Aguilar Agro v Tech 21 XXL Bass Edition

[Salt on your Bass?]

Hi guys,

I'll be getting hold of these two pedals in the next 5 days or so. In advance of actually receiving them, I wondered if anyone had done an A/B or had experience with both?

I played the XXL a while back and really liked it. I went more fuzz at the time and have been so since. I'm after a nasty, heavy distortion, that retains low end of course.

I'm not up for the Ashdown based on its size, and these are the two I've punted for at present. I'll no doubt feedback my personal findings, but wanted to throw it out there before I got hold of 'em.

I know there's loads of distortion/overdrive/fuzz threads, I'm specifically looking for experiences with both of these.

Cheers

[deej]

Ive never played the XXL, but the Agro cuts a lot of low end. Its a decent distortion sound, but it really takes the balls out of the bass.

[fretmeister]

I have an XXL bass and it is pretty good as a standalone. PLenty of low end still.

Nothing beats a good drive pedal mixed with clean though - a EHX MEtal Muff with a Boss LS2 is perfect for me. The Metal muff has very powerful EQ and you can actually boost the low end while driven to buggary.

[thodrik]

I use the Aguilar Agro and think it is great. I use it at low settings for a slightly gritty sound in the style of a less scooped Sansamp Bass Driver. So its more of an 'always on' rather than 'off and on' pedal. At the higher settings you get a good overdrive, but it is not really a fuzz pedal

I understand the 'it loses low end' argument, but I don't think it really does, its just that doesn't add any extra bass 'oomph' in the style of a wooly mammoth or Boss ODB3 or such.

I would think using the Aguilar as a bit of grit and the XXL as a full on fuzz would work really well. Congratulations and good luck.

[Salt on your Bass?]

Thanks chaps. Im hoping the xxl will be arriving today. The aguilr will by middle of next week.

Im kinda covered on fuzz, or have enough for my needs and what I use in my bands. So its more the overdrive and distortion side that im after I think. looking forward to a/bing them. Its hard work finding time to get to shops and then ones that stock everything you want to try. Maybe its just me though.

[deej]

[quote name='thodrik' post='1213420' date='Apr 28 2011, 01:34 AM']I understand the 'it loses low end' argument, but I don't think it really does[/quote]

I use active basses with mine, so maybe that has more of an affect on it? I always feel like my bass is struggling in the lows when the pedal is on, and I really have to attack my bass to be heard. If it had a built in blend then it'd be a great pedal, but for something that costs around £150 new I find it massively overpriced. Really disappointed with all the Aguilar stuff ive tried.

[Salt on your Bass?]

This always seems to be the most common feedback amongst basssists using distortion or fuzz. I'm surprised that blend isnt more common, or 'the norm'. As it is, it seems not having a blend is. I've come close many times to moving my blowtorch on, but I really love it - part of that reason I think is the blend control which makes it useable and very live friendly.

Yeah, the Aguilar is pricey, so I think it'll be a contributing factor.

How does an active influence the low end loss? Does it drive the pedal harder or something, causing it to clip more quickly? Reason for asking is I play actives and dont understand

[deej]

[quote name='Salt on your Bass?' post='1213530' date='Apr 28 2011, 09:14 AM']How does an active influence the low end loss? Does it drive the pedal harder or something, causing it to clip more quickly? Reason for asking is I play actives and dont understand [/quote]

I dont know the technical stuff so im sure others will help out there, and its not the case with all pedals either. Its just that a lot of pedals seem to work better with passive basses, something to do with the higher impedance and all that malarky. The best example is with a Woolly Mammoth, commonly known to suck with active basses.

[Salt on your Bass?]

Well, I’ve A/B’d these two at rehearsal. Not sure how useful my comments are to the world of effects, or literary genius, but I’ll give it a whirl in a very straight forward pro’s and cons list (Disclaimer: this is to my ear only!!):

Aguilar Agro
[b]Pros[/b]
• Built like a tank
• Looks stunning
• Loads of sounds in the box - Overdrive/distortion is smooth to gritty and harsh
• Easy to use – 4 knobs!
• Doesn’t seem to cut lows – you can dial to keep the lows in, you can also dial so they drop out
• Runs at 9v

[b]Cons[/b]
• Not all sounds in the pedal are useable, particularly in a band and cutting through
• Gritty and harsh overdrive/distortion not to my palette – sounds a little thin and buzzy at times
• Doesn’t appear to be particularly friendly to mount on a pedal board
• Heavy pedal (but then its built to last)
• Price

Tech 21 XXL
[b]Pros[/b]
• Overdrive/distortion is smooth to gritty and harsh – thick and heavy
• Loads of sounds in the box – all of which I think are useable.
• No loss of low end
• Easy to use – 4 knobs!
• Its purple!
• Easily mountable to a pedal board
• Runs at 9v

[b]Cons[/b]
• Footswitch isn’t a ‘clicker’ – i feel i have to make sure i give it a good stomp.

[b]Overall:[/b]
Sound Quality: For me, the XXL takes it hands down. It has all the heavy distortion you could want before going to fuzz, sounds brutal when asked, and to my ear retains the low end better than the aguilar.
Ease of use: Both extremely easy to use – 4 knobs. Because of the ease of dialling a useable tone, even if I think the XXL takes this one again.
Construction/Durability: Aguilar wins hands down. Its heavier, but it’s so well built and oozes quality. Tech 21 is well built, but comparing the two side by side, the aquilar takes it and will survive the nuclear bomb.
Price: XXL is cheaper. I think the extra buck goes on the build of the aguilar rather than what the tone is worth.

[b]The Result:[/b]
I’m keeping the XXL and sending the aguilar back. I prefer the tone and sounds in the Tech 21 box – the distortion feels thicker and heavier. I bought both new, and the aquilar was £50 more expensive, and I struggle to see how it commands the price, although the built quality is exceptional. I don’t mean to knock aguilar in this at all, it is a good pedal (same as the DB750??) I just can’t justify it against the Tech21. I guess it just comes down to me being able to dial in ‘the sound in my head’ easily with the XXL.

[Salt on your Bass?]

Also, Richard at effectpowersupplies.com was really helpful in letting me A/B the aguilar. Second time I've used them for a purchase, and a top guy to deal with.

[deej]

I think that sums it up nicely.

The Agro just doesnt seem very well thought out to me. Poor physical design for a pedalboard, and a lack of any real control over the sound. A standard tone control wouldve been much better. The problem with the contour is that you either have low end OR mids, and the middle ground is just the worst of both worlds. Either you get lost in the mix, or you have a thin sound. The simplicity of a blend really works wonders for the pedal, but its extra expense and more space taken on a board.

Despite slagging this pedal off, I do love its distortion. Just a shame everything else is so wrong.

Ive wanted to try out an XXL for a while. Im struggling to find an overdrive/distortion that suits me yet so im on a bit of a binge.

[thodrik]

I agree on the Aguilar has a poor design in the sense that you can't really use angled jacks on the thing. Ideally you would have a blend as well as an EQ section. Mind you, the thing I like about it is that at low settings of grit it doen't really alter the tone too much, but adds just a bit of extra grit. Not a perfect pedal, but I still like it for gigging regularly due to the construction quality. Before I was using valve overdrives which were just too fragile for regular gigs.