JimBobTTD Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Sigh...I'm going a bit mad. I am after a low-gain overdrive. I use flats, fretless and I play rock/blues etc. The current band does everything from Sex Pistols to Iggy and the Stooges to Lenny Kravitz. My current set up is: Bass > Tuner > MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe (with crossover and set low) > MXR Bass Preamp > Amp. Please excuse the cliché abstract terms, but I want the sound to be the same but with a bit more grind/edge/beef. I have spent hours watching demos of pedals on YouTube. They tend to be too high gain from the start and then go further. As such, almost all pedals have been shown to be a bit "too much" for my tastes. However, Norm Stockton did a good (but so terribly brief) demo of an Aguilar Agro that sounded good. No other demo shows it at such low gain, though, and no demos of it in the mix that I could find. No blend, either. So...can anyone point me to a good demo of a low-gain setting of a good overdrive? Ideally one with a blend. If you have experience of it with flatwounds, all the better! I have listened to and not been impressed by: Darkglass BK-3, BK-7 Bearfoot Blueberry Sansamp (which I once owned but hated) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirky Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 The DHA pedals can do low to high gain tube drive. Quite possibly not easy to find in Stockholm though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 (edited) My go-to pedal to pair with a Precision and flats for low gain drive is the Aguilar Tonehammer. What was it you didn't like about the Blueberry? Cos that would've got my recommendation also! Edited March 26, 2017 by dannybuoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 [quote name='Kirky' timestamp='1490521512' post='3265603'] The DHA pedals can do low to high gain tube drive. Quite possibly not easy to find in Stockholm though. [/quote] I had one of them. Truth be told, I was not overly keen on it. It was large, heavy and required its own power. The sound was not too impressive either, I found. I wanted to like it, but I did not. The DI stopped functioning properly (and the headphone out was always noisy) and I lost faith in it. [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1490521948' post='3265613'] My go-to pedal to pair with a Precision and flats for low gain drive is the Aguilar Tonehammer. What was it you didn't like about the Blueberry? Cos that would've got my recommendation also! [/quote] It is hard to express what it is I do not like about the Blueberry. I checked it out on your recommendation, but it left me unimpressed, seeming that the sound it provides (which was good) is not the one I am after. I saw the product demos done by Bearfoot and they were all a bit too "hairy" for my liking. The absence of a blend concerns me, too. All the product demos I have heard have told me that my search needs to continue. There are so many pedals out there...I have no problem with a pedal that goes to 11, but my experience is that they do not sound all that good on 1 or 2, which is where I would want to be on the overwhelming majority of the pedals I have seen/heard. The Aguilar seems good, though...really good. A quick look at a demo - this one https://youtu.be/VUdeNZeFK6k?t=5m23s at this point is very close to what I have in my head - says that this is definitely one to consider. Even on full gain, the pedal does not wig out. Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 (edited) You could try one of these, [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8aQExhdSj8[/media] I've got one on my board and love it. It's a very versatile pedal with 2 gain stages which can be blended for a huge range of sounds from very subtle to wild. There is a common misconception that it needs it's own power supply. It doesn't. It has internal electronics which step the voltage up from 9v to 33v so it runs on a standard Boss type supply. It also cancels some buzzing frequencies in my setup. I use it with flatwounds too. Edited March 26, 2017 by Japhet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 As you appear to like MXR, JimBob, why not add in the Micro-amp to just boost the signal into drive (assuming you`re looking for an always on overdrive that is). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I found the end of this sea4ch recently with the creation audio labs grizzly. It adds that "hair" that I was looking for all this time. But it also sounds excellent into the upper overdrive and distortion settings. Even gets quite synth like at the top. Useful low pass and mid cut aswell. There's not much it can't do. Search over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazWills Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I very much like the Xotic BB Bass Preamp and the Smallsound Bigsound Mini for low gain OD. Neither have a blend, but I think that is totally redundant on a low gain pedal. However, both have a two band EQ, which I think is much more useful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Agreed that blend is unnecessary here. The Blueberry, Tone Hammer, etc have bags of low end without one... And they work some magic in how they compress and colour the signal which would just be diluted by blending. A blend is necessary for pedals that are mainly about distorted mids (e.g. Darkglass Vintage and Pike Vulcan) or when you have high gain distortion / fuzz and you need to bring back some of the thump to the note attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 [quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1490531157' post='3265704'] You could try one of these, [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8aQExhdSj8[/media] I've got one on my board and love it. It's a very versatile pedal with 2 gain stages which can be blended for a huge range of sounds from very subtle to wild. There is a common misconception that it needs it's own power supply. It doesn't. It has internal electronics which step the voltage up from 9v to 33v so it runs on a standard Boss type supply. It also cancels some buzzing frequencies in my setup. I use it with flatwounds too. [/quote] Thanks - I rather like the sound of that. [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1490533412' post='3265729'] As you appear to like MXR, JimBob, why not add in the Micro-amp to just boost the signal into drive (assuming you`re looking for an always on overdrive that is). [/quote] Thanks! Actually, my first port of call was MXR, but both their overdrive and distortion did not make it beyond the first round in my search. Too hairy...too saturated. But I shall check out the Micro Amp. What I really like about the MXR pedals is their durability and size! [quote name='GisserD' timestamp='1490534376' post='3265733'] I found the end of this sea4ch recently with the creation audio labs grizzly. It adds that "hair" that I was looking for all this time. But it also sounds excellent into the upper overdrive and distortion settings. Even gets quite synth like at the top. Useful low pass and mid cut aswell. There's not much it can't do. Search over [/quote] Thanks - I shall check it out. [quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1490536887' post='3265748'] I very much like the Xotic BB Bass Preamp and the Smallsound Bigsound Mini for low gain OD. Neither have a blend, but I think that is totally redundant on a low gain pedal. However, both have a two band EQ, which I think is much more useful... [/quote] Xotic BB is on my list, actually. I really liked the sound it made. I shall check out the Smallsound Bigsound, too. Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1490539613' post='3265779'] Agreed that blend is unnecessary here. The Blueberry, Tone Hammer, etc have bags of low end without one... And they work some magic in how they compress and colour the signal which would just be diluted by blending. A blend is necessary for pedals that are mainly about distorted mids (e.g. Darkglass Vintage and Pike Vulcan) or when you have high gain distortion / fuzz and you need to bring back some of the thump to the note attack. [/quote] This might very well be the case. I suppose I have had bad experiences with pedals. But I have also had a bit of trouble with pedals [i]with[/i] blends, too, as it sounds like two very distinct sounds rather than one that is, er, blended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Check out the Blueberry at 0:25 here: http://youtu.be/13XHY7GlAXo And 6:25 here: http://youtu.be/qEsOlOX993A If those sounds are too hairy for you, that gain control goes lower still. Also in my experience, the Tone Hammer turns to mushy fuzzy mess with the gain past half way - lovely at low gain, but certainly not one that I crank the gain on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 (edited) Thank you for your continued support, dannybuoy! (Edit to include that I watched both videos this morning) The first vid at 0:25 is indeed a great sound. This really made me interested. The sound is very useable and pretty much what I have in mind. The second vid at 6 mins or so leaves me less interested, though. It sounds a bit mushy to me. Or something. I don't know. I fear that with flatwounds on, things would be a bit mushier still. Mind you, my brain has been royally fried with all the videos I have watched over the last few days. Perhaps I should start doing demo videos! Edited March 26, 2017 by JimBobTTD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I use the Tritonlab pedal later in the chain. At the beginning I have an EHX Bass Soul Food which is always on to provide a little bit of breakup. That could be worth a look as well for some low level grit. It's a nice little pedal for not a lot of dough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 DHA VT1 EQ for me. Squier VM fretless Jazz with Dunlop flat 45s into the VT1 - lovely sound with just a hint of breakup. The trick is to balance the 'input' and 'gain' controls with each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee650 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 The EHX soul food has the clean blend and low gain drive. I'm happy enough with mine,but I'm still looking for something that does the same thing only better 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee650 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I've been thinking of getting the VT bass DI for low gain OD with a clean blend and EQ to replace the soul food. Would that be something worth considering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Definitely, it would be like upgrading your dinner from pedigree chum to fillet steak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xroads Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EILrxBwxqmk I like that one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee650 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1490552092' post='3265911'] Definitely, it would be like upgrading your dinner from pedigree chum to fillet steak! [/quote] Lol cool!!😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgie Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I use my 5 string Shuker P with flats into a Darkglass VMT and in my opinion it sounds glorious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 [quote name='lee650' timestamp='1490545344' post='3265853'] The EHX soul food has the clean blend and low gain drive. I'm happy enough with mine,but I'm still looking for something that does the same thing only better 😁 [/quote] Ive been looking for exactly the same thing as the OP and searching online suggested that the EHX Bass Soul Food was the one to look at. I'm really just looking to add some very light break up on rockier tunes and to add a little OD into the Morley Dual Bass Wah. Always hated fuzzy OD and distortion so most OD pedals are ringing out for me. Popped into the Camden Guitar Guitar on Friday morning and took the chance to try now out. For me the blend knob is an absolute must. Similarly the fact that with everything on 11 the pedal is way too tame for many is also a huge bonus for me too. Really enjoyed trying it out with a nice Lackland and an amp set up similar to mine. So Friday was an NPD for me. Can't wait to get it on mypedalboard and trying it out in (very well managed and subtly controlled) anger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 [quote name='lee650' timestamp='1490547317' post='3265868'] I've been thinking of getting the VT bass DI for low gain OD with a clean blend and EQ to replace the soul food. Would that be something worth considering? [/quote] [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1490552092' post='3265911'] Definitely, it would be like upgrading your dinner from pedigree chum to fillet steak! [/quote] Hmm... so I'll have the Soul Food at the beginning of the signal chain and the VTDI right at the end... Chum for starters, fillet steak for mains then...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Add the Wren & Cuff 'Phat Phuk B' & Solid Gold 'Beta' to your listening tests Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byo Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 [quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1490564007' post='3266061'] Add the Wren & Cuff 'Phat Phuk B' & Solid Gold 'Beta' to your listening tests Si [/quote] +1 on the SolidGold Fx Beta. I have one on my board and it is the best low gain OD that I have ever played through. They have released their Beta Dlx with an added boost section and expanded EQ options which I will be getting my hands on very soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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