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sansamp para driver vs. aguilar tone hammer
- Thread starter ba$$player
- Start date
What mechanism that holds the batteries? You pretty much stuff them in there and hope for the best. I did contact Aguilar and they were no help.
Hey man sorry had a problem with the battery. Total sucks to have to throw a pedal away. I was curious about the problem so I took mine off my pedal board today. Here's a picture of the battery compartment in my Tonehammer.
The batteries sit securely in a slot in the back of a tray that slides in and out. There's a flush mounted phillips head machine screw in the bottom of the unit (or a thumbscrew on the earlier ones) that screws into the threaded insert in the tray (the silver disk) You tighten or loosen it to slide the tray in and out to change the batteries. As Eublet points out, it's not close to where you put the batteries. Even if it was it's a machine screw so it's flat not pointy on the end which would make it difficult if not impossible to puncture the case of a battery.
Are you saying your pedal didn't have a battery tray like the one in the picture?
Hey, thanks for posting a picture of the battery rigging.
I feel even better about choosing the Tone Hammer.
It's somewhere between the factory, and the dealer at this point.
I feel even better about choosing the Tone Hammer.
It's somewhere between the factory, and the dealer at this point.
You should have no concerns about any Aguilar stuff. They pedals are really well built and they stand are a good company that stands behind their products. Oh, and it's a great pedal!
Hi Eublet
I just got a TH and I've been trying to read all the threads on it (might take me a while) anyway, I read your review and I was just wondering, when you mention the mids I get confused about which mid knob you are using......the mid freq or the mid EQ knob? It would be for getting a warmer tone.....would appreciate if you could elaborate....thanks...
LP
I just got a TH and I've been trying to read all the threads on it (might take me a while) anyway, I read your review and I was just wondering, when you mention the mids I get confused about which mid knob you are using......the mid freq or the mid EQ knob? It would be for getting a warmer tone.....would appreciate if you could elaborate....thanks...
LP
Mid Freq is the knob that sets the frequency center itself. Med Level is the knob that either boosts or cuts that frequency. IF you have the Mid Level at noon, then turning the Mid Frequency knob has no effect since you aren't boosting or cutting anything.
Start of with subtle changes I suggest. Boost lows if you want it thicker, but not more than say 1 or 1:30. Ad just highs to balance that out. Then for mids, Try boosting mids to 1 o'clock, and then move the Mid Freq knob around until you find something you like, or conversely, if you find something you really hate when boosted, then leave the Mid Freq knob there and use the Mid Level knob to cut that frequency back to around 11 o'clock.
There are no right or wrong answers. Just play with it until you find something you like.
I tend to run my virtually with the AGS disengaged. But occasionally I'll run it like this.
Lows - noon
Highs - 11 o'clcok
Mid freq - 3 o'clock
Mid Level - 11 o'clock
Gain and Master at noon
This is a warm, slightly modern sound. It sounds great to my ear.
If you are using the AGS, then you can be more drastic with EQ (if you want) since the overall width of the tone is much narrower. I sometimes boost lows and highs to nearly 2 o'clock when using the AGS, or I'll scoop mids.
If it sounds good, is it good. Have fun with it.
Thanks Eublet.....In your review I had been confused by the fact that I wasn't sure if you were talking of the "Freq" knob or the "Mid" knob in some of the examples you were mentioning. So far though I do like the TH.....
Eublet,
Just wanted say thanks for posting this. Normally when I use the TH, I bypass the preamp in my GK MB800. On a gig last week, decided to try this TH setting running into the GK preamp as well. I don't typically do a lot of tone shaping but have to say this was one of the best sounds I've ever had live. The GK runs into an Avatar TB153 and I using my SR5. The stage is like a box so the bass is typically very boomy in this room. This time it felt and sounded nice and full and on the recording it's great. Great full sound, just punchy enough when it needs to be and sits perfectly in the mix. Almost like the TH rolled off some of the boomy low end. Part of it could be the TI's on the SR5 but thinking the TH is playing a bigger role. Gonna test soon with a different bass.
Glad it helps. I have found that there are lots of tones in this pedal when I ONLY cut EQ, sometimes drastically. There really aren't any wrong answers here. Just twist until you like what you hear.
One fun experiment is to set mid freq at 1:30 then cut them back to 7:30 with the AGS on, and then cut bass and treble to balance it out to taste. If you have a passive bass, set the tone control around half way down first though. Then push the gain higher and higher to get some nice vintage OD going. It completely changes the character of the OD with the mids that far back. Also try shifting the mid freq to the right or left a bit to see if you like it better or worse.
Find a few settings you like, write them all on a single piece of paper, and then make an effort to try them on a gig. If you do this a few times it will really help you learn the pedal and help you get better at finding all those great tones that are buried in most any decent instrument.
Another thing I like is to cut bass and mids, but boost treble with the AGS on. It's clanky and harsh at first, but with a passive P bass you can cut the passive tone control WAY back to take much of that top off, but it leaves a very present upper mid nose on the tone that sounds awesome. It's very different and more organic sounding than trying to simply boost upper mids. Then cut more mids to make that nose sharper, or cut mids less to make it more throaty sounding.
The AGS is the best part of the pedal to me and I seldom run mine without it, and I'm not a guy who goes for heavy OD at all. I use it to get a warm recorded tone like you would hear on most any pop or R&B tune. Not deep, not zingy, not in front nor buried underneath. Just a good tone. This pedal always delivers. Seriously never have a single let down when I use it. Can't say that about any other pedal.
One fun experiment is to set mid freq at 1:30 then cut them back to 7:30 with the AGS on, and then cut bass and treble to balance it out to taste. If you have a passive bass, set the tone control around half way down first though. Then push the gain higher and higher to get some nice vintage OD going. It completely changes the character of the OD with the mids that far back. Also try shifting the mid freq to the right or left a bit to see if you like it better or worse.
Find a few settings you like, write them all on a single piece of paper, and then make an effort to try them on a gig. If you do this a few times it will really help you learn the pedal and help you get better at finding all those great tones that are buried in most any decent instrument.
Another thing I like is to cut bass and mids, but boost treble with the AGS on. It's clanky and harsh at first, but with a passive P bass you can cut the passive tone control WAY back to take much of that top off, but it leaves a very present upper mid nose on the tone that sounds awesome. It's very different and more organic sounding than trying to simply boost upper mids. Then cut more mids to make that nose sharper, or cut mids less to make it more throaty sounding.
The AGS is the best part of the pedal to me and I seldom run mine without it, and I'm not a guy who goes for heavy OD at all. I use it to get a warm recorded tone like you would hear on most any pop or R&B tune. Not deep, not zingy, not in front nor buried underneath. Just a good tone. This pedal always delivers. Seriously never have a single let down when I use it. Can't say that about any other pedal.
Does anybody use the TH to simply 'sweeten' up your live rig? I don't want to bypass my amp's pre (because I do like it), but I've felt recently that my passive jazz could use a little 'oompf'. I have used a BDDI & a VT Bass. They were great for recording or going live w/o an amp, but in line with my rig I did not care for it, my Ashdown head just sounded better by itself. I also tried out a 3 Leaf Enabler which was way closer to the clean oompf I am looking for, but it had fixed mids and was almost too transparent in line with my rig. It didn't really get me there.
Just curious if anybody has used the TH this way, and wondering if it played well with their amp and their effects?
Just curious if anybody has used the TH this way, and wondering if it played well with their amp and their effects?
I used to play my TH like that - as a sweetener for my Jazz bass. But I was mainly doing this to compensate for a lack in my specific amp. I was essentially JUST using it as an EQ, and to add more bite before I ran it into my other pedals. I was using the TH into a VT Bass and was feeding that into my Fender Bassman TV.
Aguilar, Ampeg flavor, Fender tone stack. Kind of overkill but I was pleased with it for awhile.
Aguilar, Ampeg flavor, Fender tone stack. Kind of overkill but I was pleased with it for awhile.
Take a look almost posting above and Eublet's feedback. That's essentially what we're both doing. I run the EQ controls flat on my gk head and do the tone shaping with the tone hammer. Works perfect in that application. Not all amp tone centers are in the same place so makes it easier to dial in a sound you want. I use Eublet's suggested settings to beef up my jazz just a bit. Works like a champ.
That sounds great, I just took a look at that post and it was very informative. I think I will give it a try!
Sorry to rehash an old thread.
Jason - between the Aggie Tone Hammer and the VT Bass Deluxe, which pedal do you run first into the other?
[Edit] - never mind - I think I found my answer in http://www.talkbass.com/threads/aguilar-tonehammer-vs-vt-bass-di.957262/#post-13871142
"I tend to go for those things the VT does well more often, so I have been using it more lately. Still, every time I use the TH instead I'm very happy. It's more versatile in every regard."
so it looks like not both together, but one or the other.
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@Eublet
"Setting the knob around 2-3 o'clock puts the mid control around the 750 hz mark, where you'll get some classic SVT'ish mid scoop going."
Is this the gain knob or the mid knob? Thank friend.
"Setting the knob around 2-3 o'clock puts the mid control around the 750 hz mark, where you'll get some classic SVT'ish mid scoop going."
Is this the gain knob or the mid knob? Thank friend.
The mid frequency knob (the one of the left) is the one he's referring to. It sets the frequency and the mid level knob next to it set the amount of boost or cut at that frequency. The gain knob adjusts the input gain.
I know I've revived a zombie here, but Eublet's post has been a revelation with a recently purchased THDI. This led me to a setting that sounds like some amazing combo of tube drive and vintage cab sim. It's making my jazz bass sound amazing.
Well since you bumped it, I'll add that this thread and Eublet's post were a big help to me with the Tone Hammer, too. And also Britbonic's battery compartment photo posted earlier was very helpful — I was wondering how the heck to get batteries in there and almost put them in how the other guy must have put his when he punctured them with the screw! Augilar should really stick a piece of paper with a link to this thread in their packaging; no joke.
For me, Im not sure that I love the TH, but I do like it. I wish it were a bit smaller, took a single battery, were more of a straightforward 2 channel device, could get a bit dirtier, and didn’t do automatic speaker emulation with the AGS. Sounds like I hate it, eh?! But, I don’t hate it. I probably just should have gotten a distortion or overdrive pedal (and I probably will next), but to start with I really wanted some amount of distortion combined with a DI with EQ for going direct if needed. After watching a lot of YouTube vids, I always remembered a TH demo that sounded just right to me, so I eventually pulled the trigger on one.
Anyway, I now have a DI with very flexible EQ and the ability to add dirt. I’ve especially liked it for adding some old school dirt to my SG Bass. Sounds pretty cool!
If I could magically change only one thing about it, I'd still shrink it a bit in size. But anyway, it’s not THAT big, lol. As for making the AGS a true separate channel, that hasn’t really been that important to me in practice as I've ended up only engaging the Tone Hammer with the AGS on (otherwise, I have the whole pedal bypassed [but the EQ and DI are there if I’d need it]). Regarding my "more distortion onboard" wish above, I actually don’t use the current max distortion setting anyway, so no biggie there. That leaves the second most wanted change for me being that I wish there were a cab sim defeat button for the AGS. — I’d rather not have the cab sim on when I’m already going through my cab. Doesn’t at all sound bad as is, but defeatable would be a nice option.
Pretty cool pedal, overall. I like the tone and capabilities. Great name. I've had it a few months and it’s been a keeper for me so far
For me, Im not sure that I love the TH, but I do like it. I wish it were a bit smaller, took a single battery, were more of a straightforward 2 channel device, could get a bit dirtier, and didn’t do automatic speaker emulation with the AGS. Sounds like I hate it, eh?! But, I don’t hate it. I probably just should have gotten a distortion or overdrive pedal (and I probably will next), but to start with I really wanted some amount of distortion combined with a DI with EQ for going direct if needed. After watching a lot of YouTube vids, I always remembered a TH demo that sounded just right to me, so I eventually pulled the trigger on one.
Anyway, I now have a DI with very flexible EQ and the ability to add dirt. I’ve especially liked it for adding some old school dirt to my SG Bass. Sounds pretty cool!
If I could magically change only one thing about it, I'd still shrink it a bit in size. But anyway, it’s not THAT big, lol. As for making the AGS a true separate channel, that hasn’t really been that important to me in practice as I've ended up only engaging the Tone Hammer with the AGS on (otherwise, I have the whole pedal bypassed [but the EQ and DI are there if I’d need it]). Regarding my "more distortion onboard" wish above, I actually don’t use the current max distortion setting anyway, so no biggie there. That leaves the second most wanted change for me being that I wish there were a cab sim defeat button for the AGS. — I’d rather not have the cab sim on when I’m already going through my cab. Doesn’t at all sound bad as is, but defeatable would be a nice option.
Pretty cool pedal, overall. I like the tone and capabilities. Great name. I've had it a few months and it’s been a keeper for me so far
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