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EBS MultiDrive alternatives?


Danimal
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I currently use this unit for all my overdriven needs. Great sounding pedal with certain settings, but I'm finding it kills the top end a little too much for my liking (yeah, I realise this is pretty much inevitable with any drive unit to [i]some[/i] degree), and I could do with something a bit more versatile. I only really use the standard mode, as the flat setting that distorts the entire spectrum isn't my thing at all, and the tube sim setting kills the top end even more than the standard mode.

I'm only looking for moderate amounts of drive for the most part, not full-on filth or fuzz. Something along the lines of Simple Boy or Goliath by Karnivool would be ideal for my fingerstyle playing:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjvtx3HMUks"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjvtx3HMUks[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDKsosOvVmw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDKsosOvVmw[/url]

...but there are a couple of sections in my band's latest song where I'm playing some slap parts that are quite exposed in the mix, and I think the right sort of drive without losing the high-end 'pop' could really give them some texture.

I've been contemplating the Tech21 VT Bass as an alternative solution, but I'm throwing the question out there for other suggestions! I already own a Sansamp BDDI as a backup for my amp, and I've tried experimenting with that because I thought the blend control may have been beneficial. It was, but unfortunately the drive itself was quite lacking.

Oh yeah, something with a true bypass would be lovely. But as long as the bypass is good (no Boss please), it's not 100% essential.

So yeah, suggest away! Cheers in advance!

Edited by Danimal
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I've just switched from using the EBS Multidrive to the Ashdown Lomenzo Hyperdrive. Very versatile pedal, and as it only applies distortion to the mids, you retain the top end.

Its a lot cheaper than most distortions, which I think paradoxically counts against it, but I would highly recommend it.

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[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='1289002' date='Jul 1 2011, 01:39 PM']What about putting the EBS in a blendable loop to bring back some of your high end?[/quote]
It's a good idea, but what would be a practical way of doing this? I've always been told that you shouldn't put drive effects through the amp's own FX loop, and mine doesn't have an adjustable blend control anyway.

EDIT: Never mind, just found a relevant thread with a few blender suggestions. I'll do some homework!

[quote name='simon1964' post='1289026' date='Jul 1 2011, 01:53 PM']I've just switched from using the EBS Multidrive to the Ashdown Lomenzo Hyperdrive. Very versatile pedal, and as it only applies distortion to the mids, you retain the top end.

Its a lot cheaper than most distortions, which I think paradoxically counts against it, but I would highly recommend it.[/quote]
Thanks, I'll see if I can find some samples!

Edited by Danimal
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[quote name='Danimal' post='1289080' date='Jul 1 2011, 02:34 PM']It's a good idea, but what would be a practical way of doing this? I've always been told that you shouldn't put drive effects through the amp's own FX loop, and mine doesn't have an adjustable blend control anyway.

EDIT: Never mind, just found a relevant thread with a few blender suggestions. I'll do some homework!


Thanks, I'll see if I can find some samples![/quote]

Quite a good demo here by Mr Lomenzo himself!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQDSDA929Sw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQDSDA929Sw[/url]

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Personally, I couldn't stand the Lomenzo - sounded like an artificial narrow band of midrange distortion layered on top of my clean sound. I recommend checking out the Xotic Bass BB Preamp, which sounds like a tubescreamer tweaked for bass. Plenty of lows and plenty of highs too!

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Just to add that I ran my EBS Multidrive into my Barge Concepts VB-jr blend pedal last night for the first time and LOVED it. Was a great way to vary the ratio of overdrive/clarity/high-end without altering the Multidrive pedal itself. As the VB-jr only has the one blend knob this was easy to do with my foot mid-song. Me likeeeee a lot.

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Well I've looked online at a few different drive units including the ones mentioned above, as well as the Aguilar Agro (anyone have any experience with this one?). Not had chance to find anywhere to try them out yet, but I'm leaning more towards the loop idea anyway - it's a case of finding another space on my board!

I have an 18v outlet that's currently unused on my Voodoo Labs unit, so the Barge Concepts blender would be ideal to avoid having to find another power solution. However, I'm sure I read somewhere that they'd stopped making their products. Is this true?

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Yep, as far as I know they've ceased production - which is a damn shame. They made great products, and are good people too. Geoff Bryant, the main guy there, went out of his way to hand deliver two pedals to me at my hotel in New York - and this was in the middle of some very trying personal times, which could well have been a factor in their demise. Barge had also moved production to Long Island City from Brooklyn, around about the summer of 2008 - just as the recession was kicking off, so that could also have been a contributing factor.

So if you see any of their pedals, they're very much worth getting. I have the VB-jr, an RC-2 compressor and a GLZ boost/variable impedance buffer. All good stuff - and all with north face mounted jacks which helps save on the pedal board space.

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That really is a shame. It always sucks when good people who go the extra mile like that end up having to close up shop. :) I'll see if I can source anything from eBay and the like, but I guess I may have to look into similar alternatives.

Edited by Danimal
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A relatively cheap alternative is a Boss LS-2, though you'll lose the phase option. A more expensive, and more flexible, alternative is the Xotic X-Blender. It has a lot more options than the Barge, such as an EQ on the FX loop, but it sure is pricey.

Edit - I have an LS-2 so I'll give the Mulitdrive a spin later to see if it's on the right phase or not.

Edited by Gareth Hughes
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What really sucks is that the VB-JR is literally perfect for what I need. It's small compared to the other similar products I've seen, it runs at 18v (I have no 9v outlets left free on my brick), and it's simple enough to do exactly what I need it to with no additional fluff.

Perhaps I'll try and find someone who can build me a clone...

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