should be good to pickup too. it's a no brainer for you to get close without breaking the bank.. if you don't like the quality.. buy the better version.. when you get the money.
 
  • Like
Reactions: erratick