Using 2 preamp pedals through one amp?

[Morson93]

so basically I run a SVT 3 pro through a SVT 410HE cab, and recently I've been building up a pedalboard for live use. I've got my bass tone very close to the tone our album using a sansamp BDDI on top of the ampeg, and I've got an MXR M87 on the way just to level the sound out, but the one thing I have been considering is getting a MXR DI+ purely for the distortion channel, just to add a nice dirt to the sound. The idea would be to run the sansamp through the ampeg at all times as my main tone, and having the blend at a minimum on the MXR and using the distortion channel to drive the signal.

Does anyone have any experience using this type of setup?

Is the MXR a bit overkill considering I already have the BDDI?

The tone I am after is a rise against style punchy gritty tone with slightly more gain, my bass is a Squier 77 jazz bass with Seymour Duncan quarter pounders (modified to a PJ setup)

Any help would be fantastic as I've never actually seen a MXR DI in my shop

thanks guys

 

[Nephilymbass]

I wouldn't worry so much about stacking what people call "preamps". I have a b7k ultra on my board and a sans amp RBI in my rack and use them together. I like the warmth of the sans amp and the EQ and dirt on the b7k. To me it's a great sorta two channel setup to always have the EQ of the b7k on and use its second foltswitch like I'm switching to andirtjer channel. Same with my fuzz. I basically think of it like a 3 channel rig
1 EQ from b7k into RBI is my "clean tone"
2 EQ and dirt from b7k + RBI is my drive tone
3 EQ from b7k+fuzz+RBI is my nasty tone

 

[therhodeo]

Wouldn't you likely be better served by finding a good OD instead of buying the MXR for its dirt?

 

[rjovin]

Just think of the mxr as being a distortion pedal and not a preamp that you're running into you're amp.

 

[XLunacy]

Many here like to have 2 dirt boxes in series, so it is definitely something to try.
Not overkill at all since the MXR does what the sansamp can't and conversely.

 

[Morson93]

May definitely be something worth trying then!

As far as independent distortions go, I think I am drawn to the MXR because of its other features as well as the fact it'd be an ideal distortion pedal.

I have the programmable BDDI, so I have my main tone, a slight volume boost for solo/bridge parts, and another that boosts the bass in those cleaner parts of the tracks.

The idea is to also be able to use all 3 of those channels with distortion, but with the MXR I would have the versatility of also having another preset channel, set purely for distortion which is the appealing part to me.

As far as signal chain goes, I was thinking the following

Bass > tuner > compression > BDDI > MXR DI

Would that be the correct signal path?

 

[XLunacy]

This is one of the many "correct" signal paths (and the one I'd start experimenting with first).

 

[ThudThudThud]

I have a SAPBBDDI at the end of my pedal board (into a parametric EQ run as a preamp in the rack + power amp). Right in front of it is a SABDDI.
I have a pretty clean/flat sound on one channel of the SAPBDDI, a couple of different EQ points on the other channels. The SABDDI acts as an effect pedal for an 'instant SVT' tube thing.

 

[Al Kraft]

May definitely be something worth trying then!

As far as independent distortions go, I think I am drawn to the MXR because of its other features as well as the fact it'd be an ideal distortion pedal.

I have the programmable BDDI, so I have my main tone, a slight volume boost for solo/bridge parts, and another that boosts the bass in those cleaner parts of the tracks.

The idea is to also be able to use all 3 of those channels with distortion, but with the MXR I would have the versatility of also having another preset channel, set purely for distortion which is the appealing part to me.

As far as signal chain goes, I was thinking the following

Bass > tuner > compression > BDDI > MXR DI

Would that be the correct signal path?

This would work and so would other combinations. The biggest issue folks often run into with two devices in line that can be used as a DI is if they have one that they like as the DI best and plan to send an XLR signal to a mixing desk...sort of screams for that pedal to be last in the chain.

In this case, you're simply trying to shape your tone and get options on the fly and then send a signal to your amp. With the pedals you ave here, I think any combination could work. Just remember that if you use heavy OD (high blend) on the BDDI, part of the effect includes some natural tube-like compression that may be redundant with your compressor. Have fun...you won't break anything no matter how you arrange those pedals.

 

[Philly Watts]

I recently made a post about the MXR M80 and SANSAMP BDDI V2... check it out and some of the responses there.

MXR Bass DI+, and Sansamp BDDI V2 (now with mid controls)...

 

[Jared Lash]

For what it's worth when I owned/used a SansAmp BDDI I always found that dirt pedals sounded much better running into the BDDI rather than after it.

YMMV.

 

[Ric5]

This is what I am currently using for effects.

1 - First I run into an equalizer

2 - Then I split the signal into 4 parallel signals with a rolls mixer.

3 - I run one of the parallel lines into the Line6 bass pod where I model an acoustic 360 with a rat or big muff distortion pedal. I use this to get a retro growlly distorted sound. Or I also model an Ampeg fliptop with the Rat Distortion pedal. And I also Model an old Marshall amp. With the bass pod I can get a wide range of clean or dirty sounds and various effects and model different amps and speaker cabinets.

4 - The second parallel signal goes into a MXR bass di+. I use this pedal to get a clean modern sound. It also has a distortion button that can give a moderate to extreme amount of modern distortion.

5 - The third parallel signal goes into a Marshall Guv'nor. This gives me an old 60s marshall stack sound. This can go from a small amount of distortion to an over the top marshall sound. This effect can give you a the classic Jack Bruce Cream tone.

6 - The fourth parallel signal goes into a Tech21 VT Bass pedal. With this effect I get a slightly dirty Ampeg SVT bass amp sound with a tube like growl.

7 - Then I remix the 4 signals back together and run it into a bass amp, or pa, or studio mixer. Because the signals are parallel I can mix clean and overdriven sounds together and still get effect and a sound that punches through the mix.

Schematic diagram of my effects.

 

[gregmon79]

It's not overkill at all IMO. As long as it sounds good to you, I say go for it! I use two preamps myself....as a boost/preamp and another tone shaper/preamp. So really, I use 4. And I love it! The only issue I've ever really had was either stacking dirt pedals or running a really high gain pedal. Sometimes there is feedback issues because of all the gain stages. But overall, I'm very happy with my setup and how it sounds.

In case you were curious as to what I run () it is as follows (just the preamp section of my board)

DOD FX10 > Tronographic Rusty Box > Darkglass B7K Ultra > Fuzzrocious Feed Me

Then that even goes into an FDeck1 which is an HPF. I love this setup. It's so nice n clear. So I say, hell yeah for preamps!!!

 

[gregmon79]

Oh, and as for running order, I would go with you preamp last. That way it shapes anything you run before it and anything that hits your amp with that Sansamp flavor. Use the MXR for your dirty tone, BDDI for your preamp/clean tone. Just like you're saying. I think it's a grand idea!! Try this reversed too. You never know, you may like the MXR clean and the BDDI a little dirty when you hear it. There isnt a wrong or right way, its what sounds best to you and what youre trying to accomplish tonally

 

[Al Kraft]

For what it's worth when I owned/used a SansAmp BDDI I always found that dirt pedals sounded much better running into the BDDI rather than after it.

YMMV.

Which does have some real logic behind it since the BDDI is designed to emulate an amp/cab which would be what your pedal board and effects typically feed. If you use your BDDI as your DI to the mixing desk, it makes sense as well since Tech 21 had this arrangement in mind during the design process.

 

[Buzz E]

It's not overkill at all IMO. As long as it sounds good to you, I say go for it! I use two preamps myself....as a boost/preamp and another tone shaper/preamp. So really, I use 4. And I love it! The only issue I've ever really had was either stacking dirt pedals or running a really high gain pedal. Sometimes there is feedback issues because of all the gain stages. But overall, I'm very happy with my setup and how it sounds.

In case you were curious as to what I run () it is as follows (just the preamp section of my board)

DOD FX10 > Tronographic Rusty Box > Darkglass B7K Ultra > Fuzzrocious Feed Me

Then that even goes into an FDeck1 which is an HPF. I love this setup. It's so nice n clear. So I say, hell yeah for preamps!!!

Rusty Box into a B7k? I bet that's awesome! Any clips on your SoundCloud of that?

 

[gregmon79]

Rusty Box into a B7k? I bet that's awesome! Any clips on your SoundCloud of that?

It is indeed!!! one of my fav sounds actually

I have plenty of recordings but not for just the two of those together. You can find my bands music in my sig below. There I was using the Rusty Box and regular B7K for all those recordings but I also have various dirt pedals running in almost all those songs. I dont play clean much

Then there is my personal SoundClound too where I have quite a few "demos" and entries where it's just me messing with various pedals. Most of those have the Rusty Box/B7K combo on most times. So the sound samples are there if you take the time to listen. Link Removed would probably be most accessible.

Very soon I will have new music to share!!! That will be professionally done and have the Ultra on it. Very excited about this.