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the best bass overdrive/distorsion?!!-darkglass electronics b3k

#561
Have you "dissenters" ( :P ) experimented with the Blend knob at all? I absolutely agree that the quality of the distortion is quite bright and edgy (seems like a high mid boost and opening of the top end to me), but that's very much a deliberate aesthetic decision from what I can tell. It adds a lot of aggression and cut in pretty much all of its settings but I definitely don't find myself losing my bass presence when using it effectively....

It's certainly not for everybody, but to my ears the pedal is definitely not lacking in the low end department. I think the pedal just adds more high frequency information such that the overall tone may be perceived as, "thin," by some.
 
#562
It definitely colors the sound. Which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what the user wants and, very important, what bass/rig you're using. When I had my solid state Eden rig, the B3K didn't do it for me. I wanted something with a thicker tube sound. Now that I'm using a Mesa Bass 400+ going into a fEARful....I think I might like the B3K and have kept a look out for one.

Eventually, I want to upgrade my rig to either a Reeves Custom 225 or a Baer Valkyrie....or some other contender that may pop up in the next few months. I see the B3K being stellar with the Baer....maybe not so much with the Reeves. Lots of times people think they don't dig the pedals but it's more that they don't dig the pedal going through their rig.
 
#564
I played with all the knobs and switches and just couldn't get a sound I liked. I was using my Lakland JO-4 into Reaper (computer) with headphones. I can get great sounds out of my supercollider and the AGS circuit on my Tonehammer through this setup so it's not the bass or listening chain.

I'll try it again tonight but it sure wasn't doing anything for me last night.
 
#565
madrob said:
I played with all the knobs and switches and just couldn't get a sound I liked. I was using my Lakland JO-4 into Reaper (computer) with headphones. I can get great sounds out of my supercollider and the AGS circuit on my Tonehammer through this setup so it's not the bass or listening chain.

I'll try it again tonight but it sure wasn't doing anything for me last night.
Click to expand...

Here's a quick thought. If you're not going through a bass amp and cab you might not be getting the high frequency roll of that the designer intended. With more highs in the signal the lows are less obvious. Are you using a cab sim?

Good luck.
 
#566
Yeah. I used the blend knob..im not a pedal noob. By the time I had enough of the heft of my signal I barely could tell the overdrive was on.. And I tried it thru a 300pro and 610, as well as a Sunn 1200 with a Berg, my JGR and a Berg, and an Ashdown rpm and Berg. So it wasnt the rig. Sounded different thru each, but never my thing. It may be that it doesnt play sooo well with actives.
 
#567
Hey! I just checked attackbass' demo on this pedal, and it sounds great!

I also checked the build video, really interesting. The only thing I could actually do myself is the coffee!

Douglas, this might be a silly question, since I have no idea about building pedals: Do you already know by memory where to solder each component, where everything should go? I don't see you checking any notes during the video...
 
#570
eyeballkid said:
im kinda with madrob, I found it to be thinner than any OD or Fuzz I currently have. I thought I dismissed it too soon and went and bought one a second time. And yup.. too thin. The only setting that didnt sound thin was the obvious "fat" setting, but that was all mid scoop sounding, which I hate unless VERY tastefully done. I dont think the pedal is a "disappointment" like he said, cos ive been around long enough to see that what is one man's holy grail is just a plain ol cup to someone else. The tones are really cool, and satisfying, if only they had a little more of the heft of my original tone. Obviously the B3K hit a win with some, just not what Im looking for.
Click to expand...

I like the "fat" setting. Yes, it is a bit scooped sounding, and normally I don't like that, but in this case I do.

MSUsousaphone said:
It definitely colors the sound. Which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what the user wants and, very important, what bass/rig you're using.

<...>

Eventually, I want to upgrade my rig to either a Reeves Custom 225 or a Baer Valkyrie....or some other contender that may pop up in the next few months. I see the B3K being stellar with the Baer....maybe not so much with the Reeves. Lots of times people think they don't dig the pedals but it's more that they don't dig the pedal going through their rig.
Click to expand...

I'm sure that's part of it. I like it with my setup, which is Streamliner into fEARful. I'll be getting a second amp soon (I'm thinking 7 Pro, MB800, or Carvin B1500/BX1500), so we'll see how that works.

By the way, if any of you have any advice on the relative merits of the amps I just mentioned, please enlighten me with your enlightenedness.
 
#572
jmorbita said:
Hey! I just checked attackbass' demo on this pedal, and it sounds great!

I also checked the build video, really interesting. The only thing I could actually do myself is the coffee!

Douglas, this might be a silly question, since I have no idea about building pedals: Do you already know by memory where to solder each component, where everything should go? I don't see you checking any notes during the video...
Click to expand...

Hey dude! The B3K yeah, I know them by memory... with the B7K I have to check the list every once in a while... but those are like 150 components (twice as much as the B3K).

Thanks for the cool vibes!

Regards

Doug.
 
#573
I was thinking about this thread and the subject that Madrob started. So at band practice on Friday I was just listening to my clean sound and then engaging the pedal. Definately projects high mids and some highs more. So I was thinking about testing the pedal alone and not through an amp. For my setup- an Orange AD200B, Avatar 2-12, EBMM 25th Anniversary HSS, just playing the B3K not in a band setting it sounds pretty good but not super thick. With this same setting, with the band sound amazing. Solo I think the highs are too much, too clangy. With the band the clang is cut, My bass tone cuts through 2 guitars and drums, and is very smooth in the mix, yet still deep and powerful. It definately helps that my amp has more lows than any other amp that I have heard.
So, I am not sure how much I would love the pedal if I was just playing by myself. In my band the pedal is AMAZING, so maybe Madrob should try it recording and in a mix instead of solo.
 
#575
DeltaPhoenix said:
I was thinking about this thread and the subject that Madrob started. So at band practice on Friday I was just listening to my clean sound and then engaging the pedal. Definately projects high mids and some highs more. So I was thinking about testing the pedal alone and not through an amp. For my setup- an Orange AD200B, Avatar 2-12, EBMM 25th Anniversary HSS, just playing the B3K not in a band setting it sounds pretty good but not super thick. With this same setting, with the band sound amazing. Solo I think the highs are too much, too clangy. With the band the clang is cut, My bass tone cuts through 2 guitars and drums, and is very smooth in the mix, yet still deep and powerful. It definately helps that my amp has more lows than any other amp that I have heard.
So, I am not sure how much I would love the pedal if I was just playing by myself. In my band the pedal is AMAZING, so maybe Madrob should try it recording and in a mix instead of solo.
Click to expand...

Hey mate! Thanks for the testimonial!
How the low end is perceived is very relative, but you do nail it when you imply that is in reference to the mid response (same as with the high end).

The "art" of designing good pedals, specially without using any EQ controls is to have the right balance of everything.
And the frequency response of the B3K is what in my experience (and months of testing) was the best for recording and playing in a band context.

What happens in both Microtubes with the low end is that it doesn't boost so much the "higher" low end (~100Hz) but mostly sub bass frequencies (around 30Hz~50 Hz). This gives enough depth (that's why most 5th strings sound louder and clearer with the Microtubes on) while not overwhelming the mix by taking room from the bass drum and distorted guitars (with are way closer to 100Hz)

I think that's why engineers and producers like it a lot too... it was super tricky to get, but I think it was worth it :).

And of course for ultimate frequency response control and flexibility there's the B7K ;).

ysand said:
Today is the 30th day since ordering, can't wait for the b7k :hyper::hyper:
Click to expand...

Hey mate! Yeah, a fresh batch of B7Ks is leaving the shop this week!
Hugo will email you with the details ;).
 
#577
Well, I spent a while this weekend recording with the pedal and it's just not doing it for me. I did multiple takes with different pedals and I just don't like the sounds I get from this pedal even in the mix. I also found that it adds a noticable amount of noise to the signal which means it's not usable for me as a recording tool.

Luckily, the shop I ordered it from has a 30 day refund policy so I can return it.

rob
 

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