Your Top Overdrives at Various Price Ranges

[ehque]

I own a Muff'n, it's great. Good for everything from almost-clean tubey sound to almost-all out drive.

That said, i really want to try out the Nova Drive by TC. I'm a huge TC fanboy.

 

[Jared Lash]

Ibanez Turbo Tube Screamer (great sound; I'd have one if it weren't for the horrible low end loss.

There are plenty of Tubescreamer based pedals that do work well with bass, the Fulltone Bassdrive and the Xotic Bass BB preamp among them. And the Jacques Tubeblower isn't a bass specific pedal but it retains the low end fairly well.

 

[Andy Walhor]

Ibanez Turbo Tube Screamer (great sound; I'd have one if it weren't for the horrible low end loss. Anyone know any modders besides Analogman?)

http://www.robertkeeley.com/

 

[thehangingmist]

Even though I sold mine (didn't work well for my specific purposes) I think the VT Bass is a great pedal. But I wouldn't consider it an overdrive per se and wouldn't recommend it to people on that basis. To me it's an amp emulator above all else. Not the kind of pedal I'd kick on to add some grit to my sound but rather for copping Ampeg tones which it does remarkably well.

yep i know what you mean but how about an always on overdrive
no kicking in! its out there all the time IN YOUR FACE haha man i love this vt bass

 

[Le Chat Noir]

Though technically a fuzz, not an overdrive as the thread states, the relatively new Bass Big Muff from EHX is the only dirty effect I've ever used on bass where I've been happy with the low end. It's immense, and they're also reasonably priced! I know several bass players who have bought 2 just in case they ever discontinue them!

 

[Kromwarp]

Under $100

An old DOD Grind Overdrive or a Boss ODB-3 Overdrive. The Boss is hard to beat and the Grind gets crazy

Or, a Electro-Harmonix Nano Muff

Between $100 and $150



Over $150

ZVex Woolly Mammoth

 

[john_g]

I got the DHA VT1-MK3 Valve Overdrive and I have to say I love it. It has a tube built in and does low gain overdrive extremely well. It gets hairy too but I use it mostly for a little bit of grit. I highly recommend these pedals. Check em out.

 

[DanFold]

I only have 2 pedals on my board, Well 3... with a tuner...

The other 2 are both Overdrive/Distortion...

T-Rex Moller £150-£200 - It's a guitar pedal, but it has a mix knob on it so you can still have the bass signal... No matter what amp i play through, It just sounds like i just cranked the gain, IMO, The best overdrive pedal ever...

the other pedal is an old Hot Tubes pedal, I don't know how much they are worth... Can only buy em second hand now i guess... It's what Kim (Sonic youth) uses...

This Pedal can act as a bass boost or treble boost... also, goes from slight overdrive to completely raping your ears of their innocence.

The best thing is... Both of these pedals work really well when both on together. This gives you a 3rd different overdrive sound that sounds bigger than god!

 

[xikbastard]

i like my polish love and its other brother polish hate ;p

 

[Proton Lenny]

Bump for this thread, I want to see some more recommendations. I'm still trying to decide on an OD. Anybody have any experience with a Crowther Hotcake or Keeley modded BD-2? I was curious about those. It seems like everyone thinks that that BJFE one is the best, but I can't justify $300 bucks for an OD pedal, especially since I don't like the way it looks. What makes it so superior?

 

[JMDT]

Bump for this thread, I want to see some more recommendations. I'm still trying to decide on an OD. Anybody have any experience with a Crowther Hotcake or Keeley modded BD-2? I was curious about those. It seems like everyone thinks that that BJFE one is the best, but I can't justify $300 bucks for an OD pedal, especially since I don't like the way it looks. What makes it so superior?

I have a Keeley BD-2. It sounds amazing on guitar. The tone on bass is great too, but with the gain up past say half it starts sucking low end. With a blend it would probably be a keeper. I need to get a blend one day to try it.

 

[Hollow Man]

Anybody have any experience with a Crowther Hotcake...

I just picked one up. I like it a lot! It's got a good low-to-medium distortion range, and the Presence knob does a good job of providing enough treble to help with note separation without getting into super-screamy-tinny range. It's got the 'normal'/Bluesberry switch, which does make a somewhat audible difference in tone.

I've picked up a bunch of OD's/distortions recently (the Hotcake, Prunes and Custard, Xotic BB, GeminiDrive, Devi Ever BIT, and I'm eyeing the Zvex Mastotron) to battle against each other and my Blueberry, so I'm not sure which ones will stay and which ones will go. But if you've been polling the market and haven't found what you like yet, the Hotcake is a nice option IMO.

 

[mvw356]

i got an ashdown James Lomenzo for a 100 euros and i'm happy with it. it deosn't do crazy fuzz though, but i don't need that anyway.

 

[JT Bass]

No love for the Pigtronix Disnortion among the pricey pedals? I thinks it's awesome, wide variety of sounds from slight warm OD all the way to crazy synth buzz, and it responds very well to active electronics and dynamic playing. I must add the dislaimer that Dave Koltai is a buddy of mine, but that doesn't effect (pun intended) my opinion of the pedal. I'd be the first to say so if I thought it was no good.

 

[Jared Lash]

Bump for this thread, I want to see some more recommendations. I'm still trying to decide on an OD. Anybody have any experience with a Crowther Hotcake or Keeley modded BD-2? I was curious about those. It seems like everyone thinks that that BJFE one is the best, but I can't justify $300 bucks for an OD pedal, especially since I don't like the way it looks. What makes it so superior?

Really? I love the look of the Blueberry.

Then again, I've never based pedal decisions on how a pedal looks. Well, I did ask for my Chunky Cheese in white since it was the same color and size of my Empress Trem and I knew I'd step on the wrong one at a gig.

Anyway, the Blueberry is only the best if you like it's tone. And that tone is EXACTLY like the sound of overdriven power tubes. There are a few pedals that can get close to it's tone on the lighter settings, but nothing matches it for that low tone/high gain sound.

Most overdrives (even the ones I like) sound like you've turned on an overdrive pedal. The BBBOD (and precious few others) make it sound like you've swapped out your rig for a monster tube amp.

 

[john_g]

Really? I love the look of the Blueberry.

Then again, I've never based pedal decisions on how a pedal looks. Well, I did ask for my Chunky Cheese in white since it was the same color and size of my Empress Trem and I knew I'd step on the wrong one at a gig. But other than that, it's all about the tones.

Anyway, the Blueberry is only the best if you like it's tone. And that tone is EXACTLY like the sound of overdriven power tubes. There are a few pedals that can get close to it's tone on the lighter settings, but nothing matches it for that low tone/high gain sound.

If he doesnt like the Blueberry then you definitely wont like the DHA:
Link Removed

Most overdrives, even the ones I like sound like you've turned on an overdrive pedal. The BBBOD (and precious few others) make it sound like you've swapped out your rig for a monster tube amp.

This is exactly what the DHA does well. It doesnt sound like you stepped on a pedal. More like you are now playing through a killer tube amp.

Oh and I bought it used in great condition here on TB for $150. I was looking at the angelfire but I didnt want to spend too much on an OD pedal.

 

[geezerjpj]

Aramat (RIP) Modded Ibanez TS10 $90
English Muff'n w/12ay7s(12ax7's not enough clarity)$150

 

[Proton Lenny]

Heh, I was kind of half joking about not buying it because of its looks. I am very weird about aesthetics, but if I find the perfect pedal, I'm not going to turn it down because of the looks. I just think all the BJFE pedals look like a little kid got out their puff paint pens and went to town. Plus 300 bucks for a pretty simple pedal is pretty steep, even for me. How could it be that the wiring, work-load, and quality could be that much higher than everything else? But if it is someone's thing, I'm surely not going to harp on them for buying it. Especially with the gear I play.

 

[BioDriver]

There are plenty of Tubescreamer based pedals that do work well with bass, the Fulltone Bassdrive and the Xotic Bass BB preamp among them. And the Jacques Tubeblower isn't a bass specific pedal but it retains the low end fairly well.

That Jacques has peaked my interest. Anyone have any bass clips?

 

[jufros]

New favorite overdrive: MI Audio Blue Boy Deluxe.. WOW