Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig v2 wishlist

[bigtone23]

Yeah, I have a hard time finding useful octa settings on my V1. I ended up setting it for a nearly over the top envelope and fuzz setting just to make the band and me laugh every now and again.
I will probably get a V2 for curiosity, though. One will live at the practice space, the other in my gig bag.

 

[Badmuthaplucka]

Do you really need more than 3 sounds live and if so, how do you use them? Do you bring your own DI for gigs? What made you chose the PSA 2.0 over the other pedals that are more catered for bass?

Actually, two sound usually. A clean and an overdriven tone. However, like I said before, I'm finding that certain effects react differently depending on tone. So I'm still kinda experimenting. One thing that I will say is that the PSA is the perfect "canvas" for effects. But it also sounds great by itself too.

As for a DI I usually use the one on my amp (Peavey Megamini or a Markbass little mark tube 800). However, for this particular build I'm working on having a DI out from my pedal board so I can use any rig or PA and I will always have MY sound.

It would be a mistake for people think that the PSA, in all it's forms, is just for guitar. It's actually pretty universal. Producers have used it on vocals, keyboards, drums, you name it! I've used the PSA 1.1 for years on my bass rig and I've always gotten compliments from sound guys in particular. You'd be surprised how many touring artist use the PSA as a "secret weapon" or and a back up for their main rig.

And I can't say enough how spot on this quote is!

I went with the PSA for a few reasons but the main goal was great tone plugged into my own equipment, back line equipment, or straight to front of house. The psa does that. I can fine tune each of my tones specifically for each of my bases if I want to.

I understand some people like simplicity and others like bells and whistles. The psa 2.0 was a sweet spot right in the middle for me.

 

[gotly]

There's something ironic about thinking about building a tiny pedalboard for a PSA 2.0, tuner and DI in the Bass Fly Rig thread but that's where I'm currently leaning.

 

[SteveFromBerlin]

 

[NoiseNinja]

Make it identical to the Steve Harris signature SH-1, just with more neutral graphics and cheaper.

 

[BluesWalker]

I was considering buying one here recently and I noticed that it is no longer available new at many major music retailers, so I assumed it’s discontinued, but I could be wrong here’s a screenshot from Sweetwater

V2 is on the way

 

[gotly]

Bumping an older thread, but I saw Tech 21's runthrough of the Bass Fly Rig v2 OctaFilter and it just reinforced how flawed this section is on the fly rig. They talk at length about the mathematical properties and do a ton of knob tuning while playing and none of it sounded like something I'd like to hear on a recording or live. It's Tim Starace on the bass in the video - his stuff is incredible. His pedal demos for Tech21 all sound SO good but nothing from the Fly Rig v2 stacks up the same way.

So I guess my Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig v3 wishlist is the same as my v2 wishlist on this post. Add aux in, replace the OctaFilter section with a single good effect like the Chorus - my god the single knob Chorus is fantastic. My vote goes to Fuzz.

I'm still using my v1 in rehearsals, shows, recordings and home practice.

 

[bigtone23]

Bumping an older thread, but I saw Tech 21's runthrough of the Bass Fly Rig v2 OctaFilter and it just reinforced how flawed this section is on the fly rig. They talk at length about the mathematical properties and do a ton of knob tuning while playing and none of it sounded like something I'd like to hear on a recording or live. It's Tim Starace on the bass in the video - his stuff is incredible. His pedal demos for Tech21 all sound SO good but nothing from the Fly Rig v2 stacks up the same way.

So I guess my Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig v3 wishlist is the same as my v2 wishlist on this post. Add aux in, replace the OctaFilter section with a single good effect like the Chorus - my god the single knob Chorus is fantastic. My vote goes to Fuzz.

I'm still using my v1 in rehearsals, shows, recordings and home practice.

I agree, make it a cool fuzz/dist or a clean 1 oct up/1 oct down. Either would be waaay more useful.

 

[Jebberz]

I agree, make it a cool fuzz/dist or a clean 1 oct up/1 oct down. Either would be waaay more useful.

Or make the effect loop switchable, with a clean blend, so anyone can use any needed effect.

 

[SteveFromBerlin]

I too agree with everything said but if you have a look at the gazillion "looking for the perfect fuzz / OD, etc." threads here on talkbass, I don't think you will be able to chose the right circuit for a broader mass. I have a BFR V2 here and I have to admit this: I really want to love it and I know how to use an Octaver and it's limitations but I don't like it. I also think that the good old BBDI sounds better and has a little less noise in it. As everybody else said before: The Chorus is really good!

My wish list:

Make a copy of the Sansamp with a TUNER, a comp that has more headroom and and maybe add a HPF, a boost (yeah okay, a RAT-based dist.) and a FX Loop. As good as the Chorus is (and by the way, I really like the autofilter capabilities!)... it's hard to make it right for everybody. For me personally the current choice of FX are dead on: Octaver, Fuzz, T-Wah, Chorus. It's everything I dreamed of since I was 15 years old. But unfortunately I neither like the fuzz nor the octaver and I don't want to sit out on V3 that will probably not be delivered before 2025. So I say: Less is more.

 

[barebones]

Anyone have a strong preference for either V1 vs. V2. I currently have V2. I had V1 years ago, but I was just flipping it for a profit at the time, so I didn’t dig into it much.

I’m liking V2 well enough and don’t have the common complaints regarding the octave/fuzz section or the compressor. I’m able to get sounds I like out of both of thos sections.

I do wonder a bit about the V1 character knob on the preamp section vs. the button on V2. Reading the manuals on both units, it sounds like the button on V2 simply switches between the classic Sansamp sound and the Fliptop sound, while the knob on V1 offers a varying sweep of tonal changes.

I’m also wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the pre/post setting on the 2nd drive channel, as I think this could be useful.

Lastly, I wouldn’t mind the headphone setting as offered on V1, since I do spend some time practicing in hotels on the road.

That’s about it, I think. Overall, I do like the V2. It performs as I expected it to and sounds great. Just nitpicking some of the details and couldn’t find any specifics comments on these details on my searches.

Thanks!

 

[Leonid Nidis]

Anyone have a strong preference for either V1 vs. V2. I currently have V2. I had V1 years ago, but I was just flipping it for a profit at the time, so I didn’t dig into it much.

I’m liking V2 well enough and don’t have the common complaints regarding the octave/fuzz section or the compressor. I’m able to get sounds I like out of both of thos sections.

I do wonder a bit about the V1 character knob on the preamp section vs. the button on V2. Reading the manuals on both units, it sounds like the button on V2 simply switches between the classic Sansamp sound and the Fliptop sound, while the knob on V1 offers a varying sweep of tonal changes.

I’m also wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the pre/post setting on the 2nd drive channel, as I think this could be useful.

Lastly, I wouldn’t mind the headphone setting as offered on V1, since I do spend some time practicing in hotels on the road.

That’s about it, I think. Overall, I do like the V2. It performs as I expected it to and sounds great. Just nitpicking some of the details and couldn’t find any specifics comments on these details on my searches.

Thanks!

The button on V2 is better imo,more sounds.
You can get all the V1 sounds via EQ on the ampeg mode but the button takes you to another pedal.
The headphones out was a good thing but not that important.

 

[barebones]

The button on V2 is better imo,more sounds.
You can get all the V1 sounds via EQ on the ampeg mode but the button takes you to another pedal.
The headphones out was a good thing but not that important.

To my ears, the Character button on V2 just sounded like a mid scoop, so I was thinking the knob of the same name on V1 might be a variable mid-scoop. Then I read the manual and saw that the V2 button take the unit to Sansamp mode, so I think the scoop was just a function of where my EQ was set when I engaged the button.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts!

Any others?

 

[Zarcsby]

Anyone have a strong preference for either V1 vs. V2. I currently have V2. I had V1 years ago, but I was just flipping it for a profit at the time, so I didn’t dig into it much.

I’m liking V2 well enough and don’t have the common complaints regarding the octave/fuzz section or the compressor. I’m able to get sounds I like out of both of thos sections.

I do wonder a bit about the V1 character knob on the preamp section vs. the button on V2. Reading the manuals on both units, it sounds like the button on V2 simply switches between the classic Sansamp sound and the Fliptop sound, while the knob on V1 offers a varying sweep of tonal changes.

I’m also wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the pre/post setting on the 2nd drive channel, as I think this could be useful.

Lastly, I wouldn’t mind the headphone setting as offered on V1, since I do spend some time practicing in hotels on the road.

That’s about it, I think. Overall, I do like the V2. It performs as I expected it to and sounds great. Just nitpicking some of the details and couldn’t find any specifics comments on these details on my searches.

Thanks!

Not sure if any of the below usage-context helps you, but here goes.

I previously owned the V2, then bought the V1 used for cheap and traded-in the V2 for other pedals. I currently use a Valeton Dapper Bass into the Tech21 Bass Fly Rig V1 which is then sent to my MXR M80 DI as a clean EQ tool before it splits to my stage amp and xlr out to the mixer. Not a bad little rig with plenty available at my feet for the times when I don't want to bring an extensive multi-fx or my main pedalboard somewhere.

I have the Valeton set up as always-on compression first in the chain, and the always-on Bass Amp section is set with everything at noon or close to it for my clean sound. I use the Valeton Dirty Q as on-demand EHX bassballs wild tones (RHCP - Sir Psycho Sexy), the Octave section as a normal dry / -1 octave sound, and IF I use the Chorus on the Valeton, it is set to very-very-low depth. This then feeds the V1 fly rig described below:

The Bass Fly Rig V1 compressor section is set to basically-off compression, with the Tone knob set at 2 or 3 o'clock which gives me a big high-mids/low-highs boost as needed with a footswitch press when needed. I have the Sansamp section set with the character knob at 3-4 o'clock with the bite engaged and the high at 8-9 o'clock, mid set to 10-11 o'clock, and the drive full-up at 5 o'clock. I then have the V1 boost section set quite high pre-sansamp. This way, I have the Valeton bass amp as my neutral clean tone always-on, I stomp on the V1 sansamp for my driven tone as-needed, I can make it even more filthy by engaging the pre-sansamp boost as well, and I can kick on the compression section with the tone knob set to 2-3 o'clock for some extra attack.

The V1 octafilter section is either used as a straight envelope filter (which is way more useful as a filter in general than the Valeton Dirty Q section), or rarely as a synth for stuff like 'Mogwai - Wizard Motor'. I never use this section as an Octave, Fuzz, or Octave+Fuzz. If I'm using the Chorus section on the V1 it's set to super-wet depth, unlike the very mild settings I leave available for me to use on the Valeton before the signal hits my V1 fly rig.

I don't feel that either the V1 or the V2 of the bass fly rig on their own can get me the exact on-demand OD/dist tones I'm looking for without also having a second unit for clean tones. Using the same EQ settings for both the channel 1 and channel 2 on the V2 didn't really cut it, and I found my best driven-tone results by setting the V1 sansamp section as an extra switch to hit in conjunction with the already-on Valeton Bass Amp section in front of it. Having the Boost section available on the V1 set to pre-sansamp is really just a bonus second distortion effect tone to me, which would be missing from the V2, as well as that added-attack-on-a-footswitch I can get with using the tone knob alone on the V1 compressor section.

All of this is meaningless without having the Valeton Dapper compression and Bass Amp sections always-on of course though. Ideally, having both the Tech21 V1 and V2 Bass Fly Rigs to use together would probably be best, but neither have a regular clean octave effect like the Valeton Dapper Bass does. So I kept the V1 to use with the Valeton.

 

[barebones]

Not sure if any of the below usage-context helps you, but here goes.

I previously owned the V2, then bought the V1 used for cheap and traded-in the V2 for other pedals. I currently use a Valeton Dapper Bass into the Tech21 Bass Fly Rig V1 which is then sent to my MXR M80 DI as a clean EQ tool before it splits to my stage amp and xlr out to the mixer. Not a bad little rig with plenty available at my feet for the times when I don't want to bring an extensive multi-fx or my main pedalboard somewhere.

I have the Valeton set up as always-on compression first in the chain, and the always-on Bass Amp section is set with everything at noon or close to it for my clean sound. I use the Valeton Dirty Q as on-demand EHX bassballs wild tones (RHCP - Sir Psycho Sexy), the Octave section as a normal dry / -1 octave sound, and IF I use the Chorus on the Valeton, it is set to very-very-low depth. This then feeds the V1 fly rig described below:

The Bass Fly Rig V1 compressor section is set to basically-off compression, with the Tone knob set at 2 or 3 o'clock which gives me a big high-mids/low-highs boost as needed with a footswitch press when needed. I have the Sansamp section set with the character knob at 3-4 o'clock with the bite engaged and the high at 8-9 o'clock, mid set to 10-11 o'clock, and the drive full-up at 5 o'clock. I then have the V1 boost section set quite high pre-sansamp. This way, I have the Valeton bass amp as my neutral clean tone always-on, I stomp on the V1 sansamp for my driven tone as-needed, I can make it even more filthy by engaging the pre-sansamp boost as well, and I can kick on the compression section with the tone knob set to 2-3 o'clock for some extra attack.

The V1 octafilter section is either used as a straight envelope filter (which is way more useful as a filter in general than the Valeton Dirty Q section), or rarely as a synth for stuff like 'Mogwai - Wizard Motor'. I never use this section as an Octave, Fuzz, or Octave+Fuzz. If I'm using the Chorus section on the V1 it's set to super-wet depth, unlike the very mild settings I leave available for me to use on the Valeton before the signal hits my V1 fly rig.

I don't feel that either the V1 or the V2 of the bass fly rig on their own can get me the exact on-demand OD/dist tones I'm looking for without also having a second unit for clean tones. Using the same EQ settings for both the channel 1 and channel 2 on the V2 didn't really cut it, and I found my best driven-tone results by setting the V1 sansamp section as an extra switch to hit in conjunction with the already-on Valeton Bass Amp section in front of it. Having the Boost section available on the V1 set to pre-sansamp is really just a bonus second distortion effect tone to me, which would be missing from the V2, as well as that added-attack-on-a-footswitch I can get with using the tone knob alone on the V1 compressor section.

All of this is meaningless without having the Valeton Dapper compression and Bass Amp sections always-on of course though. Ideally, having both the Tech21 V1 and V2 Bass Fly Rigs to use together would probably be best, but neither have a regular clean octave effect like the Valeton Dapper Bass does. So I kept the V1 to use with the Valeton.

Thanks! I enjoy hearing the details. You also reminded me that the V1 has the tone knob on the comp, which also might be nice for my own use.

 

[Simonizer]

Sooooo... Just to put things in perspective here!
After much debate and most propably use on your side for the past year or so; Is the V2 better? Is it The ultimate pedal to get and build around?

For a first time buyer, would it be better to get the V1 at a discounted price, or the V2 for what it does?
Or even, would you go for another setup, like a Darkglass Omega Ultra or the B7K pedal? Or anything else!?

Thanks!!!