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Tech 21 VT Bass
- Thread starter Bob Moulton
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Actually, I bought one from the GC/MF clearance center here in KC and got a great deal ($120-blem) and the only mark on it was on the tin box that it ships in. The pedal itself is pristine and, as an added bonus, sounds like a million bucks!
Couldn't be happier!!
Couldn't be happier!!
Lol yeah the craze for this is... crazy. Although its died down a little, its still out of stock and stuff in a bunch of places. So... no one wants to give me the Final Pros and cons on this thing ? 
OK, how about ..... this box has better and more usable tones than the BDDI which is one of the all time best pieces of bass gear ever made. Plus, the folks at Tech 21 are just cool and deserve your business. Lastly, if you don't buy one I will show up at your door with my trained monkey wearing nothing but a loin cloth. Trust me, you don't want that to happen!!
Was that enough?
Was that enough?
Lol yeah the craze for this is... crazy. Although its died down a little, its still out of stock and stuff in a bunch of places. So... no one wants to give me the Final Pros and cons on this thing ?
For me the Pro's are you can definately hear that it has some SVT DNA going on.The tonal possibilities are endless as long as your into an SVT type sound.It sounds so close to tubes it's not funny.
The Cons for me.As i'm playing through a LMII Markbass it just doesn't quite get that real fullness on the bottom like real tubes do.The top end also sounds a tiny bit artificial.I'm only talking about slightly here,i doubt if in the mix you would be able to tell though.
I since bought a EBS Valve Drive and am only using the VT as my OD pedal.It is a great pedal,certainly a keeper.
OK, how about ..... this box has better and more usable tones than the BDDI which is one of the all time best pieces of bass gear ever made. Plus, the folks at Tech 21 are just cool and deserve your business. Lastly, if you don't buy one I will show up at your door with my trained monkey wearing nothing but a loin cloth. Trust me, you don't want that to happen!!
Was that enough?
What if I want your monkeys at my door ?
lol
One of the reasons I want this is cuz of the tone versatality (New word!). I play for Church a lot and also some post-rock-ish stuff and jsut regular alternative. Think it will be useful for church?
I guess no one knows but what is the likely hood of a Programmable VT Bass? I was going to pick up a prog bass driver and a vt bass in America but a programmable VT would cover all the ground.
OK, so a comprehensive list of pros and cons?
PROS:
--Nails vintage Ampeg tones almost dead-on when recorded or put through a PA, does a very good job of simulating a mic'ed Ampeg, drive can be extremely subtle or extremely extreme
--Light as a feather. will work as a preamp direct into power amp
--Low battery consumption, quiet unless you have the treble or overdrive turned up (don't worry, all amps do that,
--Cool graphics
CONS:
--The controls: they're extremely sensitive and there's a learning curve to them (they don't behave like Ampeg controls), and one knob can often affect other knobs, therefore it's difficult to adjust on the fly
--No XLR out
--While it's so close that the vast majority of people out there could never tell the difference on a recording, it doesn't duplicate that big warm feeling of air moving through a tube amp
--I don't consider this a con but some might...all of its sounds are Ampeg and only Ampeg; if you can't get it on a fliptop or an SVT, it won't do it on the pedal
PROS:
--Nails vintage Ampeg tones almost dead-on when recorded or put through a PA, does a very good job of simulating a mic'ed Ampeg, drive can be extremely subtle or extremely extreme
--Light as a feather. will work as a preamp direct into power amp
--Low battery consumption, quiet unless you have the treble or overdrive turned up (don't worry, all amps do that,
--Cool graphics
CONS:
--The controls: they're extremely sensitive and there's a learning curve to them (they don't behave like Ampeg controls), and one knob can often affect other knobs, therefore it's difficult to adjust on the fly
--No XLR out
--While it's so close that the vast majority of people out there could never tell the difference on a recording, it doesn't duplicate that big warm feeling of air moving through a tube amp
--I don't consider this a con but some might...all of its sounds are Ampeg and only Ampeg; if you can't get it on a fliptop or an SVT, it won't do it on the pedal
Thanks Jimmy! I dont think I'll really need an xlr (dont really know what its for :/ ) and I'll probably demo the sound again at the store to see if I really dig the Ampeg sound. My b-day is coming up... can't wait!
Hai guize wud this pedle make rokkin' METAL tonez?
Okay, but seriously, how does this thing do for stuff involving hi-gain distortion? It'd be supplanting the BDI21 in my rig as the tub emulator.
Okay, but seriously, how does this thing do for stuff involving hi-gain distortion? It'd be supplanting the BDI21 in my rig as the tub emulator.
I just finished recording on an EP for a local band and went through my VT pedal only.I had my fingers crossed that it would sound OK,this morning i got to listen to it in full after being mixed and mastered.It's probably the best sound iv'e ever been able to get (Recorded).So combine that with not having to lug my pre amp and speakers to the studio and this thing only costing a couple of hundred bucks i don't think you can go wrong with it.Really wish it had a DI and that you could store settings though.
JimmyM,I'm trying to work out how to run the EBS Valve Drive and VT together.Iv'e been going Comp-VT-EBS-LMII,do you think thats the best way of running them or should i put the EBS through the effects in/out?Or should i switch the VT EBS around?
You got me, bro. I'm not familiar with the Valve Drive. The effects loop in the LMII is before the preamp, so it really doesn't make a difference whether you go inline or in the loop.
Thunderscreech, if your idea of hi-gain metal tone is an SVT turned up all the way, it will do that easily. If your idea of it is a Bass Big Muff or Rat pedal, it won't.
Not even with Low gain on the VT and medium gain on the Metal Zone?
I guess too much starts going on it starts sounding terrible.
Oh, if you use a Metal Zone with it, it'll be great. It just won't do that fuzztone metal sound on its own. And absolutely it's a much better tube emulator than the Behringer.
Not even with Low gain on the VT and medium gain on the Metal Zone?
I guess too much starts going on it starts sounding terrible.
he he I had the stock SVT settings dialed in and sure enough it sounded brilliant on my own in my room but at band practice the others started whining that I had lost definition.
the band I'm in now the drummer is some sort of trained audio guy and he is constantly offering 'advice' on how bass should sound. It kind of came to a head last night cos I was trying out different settings and he started complaining about 'mud'.
Anyway I wound my MID back up to about 2 o'clock (the tech 21 setting is 10 o'clock) and it did sound a lot better in the mix.
I was really happy with the straight LM2 head sound so I am still trying out the VT...I think it was hard last night cos the guitarist and drummer are really anti-pedal and it kind of sh&ts me a bit so I didn't feel like I could experiment too much with it in front of them.
But yeah I think it's grouse so far and will keep trying to find that perfect setting
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