Walrus Ages. 5 different clipping circuits. First three are pretty transparent and it has clean blend.
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What are some good pedals for light/reactive overdrive?
- Thread starter bitterminnows
- Start date
I’ve recently discovered the mosky golden horse. With just a hair of drive it’s perfect and reacts perfectly when you dig in. Seems to add sparkle and harmonics.
Very impressed.
Also a definite plus 1 for the spark and orange juice.
Very impressed.
Also a definite plus 1 for the spark and orange juice.
I was lucky enough to order a SV-Pre a couple weeks ago when I went on the Broughton Audio site and realized they had them in stock. Oddly enough, I have been looking at OD pedals and the Pork and Pickle was my other pedal I was looking at buying.
My Answer every time this question comes up. Hasn't changed in 7 years or so..
PERFECT for light grind /OD etc. I HATE super distorted fizzy bass. VMT is NOT that.
www.darkglass.com
T$
PERFECT for light grind /OD etc. I HATE super distorted fizzy bass. VMT is NOT that.
Vintage Microtubes
Level - Sets the volume of the overdriven signal. Drive - Sets the amount of saturation in the overdriven signal. Blend - Mixes the clean input signal with the overdriven signal. Era - Interacts with the Drive knob to shape the character of the pedal.
www.darkglass.com
T$
I’d probably lean you towards a tech21 sans amp. When it’s set low it really does a nice job of adding just a touch of something. The vt and ged 2112 are nice pedals. Also the drive on the mxr m81 is cool for a little bit of drive on top.
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The Mr Black Bass Overdrive is nice and touch sensitive, for now it has knocked the Grizzly off my board.
I am really liking it, lots of nice tones, from light tubey grit to a medium distortion. The EQ is nice too, very easy to dial in and tweak live.
I am really liking it, lots of nice tones, from light tubey grit to a medium distortion. The EQ is nice too, very easy to dial in and tweak live.
I've been through a bunch of pedals seeking a great low gain option.
I wish the Damnation MBDs were a little mellower, as for me the low end gets too relentless too quickly for my needs, although I love the pedal in general.
I loved the Night Owl Parabellum v2 and how the clipping characteristics changed throughout the range. I found the germanium & EF-86 combo unique and pleasing. The EQ curve didn't quite work for me.
I loved the Southampton Fifth Gear, which is super flexible and could cover everything from clean boost to fuzz with the twist of a few knobs. It did suck just enough low end to make me move on.
I had a production Phat Phuk B that was cool, and then my wife built me a clone with an external bias knob that was cooler. I still use the clone, although I wish it had an EQ of some sort to dial in a little more low end. Tilt or a well-voiced two band EQ would do it for me.
Lately, I've been using a prototype Saturator from a bandmate's company, KJams. I was shocked to love a digital drive, but the thing just works. What I love most about this pedal is that you can change the drive level without changing the volume level, so one knob twist can take you from clean to fuzz without a corresponding 20bd boost. The EQ points work well for bass, there are two different clipping modes, and there is a 6bd boost footswitch. I'm looking forward to the production model.
I wish the Damnation MBDs were a little mellower, as for me the low end gets too relentless too quickly for my needs, although I love the pedal in general.
I loved the Night Owl Parabellum v2 and how the clipping characteristics changed throughout the range. I found the germanium & EF-86 combo unique and pleasing. The EQ curve didn't quite work for me.
I loved the Southampton Fifth Gear, which is super flexible and could cover everything from clean boost to fuzz with the twist of a few knobs. It did suck just enough low end to make me move on.
I had a production Phat Phuk B that was cool, and then my wife built me a clone with an external bias knob that was cooler. I still use the clone, although I wish it had an EQ of some sort to dial in a little more low end. Tilt or a well-voiced two band EQ would do it for me.
Lately, I've been using a prototype Saturator from a bandmate's company, KJams. I was shocked to love a digital drive, but the thing just works. What I love most about this pedal is that you can change the drive level without changing the volume level, so one knob twist can take you from clean to fuzz without a corresponding 20bd boost. The EQ points work well for bass, there are two different clipping modes, and there is a 6bd boost footswitch. I'm looking forward to the production model.
Converted guitarist here. Believe it or not, I'm really enjoying playing my bass through an Ibanez TS9 modded to TS808 specs (with true bypass). I've found some harmonic-rich overdriven magic in tones that complement my bass (and not with the tone knob rolled down all the way to the left, either, despite what you might think!).
But for something a little more conventional, I also have success with the sans amp that GTHintz recommended a couple posts up.
But for something a little more conventional, I also have success with the sans amp that GTHintz recommended a couple posts up.
Cheap option: Nobels ODR-1. All of them are good and the mini version is really cheap and often found on the second hand market.
A little more expensive: Xotic BB Bass Preamp. It's a wonderful drive pedal I use for a lightly driven sound. They were up in price when they were discontinued, but now that Xotic is making them again, the used price has dropped significantly.
Still a bit more money? Fairfield Barbershop. It's ridiculously good at adding a little more growl to the signal. Really responsive and transparent. Fairfield makes a smaller sized version without footswitch as an always-on option, it's that good.
Even more than that: Origin Effects DCX Bass. For a subtle, amp like light drive that is among the if not the most responsive of light drives out here.
Or flip the switch for a mean, dense overdrive sound.
Money is really not an issue at all: Audio Kitchen Fake Plastic Trees. This pedal is incredible not only because of how it sounds, but also because how incredibly nice it feels playing it. It's truly a unique approach.
What about tubes? The Singular Audio Tubedrve excels at that very low, just a hint of drive that makes your gear sound more expensive.
Two pedals you might probably enjoy could be one of the SolidgoldFX Beta series and the Way Huge Pork Loin (or Pork side of the Pork&Pickle). Those have a very soft sounding clipping stage that has a bit of a pearly sheen to it instead of a raw edge.
A little more expensive: Xotic BB Bass Preamp. It's a wonderful drive pedal I use for a lightly driven sound. They were up in price when they were discontinued, but now that Xotic is making them again, the used price has dropped significantly.
Still a bit more money? Fairfield Barbershop. It's ridiculously good at adding a little more growl to the signal. Really responsive and transparent. Fairfield makes a smaller sized version without footswitch as an always-on option, it's that good.
Even more than that: Origin Effects DCX Bass. For a subtle, amp like light drive that is among the if not the most responsive of light drives out here.
Or flip the switch for a mean, dense overdrive sound.
Money is really not an issue at all: Audio Kitchen Fake Plastic Trees. This pedal is incredible not only because of how it sounds, but also because how incredibly nice it feels playing it. It's truly a unique approach.
What about tubes? The Singular Audio Tubedrve excels at that very low, just a hint of drive that makes your gear sound more expensive.
Two pedals you might probably enjoy could be one of the SolidgoldFX Beta series and the Way Huge Pork Loin (or Pork side of the Pork&Pickle). Those have a very soft sounding clipping stage that has a bit of a pearly sheen to it instead of a raw edge.
