Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[kleinenenten]

I have an OG. Sadly, it's another one of those pedals that I lusted over for years that, once I got it, I found while all kinds of fun, it is very hard to use in a band context, unless soloing it. That plus side jacks keeps it off the board and on the shelf. Now, it's an awesome pedals and gets as synthy as anything. I have no intentions of ever parting with it. I actually want to get it back down and play with it, since y'all have brought it back to mind.

I have some basses I've not run through it yet. I may make some sound clips.

This is precisely my worry. I got a Gonkulator Reissue a few years ago, and enjoyed the weirdness, but couldn't actually use it for anything. Same with the Way Huge Atreides. I've still got the WH, as I find it more usable, but still can't find a way to actually use it productively. I get the feeling the P&C may go the same route, and for what little I've been able to play lately, I probably shouldn't grab one.

 

[cornfarmer]

You could definitely set it up as a harmonic perc type fuzz, I think the synth filter thing really only works for funky synthy stuff obviously.

 

[HP Hovercraft]

Anyone use a modern Class D? I'd like to stick to one amp, or at least one amp/cab and one combo. Currently have an Orange Crush Bass 50 and an Ampeg 2x12 without a head. I had a Sunn Beta Bass, and love the thing it does, but don't love that it only does the thing.

My current project is in the post-punk and post-rock veins so I need good cleans. But for myself, I tend to practice with and write with doom/stoner tones. So I'd like something that can do both, although I can of course get overdriven/distorted tone from my (too many} pedals. So either good drive or it takes pedals well. Or both.

Any thoughts on the Mesa Subway line? I'm struggling to tell the difference between D/WD/TT but mainly because I don't have a frame of reference for the amp sounds each one is going for. Also looking at the Laney Digbeth and the new GK RB Legacy. I have the Legacy preordered because it's $300 off at Sweetwater and I really like what little I've heard. Obviously there's not a whole lot of info on it at this point.

One caveat with the Subways is that they're all 800w @ 4 ohms, which is a little too much for my cab. I'm willing to get a different cab but I'd rather not. Mostly play in my basement studio.

Also considering a V4-B but would honestly rather have a SS for recording versatility.

Oh, and anything I'm missing? Ashdown maybe?

 

[cornfarmer]

I don't own any, but had a Carvin, GK MB something and a Mesa for a minute from trades. I didn't vibe with the Mesa or GK because they sounded sterile. The Carvin could get pretty good / more natural tones, the gain could be cranked to add in some grit.

Another one I did own for more than a minute is the first Quilter Bass Block. That sounded the most like a lead sled and was fine through a lower power rated cab. Just watch your volume level. @br1qbat has one I think, he might chime in.

 

[davedamage]

Anyone use a modern Class D? I'd like to stick to one amp, or at least one amp/cab and one combo. Currently have an Orange Crush Bass 50 and an Ampeg 2x12 without a head. I had a Sunn Beta Bass, and love the thing it does, but don't love that it only does the thing.

My current project is in the post-punk and post-rock veins so I need good cleans. But for myself, I tend to practice with and write with doom/stoner tones. So I'd like something that can do both, although I can of course get overdriven/distorted tone from my (too many} pedals. So either good drive or it takes pedals well. Or both.

Any thoughts on the Mesa Subway line? I'm struggling to tell the difference between D/WD/TT but mainly because I don't have a frame of reference for the amp sounds each one is going for. Also looking at the Laney Digbeth and the new GK RB Legacy. I have the Legacy preordered because it's $300 off at Sweetwater and I really like what little I've heard. Obviously there's not a whole lot of info on it at this point.

One caveat with the Subways is that they're all 800w @ 4 ohms, which is a little too much for my cab. I'm willing to get a different cab but I'd rather not. Mostly play in my basement studio.

Also considering a V4-B but would honestly rather have a SS for recording versatility.

Oh, and anything I'm missing? Ashdown maybe?

I've got a TT-800 and I ain't going back. I love it. I push either two Orange OBC115s or a Subway 115 and 210. The Subway channel can get nice and clean, but the Boogie channel is where I live. My clean tone isn't anywhere near clean, though. Minimum Rusty Box and MBD3 are always on.

As far as too much wattage, that's what volume knobs are for.

I've had a few other class D heads, mostly Genzler and Genz Benz. Prior to this, I always wanted sparkling cleans so I could destroy the signal with my pedals. Now, the TT gives me just the right small amount of tube warmth for me.

Having said all that, if the newer GK Legacy stuff can pull off the sound of an old 800RB, I would be interested. But, I have models in my QC, so...

 

[jollygiantchris]

I don't own one but for modern class D I'd probably do one of the Darkglass heads or the quilter bass block. I have heard them both live and they sounded great. I don't really play live anymore but if I did I would probably use my T21 Geddy Lee preamp into a good powered speaker like a qsc k12.2 or something.

 

[Klangfarbe]

Anyone use a modern Class D? I'd like to stick to one amp, or at least one amp/cab and one combo. Currently have an Orange Crush Bass 50 and an Ampeg 2x12 without a head. I had a Sunn Beta Bass, and love the thing it does, but don't love that it only does the thing.

My current project is in the post-punk and post-rock veins so I need good cleans. But for myself, I tend to practice with and write with doom/stoner tones. So I'd like something that can do both, although I can of course get overdriven/distorted tone from my (too many} pedals. So either good drive or it takes pedals well. Or both.

Any thoughts on the Mesa Subway line? I'm struggling to tell the difference between D/WD/TT but mainly because I don't have a frame of reference for the amp sounds each one is going for. Also looking at the Laney Digbeth and the new GK RB Legacy. I have the Legacy preordered because it's $300 off at Sweetwater and I really like what little I've heard. Obviously there's not a whole lot of info on it at this point.

One caveat with the Subways is that they're all 800w @ 4 ohms, which is a little too much for my cab. I'm willing to get a different cab but I'd rather not. Mostly play in my basement studio.

Also considering a V4-B but would honestly rather have a SS for recording versatility.

Oh, and anything I'm missing? Ashdown maybe?

Yes! I use a peavey minimega for around 8 years now. Great clean sounds and very versatile due to its (semi-)parametric mid-EQ. And it works really well with pedals. This is of course a necessity for a class-d amp if want to play that sludgy stoner shoegaze doom whatever noise kind of music, since your sound/tone will be very much defined by the pedals you use.

Only "downsides" to this amp are that somewhat gimmicky "extras" like the "Kosmos Bass Enhancement" ,the one knob compressor and rather vanilla sounding drive section. But that is just nitpicking on my side.

 

[scabpicker]

Anyone use a modern Class D? I'd like to stick to one amp, or at least one amp/cab and one combo. Currently have an Orange Crush Bass 50 and an Ampeg 2x12 without a head. I had a Sunn Beta Bass, and love the thing it does, but don't love that it only does the thing.

My current project is in the post-punk and post-rock veins so I need good cleans. But for myself, I tend to practice with and write with doom/stoner tones. So I'd like something that can do both, although I can of course get overdriven/distorted tone from my (too many} pedals. So either good drive or it takes pedals well. Or both.

Any thoughts on the Mesa Subway line? I'm struggling to tell the difference between D/WD/TT but mainly because I don't have a frame of reference for the amp sounds each one is going for. Also looking at the Laney Digbeth and the new GK RB Legacy. I have the Legacy preordered because it's $300 off at Sweetwater and I really like what little I've heard. Obviously there's not a whole lot of info on it at this point.

One caveat with the Subways is that they're all 800w @ 4 ohms, which is a little too much for my cab. I'm willing to get a different cab but I'd rather not. Mostly play in my basement studio.

Also considering a V4-B but would honestly rather have a SS for recording versatility.

Oh, and anything I'm missing? Ashdown maybe?

I love my Bassman 800. I use the drive channel exclusively, myself. My guitarist uses the classic Bassman channel for clean sounds in a shoegaze project he plays bass in. It sounds clean and full in that context. It's a bit large for a Class D amp, but it has a tube preamp, and I can pick it up with one finger.

 

[br1qbat]

I don't own any, but had a Carvin, GK MB something and a Mesa for a minute from trades. I didn't vibe with the Mesa or GK because they sounded sterile. The Carvin could get pretty good / more natural tones, the gain could be cranked to add in some grit.

Another one I did own for more than a minute is the first Quilter Bass Block. That sounded the most like a lead sled and was fine through a lower power rated cab. Just watch your volume level. @br1qbat has one I think, he might chime in.

Still love the Bass Block. It's a simple point and shoot amp. If you rely mainly on pedals, it's a no brainer. Big, clean, loud sounding and small/light.

 

[kleinenenten]

I'm an unabashed GK fan. I love the 700RB, but have had the MB200 as well. It was also solid, though a bit more polite than the RB. Still, with pedals, it was nigh indistinguishable.

 

[br1qbat]

I'm an unabashed GK fan. I love the 700RB, but have had the MB200 as well. It was also solid, though a bit more polite than the RB. Still, with pedals, it was nigh indistinguishable.

If I had a guitarist, I'd would not have gotten rid of my 800rb. It has that perfect punchy but grindy tone. But since I split my signal big clean low end is more important to balance out my tone plus the small size/portability is more important when I'm lugging 2 big cabs around . Still, I miss the ol' 800rb sometimes ...

 

[Michedelic]

So, I'm trying out for a band on Sunday. The songlist is the antipathy of doom/stoner, lol. Lots of poppy tunes. But, all I'm doing right now is spinning my wheels in the basement, so, this may give me more focus on progressing as a player. (If I make the cut, obviously.)

There are a couple of pretty cool tunes, though. A Captain Beefheart tune called "Who Do You Think You're Fooling", and one by Richard and The Young Lions, called "Open Up Your Door", which has some pretty heavy fuzz guitar. If I make it, I'm going to wage a surreptitious campaign to get more fuzzed-out hippy music in the rotation.

Richard and the Young Lions were pretty young, an East Coast teen band that had regional hits, but never broke nationally. A classic “Nuggets” type band, they reformed briefly in the 21st Century.
For your campaign, may I suggest a tune that was a one hit wonder, not covered much(if at all)that could lend itself to a Fu Manchu style make-over…

 

[Kacey Y]

I've been using Class D amps along side vintage and custom tube heads and older lead sled solid state for a long time. Never played around with the Mesa stuff, though I've heard good things. My main bass amp for a while now has been the GK MB800 and I like it a lot. It was my backup amp for a long time, because it was loud and could fit in the pocket of a gig bag. Eventually it ended up becoming my go-to home recording amp. At this point Class D is just a well established technology and it's down to the individual quality of the brand/amp. I know early stuff I used would sometimes overhead and shut down, red lights flashing and all that, but I haven't had that issue in forever now.

I still like the old stuff too. Any of the old GK RB series are pretty great. I also used to run a Sunn Beta Bass from the preamp out into a Class D stereo power amp with good results, because I didn't want to blow it up running it wide open, like I did with my old Sunn Concert and Coliseum Bass heads long ago. In my experience I never really needed enormous power ratings on solid state amps for actual volume, more so for headroom so I wasn't pushing the electronics to the point of failure from overheating. I think we all know at this point that power ratings are fairly subjective and more marketing than anything, because it depends on how they want to measure it and what it's meant to actually run constantly.

 

[HP Hovercraft]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys! I'm checking out the recommendations. There are a few I hadn't considered.

In the meantime, my Magic DA120 arrived today

 

[br1qbat]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys! I'm checking out the recommendations. There are a few I hadn't considered.

In the meantime, my Magic DA120 arrived today

Magic DA120 -

 

[Michedelic]

So, I'm trying out for a band on Sunday. The songlist is the antipathy of doom/stoner, lol. Lots of poppy tunes. But, all I'm doing right now is spinning my wheels in the basement, so, this may give me more focus on progressing as a player. (If I make the cut, obviously.)

There are a couple of pretty cool tunes, though. A Captain Beefheart tune called "Who Do You Think You're Fooling", and one by Richard and The Young Lions, called "Open Up Your Door", which has some pretty heavy fuzz guitar. If I make it, I'm going to wage a surreptitious campaign to get more fuzzed-out hippy music in the rotation.

Here’s a couple more song suggestions, hopefully they’ll work, hopefully you’d like them. The Creation were a 60’s British band that didn’t really get launched in the US, in fact they did better in Germany than in their own country. Rivals of the early Who, they are retroactively classified as “freakbeat”, the tipping point between Mod and psychedelia, and at times were fairly heavy. Guitarist Eddie Phillips utilized a violin bow on guitar way before Jimmy Page…

Covered by Britpop band Ride in the 90’s.

Then this track got dug up for inclusion in the soundtrack for the Wes Anderson film, Rushmore…


Ronnie Wood played guitar toward the end of the band’s existence, right before he joined Jeff Beck, and bassist Kim Gardner was the father of Eva Gardner, bass player for Mars Volta, Veruka Salt, Pink, Gwen Stefani, and others.

 

[br1qbat]

Here’s a couple more song suggestions, hopefully they’ll work, hopefully you’d like them. The Creation were a 60’s British band that didn’t really get launched in the US, in fact they did better in Germany than in their own country. Rivals of the early Who, they are retroactively classified as “freakbeat”, the tipping point between Mod and psychedelia, and at times were fairly heavy. Guitarist Eddie Phillips utilized a violin bow on guitar way before Jimmy Page…

Covered by Britpop band Ride in the 90’s.
Then this track got dug up for inclusion in the soundtrack for the Wes Anderson film, Rushmore…


Ronnie Wood played guitar toward the end of the band’s existence, right before he joined Jeff Beck, and bassist Kim Gardner was the father of Eva Gardner, bass player for Mars Volta, Veruka Salt, Pink, Gwen Stefani, and others.

Goddamn I love The Creation. Kenny Pickett (singer) ended up a road manager for Zeppelin and I've heard he'd go up and sing Making Time with Zep during soundcheck on occasion. Would be rad to hear that! With all those Zep bootlegs and my obsession with them, pretty sure I would have come across it by now if it existed.

 

[Michedelic]

Goddamn I love The Creation. Kenny Pickett (singer) ended up a road manager for Zeppelin and I've heard he'd go up and sing Making Time with Zep during soundcheck on occasion. Would be rad to hear that! With all those Zep bootlegs and my obsession with them, pretty sure I would have come across it by now if it existed.

Pickett and Phillips went into songwriting outside of band activities; most notably this one, a far cry from the other stuff…

 

[cornfarmer]

Man, I went down the Prunes & Custard rabbit hole. Anybody want my clone? I make deal, you buy! Hurry up! Sonofbeeech!

 

[kleinenenten]

Man, I went down the Prunes & Custard rabbit hole. Anybody want my clone? I make deal, you buy! Hurry up! Sonofbeeech!

View attachment 7231314

What did you think of it? Is my YouTube video-based assessment of "fun, but not super useful" fairly accurate?