Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[br1qbat]

I’ll second the Pork Loin suggestion. Modded, if possible. Simply the best OD I have found that just plain works in pretty much any context. I’m terrible at describing tones, so I won’t try, but if I could have a single drive pedal, that would be it. Thankfully, I can have as many as I want!

Mine is stock. But yes, definitely something great about that pedal, especially into a GK [but you already knew that too!]

 

[br1qbat]

Hey dude! Just listened to some Solar Monolith. That was some way impressive bass playing and singing.

Thanks. Still a work in progress, especially singing, but glad you dug it.

 

[C_nut]

This was a lot of awesome suggestions. Thank you everyone!

I'll definitely get the OCD back on my board and see how I like with the P. By the way, Sam, did you use the Demon on Monobrow's Big Sky, Black Horse? I really really like that album.

I'll also look into the overdrives you mentioned. I've heard Plumes loses some low end but I guess I could fix that with the EQ. Otherwise it looks like a keeper!

Some others to consider, depending on whether you can get them easily or snag them on reverb for a decent price.

Wren & Cuff have a few pedals worth checking. The Phat Phuk B is killer, and the Super Phat Phuk is an expanded version of that, although not identical. If you want more gain on tap, try the Pickle Pie Hella Fuzz. The clean blend on it is great, and you can run it mostly clean with lower gain for a very nice dirty-not-distorted sound.

Oh yeah - TC Electronic Spark Booster! The full sized 4-knob version is great. Should be easily available for pretty cheap. It has fat, clean, and mid modes, which all work well on bass. The gain is natural sounding and will just give you some bite.

Thanks dude! I've been thinking about a boost pedal but are they usually used in conjunction with other dirt or could they work as transparent overdrives?

 

[C_nut]

I've been also thinking about the Solidgold FX Beta but I've heard it's pretty dark. How do you guys like this pedal? Is there a settings on it that would retain the characteristics of my p bass tone that already cuts through or would it mess it up? I also wonder how it handles faster stuff.

Also, any Blower Box users here? If so, how do you like to use it? Always on or occasional grind?

 

[bassboysam]

This was a lot of awesome suggestions. Thank you everyone!

I'll definitely get the OCD back on my board and see how I like with the P. By the way, Sam, did you use the Demon on Monobrow's Big Sky, Black Horse? I really really like that album.

I'll also look into the overdrives you mentioned. I've heard Plumes loses some low end but I guess I could fix that with the EQ. Otherwise it looks like a keeper!



Thanks dude! I've been thinking about a boost pedal but are they usually used in conjunction with other dirt or could they work as transparent overdrives?

oh man that seems like a lifetime ago. probably on Cicada (j bass) and Mountains (p bass). pretty sure the heavier sections of Arctic and Big Sky were bluebeard.

on Nacarat I used a Dunwich ODB, which is also OCD based, on Capes, Accident and Decline.

 

[bassboysam]

i used a lot of Oxfuzz Bass on Big Sky and Bennington too, i should bring that pedal out again. it was a really unique fuzz.

 

[C_nut]

oh man that seems like a lifetime ago. probably on Cicada (j bass) and Mountains (p bass). pretty sure the heavier sections of Arctic and Big Sky were bluebeard.

on Nacarat I used a Dunwich ODB, which is also OCD based, on Capes, Accident and Decline.

i used a lot of Oxfuzz Bass on Big Sky and Bennington too, i should bring that pedal out again. it was a really unique fuzz.

Gnarly

 

[starjag]

Jazz bass pickups related question: any ideas what brand/model would serve as the “doom” version of the Fender Pure Vintage '64 jazz bass pickups?

Just trying to understand the different pickup flavours out there and what would be considered doom-oriented from the pickups perspective, and maybe also hum-bucking perspective.

On doom!

 

[bassboysam]

Jazz bass pickups related question: any ideas what brand/model would serve as the “doom” version of the Fender Pure Vintage '64 jazz bass pickups?

Just trying to understand the different pickup flavours out there and what would be considered doom-oriented from the pickups perspective, and maybe also hum-bucking perspective.

On doom!

David Allen Js and Ps are awesome. lots of beef but still clear enough with no excessive mud. i've tried lots of pickups over the years, the DAs are my favorite.

 

[Grahams Groove]

Thanks dude! I've been thinking about a boost pedal but are they usually used in conjunction with other dirt or could they work as transparent overdrives?

It really depends on if it’s a clean or dirty boost, whether or not you’re pushing a tube amp with it, etc. The Spark Booster and Phat Phuk B are booth considered “dirty boosts” but they easily get into overdrive territory. You can control the gain on the Spark, so just push it more to get more drive out of it. The PPB is a germanium boost, and you can adjust the bias internally. So that thing can also get nice and overdriven.

 

[bluehevy75]

Big Game Bedlam iii. For me, for always on dirt, ymmv.

Tried Pork Loin but play flats so it didn’t work out.

 

[kleinenenten]

Big Game Bedlam iii. For me, for always on dirt, ymmv.

Tried Pork Loin but play flats so it didn’t work out.

Which flats? My PL and Chromes are amazing.

As for the Blower Box, it was a touch too fizzy for me. For Rats, I prefer the Iron Pig. I’ve had a couple well-respected Rats, but the pig is my favorite.

 

[rutrho]

I tend to like tube screamer pedals with the volume cranked for OD-ish tones. I've been using a mark IV Green Rhino as an OD for a while now, boost on my preamp and an X when I want grindy tones and crunch. I'm also on a fretless and my base tone is way the hell different than a P or J so I tend to have some different tone goalz.

I still haven't tried any rodent variant pedals...

 

[kleinenenten]

I tend to like tube screamer pedals with the volume cranked for OD-ish tones. I've been using a mark IV Green Rhino as an OD for a while now, boost on my preamp and an X when I want grindy tones and crunch. I'm also on a fretless and my base tone is way the hell different than a P or J so I tend to have some different tone goalz.

I still haven't tried any rodent variant pedals...

Always been interested by the Green Rhino. Love my Pork Loin, but not sure of Tube Screamers on bass. I, too, have strange tone goals in that I like my flats, but also want to be present in mixes.

 

[Basshappi]

Don't care for Tube Screamers either.
Absolutely will never part from my Blower Box.

 

[rutrho]

Don't care for Tube Screamers either.
Absolutely will never part from my Blower Box.

tbh it sounds awful on its own but adds just enough depth and grit to sit very well in the mix on chill stuff.

When we get really heavy I tend to go clean as it cuts through better and tends to be less compressed and more dynamic.

 

[bluehevy75]

Which flats? My PL and Chromes are amazing.

As for the Blower Box, it was a touch too fizzy for me. For Rats, I prefer the Iron Pig. I’ve had a couple well-respected Rats, but the pig is my favorite.

Chromes. Five string set. Threw away the “G”. Tuned to “A” standard.

Tried to do the same with Labella Jamerson set (my fav for soul etc.) Tapered B string raised hell with my intonation though.

 

[Novarocker]

wet as in just the repeats? that's too bad, i need a delay that i can boost the overall output.

I'm using the Moog MF Delay and i like it but would love something with more features.


speaking of delay, I used it quite a bit on this jam we captured last week.

Finally spent more time with the rubberneck on its own the other day and it reminded me of you asking about the volume. The volume knob on the pedal is wet vol only, I gotta double check on the gain knob but I think that is for the repeats only as well. Bummer cuz it's unique features seem like something that'd work great with your style.

I'll double check on the gain and let you know.

 

[Novarocker]

EQD Plumes is fantastic, and crazy cheap. I'm also still really digging the OCD-GE germanium; since you're looking for great low mids that might suit you better, but the Plumes is a lot cheaper and I'm honestly still agonizing over which one I think sounds better. I'm kinda leaning toward the Plumes atm, believe it or not.

I wanna try one real bad.

This was a lot of awesome suggestions. Thank you everyone!

I'll definitely get the OCD back on my board and see how I like with the P. By the way, Sam, did you use the Demon on Monobrow's Big Sky, Black Horse? I really really like that album.

I'll also look into the overdrives you mentioned. I've heard Plumes loses some low end but I guess I could fix that with the EQ. Otherwise it looks like a keeper!

Thanks dude! I've been thinking about a boost pedal but are they usually used in conjunction with other dirt or could they work as transparent overdrives?

I like my DOD 250 a lot, but with the volume at unity you do lose a little lows. If it's always on though, cranking the volume might not be a problem. Not a lot of color just grit.

EQD bellows is a little more, but the times I've tried it I almost walk away with it. A lot of girthy grit. EQD speaker cranker is a crazy value too but I have no idea if it keeps lows, never tried one. Sounds awesome on guitar, and EQD often makes their pedals to work well with any instrument.

Jazz bass pickups related question: any ideas what brand/model would serve as the “doom” version of the Fender Pure Vintage '64 jazz bass pickups?

Just trying to understand the different pickup flavours out there and what would be considered doom-oriented from the pickups perspective, and maybe also hum-bucking perspective.

On doom!

If you like the overall tone of those pups but want a little more beef and humbucking, I've been looking at the SD Apollos myself. What I've read is they're more on the classic J sound spectrum but a bit more beef since they are humbuckers.

 

[djciano]

Just picked up a Fowl Sounds Backstabber from those wonderful folks ... Haven't gotten it yet, should be here today, but I gotta say customer service is top notch, he was very communicative, and even added an 18v pcb for S&Gs.

I chose it because it doesn't seem to suffer from any low end loss through studio monitors so here's hoping!

I'll check it out this weekend and let you know all know how it shakes out (read: shakes stuff off the walls).