Super Vintage vs Rusty Box?

[RemyKatz]

Anyone use a Rusty Box pre-amp pedal with/without a cab sim straight into a usb interface for recording? I've been using a BassRig Super Vintage for it's pre-amp and cab sim purely for my little apartment recording setup. Heard a lot about the Rusty Box and I love the way it distorts, maybe even a little more than the Super Vintage for the rock/punk/garage sound I'm going for. Super Vintage DI (no cab) is ok but, idk something about the Rusty Box is turning my head.

Anyone got any experience playing around with one? Am I missing out?

On another note, I've been playing around a lot more with recording bass tracks without using a cab ir. Yeah when driven it has a shrill sound on the high end but idk I kinda think it's cool. Is this a normal thing to do? Record bass with no cab?

 

[johnk_10]

Anyone use a Rusty Box pre-amp pedal with/without a cab sim straight into a usb interface for recording? I've been using a BassRig Super Vintage for it's pre-amp and cab sim purely for my little apartment recording setup. Heard a lot about the Rusty Box and I love the way it distorts, maybe even a little more than the Super Vintage for the rock/punk/garage sound I'm going for. Super Vintage DI (no cab) is ok but, idk something about the Rusty Box is turning my head.

Anyone got any experience playing around with one? Am I missing out?

On another note, I've been playing around a lot more with recording bass tracks without using a cab ir. Yeah when driven it has a shrill sound on the high end but idk I kinda think it's cool. Is this a normal thing to do? Record bass with no cab?

in the old days a lot of bassists just used a direct box and went direct so i don't think that would be a problem

 

[sunbeast]

Anyone use a Rusty Box pre-amp pedal with/without a cab sim straight into a usb interface for recording? I've been using a BassRig Super Vintage for it's pre-amp and cab sim purely for my little apartment recording setup. Heard a lot about the Rusty Box and I love the way it distorts, maybe even a little more than the Super Vintage for the rock/punk/garage sound I'm going for. Super Vintage DI (no cab) is ok but, idk something about the Rusty Box is turning my head.

Anyone got any experience playing around with one? Am I missing out?

On another note, I've been playing around a lot more with recording bass tracks without using a cab ir. Yeah when driven it has a shrill sound on the high end but idk I kinda think it's cool. Is this a normal thing to do? Record bass with no cab?

I played an original (24V) Rusty Box in a few bands for years- it definitely has a great punchy and bright amp-in-a-box vibe and I would use it always-on set right at the edge of audible distortion where it really excelled to my ears. There are few other dirty pedal preamps I've used that successfully sounded so amp-like (that huge headroom feeling that amps can have). It doesn't do the SVT sound at all though, or really nail a "tube" drive sound per-se- the tonal profile is more of the Fender EQ style, bright, slightly scooped midrange, and tighter down low. The EQ is passive and placed before the clipping circuit so operates much different from an SVT in that regard too. I haven't tried the Super Vintage, but played through SVTs for years and they are very different sounds.

Before computers I never used a cab-sim, and I think they are somewhat overrated still. I've rarely liked the sound of IR cab-sims for bass and if I do use a sim for recording it's almost always software-based (either a plugin or inside the DAW). External cab-sims are potentially good for live use to send to the PA (even then I'm not totally convinced and prefer EQ like the Omnicabsim or Broughton Resonant Filter EQ), but for recording I don't want to tie myself to whatever settings or specific sim I used while tracking- using software you can adjust any of that stuff after the fact (if I can I'll usually even record a straight DI that I can send back through pedals/amps later if necessary). If I'm doing the mixing myself I'm just as likely to utilize EQ vs any sort of cab-sim to round off the edges of drive tones, though software cab-sim tech has gotten much more sophisticated and versatile and so finding good tones is easier there than most of the limited outboard options.

 

[gtirard]

I'm always recording direct without cab sims, no problem at all.

I rarely play with distortion, and I can imagine you may get harsh highs using dirst without cabs or IR, but as long as you can control them to your liking, you're not obliged to use a cab sim.

 

[RemyKatz]

I played an original (24V) Rusty Box in a few bands for years- it definitely has a great punchy and bright amp-in-a-box vibe and I would use it always-on set right at the edge of audible distortion where it really excelled to my ears. There are few other dirty pedal preamps I've used that successfully sounded so amp-like (that huge headroom feeling that amps can have). It doesn't do the SVT sound at all though, or really nail a "tube" drive sound per-se- the tonal profile is more of the Fender EQ style, bright, slightly scooped midrange, and tighter down low. The EQ is passive and placed before the clipping circuit so operates much different from an SVT in that regard too. I haven't tried the Super Vintage, but played through SVTs for years and they are very different sounds.

Before computers I never used a cab-sim, and I think they are somewhat overrated still. I've rarely liked the sound of IR cab-sims for bass and if I do use a sim for recording it's almost always software-based (either a plugin or inside the DAW). External cab-sims are potentially good for live use to send to the PA (even then I'm not totally convinced and prefer EQ like the Omnicabsim or Broughton Resonant Filter EQ), but for recording I don't want to tie myself to whatever settings or specific sim I used while tracking- using software you can adjust any of that stuff after the fact (if I can I'll usually even record a straight DI that I can send back through pedals/amps later if necessary). If I'm doing the mixing myself I'm just as likely to utilize EQ vs any sort of cab-sim to round off the edges of drive tones, though software cab-sim tech has gotten much more sophisticated and versatile and so finding good tones is easier there than most of the limited outboard options.

I guess I need to listen to more amp comparisons to really get the difference between Ampegs and Fenders in terms of like bass amp flavor so to speak. I only got the Super Vintage becasue I only really know how Ampegs sound so I was used to it. If the Rusty Box is very different from the SVT sound and I like it more, then I might not be a SVT guy after all. All of the artists I've ever watched played SVTs live, but that doesn't tell me what they used in the studio so maybe not even an SVT at all. Might have just been desk.

 

[Mr Joshua]

I never met a cab sim that I thought improved my direct sound. I hate what it does to fuzz pedals and to me it’s just a EQ preset that sucks.

Record direct using whatever you like and experiment with cab sim using the two notes plugin. They have some nice bass cabs in there, some free ones too. I believe the Ampeg 8x10 is free. And you can use paid ones too they just clip the audio every couple seconds but you can still hear what it would sound like and if you want to purchase it.

 

[sunbeast]

I guess I need to listen to more amp comparisons to really get the difference between Ampegs and Fenders in terms of like bass amp flavor so to speak. I only got the Super Vintage becasue I only really know how Ampegs sound so I was used to it. If the Rusty Box is very different from the SVT sound and I like it more, then I might not be a SVT guy after all. All of the artists I've ever watched played SVTs live, but that doesn't tell me what they used in the studio so maybe not even an SVT at all. Might have just been desk.

The Rusty Box has Fender-like elements due to the EQ topology, but is its own thing too due to its unique clipping topology. If you want to check out recorded examples of Rusty Box sound check out any music by the band Shellac ("At Action Park" and "1000 Hurts" are classics) and also the Jesus Lizard album "Goat"- these were mostly all recorded using a Traynor TS50B, which is what the Rusty Box is a clone of. You should see what I mean about its brighter/edgier and tighter fundamental tone. The SVT and Rusty/Traynor sounds are different enough that you may well like them both!

 

[deff]

Just dropping in to ask if you have seen this. It is specifically about recording with the RB. The RB is a lot more versatile than it gets credit for. This shows some of that.

 

[Aidenn7]

Ok so it's tube imulation with supervintage vs Solidstate with the rustbox.. if you get both it will cover most your need palette..

 

[RemyKatz]

Ok so it's tube imulation with supervintage vs Solidstate with the rustbox.. if you get both it will cover most your need palette..

I mean, I've used this logic for many purchases so...you might be onto something. If I just own all the things, I won't need anymore things.

 

[Aidenn7]

I mean, I've used this logic for many purchases so...you might be onto something. If I just own all the things, I won't need anymore things.

no if you have to main things you need you can move on and play.. because you can buy a thousand things you don't remotely need and never be happy.. expensive isn't better either.. but if you buy used.. and buy stuff that has a good resell.. it's not as much of a hit.. considering this both are a good investment.. and maybe a good compressor.. the Svt preamp I have is Master effects super 300.. about 175.00 used.. as a fan of classic bass.. P bass Jbass - Ampeg B15. Svt. a good jensen DI. Peavey solidstate. Acoustic 370. Marshall superlead are the most use bass sounds.. Distortion amps are SVT and the peavey solidstate.. distortion pedals- super fuzz. Muff. Rat. DOD250.

 

[Parzival]

in the old days a lot of bassists just used a direct box and went direct so i don't think that would be a problem

Sound guy can easily approximate a cab sim type thing with HPF and LPF EQing on the board. I think the rise in cab sim popularity came from the BDDI being so easy for a sound guy to dial in and people wanting that affirmation from the FOH but maybe in their preferred tone of choice.

 

[RemyKatz]

I never met a cab sim that I thought improved my direct sound. I hate what it does to fuzz pedals and to me it’s just a EQ preset that sucks.

Record direct using whatever you like and experiment with cab sim using the two notes plugin. They have some nice bass cabs in there, some free ones too. I believe the Ampeg 8x10 is free. And you can use paid ones too they just clip the audio every couple seconds but you can still hear what it would sound like and if you want to purchase it.

I forgot about two notes! I have it for my Victory V4 Copper amp that I use to record guitar, it came with two notes and a bunch of IRs. I'll have to see what this is like, this sounds like an idea.

The Rusty Box has Fender-like elements due to the EQ topology, but is its own thing too due to its unique clipping topology. If you want to check out recorded examples of Rusty Box sound check out any music by the band Shellac ("At Action Park" and "1000 Hurts" are classics) and also the Jesus Lizard album "Goat"- these were mostly all recorded using a Traynor TS50B, which is what the Rusty Box is a clone of. You should see what I mean about its brighter/edgier and tighter fundamental tone. The SVT and Rusty/Traynor sounds are different enough that you may well like them both!

Man I really do like them both. I guess I'll have to wait and save so I can get it and keep my Super Vintage too. I have no idea who those artists are but I listened to them and they are certainly interesting (in a good way). I can hear the bass though. I like it when it has a bit of the hair on it, but I'd never use it dimed like in a couple of examples there.

Just dropping in to ask if you have seen this. It is specifically about recording with the RB. The RB is a lot more versatile than it gets credit for. This shows some of that.

I did see this! It kinda answers my question of what it sounds like direct. Wish I had more examples of direct in playing.

 

[deff]

I did see this! It kinda answers my question of what it sounds like direct. Wish I had more examples of direct in playing.

In the video he mentions a few bands that have used the RB for recording. I also thing there is an extended version of the video that has more sound samples. He does mention in one of the video's that the RB when used judiciously is really good at making whatever you are using, just sound like MORE.

 

[Andy V.]

Anyone use a Rusty Box pre-amp pedal with/without a cab sim straight into a usb interface for recording? I've been using a BassRig Super Vintage for it's pre-amp and cab sim purely for my little apartment recording setup. Heard a lot about the Rusty Box and I love the way it distorts, maybe even a little more than the Super Vintage for the rock/punk/garage sound I'm going for. Super Vintage DI (no cab) is ok but, idk something about the Rusty Box is turning my head.

Anyone got any experience playing around with one? Am I missing out?

On another note, I've been playing around a lot more with recording bass tracks without using a cab ir. Yeah when driven it has a shrill sound on the high end but idk I kinda think it's cool. Is this a normal thing to do? Record bass with no cab?

Very late to the party...pardon

Ive been using the rusty as my main amp sound for home recording (also gigs) for quite some time since before the pandemic.

I find it's flexible enough it works really well on both recording and live scenarios, and not just for garage-y driven stuff. You can even cop some Motown-inspired tones believe it or not.

IME, having an ir box after the rusty and before your interface/foh it's a very practical way to tame the very pronounced higher frequencies the rusty spits out at some settings and broaden your tone pallette.

 

[FaithNoMan]

It's funny that some of us wound up liking the sound of solid state amplifiers that tried to get a "tube overdrive" from back in the day. Not only the father of the Rusty Box, the Traynor TS series amps, but also the Peavey MarkIII/MarkIV.

One exception for me has been the overdrive on the Mesa Bass 400, which almost sounds like a hybrid of both tube and SS bright overdrive.

Just enough warmth on these amps, but slice through a rock mix like nobody's business.