What are current distortion pedals lacking?

[bassplaya614]

What sort of variation?

Heh, I wish I could tell you.

Once I built the prototype I'll actually KNOW what the sounds SOUND like, not what they look like.

 

[bongomania]

Yeah, see that's the thing I'm still bothered by, frankly. It's great that you are having fun with this software, and I would not discourage you for an instant from continuing to learn from it what can be learned from it. But there is a massive leap between looking at a wave on a computer screen, and knowing whether it actually will sound good to a number of potential consumers, in a way that is significantly different from other pedals already available. I say this not to be mean, but to be realistic.

Please breadboard a working model of your basic design, and then compare how it sounds to the other bass distortions on the market. Maybe even post a recording of how your prototype sounds, here on the forum, so we can advise you what we think needs to change.

 

[bassplaya614]

Yeah, see that's the thing I'm still bothered by, frankly. It's great that you are having fun with this software, and I would not discourage you for an instant from continuing to learn from it what can be learned from it. But there is a massive leap between looking at a wave on a computer screen, and knowing whether it actually will sound good to a number of potential consumers, in a way that is significantly different from other pedals already available. I say this not to be mean, but to be realistic.

Please breadboard a working model of your basic design, and then compare how it sounds to the other bass distortions on the market. Maybe even post a recording of how your prototype sounds, here on the forum, so we can advise you what we think needs to change.

Thank you! That is exactly what I was planning to do!

As soon as I get a breadboard I'm going to build what I have, experiment with different components and then settle on one I like. I am just using the software to get a basic shell of the circuit.

 

[Wasted Bassist]

Thank you! That is exactly what I was planning to do!

As soon as I get a breadboard I'm going to build what I have, experiment with different components and then settle on one I like. I am just using the software to get a basic shell of the circuit.

Out of curious, is the circuit based on an existing distortion circuit? I'm working on modding the Bazz Fuss circuit in a number of ways.

 

[bassplaya614]

Out of curious, is the circuit based on an existing distortion circuit? I'm working on modding the Bazz Fuss circuit in a number of ways.

Nope. All original. Good luck though!

 

[Wasted Bassist]

Nope. All original. Good luck though!

Interesting. I haven't seen many "original" circuits. I'd be interested in hearing it. I'd ask to see your schematic, but I don't want to be intrusive if you plan on selling this.

 

[bassplaya614]

Interesting. I haven't seen many "original" circuits. I'd be interested in hearing it. I'd ask to see your schematic, but I don't want to be intrusive if you plan on selling this.

I'll PM the simulator export to you when I'm closer to being done.

It's really not that original, but I didn't look at other schematics. Just put stuff together off the top of my head. Still working. I'll add mid sweep, more tonal varieties, and maybe another clipping circuit somewhere else for a different sound.

 

[Happynoj]

The world needs more gated fuzzes.

 

[lobey]

This is probably going to end up with 8 (or more) knobs unless someone smacks me.

That's necessarily a bad thing.

 

[bassplaya614]

That's necessarily a bad thing.

I saw that coming.

Should I consider that a smack?

 

[Gopher Bob]

I would say most important thing is price. There are a lot of solid distortion pedals I've tried. There are none cheap enough that I would buy.

 

[MEKer]

I keep looking for distortion that does not saturate, but rather wraps a note (if that makes sense) so that the note still has definite note sound with mucho crunch and some harmonics.
Nothing yet, to my ear, does it. Either ends up being a one-tone OD sort or a saturated fuzz that has no really distinct voicing.
Bah! Still using a Digi Grunge to get close to what my head and heart searches for.

 

[bassplaya614]

I keep looking for distortion that does not saturate, but rather wraps a note (if that makes sense) so that the note still has definite note sound with mucho crunch and some harmonics.
Nothing yet, to my ear, does it. Either ends up being a one-tone OD sort or a saturated fuzz that has no really distinct voicing.
Bah! Still using a Digi Grunge to get close to what my head and heart searches for.

Well, I hope my circuit does it. Because I have the same problem.

 

[chris.gotfunk]

I gotta say, I am hugely impressed with the Source Audio Bass Multiwave Distortion Pro. It has 6 selectable presets, a graphic eq (per preset), clean blend, distortion blend, drive output and 22 different distortions that you can make from mild to straight up synth. If you get a chance. Check it out. For me at least, they really nailed the distortion design. I think the only thing I wish it had was a gate. But, I can easily live without it due to all of the other features.

Good luck on your build though. I just thought I would give you a suggestion that I didn't see on this page.


PS- Read up about the whole Multiwave function. Very cool!!!

 

[fenderthrupeave]

I have modded a big muff to do what I want, ended up with a 3 band eq, tons of clipping options, and a noise gate. it works great now I just need another one so I dont have to change settings all the time.

 

[newbold]

Here's what I want in a distortion/drive/whatever pedal that does almost everything I desire.

-octave up distortion in series (or parallel, switchable), with
-insert point after octave up distortion, turns parallel or feeds clean channel as octave up parallel switch engaged - great for octave down effects, modulation, compression, or filters to push other parts of this unit to new limits.

parallel:
-soft/er clipping drive
-selectable midrange fuzz
-clean bifet or tube preamp, with

Internal trimpots for:

-Overdrive EQ,
-overdrive intensity,
-preamp EQ, and
-Octave up bandpass filter width and shift, with

-footswitchable distortion circuit gate,

-blended 1/4 inch and
-low impedance (DI) XLR out,

-Phase knob on blended clean channel (0-135 degrees),

-1/4" buffered dry out

This unit would also benefit from a
-3 band crossover that can send different parts of my signal to different stages in the unit, or exempt certain frequency bands from being effected.

This would give me all the things that I crave from my Pigtronix OFO Disnortion tht are either going to cost me in mods or more gear or remain in my imagination.

I would *like* to have one ultra flexible distortion pedal that I can also bring to gigs or jams as a preamp and synthy box (I love my disnortion's octava channel) that also opens up tone while feeding effects.



What else is lacking?

simple, quiet, sturdy, small, affordable, flexible, blended, subtle preamp/drive units with footswitchable phase control on the dry portion of the blended out with footswitchable low ratio compression ahead of the drive/fuzz/distortion

 

[grygrx]

I want a pedal with locking pots so when I find the perfect setting I never have to mess with it again.

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

I want a pedal with locking pots so when I find the perfect setting I never have to mess with it again.

Ibanez PD7.

 

[grygrx]

Ibanez PD7.

On GOOD pedals

 

[Smallequestrian]

I gotta say, I am hugely impressed with the Source Audio Bass Multiwave Distortion Pro...I think the only thing I wish it had was a gate.

Have you checked out the backpage controls on it? Noise Gate is one of the options, look at page 22 of the manual.