Overdrive/Distortion Pedals. Recommendations?

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1387123964' post='2308408']
The b3k and lomenzo are on my gas list! What are they like in comparison?
[/quote]

The darkglass is aggressive and clanky, but somehow manages to sound kind of natural. I think it's because it keeps the lows clean below a certain frequency. It's also got a switch that adjusts how much low end gets distorted. If you want a super fat distortion you can have it.

The lomenzo only drives a specific frequency in the mids which you can set. Also very versatile but very different. For high gain settings it's not as natural sounding but for everything else its more than enough!

[0175westwood29]

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1383479993' post='2264807']
Been through four overdrive/distortion pedals in the last year or so, finally settled on the Rodenberg 809B Drive (thanks Ryan, if you're reading this you were mad to sell it!) Three selections of distortion from the 808 and 809 switches and super fat distortion from the 909 switch, turn up the drive and beautiful sustained distortion leaps out of the cabs. Tone control lets you dial in any bottom end that's lacking, easy to set up. Gigged it for the first time last night, sounded awesome in the mix.

Prior to this I was using the Source Audio Soundblox Distortion Pro, which has more settings than you could possibly need imo, and most sound a little on the artificial side if that makes any sense. But a great feature the pedal has is the ability to save sounds as presets! Two banks, A and B, with three preset buttons to each. If you're prepared to spend some time setting this pedal up it will do the job, I just didn't like the sounds.

Before the Soundblox I was using a Microtubes B7K by Darkglass. Never really got on with this pedal, nothing wrong with it, well made, bags of tone control with the 4 band EQ and all the distortion you could wish for but, it was always on the edge of being out of control, a metal pedal basically. I always felt I was spending my time trying to reign the damn thing in rather than get a sound out it.

And finally (sorry for the long post/review, it's Sunday, it's pissing down outside, and I have a hangover to work off,) I still use a Farndurk BGX2 for subtle, warm overdrive tones on bluesy type songs. Simple to set up, it has one volume and one tone control and a three way toggle switch to engage different levels of drive. It is also a thing of beauty, hence the pic.

I think the overriding issue I have with distortion/overdrive pedals is there is no one-box solution. If, like me, you're in a covers band, the set up you have for bands like RATM or Muse are not going to work for adding a little warm tube sound to a ZZ Top track. Does this make any sense?

Anyway, for now it's the Rodenberg… but that might change.


[/quote]

love how that pedal looks! = immediate gas not on the site or able to find it on the net! bank balance breaths a sigh of relief!

andy

[chriswareham]

[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1387123964' post='2308408']
The b3k and lomenzo are on my gas list! What are they like in comparison?
[/quote]

Not sure about the Lomenzo, but I tried a lot of overdrive and distortion pedals before settling on the Darkglass. It's quite fliexible, but excels at the harsher end of distortion sounds. What I particularly like about it is that it doesn't have much sustain, which is what I need for the fast and riffy detuned metal that I use it on. I'd go as far as saying that is sounds "gated", and it doesn't blur the attack of each note.

[Thunderbird]

I just picked up a Lomenzo after gassing for one for ages and I really like it I find in easy to set how I like and it also plays nicely with my active bass I have not tried the other pedals mentioned here myself but they do sound nice and there are lots of demos of all of the pedals mentioned here on Youtube

[Guinness21]

I think the b3k could be a bit too metallic-sounding for me, but the thought of running a darkglass vintage and lomenzo hyperdrive together intrigues me...

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1383400835' post='2264071']

The Xotic BB is very cool for low gain fat gnarrly sounds, but I found it a bit limited.
[/quote]

Really surprised at that, I find the xotic excells at anything I want to get out of it, and the 2 band eq is anything but limiting. But maybe I'm biased as I love it so much.

[Ray-kwen-do]

Hey guys. I'm looking for a new bass overdrive pedal to upgrade to from my Boss ODB-3. I have been reading up on the Bass Big Muff and it seems to be a winner so far.

Any advice on what I should look at regarding overdrive pedals. I am looking for a chunky bass sound for the Hardcore/Metalcore/Metal band i play in..

Thanks guys, look forward to hearing from you.

[ratman]

A lot of pedals (with varied prices) have been mentioned in this thread. Also in another recent thread - http://basschat.co.uk/topic/224730-cheap-gainod-pedal/ Go to You Tube and check out the reviews, that may help you make your mind up. Whatever you choose it will be an improvement on your Boss.

[DiMarco]

Hold that thought.

And ODB-3 is a way way waaaaaaay different effect then the Bass Big Muff and are used both in their own way.

I have gone through a lot of dirtboxes over the last couple of years including big muff, bass big muff, mxr m80 d.i.+, mxr el grande bass fuzz, Tech21 VTbass v2 and some others. Right now I have a couple of Darkglass pedals (B3K and vintage tube) incoming which will arrive somewhere next week...

The "dirt" on a bass can be divided into four different types:[list=1]
[*]Classic Tube like overdrive = Tech21 VTbass or Darkglass VMT
[*]Modern tight and aggressive distortion = MXR M80 or Darkglass B3K
[*]Classic sustainy, warm and sweet fuzz = MXR El Grande Bass fuzz or a standard Big Muff
[*]Grindy but tight modern fuzz = Bass Big Muff
[/list]
Don't make a mistake by thinking a big muff will replace your ODB-3, they are entirely different pedals.

Also a tip: You can take just about ANY overdrive or distortion pedal and sound okay when mixing it 50/50 dry/wet by using it in your effect loop rather then in between your bass and the input of your amplifier.

Edited December 20, 2013 by DiMarco

[Guinness21]

where does the b7k sit, with the amount of adjustabilty available?

[andydye]

[quote name='Ray-kwen-do' timestamp='1387531637' post='2312923']
Hey guys. I'm looking for a new bass overdrive pedal to upgrade to from my Boss ODB-3. I have been reading up on the Bass Big Muff and it seems to be a winner so far.

Any advice on what I should look at regarding overdrive pedals. I am looking for a chunky bass sound for the Hardcore/Metalcore/Metal band i play in..

Thanks guys, look forward to hearing from you.
[/quote]

Have a look at the james lomenzo hyperdrive pedal, a metaller's sig pedal but also v versatile

[DiMarco]

[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1387604558' post='2313763']
where does the b7k sit, with the amount of adjustabilty available?
[/quote]

The B7K is essentially a B3K with 4 band EQ, parallel output and a very hot D.I. output.
It is marketed as a bass preamp as you can plug into any rig and have your sound with it. It is more of an "always on" pedal like the Tech21 VTbass is (but without the Ampeg style colouration of your tone).

Since I am using a Trace Elliot amp with 12band EQ I reckoned I won't need an extra EQ on my pedalboard and went for the two other pedals (B3K and vintage microtubes) instead. The idea behind this move is made pretty much clear in this video someone else made:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-TKjoFQZqo[/media]

[Guinness21]

Well as I don't already have an EQ, should I consider the b7k? I've been considering a b3k and a tone hammer (can't afford both the vintage, b3k and eq) and I know the b3k works well with muff style fuzzes. The b7k would certainly be the cheaper alternative (can't imagine that's said very often!), but would it work as well?

[DiMarco]

I'd only consider the B7K if I were to play a lot using other people's backlines and use it as a preamp. As far as I know when you switch off the overdrive on it, you switch off the EQ along with it (someone correct me if I am wrong) so in order to use the EQ constantly you will be using the overdrive constantly along with it... I went for two seperate pedals to be able to kick in some mild overdrive and full on brutal distortion at will.

[Guinness21]

Thanks, I hadn't considered that I would need the the distortion constantly on as well. Can anybody recommend a good eq to use with the b3k - is the aguilar tone hammer any good?

[abc]

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1387148878' post='2308844']
love how that pedal looks! = immediate gas not on the site or able to find it on the net! bank balance breaths a sigh of relief!

andy
[/quote]
Here's the site...
it's in the bass modules section.
Link;
http://www.farndurk.com/index.php?category=bassunits

Edited December 28, 2013 by abc

[DiMarco]

Here's a clip I made using a Warwick Dolphin Pro 1.
It has four parts: Direct, through VTbass for mild ampeg buzz, then through Darkglass Vintage Microtubes and finally Through the Darkglass B3K. Hope this helps you decide on what kind of tone you're looking for.

http://elevenband.nl/krupp/Dolphin_vtbass_vintagemicrotubes_b3k.mp3

[Guinness21]

Sorry to be gegging in on OP, but all of this is so helpful!

DiMarco, that first video you posted is awesome, I love the sound of both pedals on! I'm so stuck now - I don't have decent eq on my amp (rumble 75), but then I'm not sure if overdrive would always be on. Maybe I just save up some more pennies and get both the b3k and vmt, and get the tone hammer.

[DiMarco]

First get the OD pedals, then see if you will need an EQ.,, My 12band EQ on the Trace Elliot is usually switched OFF.