Under-loved zvex tone, and, what to try?

[Kennoath]

Digging the zvex basstortion all over again.

I've tried lots of lower-gain dirt pedals and I always end up back at the basstortion.

(I have a wooly mammoth and other "nuclear options" but a low gain OD is where it's usually at, for me.)

Needing to spend a shop credit, and having read a bunch of love stories about the Saturn VI, I went and tried the Saturn VI today, and took the basstortion for a side-by-side showdown.

I don't know why I was surprised, but it was easy to dial them in to sound almost identical, to my ears. So close, and both great.

Why does this zvex pedal get so little love around here, and sell so cheap? Did zvex somehow lose its brand mojo?

@johnk_10 and @Timmah I think you were basstortion fans; have you found anything lately (OD or other) that you'd suggest I spend an expiring shop credit on?

 

[johnk_10]

i still dig my basstortion a lot but i've been using my own design of a pedal these days for my OD/Distortion needs.

 

[Timmah]

Digging the zvex basstortion all over again.

I've tried lots of lower-gain dirt pedals and I always end up back at the basstortion.
...
@johnk_10 and @Timmah I think you were basstortion fans; have you found anything lately (OD or other) that you'd suggest I spend an expiring shop credit on?

I haven't really found anything that replaces the Basstortion for me. For lower gain drives I have an Xotic Bass BB Pre, which has a snarly abrasive sound that works great for some things, and enjoyed the Darkglass VMT when I had it, but the only OD that survived my transition from all analog pedals to an HX Stomp-based board is the Basstortion. It's less picky about basses than other ODs I've tried, sounds great as a fat/dirty boost or a low-to-medium gain option, and I don't ever feel the need for a blend.

It sounds like the Basstortion is working for you too, so my two cents would be to not mess with a good thing. Use that shop credit on a different sound or some strings or something, and be happy that you found a pedal that makes you happy.

 

[cnltb]

i still dig my basstortion a lot but i've been using my own design of a pedal these days for my OD/Distortion needs.
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Still looks good! Are there soundclips of this somewhere online?

 

[johnk_10]

 

[Kennoath]

i still dig my basstortion a lot but i've been using my own design of a pedal...
View attachment 5323385

Thanks John -- that is a beautiful pedal

 

[MattZilla]

I still have love for my Mastotron and Mammoth, but they and like a quarter of my pedals are a hazy memory away. I think they’re at a drummer’s space, and I’ve not jammed with that guy since a short while before Covid. I definitely want to get two more Mastos because there are two really low grit settings I remember liking a lot in addition to the more obvious nuke settings.

 

[Kennoath]

...my two cents would be to not mess with a good thing...

Thanks Tim, that seems like sane/sage advice

 

[Kennoath]

Speaking of nuclear options, a mate left me an Earthquaker Hizumitas to play with. Interesting, how much increasing the distortion/sustain control increases the bottom end. Very fun, sounds best wound right up, but like the Mammoth, a bit hard to use in most of what we play.
Playing eg at a party, that Mammoth level of noise makes the guitarists' eyes sparkle, while everyone else starts heading for the door.