How about an [sfx] Micro Red Dragon? It’s warm, but not dark. Tiny, too!
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Warm OD, small form factor recs
- Thread starter edr
- Start date
I forgot about this thread and all the discussion here, and I sprung for a sale on a Onecontrol Sonic Silver Peg. It comes today, and I can play a little bass again, so let's see how it goes.
Still want to try a barbershop at that store I mentioned upthread sometime...
Still want to try a barbershop at that store I mentioned upthread sometime...
postman came earlier than expected!
OneControl Sonic Silver Peg Review so far:
I have never seen such a beautifully machined enclosure in my entire life. Copying photo from website since not everyone may be aware of the new design, and I suck at taking photos. (the black on the bottom part isn't a shadow btw, it's actually part of the finish).
Sound: I'm playing with a very high output passive bass, so I really have to keep the volume knob on the pedal WAY down. But the sound is wonderful. It gets the warmth that I've been after, without having to switch out my amp. As for the actual overdrive sound, I'm still working out how to get that where I like it. But to my ears, it sounds like I'm suddenly playing a very different amp at the tap of a switch. I'm getting better tones with the side switch in the less loud position. It gets a little farty easily in the louder switch position with my bass, but it sounds a bit better with the pedal tone rolled down.
Backing off the volume of my bass itself does make the whole thing easier to tame.
I might need some time to decide whether I'd keep this, and where in my chain I'd like to put it if it goes on the board.
OneControl Sonic Silver Peg Review so far:
I have never seen such a beautifully machined enclosure in my entire life. Copying photo from website since not everyone may be aware of the new design, and I suck at taking photos. (the black on the bottom part isn't a shadow btw, it's actually part of the finish).
Sound: I'm playing with a very high output passive bass, so I really have to keep the volume knob on the pedal WAY down. But the sound is wonderful. It gets the warmth that I've been after, without having to switch out my amp. As for the actual overdrive sound, I'm still working out how to get that where I like it. But to my ears, it sounds like I'm suddenly playing a very different amp at the tap of a switch. I'm getting better tones with the side switch in the less loud position. It gets a little farty easily in the louder switch position with my bass, but it sounds a bit better with the pedal tone rolled down.
Backing off the volume of my bass itself does make the whole thing easier to tame.
I might need some time to decide whether I'd keep this, and where in my chain I'd like to put it if it goes on the board.
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Not sure if the Southampton 5th Gear has been mentioned. It has top jacks, and in your price range used.
I have grown real fond of the RC Booster. Gives me just that touch of saturation I like, without getting distorted.
Sorry that don't come as a "mini"
Sorry that don't come as a "mini"
If you don't mind a little color, I really like the Wampler Belle. It's based on the Nobel's ODR-1, and hits a really warm overdrive well for bass, IMO. It won it's spot on my board in place of an Earthquaker Dunes, TC Spark Booster, SFT, and Pork&Pickle.
No sound demos of it on YouTube for bass specifically, and the only one I find for the ODR-1 is cranked a lot higher on gain that I set my Belle at.
No sound demos of it on YouTube for bass specifically, and the only one I find for the ODR-1 is cranked a lot higher on gain that I set my Belle at.
its not on their site anymore but i see he still does custom work, so you may be able to request one. i'm sure they still have the plans! let us know what he says, because i like mine so much i'd get another!
Yes, I guess there wouldn't be all too many (if any) hard to get parts in there and completely did not think of the custom option.
The Americans and the California from Joyo are two great pedals at a price you can't beat. All bass players should try theseIf you decide against the Sonic Silver Peg maybe try the Joyo Clean Glass. It's a mini version of the California Sound pedal which a lot of people like and does mild to grinding overdrive while retaining the bass.
Also fits in with your colour scheme.
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I’m starting to feel like my pedal board isn’t full enough, so it’s time to ask the GAS hive mind:
I want an OD pedal. I already have a TAFM for my fuzz needs, and occasionally I use the distortion on my MXR M80 as an OD with the gain set all the way down, but I’d rather get a dedicated OD that does the job better. Then I can use the distortion as... you know. Distortion.
I’ve looked through several tb threads, but then every time I think I narrowed it down, I suddenly don’t.
I find the OD world to have an overwhelming number of options, so I’m a little paralyzed.
Hard Requirements:
Stuff that would help me narrow it down, since there’s a billion options:
- Small form factor. Mini pedals are good, so are “normal size” pedals with top jacks. Not considering anything larger.
- Capable of a “warm” type of overdrive.
- Plays nice with hot signals. My basses are passive, but my main bass has two humbuckers and runs hot. I’d still want to have subtlety available.
- 9V dc powered
- $150 usd max (new or used)
Also, dirty boosts, tiny preamps (ex: sonic silver peg) that sort of accomplish the same thing are fine too.
- Is it monochromatic (black, white, bare metal, etc)? I’ve got a color scheme going here.
- Alternatively, is it one I get to build myself? like BYOC or Mad Bean Pedals. I enjoy doing that, plus then it’s whatever color I want. if there’s a diy project that meets the other requirements I’ll probably prioritize it over fully assembled pedals, as long as I don’t have to etch a PCB myself.
- Analog preferred.
Let the information overload begin!
Wampler Belle, or Nobels ODR-1 Mini. Both available in A-size enclosures, the Belle is about $150 new, $130 used, the Nobels about $80 new, $65 used.
The Belle is an ODR-1 with a Bass control and a couple other available tweaks. The bass control more a bass cut, however; Brian added it to make sure guitarists could cut some low-end mud/boom at higher gain settings. At full clockwise, it basically behaves like the stock circuit, which bass players will love as it pushes 200-500Hz. The ODR-1 circuit, despite being a green overdrive, is kind of the anti-Tubescreamer; as you increase gain, the circuit boosts everything around 725Hz, giving you more high-mids and bass without the TS honk.
I would also recommend the Bass Soul Food, a bass-oriented Klon circuit. Only problem is that I've had issues with really hot inputs into Klon circuits; in gain stacks, "dirt on dirt" or using the Klon as a solo boost is fine, but if you try to goose the Klon with clean level (or you just have a really hot instrument line level) you'll clip the input buffer even if the pedal's off, and that doesn't sound great. The BSF does have a 10dB pad, though, so hot instruments can be tamed.
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