OD & Compressor Recomendations for a novice

[BabyHands]

Short;

Any recommendations for a darkglass-esq Driver/Preamp/Di & a decent Compressor around £100-150 new/used?



Long;

I've started a new project in which I'll be playing bass in a band (which I haven't done in a decade since I was in college), so want to build myself up a passable rig.

At home I just plugged the bass into a pocket POD to noodle, but that's not going to get near the sound I want for this band.

The studio we practice in I've been using the DI from a TC combo into the PA, which has been working ok. But I want a bit more.

I like the bass tone from the likes of 'Nolly' Getgood (periphery), J-M Labadie (gojira), Amos Williams (tesseract). All use very simple (but expensive) Set ups.


I think what I'm after is quite a low ratio compressor to smooth out my erratic playing, and an OD to give me a bit of grind.

I'd love to feed an empress or Cali compressor into a B7K, straight into the PA. But I'm not made of money and don't want to throw too much in until we take off a bit.

I've played through the Boss ODB and don't like it, sounds too fizzy and like a chainsaw. I prefer something more... "Throaty"?

Any recommendations? new or used around £200-300 for both

am I better just to save and get the higher end stuff?



Also we're still months and months away from gigs so I'm not too worried on my own amp just yet / can borrow for a while

Edited January 5, 2017 by BabyHands

[dannybuoy]

You can pick up a used B3K pretty cheap. If it's going to be always on and you have decent EQ on your amp, you don't really need to step up to the B7K. There is also the Source Audio Aftershock which has Darkglass models in it and extensive EQ, but I found it frustrating to program and could not get it to sound as good as the real deal. Likewise something like the POD X3 Live would come up with the goods but only if you put the time in to set it up - there is a good Youtube demo around somewhere showing it set up with clean compressed lows mixed with a heavily distorted and EQ'd guitar rig and it sounded fat as hell! For hands on tweaking and baked in metal tonez, it's hard to beat the B7K.

If you want something dirt cheap (like under £24 new!) to tide you over, then the Behringer BDI-21 is a steal. It's a clone of the Sansamp BDDI, which is what a lot of metal guys use (and was everybody's go-to before the B7K came about).

Also, hang onto that ODB-3 until you've tried it going into a Darkglass or Sansamp - they both have the ability to take the fizz off the top end and make that pedal sound great!

Tons of good cheap compressors out there - read up on ovnilab.com if you haven't already. But if it's clean clinical compression you are after then the MXR Bass comp or Keeley Bassist would be a good place to start.

[perrybassbp]

What about a source audio aftershock, if you can put the time in it would give you all the dirt and fuzz tones you'll ever need, you could even use it as a eq. Then I would pick up something like one of the mxr compressors or something like that?

[BabyHands]

The same issue with the Source audio and POD is that I can't really be dealing with loooads of tweaking, I get option paralysis!
I use a Mobius and timeline in my guitar rig, but Only have about 4 settings on each I use regularly.
the neuro app is amazing, and I've had a play with it, but there's just too much there, and I spend all my money on gear so have a crap phone

I think or now I'm going to aim for a b3k, and look to upgrade if the project gets going a bit more. maybe pick up a behringer DI for going direct.


Will also keep an eye out for an MXR M87 as they have been mentioned by a lot of people! maybe pick up an LBM3 to tide me over if its cheap enough.
There is a markbass compressore available on this forum which I'm tempted by, but the size and its power requirements are putting me off a bit.

Cheers for the input so far

[Dood]

The EBS Billy Sheehan Signature Drive has a drive circuit and the kind of compressor you are asking for built in. I'd recommend the Deluxe version too. I have one on my own board and use it mostly as a subtle enhancement rather than a full bore distortion - but it will do both. And no, it doesn't 'just' sound like Billy Sheehan, it is capable of way more. One of my very favourite drive pedals for bass. It also has the ability to blend the clean signal in but also an effects loop each for the dry signal path and distortion path - all in one pedal.

I love the DarkGlass stuff too, but the Ultra models are beyond my reach right now.

[krispn]

Hey!
Have you heard demo's of the Tech21 Bass Fly rig. I know it has a sans amp and a comp too. Might be something you could work with and close to your budget used

I've used an mxr M80 in the past for a more modern drive sound and it's a good unit. I'd agree about the ODB-3 it can sound a bit thin but at low gain it's not bad and can stack well with other pedals. My old pedal board had a loop pedal with an ODB and a phat phuk stacked in one loop and they worked well together.

Edited January 15, 2017 by krispn

[Japhet]

I'd get a Zoom B3 in your situation. Has some very useable distortion and compression patches and a whole load more including a tuner which you'll probably want as well.