The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bass Amps & Effects => Topic started by: Chris P. on April 01, 2008, 10:39:13 AM
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What's your favorite bass overdrive / fuzz?
I used to use an Ibanez PD7. A bit metal-ish, but it had a nice fuzz or a clean boost. Both very usable. Now I have the EHX English Muff'n. It sounds great for bass. Only difficult to tweak. It works like a real amp. I a bass has a higher output, the Muff'n will overdrive more. Volume and gain affect eachother. The PD7 just does what it says and doesn't change with more or less input.
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My two standbys are the Fulltone Bass Drive for plain distortion (though a mudbucker pushes it over into fuzz-land) and the Z Vex Woolly Mammoth for full-on fuzz. My favorite part of the Woolly Mammoth is the "pinch" control that acts as a noise gate at higher settings (and occasionally lets out little squirts). It is almost synth-like in its square-wave furriness.
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I use a late-70's EH Big Muff. It's not perfect, but it works.
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I use a Voodoo Lab Superfuzz. It's technically a guitar pedal (a clone of the 60's Jordan Bosstone fuzz) but it's got a few added controls that make it a really raunchy, broken-speaker bass fuzz.
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ProCo RAT II ..................i don't leave home without it.
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I've been using a EHX English Muff'n too - that and the Orange head's own overdrive.
I have an old "rams head" Big Muff Pi too that I've had since I was a kid. It's always been exceptionally noisy if the sustain knob is set to anything other than zero. I think somthing is wrong with it. I'm thinking about going thru and refreshing the caps, transistors, diodes - to see if I can get it to be a bit more useable. Aside from the noise, I like the way it sounds.
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I just picked up an English Muff'n last night (dirt cheap too, big sale at the local music store). I was looking elseware until I heard your recordings a few weeks ago, so when the sale came I checked it out and fell in love. I haven't quite found my sweet spot yet, but I'm sure it's in there somewhere.
What I have found I like about it is to back way off on the gain, and pump the volume. Gives a nice, I don't know, crusty edge to the solid state tone of my ampeg. I haven't really moved the bass/mid/treb knobs from the 12-o-clock position yet. I have all night to play ;D
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Nice! Keep us updated!
Normally I have the treble a bit to 12 O' Clock, mid at 12 and bass a bit over.
I tweek volume and gain a bit different per bass. Sometimes a want a fuzz and sometimes just a boost.
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By coincidence I've ordered a Technophobia BasScreamer Deluxe (http://technophobia.co.nr/) a few days ago.
I've never used any overdrive or fuzz pedal in my life.
Always just used the drive of my tube amp (Ampeg V4B, Ampeg SVT II Pro or Orange AD200)
I plan on using the BasScreamer as boost / drive / blend.
Only for those parts in our songs where our guitarist shifts into higher gear for his solo... ;)
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I use an old Tube Works Blue Tube pedal.
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By coincidence I've ordered a Technophobia BasScreamer Deluxe (http://technophobia.co.nr/) a few days ago.
I was interested in that one too, let us know what you think of it when it has arrived!
Thanks to the dollar I could order a new Fulltone Bassdrive for a better price than a secondhanded one over here. I can`t wait...
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I heard some things the guy from Technofobia made and I like it. It's a guy from basvarkens hometown and he's nice and he knows where he talks about. He mods pedals and makes them himself.
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I love my Black Big Muff
But everyone at Talkbass raves about the B:ass Master.
Ed Friedland did a review on Youtube somewhere
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I've been curious about a B:ass Master myself. The Brass Master patch on my Pod is fun to play with, but not really usable for either of my projects, so I think it would be a waste of my money at this point to buy one.
Also on my Pod, I've had a lot of fun with the Boss Metal Zone patch (It's called Killer Z or something). Pull that up, and as long as I'm the only one there, it feels like I'm channeling Burton. If someone is there... well... I just feel like a jerk with way too much distortion.
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Here-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6kjd6GyvLc
After watching the clip again, I remember why!
Here is a clip of Ralphe Armstrong using the old version- around 2:59 with a Gibson Victory
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It's hard to Google B:ass Master. Who's the manufacturer? A direct link maybe?
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http://www.malekkoheavyindustry.com/
Note that the "B:" isn't really part of the name. :D
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I've got the B:assmaster. The thing about the Ed Friedland video is that he just has the gain cranked, but to get the octave effect, you have to set the gain to just the right point, then the higher octave jumps out. The Black Cat Bass Octave Fuzz sounds almost the same. It's like the Octavia that Hendrix used. It also helps to turn the tone down and use the neck pickup. Here's a clip of the Black Cat version: over there ocatave solo (http://hieronymous.us/music/over_there_octave_solo.mp3) (Melody Maker bass for the solo, Fender Mustang reissue doing the bass part). I can't say that this is the way it's "supposed" to be used, but, well, I think this is the way it's supposed to be used. Here's a clip of the Barker: mounse (http://hieronymous.us/music/mounse.mp3) - this one is three tracks of Guild Starfire I, one clean, two through the B:assmaster. It's kind of a weird sound - brassy actually describes it pretty well, which makes sense of the "brassmaster" name. But to get the octave, you are basically on the edge of the sound petering out too.
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I love my Black Big Muff
But everyone at Talkbass raves about the B:ass Master.
Ed Friedland did a review on Youtube somewhere
I use a soviet Black big muff for live and recording, I love it. I have a reissue USA big Muff at the rehersal studio that I don't really care for. I also have a Goya tone tube distortion but it has to many knobs and the words on the controls make no sense to me.
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I've got the B:assmaster. The thing about the Ed Friedland video is that he just has the gain cranked, but to get the octave effect, you have to set the gain to just the right point, then the higher octave jumps out. The Black Cat Bass Octave Fuzz sounds almost the same. It's like the Octavia that Hendrix used. It also helps to turn the tone down and use the neck pickup. Here's a clip of the Black Cat version: over there ocatave solo (http://hieronymous.us/music/over_there_octave_solo.mp3) (Melody Maker bass for the solo, Fender Mustang reissue doing the bass part). I can't say that this is the way it's "supposed" to be used, but, well, I think this is the way it's supposed to be used. Here's a clip of the Barker: mounse (http://hieronymous.us/music/mounse.mp3) - this one is three tracks of Guild Starfire I, one clean, two through the B:assmaster. It's kind of a weird sound - brassy actually describes it pretty well, which makes sense of the "brassmaster" name. But to get the octave, you are basically on the edge of the sound petering out too.
Are you saying you like the Black cat better?
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Are you saying you like the Black cat better?
No sorry, I should have been more clear - so far, to my ears, they sound almost identical. Pretty much anything I said about the B:assmaster goes for the Black Cat BOF and vice versa. I like both for what they do, but I don't use them as traditional fuzzes, I use them for the octave up effect.
And I forgot to mention, that effect is really only noticeable from around the 10th fret up.
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The B:assmaster sure looks nice!
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Pricey at $255 for Americans
http://www.analoguehaven.com/malekko/bassmaster/
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Much less than what the original Maestro would fetch!
(http://www.fmogearshop.com/www_images/inventory/product_view/photo441f0f66900d0)
I'm amazed at what some of these old pedals go for now-a-days. The nice thing about a new one is that the semi-conductor components probably have a better signal-to-noise ratio, and you don't have to worry about replacing old dried out capacitors, cleaning pots, etc... to get it in top form again.
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My Technophobia BasScreamer Deluxe has finally arrived. I've used it a couple of times at rehearsal and I can say it's a keeper.
With the clean blend you don't lose any low end like you would with other "normal" overdrive pedals.
I use it to give the Orange AD200 a little of the "sweet drive" that an Ampeg V4B has when you push it a little.
Plus the extra boost option comes in handy when you need to push the sound over the edge for a wild fuzzy part in a song.
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in the pursuit of tonal and spiritual purity i use no effects. ;)
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in the pursuit of tonal and spiritual purity i use no effects. ;)
Same. Well the tonal part at least.
However I recently bought an SWR IOD preamp which uses 2 EL84 tubes to blend in output stage style overdrive.
Still getting used to it but getting some pretty cool tone happening so far.
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My Technophobia BasScreamer Deluxe has finally arrived. I've used it a couple of times at rehearsal and I can say it's a keeper.
With the clean blend you don't lose any low end like you would with other "normal" overdrive pedals.
I use it to give the Orange AD200 a little of the "sweet drive" that an Ampeg V4B has when you push it a little.
Plus the extra boost option comes in handy when you need to push the sound over the edge for a wild fuzzy part in a song.
I'm still waiting for one. Good too hear they are worth the wait. :)
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I started using a 1960's Univox SuperFuzz, which is one of the "holy grail" fuzz pedals that now brings silly money on Ebay. Problem was that although I liked the sound solo, when I used it in a mix all the note definition disappeared. I simply could NOT tone it down enough so that i had any definition to the notes at all. The bass just turned into "woof, woof" in the background. I never have come up with an adjustment that I like when playing in a mix.
Here 'tis:
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/superfuzz_green.jpg)
And yes, I still have it. I'm just not using it at present.
I replaced it with a Boss ODB-3, and with the blend control on that pedal, it's working out pretty darn well. The adjustments are touchy, but once I got it set up right, this pedal is working for me.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/ODB-3.jpg)
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I have the boss overdrive as well. It is a nice low noise pedal. I used to have an MXR Distortion that was nice, that was given to me. It died a long time ago.
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i love my Rat pedal. it sounds great with my G3 and my P-bass.both single coils. its not so great with my humbucker basses.its too dark.i've been thinking about the Russian Big Muff.
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I actually like the Boss Dual Overdrive pedal to add crunch to a slightly overdriven tube amp. When recording I sometimes daisy-chain the 2 channels on a Bellari tube mic pre instead.
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I actually like the Boss Dual Overdrive pedal to add crunch to a slightly overdriven tube amp. When recording I sometimes daisy-chain the 2 channels on a Bellari tube mic pre instead.
+1! The SD-2 is my most used OD pedal! Although I must say that I remodelled the Crunch circuit to mimic a bass tubescreamer for some more mid emphasis!
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Awright, awright....NOW see what you guys did!!
I went to Ebay and bought an SD-2 pedal over the weekend.
You guys are a TERRIBLE influence on me. :-\ ;D
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Awright, awright....NOW see what you guys did!!
I went to Ebay and bought an SD-2 pedal over the weekend.
You guys are a TERRIBLE influence on me. :-\ ;D
(http://www.guitargear.net.au/discussion/Smileys/default/roll.gif)
And.........?
what does it sound like?
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It's not here yet...probably late this week.
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The pedal came in last night - about 10 minutes before I had to leave for a practice. And I only realized today that it's an OS-2, not an SD-2.
Y'know, one of these days I just might have to try literacy. I'm thinkin' it might be a plus. :o
I only got about 2 minutes to mess with it during practice....
Comments so far:
1) There seem to be some good sounds in there
2) I need time to crank the knob back and forth between overdrive and distortion to tell the difference according to Boss
3) The darn thing is very sensitive to RF. It had a real hum problem while I was working with it briefly last night - but so did my ODB-3. maybe it was just the proximity to my amp.
I must experiment more. I will procure cold beer and proceed. The pedal's here, so I might as well 'speriment.
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You definitely will not get any accurate deductions without beer. Tried road testing gear without beer myself ......... Doesn't work.
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New term: "Beerduction"....
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OK, I just bought a used SD-2. It should arrive late this coming week.
When it arrives, I shall use beerduction....and sell the OS-2 on Ebay.
Sheesh.
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And the quest for tone goes on..... ;D
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I use a Humphrey Audio Badder Bass Monkey!!! Its a MODDED Digitech Bad monkey Tube Overdrive. Can get 'em on US Ebay-approx $90 !!! ;)
I used to use a black Big Muff(russian one) & I still use that for over the top sustain........but the Badder BM Is a BEAUTY!!!!!! Sounds like a tube amp on OD!! My fave thing about it is it's ease of use! Where the Big Muff- you touch the sustain or gain & the volume goes thru the roof, so U gotta compensate for that..... & so on......
The Badder Bass Monkey- turn up gain & U get more OD -NOT VOLUME!!!! Turn up VOLUME & U get more VOLUME!!!!! :rolleyes:
It has BASS & TREBLE controls also & U lose NO BASS/bottom end, so for overdrive- like the big muff sounding-ragged & rough, but easy to control & great for tube OD sounds!
ONE flaw-IMO- with drive(gain) OFF, it still gives a fair bit of OD(not a lot) I'd personally like there to be virtually NONE in the off pos.
Still- a GREAT pedal -especially at the $$$$$ :)
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And the quest for tone goes on..... ;D
Could be. Actually I rather like to play with different overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals, even though I don't use them much. I've found that buying and selling used pedals generally doesn't cost a lot in the turnaround...mainly shipping and a few bucks plus or minus.
Perhaps one of them will "grab" me one of these days. Wish the guy I bought the SD-2 from on the 5th would get it delivered. Once I say that in public, it'll probably be waiting at home this evening.
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My SWR IOD preamp is going through the hoops for me at the moment. As I mentioned earlier in this thread it uses 2 EL84's and one 12AX7.
The EL84s are where the distortion comes from giving the player output tube distortion which I cant get from my Ampeg Preamp. I've been running 2 JJ's in it and find them a bit one dimensional. Wall of sound, but lacks air and sparkle. They go from clean to dirty in a nudge too which is a bit annoying. The idea from my perspective is to dial in the Drive control to the point where I can play normally with a clean but warm sound and as I play the strings harder the distortion starts to ramp up.
I just bought a pair of Raytheon grey plates. Waiting for them to arrive. I'm a bit of a fan of Raytheon tubes. Cant wait to hear 'em.
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I LOVE the SWR IOD! Build one myself a long time ago........
The only problem I had was that all OD came from the powertubes; they ignored the OD that comes from the phase inverter (phase inverter = SS). It would be a more awesome OD if they added a phase inverter tube!
(as most OD you hear comes from the PI; power tubes only add to the sound with the volume on full :D)
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Hmm, OK. Mine doesn't seem to need to be on full to get distortion. Depending on what tubes I use it starts to come in when I turn up the Drive knob to about 2 o'clock.
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Hmm, OK. Mine doesn't seem to need to be on full to get distortion. Depending on what tubes I use it starts to come in when I turn up the Drive knob to about 2 o'clock.
Sorry, I meant with "real" amps :)
This unit was so designed that the power amp breakup is much sooner (it is just an 8W amp.......). Would love the addition of a phase inverter for some more "real" and mellower overdrive......
(which is impossibe as the only reason this baby sounds so good is the phase inverter stage)
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Ahh OK gotcha now :)
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Well, the SD-2 has come in and I've finally had a chance to play with it for a few minutes. So far I'm liking what I hear, although it is AGGRESSIVE! Dang, even on minimum settings this thing sounds off. It doesn't seem to have a tone-suck problem (although that's from minimal experience) and I'm thinking it may replace my ODB-3. I'll bet it would cut through pretty darn well...and that's what I really want. Seems like most distortion units end up sinking the bass into the sound and leaving no note definition at all...I think MAYBE this one can avoid that.
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I mostly use the Crunch setting but that has a very annoying high pass filter on it; I modded mine to become a BasScreamer (tubescreamer for bass) and that is, to me, ideal for this channel!
The other channel I use mainly with both pickups (on a 2 pickup bass) wide open. It needs the bite of the bridge but also needs the bass of the neck. But yes, the Lead is gainy!
I like the crunch so much that I sometimes use it without a clean blend box :) and that is something weird for me!
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I mostly use the Crunch setting but that has a very annoying high pass filter on it; I modded mine to become a BasScreamer (tubescreamer for bass) and that is, to me, ideal for this channel!
So - just in case - what did you do to modify it? I'm curious....
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So - just in case - what did you do to modify it? I'm curious....
Mod A; more clarity;
Replace C34 / C13 / C9 / C18 / C43 and C22 with it's better quality replacements
Mod B; tubescreamer:
- Remove C36, C46, C47 and R49; replace this with an 1 uF NP cap (the start of C36 and the end of C46 are so close you can fit in a cap quite easily)
- Replace D4 with a silicon diode
- Replace D6 + D7 with one 1N400X diode
- Replace C28 with a 220 nF cap
- Replace R37 with a 4.7k resistor and run one end to Vref (which is on one side of R51; close. You can use the leftover traces of D6 / D7 to overcome the small distance without short circuiting
- Replace C12 with a 1 uF NP cap
PLAY!!
For guitar I would recommend the change of C28 to 100 nF
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Thanks! Maybe I'll take a look inside and see if I can identify the parts referenced...
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Well, the SD-2 has come in and I've finally had a chance to play with it for a few minutes. So far I'm liking what I hear, although it is AGGRESSIVE! Dang, even on minimum settings this thing sounds off. It doesn't seem to have a tone-suck problem (although that's from minimal experience) and I'm thinking it may replace my ODB-3. I'll bet it would cut through pretty darn well...and that's what I really want. Seems like most distortion units end up sinking the bass into the sound and leaving no note definition at all...I think MAYBE this one can avoid that.
It most definately does - that's what I like about it. I find the lead setting allows for more distortion while retaining that note definition - though it is gainy as Bernardduur m,entioned (but that's what the individual channel output level knobs are for). The crunch setting I only like if the drive isn't set too high on it (Like 1/3 or less). Otherwise it getts a little too loose and fuzzy - especially with the low end on my Gibsons. Another cool thing to try, a bit over the top though, is the dual setting - the pefdal can run the signal through BOTH channels. If they're set up as I described (crunch not driven hard, lead driven hard but with level down) it can be some pretty rich and creamy distortion you get - especially if you put that signal into a tube amp.
(mine's not modded at all).
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Yup, the SD-2 is going to replace my ODB-3. As you say, the Lead channel seems to retain note definition while giving a wild distortion. Dang, I have the effect on minimum and it's still sounding like a chainsaw on speed!!! I also find that it's sensitive to dynamics - give a note extra impact and it really responds.
I won't get a chance to rehearse with the band until the 22nd, but I'm looking forward to it. I may raise some eyebrows. I even got the extra footswitch (Ebay) so I can switch between Lead and Crunch if needed.
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Because I like bringing other peoples opinions to the table...
Saw this in my email from Bass Player Magazine:
http://www.bassplayer.com/article/overdrives/dec-06/24670
A whole article with a comparison of some Overdrives & Fuzzs.
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Got a chance to use the SD-2 in practice last night....and I'm still liking it. I played my new Epi EB-3 through it, and found out that there's s BIG difference in sound if I solo the bridge pickup through that SD-2. There's still a little loss of note definition, but setting the effect with a bump in gain seems to counteract that.
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The best thing to me is the Xotic Bass BB pre-amp. This thing boosts and drive's like hell... and it's got perfect eq.
(http://www.xotic.us/effects/base_bb/images/BassBB.jpg)