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Sansamp settings: Share your favorites?
- Thread starter Jeff Roller
- Start date
maybe not JC specifically, but with the ol' BDDI the classic grindy '90s rock sound is to be had by bypassing the preamp of whatever amp you're using and just making the sansamp the preamp (by running it straight into a regular power amp, or into the effects return of a bass amp).
then, dime the blend (so it's all sansamp sound, no dry sound), set the level up and the drive down, put the EQ knobs all flat (which leaves a sizable mid-scoop in the sound) and just tweak the EQ and drive knobs to taste. note that "presence" is different than "treble", the presence knob seems to add some gain and grit while the treble knob is just EQ.
then, dime the blend (so it's all sansamp sound, no dry sound), set the level up and the drive down, put the EQ knobs all flat (which leaves a sizable mid-scoop in the sound) and just tweak the EQ and drive knobs to taste. note that "presence" is different than "treble", the presence knob seems to add some gain and grit while the treble knob is just EQ.
I will try this Walt thanks. The thing is its like I feel I'm ignoring some of the tone coming from my GK then too and I'd like to hold on to some of that in the translation. I'll try the settings you've suggested though and see what happens.
Nice idea for a thread. Here are my settings on a BDDI (it's probably 8-9 years old but I haven't heard of them being sonically different from the newer ones):
Level: variable so it is @ unison with dry tone
Blend: 3:00
Treble: 11:30-noon
Bass: 10:00
Drive: 10:00
Presence: 11:00
I keep it on all the time - I find it adds a bit of thickness and... I don't know, crunchiness, to my tone. I'm definitely going to play around with the settings here though and see if I like anything else better
Level: variable so it is @ unison with dry tone
Blend: 3:00
Treble: 11:30-noon
Bass: 10:00
Drive: 10:00
Presence: 11:00
I keep it on all the time - I find it adds a bit of thickness and... I don't know, crunchiness, to my tone. I'm definitely going to play around with the settings here though and see if I like anything else better
I put it at the end of my effects chain. I figure since it's an amp emulator the effects should be feeding it, not the other way around.
As a quick experiment set up a simple effect loop with your distortion pedal. Put it before and after the BDDI and see the difference in sound. EDIT: I prefer it this way. Obviously YMMV, but I think you'll find that many people put it at the end of their effects chain, either to plug it into their amp, or go direct to the board. I do both.
As a quick experiment set up a simple effect loop with your distortion pedal. Put it before and after the BDDI and see the difference in sound. EDIT: I prefer it this way. Obviously YMMV, but I think you'll find that many people put it at the end of their effects chain, either to plug it into their amp, or go direct to the board. I do both.
I have a BDDI Deluxe. When I first got it, I plugged in 2 basses and ran one thru Bank A and the second thru Bank B. Both banks were set up similar: Tube, SVT, and quiet (all knobs set to 0). Because the two basses differed in output level the only real difference between the banks were the gain differences needed to keep everything at unity. Since then I've gone back to the 6 default sounds except with everything except for Crimson at unity.
As far as where in the signal chain I put it, I run bass - wireless - tuner - compressor - BDDI - delay - amp front input. Good results with least noise, for me.
As far as where in the signal chain I put it, I run bass - wireless - tuner - compressor - BDDI - delay - amp front input. Good results with least noise, for me.
This is pretty much exactly where I am. I try out a lot of stuff but my knobs always end up in the noon area. Maybe a little less on presence. I never run that blend full like most of the manual settings ask for
Where would you guys put it in relation to the distortion pedals? That's the main effect I want it to either effect the most or least. I think I'm just gonna have to play with each one separately with the BDDI. If you look at the pic, I'm effecting ALL the pedals as is correct??
I find putting it at the very end of my pedal chain allows it to beef up the bottom end that most distortion pedals seem to remove.
I have a PBDDI, so don't know if it fits the bill, but here goes anyway. I've been using pretty much the same settings for the last 4 years. In fact, I've been using them so long I've given them nicknames: Tubie, Reggie and Slappie. Before getting the Digitech BassDriver, I had little cousin Odie in Slappie's spot. They all are not very different from what the manual suggests and Lord knows I've toyed with it during the first 6-8 months.
It starts with the basses (Jazz or Peavey), ending in the Fender Rumble. The PBDDI is last before the amp.
Greg, 'the end' means that the output of the BDDI goes directly into your amp. Judging by the picture you posted your BDDI is at the beginning of your effects chain. Put it after the delay pedal, or in between the chorus and delay.
I see. I'm moving things around and I've actually moved over two spaces. My distortion sounds so much better if the BDDI comes before it. That's third in line from my bass. Just out of curiosity, why would you put where you are suggesting to put it sock??
Cool set of pedals. I'm not sure what your chain is and experimentation is the key anyway, but I'd give this a shot:
BASS > POG > AW-3 > OCD > FUZZ > CEB-3 > BCD (which I assume you use more on a flanger setting) > Delay > BDDI > AMP.
This way, you get to use the DI if needed. Anyhoo, there are chain general guidelines, but its mostly a matter of taste. This is an interesting read:
http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/chain.shtml
BASS > POG > AW-3 > OCD > FUZZ > CEB-3 > BCD (which I assume you use more on a flanger setting) > Delay > BDDI > AMP.
This way, you get to use the DI if needed. Anyhoo, there are chain general guidelines, but its mostly a matter of taste. This is an interesting read:
http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/chain.shtml
