HX Stomp is great for bassists. Just enough to get you in trouble but not too much. They can be had used for a good deal and will resell easy for what you pay used.
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Worship Bass Pedalboards
- Thread starter Cshanks5
- Start date
Hey everyone. I’m very close to pulling the trigger on an Aguilar Tone Hammer DI. I currently use a VTDI, and just want to try something from outside the Sansamp stable for a change. I’d love to hear thoughts from those who’ve used a Tone Hammer DI. I’ve seen them mentioned here and there, all I remember is that they seem to be very popular (especially for passive basses), take 18V, and that there is some kind of volume jump with the AGS engaged, so it’s a kind of ‘have the AGS either on or off all the time’ thing. I’d love to hear anything else that’s worth knowing about them.
Right now I have a very simple setup of just Fender P bass > Tuner > Preamp/DI > FOH/desk. I have to admit that one of the main reasons I’ve held off trying a THDI, is the 18V power thing. Stupidly, I thought I’d have to upgrade my PSU, and only realised recently that one output on my Cioks DC5 will power it. So now it feels like an itch I have to scratch. Thanks
Right now I have a very simple setup of just Fender P bass > Tuner > Preamp/DI > FOH/desk. I have to admit that one of the main reasons I’ve held off trying a THDI, is the 18V power thing. Stupidly, I thought I’d have to upgrade my PSU, and only realised recently that one output on my Cioks DC5 will power it. So now it feels like an itch I have to scratch. Thanks
There are a number of good DI's these days. If I weren't using an HX Stomp, I'd maybe using a Genzler preamp/DI.
MAGELLAN Preamp/DI Pedal - Genzler Amplification
Really nice pedal for $299. Does more than the Aguilar. with HPF and Aux In and Contour. It doesn't have the drive, but that may or may not be a big deal.
I’ve had Tone Hammer on my board for almost 15 years now (the same unit the whole time). I love it. You’re correct about the power but it will work with the supply Aguilar has (I can’t remember if it came with it or not), and it’s very easy to find power supply units that run 18v. It will also run off phantom power if needed.
For me it has worked great with my passive basses, great with my active 4s and 5s, and works great at the end of my chain after a bunch of weird effects. It really can handle it all very well.
With AGS on the gain and mid controls become very interactive. You can get the gain pretty high and stay fairly clean with a mid scoop, and with as you increase the mids the drive starts to shine through.
I typically run it with the gain at 9-10 o’clock, mid freq at about 1 o’clock and mid level at about 2-3 o’clock. Treble usually flat, bass to taste for the room and the bass I’m playing. Very nice warm and vintage tone, plays clean and warms up nicely when you dig in.
I love the Tone Hammer. I have two of them.
I run it after my HXStomp. That way, when I use different basses with different output, I can send a little extra or less to the sound man to compensate for the bass output. I can also tailor the sound for the room without digging into the stomp settings. The 2nd one is on my other big board.
My only gripe about it is that the AGS circuit is either an on all the time or off all the time circuit. I wish there was one more knob to adjust the AGS circuit, so that when it was engaged, I could get the grit but still maintain unity with the clean channel.
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Does anyone use the SansAmp Fly Rig v2? They look like a relatively simple 'do it all' solution for a church gig, as I don't need all the complexity of the HX stuff, while I admit it's great! There's one in the Classifieds that looks nice.
Also considering a DG Microtubes Infinity as a preamp, but then I'd still need a tuner and modulation of sorts. The Fly Rig kinda has it all together in a nice neat setup.
Also considering a DG Microtubes Infinity as a preamp, but then I'd still need a tuner and modulation of sorts. The Fly Rig kinda has it all together in a nice neat setup.
I always get tempted when a Noble comes up for sale. But I have invested in the Stomp with Ian's presets and the 4/5 switch...I know the Stomp is more practical and way cheaper but the Noble is one DI I have never tried.
Stay strong. It's a reasonable price so hopefully it sells and the decesion is taken away from me.
Stay strong. It's a reasonable price so hopefully it sells and the decesion is taken away from me.
The thing that holds me back (other than the price tag) is that when I did an A/B between my REDDI and my Stomp, no one really noticed which one I was using. It's a lot of money to be barely noticed. I know a lot of people run their Stomp into a tube DI and it's a great blending of both worlds, but again, I'm not so sure that other than myself, any will notice.
I think a tube DI or Stomp + tube DI is more "sweetener" primarily for what players hear using IEM's. That is probably where the difference may be experienced.
Like you said though, most (if not all) will hear no discernible difference in the FoH mix most likely.
Would agree with this. I noticed for some folks their enjoyment of the IEM mix is key. I personally just want to make sure it helps me play well.
In a big church where I occasionally play, mostly EG, their sound engineer was surprised I was planning to go mono because I had a stomp and a stereo Strymon reverb. Next time I was scheduled to play EG, I showed up with a stereo setup and told him. I asked how wide he was planning to pan it in the room and he told me it was just Stereo for the IEMs, that he always converted the signal to mono for the room
Would agree with this. I noticed for some folks their enjoyment of the IEM mix is key. I personally just want to make sure it helps me play well.
In a big church where I occasionally play, mostly EG, their sound engineer was surprised I was planning to go mono because I had a stomp and a stereo Strymon reverb. Next time I was scheduled to play EG, I showed up with a stereo setup and told him. I asked how wide he was planning to pan it in the room and he told me it was just Stereo for the IEMs, that he always converted the signal to mono for the room
The churches I've run sound in (or built PA systems for) all ran mono for FOH. When I used cans, my stage mix was stereo, but that was to help discriminate between certain things, such as my bass and the keys. Drums were right out because I heard (and felt) them despite the noise-cancelling phones. If you can believe that.
Right. I just can't justify that for a minor tweak to the IEM sound. No one is complaining really. I'm fine.
No No No! There must be GAS! You cannot be satisfied with your rig as is! This is the (TB) way!
Trying something different this weekend. Everything on the iPad. Bias Amp 2 and Positive Grid Riff.
John willis had some settings for a Noble patch on his Dr tone bass lab Facebook group
I can hear the difference in IEM's. for me, at the moment, is enough even though others may not. Tonight, I ran just the Khan VTDI and my bass in rehearsal and it was great. I look forward to figuring out the hx stomp and comparing it with the khan, noble (when it shows up) and a regular DI after it.
I gifted my sansamp to the girl that plays at my church as well. So I bought another one to keep my first pedalboard set up. This will always be a grab n go/backup/loaner board. It worked well for a long time and is so easy to get a good usable tone with. In fact, I may use it this Sunday if the new nano + with stomp isn't completed in time for me to get comfortable. just got the nano +, cioks dc7 and Logsdon Audio current doubler cable in today. still waiting for the pedalnetics 4/5 switch for the hx stomp.
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