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Recommend an overdrive that meet these critieria?

ishouldbeking

ishouldbeking

Feb 5, 2007
2,090
32
#1
Been using a Fulltone Bass-Drive mosfet for a couple years... at first I liked it, until i noticed the relatively horrid loss of low end. I was still using it for those times when it didn't really matter, as the pedal did let my lead lines cut through really well, and the overall tone was pretty good when set on a low-gain setting, but that missing low end... I incorporated a bass big muff to cover the "fat-driven" tones i needed the rest of the time, and saved the fulltone for the cutting lead parts.

Anyway, the bass-drive is starting to crap out. It cuts out intermittently and its become a liability live. Its under warranty so i'll probably get it taken care of, but honestly... I'm over this pedal anyway. It takes up too much space on my board, loses low end, the 2nd switch is barely useful (if it was a seperate volume boost instead of additional gain it might actually have a purpose, but alas), and i'm thinking there's got to be something better for me.

I've previously used a DOD 250 which had promise but was ultimately not the greatest tone (and no LED is a dealbreaker, sorry), still got a turbo rat I'll record with every now and again, and i've used tubescreamers that sounded good when they didn't lose too much low end. I tend to favor that "cutting midrange" tubescreamer type of sound I guess. Anyway, i've heard the OCD was great, but i also read the newer ones were designed to cut bass (as it is a guitar pedal)... any truth to that?

Ultimately i'm just looking for a good relatively low gain OD that doesn't have the above issues, comes in a normal-ish sized box and isn't like, stupid expensive. I did do a search and it was pretty overwhelming, so don't tear me apart here guys. Thanks!
 
#3
If you want the same "Tubescreamer circuit modded for bass" feel as the Bass Drive but smaller and with more low end, I'd recommend the Xotic BB Preamp.

For a more transparent OD tone but still with a bit of a bump in the mids (like tubescreamer variants but with a different tone) the Barber LTD (the normal one, not the SR) might be up your alley.

EDIT: Too slow - Mingus Addict beat me while I was typing. But I definitely agree with him. ;)
 
#6
I think I'm in the same boat as you, so I will def be checking out the responses here. There's a guy in town (columbus) who builds pedals, he just let me know he created a bass overdrive recently, the controls sound kinda unique. I'll post about it once I get a chance to try it out.
 
#8
I suspect the OCD might suit you very well. I have the v.4, and haven't noticed any loss of low end. I think my VT might forgive low end loss, FWIW.

But again FWIW, I love my Bass Drive too, and haven't noticed any loss of low end with it either.
 
#12
If you like the tubescreamer sound, check out the TS9-DX Turbo Tube Screamer. There is traditional TS9 settings, a "+" setting that offers a little more bass, a "hot" setting with more bass that still has some nice grit to it, and a "turbo" setting that is loaded with bass tones.

I like it. Nice price too. Can probably find them used around $70.
 
#20
Kromwarp said:
VT Bass or the Bass Driver DI, good Ampeg drive with both, MXR M80 is a good choice too.
Click to expand...

Already using the VT Bass as an always-on light drive... great pedal for sure, I love mine. I bet a lot of folks would think my "clean" tone is pretty heavily driven to begin with, I like the grindy tube sound as a starting point, and I tend to use fuzz the way some guitarists use distortion on choruses (to kick it up a notch) and I use OD pedals for lead tones when i want to cut through the rest of the band.
 

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