andydye Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) I'm thinking of getting a Wren & Cuff Phat Phuk B and/or Catalinbread SFT but I'm not sure if they'll do the job I'm wanting them for so I was wondering whether anyone had one I could try (either local to Sheffield or that they'd be willing to post for me to have a noodle with)? Ta Edited September 25, 2012 by andydye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazWills Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 i'm pretty tied up with practises, gigs and recording for a while, so can't really help with a loan, but own a phat phuk and have used an SFT clone for a while so know them both pretty well. They are both completely different pedals though!! What are you wanting them for/to do, specifically? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 [quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1347276616' post='1798640'] i'm pretty tied up with practises, gigs and recording for a while, so can't really help with a loan, but own a phat phuk and have used an SFT clone for a while so know them both pretty well. They are both completely different pedals though!! What are you wanting them for/to do, specifically? [/quote] Thanks matey I suppose what I'm looking for is probably a 'p-bass with rounds through a valve SVT' type sound if that makes sense? A bit like the intro to 'chelsea dagger' - I'm thinking that maybe the Phat Phuk B for this? ...and then I've got a few other songs that would benefit from a bit of grind without being fuzzed out, mild overdrive I suppose, just to thicken the sound up a bit, I've been using an EBS MultiDrive and it's been ok but a bit one dimensional, I'm wanting a little more warmth without any more drive...would the PPB do this? I'm thinking the SFT might do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Tried the VT Bass? I reckon it will cop the Chelsea Dagger sound better than the others (I have all three). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazWills Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 well, for me the sound of the phat B is totally dependant on what you play it into. it's a pretty simple boost (though a great one). I use an old 70's bassman head (valves) and if I set the amp up really clean, with the input gain nice and low, stepping on the phat b (set at a level to give a slight boost to volume) gives the tone a bit of a kick, but won't get me into o/d territory. If I have my amp set to a higher gain (not o/d, but a bit edgier than clean) then the phat B is enough to push the amp into overdrive. It isn't really an o/d pedal though. I love mine, it's been on my board for a couple of years and is brilliant when you want to beef up the bass for a section in a song, without resorting to a full on fuzz or distortion, it really helps with dynamics in a live setting. also, i run mine before an overdrive pedal (I use a BB preamp for this, but would be the same if you had an SFT), and boosting into the o/d pedal using the phat b just increases the saturation/beef/**** on the following o/d pedal (like stepping on the boost channel on a fullton bassdrive pedal) I don't know, mild overdrive is so subjective, I like low gain settings on tubescreamer style pedals, like the BB preamp and the bassdrive, but for an SVT tone I would imagine the SFT or a sansamp would be what you're after. I really liked the SFT clone I had, it just coloured the tone of my amp a bit too much for my liking, but that sounds like what you're after... unhelpfully, i'd say go for them both, as once you use the phat B, I think you'll miss it if it's not there, but it's not an o/d pedal (I have to add, I have heard some folks have tweaked the internal trim pot on their phat B's and claim it can result in a great o/d pedal, but I've not tweaked around with mine...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1347278067' post='1798676'] Tried the VT Bass? I reckon it will cop the Chelsea Dagger sound better than the others (I have all three). [/quote] Hadn't even thought of one of those dannybuoy! hhmmm, just had a quick look and they're not so small are they, I've got space on my board for a PPB and an SFT (cos they're litte!) but not really a VT and a PPB/SFT so unless it can do both sounds without me bending my back inbetween songs I think it's out [quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1347278322' post='1798682'] unhelpfully, i'd say go for them both, as once you use the phat B, I think you'll miss it if it's not there, but it's not an o/d pedal [/quote] Sadly I think you've got the answer there Mr GazWills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I've had both of these pedals. The SFT will give you a wide range of overdrive and tone shaping options. The Phat Phuk won't. The Phat Phuk is a great pedal - there is something magical about the tone coming out of it - but I got frustrated that the overdrive side of it was totally dependant on the level of signal coming into it. The control on the pedal is for the output level, not the input level. You can open the pedal up and adjust the bias so that it clips earlier or later, or run your bass thru a boost pedal before going into the Phat Phuk - but that seems extravagant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 [quote name='Gareth Hughes' timestamp='1347291629' post='1798914'] I've had both of these pedals. The SFT will give you a wide range of overdrive and tone shaping options. The Phat Phuk won't. The Phat Phuk is a great pedal - there is something magical about the tone coming out of it - but I got frustrated that the overdrive side of it was totally dependant on the level of signal coming into it. The control on the pedal is for the output level, not the input level. You can open the pedal up and adjust the bias so that it clips earlier or later, or run your bass thru a boost pedal before going into the Phat Phuk - but that seems extravagant. [/quote] Thanks matey, this is why I was wanting to meet them before handing over sums of money...I'm fairly sure I'll like the SFT but the PPb seems like a 'if it does what I want it'll be amazing but if not then I'll probably hate it' type pedal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazWills Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 FYI, I have just ordered a catalinbread pedal (montavillian) from Tone World, and they do free next day delivery and have a 7 day no fuss return policy, so potentially you could try it out and return it if it wasn't for you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottomfeed Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 (edited) [quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1347539211' post='1802114'] FYI, I have just ordered a catalinbread pedal (montavillian) from Tone World, and they do free next day delivery and have a 7 day no fuss return policy, so potentially you could try it out and return it if it wasn't for you... [/quote] I also got my SFT from them, after 1st trying the JHS Low drive... cost me about £6 to send the JHS back (with insurance) It was worth it to satisfy my lustful curiosity about the pretty, seductive lil thing!... Sound didn't do it for me though, compared to the SFT. Tone World refunded the difference in price between the two pedals, directly to my bank account. They are very easy to deal with & very quick! Edited September 13, 2012 by bottomfeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 [quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1347539211' post='1802114'] FYI, I have just ordered a catalinbread pedal (montavillian) from Tone World, and they do free next day delivery and have a 7 day no fuss return policy, so potentially you could try it out and return it if it wasn't for you... [/quote] [quote name='bottomfeed' timestamp='1347540149' post='1802128'] I also got my SFT from them, after 1st trying the JHS Low drive... cost me about £6 to send the JHS back (with insurance) It was worth it to satisfy my lustful curiosity about the pretty, seductive lil thing!... Sound didn't do it for me though, compared to the SFT. Tone World refunded the difference in price between the two pedals, directly to my bank account. They are very easy to deal with & very quick! [/quote] I may well give the tone world 7 day policy a whirl once some of my bits on here have sold. thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 From another thread, in which this question was asked of someone else : [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1347728042' post='1804412'] How would you describe the differences and similarities between the [BB and SFT] as they're both on my 'try list'? [/quote] BB: nice, but non-commital style of distortion - a bit plummy and with a bit of grind in there too. has post gain tone controls so you can brighten or warm your sound. Has quite an open, 'hi-fi' sound, but can sound a little brittle used straight into a recording / PA. SFT: has a bit of an inherant snorty, throaty sound, perhaps like a speaker sim. pre-gain bandaxall tone stack - so the tone controls alter the gain / qualty of distortion, rather than simply change the tonal balance. I like to push the treble much more than the bass, or you just get plummy bloom and no grit. You won't get much added bass out of the SFT. Quite touch-sensitive and responsive. Can be driven at 18v and some reckon it's better there. Both have similar gain ranges. I'll venture that the BB is probably better if you want to add a bit of dirt to an amp you already like, while the SFT sounds more 'like a record' and is great fun to play through a PA or clean amp/cab due to its touch sensitivity and 'ampiness' (and I say this despite having found its basic sound a bit thin and middy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 [quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1347736789' post='1804533'] From another thread, in which this question was asked of someone else : [/quote] Thanks for trying to describe them both...still not sure which would suit... I'm using a genz shuttle 9.0 so it's a clean crisp basic sound with a valve preamp. I'm wanting to do 2 things, the first is to add a bit of gritty sparkle while retaining the full sound going into the pedal and the second is for good old dirt but not fizz or fuzz... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1347739683' post='1804579'] Thanks for trying to describe them both...still not sure which would suit... [/quote] Words only go so far, don't they If you'd like to borrow SFT / BB / VT for a bit let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 [quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1347742078' post='1804617'] Words only go so far, don't they If you'd like to borrow SFT / BB / VT for a bit let me know! [/quote] Absolutely matey regarding words, you've given me a good and thorough description of how each has worked for you, but I still can't tell how they'd work in my context...I feel a bit like a blind man trying to learn colours... I've tried YouTube vids of both but none doing a direct comparison so each is done very differently and therefore isn't really comparable... Krispn is sending me his BB to try, I would really appreciate a short borrow of an sft if that's ok? Thanks for your help in trying to describe sounds with words! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 I got me a Catalinbread SFT and it's doin the job very nicely! Thanks for your input chaps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottomfeed Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1348604423' post='1815960'] I got me a Catalinbread SFT and it's doin the job very nicely! Thanks for your input chaps! [/quote] Did you try the BB in the end?.... Never got to try that one myself.... SFT is certainly doing the job for me though, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 [quote name='bottomfeed' timestamp='1348824962' post='1818680'] Did you try the BB in the end?.... Never got to try that one myself.... SFT is certainly doing the job for me though, too! [/quote] I had the opportunity to a/b them both and I preferred the character of the sft over the more [i]normal[/i] sounding bb...don't get me wrong the bb is superb, it's a really good quality overdrive sound that makes a multidrive sound very one dimensional indeed. Both the SFT and BB retained the original tone really well within the final sound, the thing that swund it was the 'torn speaker' type sound that the SFT gives me on low gain settings, really nice fattening without overwhelming gain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottomfeed Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1348825822' post='1818692'] I had the opportunity to a/b them both and I preferred the character of the sft over the more [i]normal[/i] sounding bb...don't get me wrong the bb is superb, it's a really good quality overdrive sound that makes a multidrive sound very one dimensional indeed. Both the SFT and BB retained the original tone really well within the final sound, the thing that swund it was the 'torn speaker' type sound that the SFT gives me on low gain settings, really nice fattening without overwhelming gain [/quote] cool... I get ya! Seem to be using mine on a low gain setting, permanently on at the moment! .... it's just such a usable tone like that.... although it's capable of so much more... See how things develop... Really pleased with it, anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 [quote name='bottomfeed' timestamp='1348826454' post='1818708'] cool... I get ya! Seem to be using mine on a low gain setting, permanently on at the moment! .... it's just such a usable tone like that.... although it's capable of so much more... See how things develop... Really pleased with it, anyway! [/quote] I have it at 18v too via the diago 18v converter thingumy...somehow it's just more niceness... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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