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Warming up solid state

B

BabyBoyShafe

Apr 3, 2011
25
0
#1
Hey guys im currently looking for some sort of tube preamp pedal to warm up my Ampeg B2r. I'm looking for a nice round tubey sound without spending a ton of money on a new head at the moment. I've been looking at the EBS Valve Drive, has anyone ever tried this? Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated as well. :bassist:
 
#4
I've an English Muff'n that has been on my board for about three years. The only other thing I've owned that long is my parallel looper. It is pretty good as a preamp by itself, but as a preamp with distortion boxes in front of it it is amazing. IMO.

I've heard nothing but good things about the Valve drive.
 
#5
2 words: VT Bass. The deluxe or the standard, both are amazing at that tubey warmth, and would actually give your Ampeg the "Ampeg Sound". They work great as pre-amps set clean. Don't let anyone tell you these things are just for distortion. They can be used for that, but just getting that All-tube presence is what they do best.

Plus, their relatively cheap. I paid $150 new for my VT and the VT Deluxe goes for around $200-$250.
 
#9
I'm running a VT bass on my GK 400rbIII and it's hella round and tubey. I've had great results with a Sansamp bassdriver too. It can really transform the brash solidstate grind without losing the articulation and clarity of the GK sound. Do it.
 
#10
j_nition said:
I'm running a VT bass on my GK 400rbIII and it's hella round and tubey. I've had great results with a Sansamp bassdriver too. It can really transform the brash solidstate grind without losing the articulation and clarity of the GK sound. Do it.
Click to expand...

I used to have a Sansamp Bassdriver and I was not to fond of it. It didnt have enough mids to it and I thought it always had too much treble or too much bass. But a lot of people seem to love it so to each his own I guess....
 
#11
MOTORHEADBANGER said:
2 words: VT Bass. The deluxe or the standard, both are amazing at that tubey warmth, and would actually give your Ampeg the "Ampeg Sound". They work great as pre-amps set clean. Don't let anyone tell you these things are just for distortion. They can be used for that, but just getting that All-tube presence is what they do best.

Plus, their relatively cheap. I paid $150 new for my VT and the VT Deluxe goes for around $200-$250.
Click to expand...




+1

Just played out last night with VT Bass through Ampeg SS.
Once I set it for the "sweet spot," I flooded the room with meaty, warm goodness.
One of the tricky things with that pedal is finding and maintaining the "sweet spot" among the controls. The price of having so much range of tone is that very minor adjustments result in big changes in sound.
Mine's was modded heavily by Putnam (parametric mid, wet/dry levels, headphone driver, XLR) so I have even more flexibility. But the independent wet/dry level was really the most important to me so far.

Stock or modded it does fantastic stuff to the tone. To quote Jimmy: "POTF."
 
#14
I just got a ValveDrive and playing it through my small Trace Elliot combo which has a very SS sound to it, you pop the Valvedrive on and its night and day. I got mine used on here for $175 which is well worth it but they are 300 new. Definitely a great solution though
 
#15
mindflow said:
I just got a ValveDrive and playing it through my small Trace Elliot combo which has a very SS sound to it, you pop the Valvedrive on and its night and day. I got mine used on here for $175 which is well worth it but they are 300 new. Definitely a great solution though
Click to expand...

I wouldnt think twice about buying one for $175 but im a little iffy on dropping $300 for a pedal but im giving it serious consideration
 
#16
I've been using the Valve Drive for 4 or 5 yrs now. Tried many other bass o/d's in the past, but the Valve drive is imo the best. The fact that it can be run from "clean" to gnarly is an added bonus. Also, big +1 for the Barber Linden. For $125 brand new, that little pedal is also a good option for tone improvement.
 
#17
RickenBoogie said:
I've been using the Valve Drive for 4 or 5 yrs now. Tried many other bass o/d's in the past, but the Valve drive is imo the best. The fact that it can be run from "clean" to gnarly is an added bonus. Also, big +1 for the Barber Linden. For $125 brand new, that little pedal is also a good option for tone improvement.
Click to expand...

Do you think the Valve Drive or the Barber Linden adds more warm tubey goodness? Im more interested in Valve Drive as a preamp than an overdrive but the drive would be a nice extra.
 
#19
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