I generally don't like most overdrives, but the Tech 21 DP-3X Dug Pinnick + Spector is pure BALLS baby! Just kills 
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Spector and Overdrive / Distortion pedals
- Thread starter BaltBass5
- Start date
What cabinets are you using? If they have tweeters, try rolling back the tweeter control if they have them.
Edit: presuming you’re using the Mesa Subway cabs listed in your profile, they have attenuators on the tweeters. Try using those and see if you like the results better.
Subway 112 x2. Currently have the tweeters at mid (12 o’clock) good idea though! Thx!
Might be worth trying a buffer buster / passive pickup emulator before changing up your whole board
Definitely try lowering the gain on the GLXD. What I also did is lowering the level output of my compressor so that the signal is not too hot. using Spector Euros and a B3K as well. Hitting the B3K with the original gain level makes it distort even when the distort level is set to the lowest.
D
I feel you. The best sounding overdrive I managed to get out my EMG-equipped basses comes form the old 'n trusty Line6 Bass POD Live XT - tube pre-amp with the drive almost dimed (let's say about 95%).
Since my amp has a tube in the pre, I am going to try with just a clean-boost.
Since my amp has a tube in the pre, I am going to try with just a clean-boost.
i exclusively play a Spector NS5-H2 (US) and i have several overdrive/fuzz/distortion pedals. I play in a progressive rock band and i always have a wet signal using any of these pedals. It sounds great with all of them... lately i have only been using a darkglass X7 as it covers all my distortion/overdrive options and it works amazingly well with my spector. I have EMGs on the spector and the aguilar OPB3 preamp i do tweak the preamp around depending on whether i am using a pick fingers, advanced slapping/thumping and tapping.
Best sounding setup so far for me has been using pickups in series, with mid cut at 800hz treble and bass flat with Neural DSP parallax Jacob Umansky T0n3r setting when slapping double thumping.
the only downside to my bass is that i cannot tune the low B to a G as it becomes too wobbly and muddy in recording. And the 16.5 mm spacing that makes some advanced slapping/thumping popping techniques a challenge to play as clean as i would. other than that it's one of the basses that would make my bucket list.
Best sounding setup so far for me has been using pickups in series, with mid cut at 800hz treble and bass flat with Neural DSP parallax Jacob Umansky T0n3r setting when slapping double thumping.
the only downside to my bass is that i cannot tune the low B to a G as it becomes too wobbly and muddy in recording. And the 16.5 mm spacing that makes some advanced slapping/thumping popping techniques a challenge to play as clean as i would. other than that it's one of the basses that would make my bucket list.
Last edited:
PSA 2.0 works well with my Spector 5's (EMG's, HazLab Preamp). I too have had trouble With Spector's and dirt pedals. Too often, people on talkbass dismiss these issues and chalk it up to user error. Or they recommend 1000+ options without ever playing a Spector bass and trying the very thing we are discussing.
I read that Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse) had to lower the signal level off of his Spector (EMG BTS system at 18 volts) before feeding the signal into the Darkglass B3K. That's how he got that pedal to respond "normally".
Darkglass B3K - I had the same issues. Distorted no matter what and nothing, but fizzy madness.
Tweeter - DISENGAGE the tweeter! Distortion in the tweeter range sounds AWFUL.
Here are some pedals that worked well on my Spectors:
I read that Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse) had to lower the signal level off of his Spector (EMG BTS system at 18 volts) before feeding the signal into the Darkglass B3K. That's how he got that pedal to respond "normally".
Darkglass B3K - I had the same issues. Distorted no matter what and nothing, but fizzy madness.
Tweeter - DISENGAGE the tweeter! Distortion in the tweeter range sounds AWFUL.
Here are some pedals that worked well on my Spectors:
- Tech21 PSA 2.0
- Tech21 XXL
- Tech21 GT2
- Tech 21 VT Bass (not the Deluxe version)
- Xotic BB Preamp
- JHS Moonshine
I also read that article on AW. I appreciate the info!!! Good to hear from another Spector player and your experience!
My Doug Wimbish Spector has a trim pot in the control cavity. Try turning that down so its not so hot of a signal.
Yeah the Tone Pumps have that but the Darkglasses do not. Going to see if that works on the Tone Pump though!
Here is a sound clip of my spaceman redstone with various settings. First clip is no effect. next is gain almost off. Clips following that have the gain going up each time. Bass is around 50%, treble at 25%, and mid at 100% (it's passive tonestack, so fully cranked it flat mid)
. I am playing my Schecter Stiletto, but it has a spector tonepump preamp and EMG Js in it. I have the tonepump trim around 25%. Redstone is running at 12V.
. I am playing my Schecter Stiletto, but it has a spector tonepump preamp and EMG Js in it. I have the tonepump trim around 25%. Redstone is running at 12V.
I play Spectors and Alembics, both of which are very bright basses. For me, the only overdrives or distortions that work are those with both a blend control and a treble EQ of some kind. For me, moderate to intense overdrive or distortion sounds fizzy and too harsh unless i can roll off the treble somehow. There are lots of ODs or distortions that have these features. The Damnation MBD is great, as are the new Genzler 4 in the Floor and Crash Box, the Free the Tone Black Vehicle, the Creation Audio Grizzly… just to name a few. Those are my favs, but there are many others.
For me, anyway, it’s crucial to roll off some of the high end.
For me, anyway, it’s crucial to roll off some of the high end.
Idk I can’t pull a tone from this pedal. Spector player here as well. I hear some tones with distortions that I love from other players, but I can’t pull them. Tried trimming back my tone pump, have a few different preamps, pup combinations. Idk. Someone set my stuff up please, lol.
I think that specific combos fight each other, pre on the bass, pre on the pedal, tube pre on the amp. Hot signal, hot signal, hot signal.
I’m settling back in to being ok with an SVT and Spector grind.
Last edited:
I dial in my MBD differently than most.
I start with the clean side set at unity.
That establishes my core tone, albeit with the highs rolled off.
Then, on the dirty side, I set the tone control higher, around 3 o'clock, and slowly bring up dirty side to get my highs back.
That way, I get clean lows and mids, with a nice, crunchy top end.
If you haven't gotten rid of the MBD yet, I suggest trying this, and seeing how that works with your setup.
The Tone Pump Jr sadly doesn't have the internal volume pot that the regular tone pump does. My NS Pulse 5 has the tone pump jr with emg 40dc's. I usually need to keep the volume on it really low (almost off) to get a normal, usable signal level out of it. If I turn it up past 50%, I start getting really bad distortion from the bass itself. I'm planning on swapping out the tone pump jr for a DG tone capsule, I'm hoping that running the DG with two batteries will give me more clean headroom
I have a Spector NS Pulse that I love, but they are a different beast from most other basses, especially passive ones. When I use my Tech 21 Dug Pinnick preamp with it, as others have said, you just have to lower and flatten the onboard preamp to make it sound like “normal” basses. I usually use my p-bass style guitars when I am using the Dug for my heavier rock band stuff, and use the Spector for cleaner things, like church and Pop style music, because I really love the Spector sound, and you lose that when you place pedals in front of it. With some fun experimentation, you will find a cool overdriven tone!
A low pass filter (Broughton makes a good one) is precisely what you need - overdrives are usually designed with the assumption that they'll be running into a speaker (without a tweeter) that will lop that fizz off - so a speaker without a tweeter and/or a low pass filter will clean that up for you. On my pedalboards, I do the low pass inside a Source Audio EQ2 - that also works well.
