Something Tube-ish

[FirewalZ]

I play classic rock and blues, mostly use a P bass with Labella's through a GK MB combo. I get a good tone from the GK, however for what I play its sometimes a bit too clean and modern but I certainly don't have the $$, space or back to lug an SVT around. Is there something reasonably affordable that can add a bit of that tube grind? I hear about the Tech21 VT a lot hear on TB, anything else?

 

[bassbrad]

Zoom MS60B will give you SVT, Bassman and Xotic Bass BB sims and a whole lot more for the price of a pedal tuner and will play very nicely with your bass and amp.

 

[RoadRanger]

The Behringer clone of that (BDI-21) is pretty good and cheap at $30 shipped - but I prefer something that doesn't mess with the tone. My latest find is the Caline CP-2 Pure Sky for $30 shipped:
Amazon.com: Electric Guitar Pedal-cp-12 Pure Sky Od-guitar Effect Pedal-free Shipping: Musical Instruments
Caline Pure Sky OD on Bass is Goooooo | TalkBass.com

 

[shawshank72]

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[FirewalZ]

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Thanks, Ive come across the Catalin SFT as well, how does it stack up against the Tech21 VT?

 

[FirewalZ]

I came across this site, lots of comparisons and sound clips.
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I'm not really looking for Fuzz or OD, just something to add a gritty edge to the tone.

 

[Matt Dean]

I've tried several of the tube emulators including the sft (twice). Didn't like it when a/b with others.

I'm currently using the barbershop and vintage micro tubes.

 

[shawshank72]

Thanks, Ive come across the Catalin SFT as well, how does it stack up against the Tech21 VT?

Although no mid control it dosent suck mids like a sansamp or behringer bdi.
In my opinion it's much more tamer than a VT and easier to find the cleaner tones.
Can get good full fatness without all the grind if you want to.
I just find the VT to be more synthetic and the sft to be more organic.
Barbershop is also a great choice.

 

[FirewalZ]

The Barbershop Millenium Overdrive - Fairfield Circuitry
Is this the "Barbershop" I hear folks refer to?

 

[Lowbrow]

Way Huge Pork Loin

 

[Session1969]

Mesa Walkabout head.

 

[old-fashioned]

Same boat... I'm very much interested in the Dave Hall stuff.

 

[FirewalZ]

thanks for all the suggestions. I'm happy with my GK and don't have the room or $ for a tube head, also I dont have use for fuzz or full blow distortion/OD. I'm just looking for a pedal that can give me a bit of a tubey edge. Looks like the VT and the SFT are the contenders.

 

[old-fashioned]

I have a Tech21 VT Bass. It's perfect for getting buried in the mix.

 

[hintz]

I have a Tech21 VT Bass. It's perfect for getting buried in the mix.

That sounds like my experiences with their bass driver ...but I only recently tried one and not in a band context...

For cheaper option, I suggest the hardwire CM2 tube overdrive, it sounds great and I dialed it in identical to the swell Bpeg I had(a real 12ax7 tube pedal designed to simulate a cranked ampeg), also the reason I sold the Swell(now Myco) pedal, it does the same lightly driven tone an ampeg can do, and yes, I owned an svt2 for about 5 years and experienced the unforgettable sound of one being overdriven.

You can find a cm2 used for $50-75 on eBay...I currently use a source audio OFD for this and much more

 

[RoadRanger]

thanks for all the suggestions. I'm happy with my GK and don't have the room or $ for a tube head, also I dont have use for fuzz or full blow distortion/OD. I'm just looking for a pedal that can give me a bit of a tubey edge. Looks like the VT and the SFT are the contenders.

Those ARE od's. Most OD's can be turned down to give just a slight taste of tubey but many are "colored" like the Sansamp BDDI . Dunno about the VT, maybe they "fixed" it?

 

[Dave W]

The Barbershop Millenium Overdrive - Fairfield Circuitry
Is this the "Barbershop" I hear folks refer to?

Yes and it's exactly what I'd recommend for what you want. Awesome pedal...

 

[old-fashioned]

I've both the BDDI and VT. VT Bass has less color, but buries deeper.

 

[Bassmike62]

After year of moving from a Digitech BassDriver to a VT Bass (v.2) to a VT Bass DI, to a Pork Loin, to an MXR Bass Preamp, back to a VT Bass and now back again to a VT Bass DI, I've finally settled on this last pedal. It's working real well with my current set-up for the style of music I play. I'm cutting through real good, with mids around noon and character and drive knobs around 10 o'clock. From what I hear on Youtube, the Catalinbread also sounds pretty good.

 

[mmbongo]

Pedals that will deliver, in order from cheapest to most expensive:

TC Spark
Way Huge Pork Loin
SolidGoldFX Beta
Catalinbread SFT (18v required though)
Bearfoot Blueberry

After having all for a while I now have just the Beta and Spark, they were my favorites.