Which distortion pedal?

[NOLA Bass]

Haven't had a chance to try any of these yet, and only the EBS is in stock within driving distance. What do you guys think (keep in mind that I use mostly active Spectors). I'm looking for a full on distortion tone most of the time.

 

[EricF]

Are those your only choices?

I'm a big fan of my EHX English Muff'n - Warm tubey grit. The Fulltone Bass-Drive is one of the best liked dirt pedals on the market.

 

[NOLA Bass]

I had a Big Muff. I liked it alot with my old G&L SB2 (hot passive pickups), but I thought that it didn't sound nearly as good with my Spectors.
I'd consider the Fulltone.

 

[EricF]

I'm not sure how the Big Muff sounds vs. the English Muff'n. The Muff'n uses real tubes and has a 60's-ish grit to it. I run passive Fenders and it sounds lovely to my ears.

The Fulltone might just be the ticket for you - or maybe not.

 

[iualum]

I use a Studio Electronics Wolftone Chaos & an EHX Hot Tubes. They're great.

I want to pick up a Crother Audio Prunes & Custard also.

But yeah, the Bass Drive, Big Muff, & Muff'n have a lot more followers. Prbably why I use what I use, lol.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

+1 on the English Muff'n. Also consider the Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive, and either of the SansAmps (bass or para driver) even if it's just cus they have blend knobs. I have soundclips posted in the sticky thread for all 3.

 

[FaithNoMan]

+1 on the English Muff'n.

+1 more

 

[bongomania]

The Big Muff and the Muff'n are totally different sounding IMO. Both very cool, but different.

 

[RAM]

I have the Fulltone BassDrive and a US Spector NS-4. I love the combination and would recommend it very highly.

 

[Crabby]

The Fulltone does not get too shred sounding as it is an overdrive. The boost channel sounds awsome for heavy overdrive but its not the all out distortion sound you have described. I run my Fulltone set to a mild overdrive into a Little Big muff and that is a balls to the wall sound.

The LBM by itself is a creamy fuzz pedal with lots of low end. Add the clarity of the Fulltone and its a killer distorted tone!

 

[Gothax]

I like the sound of the multidrive (owned one, used the pedal with ashdown abm410), it's very subtle but that is the problem when using live, it doesn't cut through the mix very well (you really have to crank up the drive, just to hear the OD)

 

[bongomania]

When you say "full on distortion", how heavy do you want to go? Have you checked out Invalid Link Removed?

 

[bass-shy]

The Tech 21 XXL gives me what I need in a full-on distortion tone. IMO, it sounds great, especially when cascaded into a mostly clean SABDDI. That said, distortion preferences are especially personal and the only way to find what you need is to try a bunch and decide from there. Take your time and take everyone else's opinion with a grain of salt. You'll know what you want as soon as you hear it. Good luck.

 

[NOLA Bass]

When you say "full on distortion", how heavy do you want to go? Have you checked out Invalid Link Removed?

Well, I need something that can give me a pretty heavy distortion. My band covers Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" and Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls". That being said, I'd like good tone and not just noise with no low end.

 

[HELLonWHEELS]

I have the Fulltone BassDrive and a US Spector NS-4. I love the combination and would recommend it very highly.

+1

 

[NOLA Bass]

Well, the winner is not even in my original poll!!!! After your posts and talking to John at Bass Emporium, I decided to roll the dice on the Fulltone! It seemed to be more of what I was looking for in the very subjective tone department than the Ashdown and EBS. Unfortunately, it seems that alot of GK dealers don't even stock the Deisel Dawg, so it is tough to try out.
Anyway, I put some $ down on the Fulltone (they're backordered), so now I have to wait until Fulltone catches up their production for demand (at least that is a good sign of demand being greater than what they can produce). Thanks for eveyrone's helpful feedback.

 

[D Von]

i like my digitech one, it does its job i guess. i use it in this thrash song that my band plays. other than that, i prefer clean tone.

 

[Razor]

When you say "full on distortion", how heavy do you want to go? Have you checked out Invalid Link Removed?

Do you have one of these?

 

[Crabby]

you will love the fulltone!

 

[bongomania]

(re: the Landmine pedal) Do you have one of these?

No, but I'm tempted. The recordings on their site are SICK! Of the two bass samples given, only one sounds as killer as the guitar samples, so I suspect for bass it may be a one-trick pony. Although blending it with a clean signal in a loop would probably be the NUTS, and reasonably versatile.