Pembo Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Hi all! I'm currently playing a Markbass SA450, but seeking the presence/sparkle of some 'valvey' tone. I'm not in a financial situation to buy a valve amp, so focusing on the more budget means of achieving some tone. I've heard good things about the Streamliner for achieving a 'valvey' tone, but unlike the Bass Terror, is not a 1 trick pony. Do I try to swap my SA450 for a Streamliner, or due to the clean/natural ability of the SA450, would a valve orientated pedal achieve similair results? I feel quite loathed to pass on the SA450 as I think it's a vastly under acknowledged amp which will probably be quite sought after in 10+ years, but know i'm not quite getting what I want out of it. Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Stick a VT Bass in front of your SA450. Job done. Or a BDI-21 if you're strapped for cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) If the SA450 is anything like the LMII, it'll be a clear relatively flat sounding amp that will take well to tone shaping via pedals. DHA VT1s pop up used on here cheap quite often too. Great if you want to add a bit of 'valveness' without overly colouring your tone like a Sansamp can. A Catalinbread SFT is my always-on pedal though! What kind of basses do you play? Edited May 23, 2014 by dannybuoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pembo Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Never tried a Sansamp, but heard great things. May have to see if my local (rip off) music shop will appreciate me arriving with bass, amp and cab just to try out a pedal... Though I could bite the bullet as I gather it'll hold it's sale/trade value well! Would it be worth getting a Behringer pedal, If their compressor pedal is anything to go by... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 By used, or import, and you can sell it on without taking a loss! The Behringer BDI21 is actually pretty well regarded compared to most of their range, and you can't go wrong for the price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pembo Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1400874432' post='2457861'] If the SA450 is anything like the LMII, it'll be a clear relatively flat sounding amp that will take well to tone shaping via pedals. DHA VT1s pop up used on here cheap quite often too. Great if you want to add a bit of 'valveness' without overly colouring your tone like a Sansamp can. A Catalinbread SFT is my always-on pedal though! What kind of basses do you play? [/quote] I've never tried any overdrive pedals, but always imagined them to turn tone into just a distorted 'electronic/digitally sound, or do they still provide that warm dynamic breakup? I just play a BB414. Best budget bass i could find, for styles i play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 May I suggest the [b] Aphex 1402 Bass Xciter[/b] It is what I step on when i want phat, or the hall is making me sound thin, also good for the other end to give sparkle when the venue is too dry and you need some presents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Pembo' timestamp='1400874947' post='2457875'] I've never tried any overdrive pedals, but always imagined them to turn tone into just a distorted 'electronic/digitally sound, or do they still provide that warm dynamic breakup? [/quote] For a while I used a Behringer BDI-21 (Sansamp clone) into a Markbass LM and it gave me the sound I wanted. It was permanently on. You can get a very warm, thick sound with it that will transform a fairly sterile amp like a Markbass. No question of it being an 'electronic' sound at all. Try one, they're only £26! If it's not for you, flip it on here quickly. But I think you'll like it. Edited May 23, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 If you like the tone of the SA450 but just want valvey warmth without changing your tone, I`d look at the DHA VT pedals, as these to me coloured the sound the least. Personally I use a Tech21 VT DI, makes my little Markbass 112 combo & 112 ext cab sound very Ampeg like, which is exactly what I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Pembo' timestamp='1400874947' post='2457875'] I've never tried any overdrive pedals, but always imagined them to turn tone into just a distorted 'electronic/digitally sound, or do they still provide that warm dynamic breakup? I just play a BB414. Best budget bass i could find, for styles i play. [/quote] Totally depends on the pedal. There are plenty of overdrives capable of adding just a hint warmth and fatness at low settings. Some overdrives are more vintage sounding, boosting the bass and low mids whilst rolling off the top end. Others are good at adding extra growl and top end sparkle. There are some that are flexible enough to do both. Depends which direction you're leaning towards! And the BB414 rocks! I played a BB415 for years before moving up to a BB1025X. Reason I asked is some pedals don't play well with hot/active basses. The BB is pretty hot for a passive instrument, so I use the SFT on 18v to give it more headroom for example. And regarding the amps - the Orange may be labelled as a one trick pony, but it's a very good trick. Sounds so much fatter and louder than the Streamliner 600 IMHO, I had both for a short time but it was no contest. Then again lots of people prefer the Genz also! Moral of the story, at the end of the day the only way you'll know is if you try out all this gear yourself. That's why so many of us are gear tarts on this forum, buying and selling used is like a way to rent stuff out to see what you like! Edited May 23, 2014 by dannybuoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 There are hundreds of pedals out there that can fatten up an overclean amp. I'd always go the pedal rather than amp route myself. It's just more flexible for the future. I think you also need to define what you mean by "valvey". LIke the word "growl" this can mean almost a hundred different things to hundred different bassists. Time to start grilling the www for some information on exactly what you want and which pedals might achieve that. Also, don't forget the option of ordering a dozen potential pedals from a big retailer to try at home with your rig and then sending all but one (or even all) back again. It's a good way of trying out a lot of pedals with your own rig and bass (which is essential IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='Pembo' timestamp='1400874947' post='2457875'] I've never tried any overdrive pedals, but always imagined them to turn tone into just a distorted 'electronic/digitally sound, or do they still provide that warm dynamic breakup? [/quote] Many of the "drive" type pedals (e.g. behringer, sansamp, darkglass) use a FET circuit which has many of the same characteristics as a valve amp to the point where many people who swear by real valves probably couldn't tell the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pembo Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Cheers guys. I'm gathering by the consensous that giving a pedal a go is the best option. [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400880628' post='2457951'] Try one, they're only £26! If it's not for you, flip it on here quickly. But I think you'll like it. [/quote] For that amount I suppose it's no hard loss, just to see if it gets anywhere near the tone in my head. [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1400912231' post='2458056'] I think you also need to define what you mean by "valvey". LIke the word "growl" this can mean almost a hundred different things to hundred different bassists. [/quote] What I want from the valve tone is enough dexterity to switch from a Entwistle/McVie tone when playing more upbeat numbers, to a warm,clear, punchy,rounded, harmonic tone when playing slower (soul/blues) numbers. I know dynamic and rounded are a bit of a contradiction to each other, but in my head a lot of the tones i enjoy listening to are just that. I suppose that's where a good compressor comes into play aswell. I predominantly play a mush up of 60's & 70's pop rock/country/blues/soul/folk pop style genres. However, I also like to play minimalist/shoegaze styles aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 You'd be surprised at the quality and range of OD pedals out there, loads are touch sensitive (dig in and they break up more) I use a shuttle (pretty colourless clean sound) and I have an xotic BB preamp to give some drive as my main always on sound, then another for even more dirt and girth. And having compared this against a few readily available valve heads (ampeg SVT 2 pro, Mesa 400+ and a Orange) I couldn't hear much discerning difference once the band kicked in. The one thing I like about choosing pedals over heads, are that you can effectIvely have a few different 'heads' on a pedal board for a fraction of the weight. Plus the more lights you have the better you play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1400931718' post='2458270'] Plus the more lights you have the better you play. [/quote] Oh yes, everyone knows that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) Sansamp programmable BDDI? Gives you the ability to save 3 different tones in one pedal. Best overdrive tone I've ever used was from a Darkglass B3K. It wasn't mine, I borrowed it for a few rehearsals just to try one out. But I came to the conclusion that as I'd sold my sansamp as I wasn't really using it, there wasn't much point buying a B3K, but it was an awesome drive tone. Edited May 24, 2014 by ern500evo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 You are starting on the long but glorious road of your tone quest which usually results in pedal addiction. I'd keep an eye out for a VT Bass, SFT, BB Preamp, Darkglass Vintage, or COG Knightfall in the classifieds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1400950862' post='2458519'] You are starting on the long but glorious road of your tone quest which usually results in pedal addiction. [/quote] It can also result in alcoholism, drug addiction, divorce and bankruptcy if you're not very careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 My name is ratman, and I am a pedalaholic............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1400883406' post='2457979'] just want valvey warmth without changing your tone [/quote] This does not compute!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Sansamp. A killer valve sound and really really useful when you have to go through the PA at bigger gigs. Behringer version will do pretty much the same in a slightly less robust but great bang for buck package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Sell the entire rig and spend the next, well it could take years to be honest, whatever, swaping and trading on Basschat to find that sound. In the end you will have tried virtually all combinations of amp and cab. This is what the basschat marketplace relies upon and without it basschat itself would die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theyellowcar Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 Another +1 for the Behringer BDI21. Gets me the 'valve' sound that's in my head for the tenth of the cost of an amp that claims to nail the same sound. As previously mentioned you could easily move it on here without making a loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.T Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 I bought a VT Bass pedal for my LM2 for exactly the same reason..... (Wanted some tubey warmth). It did the job perfectly! ....Then I got some GAS for a RH450, which is a 'work in progress'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pembo Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 (edited) [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1400950862' post='2458519'] You are starting on the long but glorious road of your tone quest which usually results in pedal addiction. I'd keep an eye out for a VT Bass, SFT, BB Preamp, Darkglass Vintage, or COG Knightfall in the classifieds! [/quote] I've always managed to avoid the temptation of regular GAS, as I have to many outlays, thank God. [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1400970147' post='2458787'] Sell the entire rig and spend the next, well it could take years to be honest, whatever, swaping and trading on Basschat to find that sound. In the end you will have tried virtually all combinations of amp and cab. This is what the basschat marketplace relies upon and without it basschat itself would die. [/quote] I have considered this a few times, but scared i'll join a magic roundbout of discontent. [quote name='Mr.T' timestamp='1401041187' post='2459442'] I bought a VT Bass pedal for my LM2 for exactly the same reason..... (Wanted some tubey warmth). It did the job perfectly! ....Then I got some GAS for a RH450, which is a 'work in progress'. [/quote] Now this is exactly what I want to hear. I bet my tubey warmth is different to your tubey warmth though Edited May 25, 2014 by Pembo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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