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The Spaceman Club

#321
Spaceman modulation pedals are top-tier, my Explorer is never leaving my board. I’m glad they have been steadily releasing more. Sad to say I haven’t tried their drive pedals yet, can anyone recommend a good touch sensitive light overdrive? Apollo vs Saturn? Something in the range of a DOD 205? I want to dip my toes into their dirt options.
 
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#322
I haven't tried the Apollo but the Saturn V is my absolute favorite light OD. It's quite touch-sensitive and cuts through the mix perfectly. I've tried a number of other pedals in its spot and have always come back to it. It's the one pedal on my board that I would buy again in a heartbeat if anything happened to my board. It is my most frequently used pedal and while the rest of my board has changed completely over the years the Saturn has always remained.
 
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#323
I haven't had an opportunity to use my Saturn VI in a band setting yet (two of us decided to leave during our COVID break, so now we're looking for new people to audition :(), but I'm liking what it does while playing at home. I took a clean boost (EP Booster) off my board and am now using the Saturn VI as a third dirt pedal, which I think will end up being my always-on on tone. I keep the Drive relatively low, around 10:00-11:00, and set the Boost to give me a little more than unity gain. There's not a lot of grit in that tone, but it's full and warm and I find it pretty touch sensitive. I really can't wait to hear it once we fill our open spots and can start rehearsing again.

Yesterday I just bought an Apollo VII from a frequent poster in this thread, so I'll get to find out soon how it works for me. My impression is that it's a higher gain pedal than a Saturn, and likely higher gain than I'd normally buy, but I found a good bass demo on YouTube and liked the lower gain settings enough to think it could work well for me in a dirtiest-of-my-three-lower-gain-overdrives kind of role. I'll post an update one I get it and have some time to play around with it.
 
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#324
BartmanPDX said:
I haven't tried the Apollo but the Saturn V is my absolute favorite light OD. It's quite touch-sensitive and cuts through the mix perfectly. I've tried a number of other pedals in its spot and have always come back to it. It's the one pedal on my board that I would buy again in a heartbeat if anything happened to my board. It is my most frequently used pedal and while the rest of my board has changed completely over the years the Saturn has always remained.
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Thanks! I was leaning towards the Saturn. From the reviews it seems the most friendly as far as playing dynamics. It’s what I like so much about the 250 on bass, but the tonal control is rather utilitarian (which has its place). But the DOD plays so nicely with modulation for what I’m after. Looks like a Saturn purchase is in the future for me.
 
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#326
Iommian said:
Apollo vs Saturn? Something in the range of a DOD 205? I want to dip my toes into their dirt options.
Click to expand...
I prefer the Saturn VI over the Apollo VII for light drive. Not to say the A7 isn't an excellent pedal, it's just that it doesn't fully match what the Saturn does. The Saturn has a unique quality to it, that I've not heard in any other pedal I've owned, while the Apollo can cop sounds from other pedals in my collection.
That said, I do think the Apollo is closer to capturing the vibe and tone of a 250, than the Saturn.
 
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#327
Iommian said:
Spaceman modulation pedals are top-tier, my Explorer is never leaving my board. I’m glad they have been steadily releasing more. Sad to say I haven’t tried their drive pedals yet, can anyone recommend a good touch sensitive light overdrive? Apollo vs Saturn? Something in the range of a DOD 205? I want to dip my toes into their dirt options.
Click to expand...

Man I wish I could find an Explorer for a non-insane price.

I was very close to getting a purple Artemis locally, but then Iron Ether put up a new batch of Xerographs so I snagged one of those instead. Anyone compared the two?
 
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#329
Nihilistic Milk said:
Does anyone have experience using the Saturn with flats? I’m looking for a light overdrive and am interested in the Saturn. However, I find flats don’t play well with all overdrives. Thanks.
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My Saturn VI responds excellently to a P bass with TI Jazz flats. This also has Alembic pickups and preamp, which may be a greater influence. Lately I’ve been having great fun stacking the Saturn, with everything.
 
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#332
My two main basses (and two other) have on them - currently Chromes on my Stingray 5 HH and GHS Precision Flats on my L-2500. I just recently got my Saturn and am really pleased with how it sounds. Can’t wait to fill the two open spots in my band so I can hear it in a band mix.

My Saturn is before my compressor (which is the last thing before my DI), but that’s because of how I’m using it. I have it set to gently smooth my output level as I turn effects on and off. If you use it differently, you may want it in a different place in your signal chain.
 
#334
BartmanPDX said:
I haven't tried the Apollo but the Saturn V is my absolute favorite light OD. It's quite touch-sensitive and cuts through the mix perfectly. I've tried a number of other pedals in its spot and have always come back to it. It's the one pedal on my board that I would buy again in a heartbeat if anything happened to my board. It is my most frequently used pedal and while the rest of my board has changed completely over the years the Saturn has always remained.
Click to expand...

I have a Saturn VI on the way to me. Excited to try it out as an always on light OD.
 
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#336
Additionally,

I've been talking back and forth with the Mothership, about the Saturn and why it's so great, and I brought up the Aphelion.

The Aphelion is what gave birth to the Saturn, as they share a similar DNA.

I also asked if there was thought about a new Aphelion.

The Mothership stated that they wouldn't be opposed to it, and knows they could improve upon it. But it would be, possibly, 2022.

I said "shut up and take my money"
 
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