• 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.

Rusty Box question

Niff

Niff

Mar 18, 2007
1,957
486
New Zealand
#1
Hey guys,

In lieu of actually being able to demo the pedal with my rig, I though I would ask a few questions before diving in with the purchase.

I am going to be running straight into a power amp (200w of KT88s,full tube) and possibly using the RB as an always on preamp. Is it possible to dial the box in to get a completely clean tone with effect on, boost off and a soft touch? In the same vein, with no knob twiddling, give it a bit more grit (pedal and drive the head further) with the boost knob?

If the pedal doesn't quite fit those criteria, I am open to preamp suggestions!

Cheers everyone
 
#3
that's not so much a problem as I will be running straight into a power amp and cranked to its 'volume' limits as such anyway - so pushing the input is just going to break up the tubes and increase gain/compression more, rather than perceived volume in the mix. I am more concerned about the RB having the 'always gritty' characteristics people portray it as having even when the boost is off, as I will need to have the 'effect' always on as my master EQ due to there being no tone controls on the slave amp I will be running it into - but I would love to use it as a gritty boost at some points.

edit: before anyone asks why I will be running a tube 200w slave cranked to its output limit, doom doom doom stoner doom. no PA. loud drummer, etc.
 
#5
I used the Rusty for a while and loved it as a pre. You can get a nice clean tone by keeping the gain around 9 0clock. I think you'll love it. I recently sold mine to fund the verellen meatsmoke pre-amp. As awesome as that will prob be, I really miss the Rusty. So lets just say you get it and don't really dig it. Contact me and I will take it off your hands for what you paid for it. Very serious. But really, I don't see that happening. Its a great pre-amp. Since you asked for other suggestions, I do love the VT as well. Thats whats on my board to hold me over till sept. It does the grindy tone, the warm tube abd inbetween, so for versatility it wins. But the grind that it does is no were near as unique as the rusty. Long winded, sorry. Good luck man.
 
#6
I had a Rusty for a while and it does a good job of running a power amp. It can also get a rather clean tone though the boost feature does increase the volume a good bit! Not useable at for me..

This is just my opinion/ preference here but I found the SansAmp PBDDI more up my alley. It has 3 channels to store presets. I use clean to mildly overdriven as the presets. The eq section On the PBDDI did more in shaping my tone in my particular setup. Its a great preamp!
 
#7
Niff said:
that's not so much a problem as I will be running straight into a power amp and cranked to its 'volume' limits as such anyway - so pushing the input is just going to break up the tubes and increase gain/compression more, rather than perceived volume in the mix. I am more concerned about the RB having the 'always gritty' characteristics people portray it as having even when the boost is off, as I will need to have the 'effect' always on as my master EQ due to there being no tone controls on the slave amp I will be running it into - but I would love to use it as a gritty boost at some points.
Click to expand...

gotcha. yes, it does clean pretty well. But that also could depend on how hot your bass' natural output is. You'll be fine with a passive bass. Both my zon and ritter (active) can do clean through the box.
 
#8
I wonder if maybe I should just use an EQ pedal - I will be running a Rickenbacker 4001 into a 200w tubed power amp, into a Sunn 2x15 (thanks johnk!)

Full signal chain is rick -> tb looper -> possible preamp -> amp+cab. in the loop of the looper will be a Bluebeard and a HE El Oso.
 
#9
It can definitely do clean- but for me I what it really excels at is a kind of "soft clipping", wherein it sounds like it is still clean but adding a nice aggressive voice to your bass. As mentioned, the Boost is fairly unuseable as a footswitchable dirty channel due to just how much volume it adds- you'll probably just want to use one or the other channel (though the Boost can be cool when using the Rusty as an effect box into a fuzz or low-pass filter).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff O'Connor
#10
Hey Niff. I have the Rusty, and the Input Gain control will allow you dial in a clean soft-touch tone that breaks up a bit when you dig, and goes to full on OD when you Boost. Or a super clean clean tone, with just a boost/slight OD with Boost if you have the gain down even lower. For the Doom thing, I think its right up your alley to push a poweramp. The RB is a clone of that dirty old 70's Traynor SS amp, so gets you your old-school punch. Very comparable to my 70's Acoustic 370 cranked sound.

I used to use a VT Bass to get the touch-sensitive Ampeggy clean tone, but the RB is touch sensitive enough to replace it. Where a soft touch gets a nice smooth clean tone, and digging in dirts it up but without much volume boost. The Boost switch gets dirty enough for me to replace my OD too, so I made my decision based on RB replacing both VT and PD7 OD (more pedalboard real estate!)

If you haven't visited the Stoner Doom thread yet, you'd feel right at home there with us! Apologies if you're a regular, theres alot of movement in that thread and I'm only really in the 9-5 crew haha
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back