If you could only choose one dirt pedal?

[Al Krow]

44 minutes ago, mcnach said:

Aha! Indeed.

Yes, if I had intentions to use other midi-capable pedals then fine, but it doesn't look like I am going that way. So... I'll just bend over and use the switches manually and/or get a second or even third Aftershock.

Glad I realised this before I bought a Gecko. I had not even thought how they connect together  I assumed USB.

You're not a chap who does things by halves are you:

"I nearly sold my AS" - - > "I'm thinking about getting several!!" 😂

[The59Sound]

Finally got round to doing a shoot out between the BBBOD and Orange Burst. The OB gets close and is a great pedal but just can't match the Blueberry... this thing is a dream. Gave it some much needed TLC since it's been bashed around so much! 

[mcnach]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

You're not a chap who does things by halves are you:

"I nearly sold my AS" - - > "I'm thinking about getting several!!" 😂

 

If I make mistakes, I make them thoroughly

[mcnach]

On 13/10/2018 at 15:54, Al Krow said:

You're not a chap who does things by halves are you:

"I nearly sold my AS" - - > "I'm thinking about getting several!!" 😂

 

Ah, it looks like the SA Tap-tempo switch can be used to toggle between 'channels'... so if you set up a preset using two different overdrive engines on each channel, in parallel, then you can select to alternate between them, or (I think) even rotate between one, the other, and both combined. Now that's worth a look

[Al Krow]

I've gone down the Neurohub + Gecko route as a more comprehensive alternative to the Tap Tempo, as I have a couple of SA pedals rather than just one.

But I totally agree that the Tap Tempo pedal is a more cost effective and simpler (neater) option. 

[Bridgehouse]

Ok, it’s wrong. I hold my head in shame. 

Despite the claims of “tone suck” and many having it... I just can’t stop using this for those dial-an-overdrive sounds... (plus it makes a cracking boost...)

[dannybuoy]

I had one of those modded for more low end as my first bass overdrive. Great pedal, replaced it witha BB Preamp although if I'm honest I might have slightly preferred the BM!

[danbowskill]

15 hours ago, Bridgehouse said:

Ok, it’s wrong. I hold my head in shame. 

Despite the claims of “tone suck” and many having it... I just can’t stop using this for those dial-an-overdrive sounds... (plus it makes a cracking boost...)

Not at all "wrong" mate 🙂 I've been through many many overdrives ( expensive and cheap)and the bad monkey into a tube amp or VT bass, p bass with a pick is my no1 overdrive :-)(got 2 spares)....... unmodified ,low and high eq just from maxed and gain a quarter, using the amp sim output(mixer) really is a perfect light growley drive for me.

[Bridgehouse]

45 minutes ago, danbowskill said:

Not at all "wrong" mate 🙂 I've been through many many overdrives ( expensive and cheap)and the bad monkey into a tube amp or VT bass, p bass with a pick is my no1 overdrive :-)(got 2 spares)....... unmodified ,low and high eq just from maxed and gain a quarter, using the amp sim output(mixer) really is a perfect light growley drive for me.

I’m glad I’m not alone!

[dave_bass5]

17 hours ago, mcnach said:

 

Ah, it looks like the SA Tap-tempo switch can be used to toggle between 'channels'... so if you set up a preset using two different overdrive engines on each channel, in parallel, then you can select to alternate between them, or (I think) even rotate between one, the other, and both combined. Now that's worth a look

Yep. i got a second had TT off here earlier in the year. Adds a lot of versatility to the AS and the TT is so small its easy to fit on a board without moving other pedals (sort of).

[Al Krow]

Creation Audio Grizzly Bass

I'm finding that as I get longer in the tooth as a bass player I'm ending up with gear that Ed Friedland is already be a fan of! Most recently the Fearless F112 cab which handles the low end superbly.

Speaking of which, one of the gripes I've had with bass drive pedals has been the loss of low end. Well that's not an issue for the Grizzly Bass by Creation Audio. This little wonder, which I have had for six months or so now, retains low end better than any dirt pedal I've come across to date. I was introduced to it by young Mr @bassfan and when I first heard its ability to produce a rich tube like dirt, I definitely knew I had to give it a try out! Unlike other drive pedals which have a clean blend to make sure that the loss of low end is minimised but means that half your bass signal is clean rather than driven, there is no clean blend on the Grizzly; it simply doesn't need it! 

Instead it provides additional tone shaping, allowing both a mid cut and treble roll-off, which allows you to do pretty much what its sister pedal the Funkulator can do in terms of giving a Motown feel to a jazz bass. It has not one but two drive circuits: an overdrive and a separate distortion circuit which let you go from valve break up all the way through to downright driven and dirty! Fully analogue.

Well the Grizzly Bass seems to be another piece of kit that the Bass Whisperer is a BIG fan of. Here's a YouTube review of his putting it through its paces:

 

Edited July 3, 2019 by Al Krow

[dannybuoy]

I had one and hated it.

Good job you didn't listen to me when I said it was cr4p!

😁

[Al Krow]

20 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

I had one and hated it.

Good job you didn't listen to me when I said it was cr4p!

😁

Haha indeed! But I recall you saying you didn't have it long at all before moving it on and this is definitely a pedal that is worth living with for a little while to get under its (very capable!) bonnet 

[Al Krow]

So @dannybuoy where are you currently landing on your drive quest? 

[dannybuoy]

Currently digging the DP3X for modern tones and the Aguilar Tonehammer + Agro (which stack together really well) for vintage ones. Don't really need more than that!

[Al Krow]

Sounds like a good combination and I agree you won't need more than that!  

[Al Krow]

...more on the Grizzly Bass.

Was checking what the price of these currently are (£220 new) and also found an explanation of why it seems to retain low end so well:

"Typical distortion pedals use a ton of gain and clipping.  This creates a lot of unwanted noise which needs to be heavily filtered and that thins out the tone. This is why pedals intended for guitar don’t work well for bass.  Grizzly Bass borrows analog wave-shaping technology from the Holy Fire to re-shape the waveform and achieve tube-like FX without adding noise or heavy filters, preserving your bass tone all the way down to 20Hz.  

 This makes Grizzly Bass a very musical pedal that responds to your touch. Play with a softer attack and velocity for a cleaner sound, or dig in and the Grizzly Bass goes there with you – with as much grit as you need. It’s here to serve you, not the other way around!  Control the effect with your playing dynamics.  When you plug directly into a sound system or use a solid-state amp, Grizzly Bass is a great alternative to a bulky, fragile and expensive tube preamp.

 *For best results use the High-Current output of your power brick (250mA recommended)."

Edited July 3, 2019 by Al Krow

[Al Krow]

Final post on Grizzly Bass. YouTube clips for all of the following if you're interested in checking what this pedal sounds like:

 

[dave_bass5]

Over the last couple of days ive re-discovered my Mojomojo OD. I got it last year and used it once, didn't really feel it was what i was after, and it went in the drawer until Wednesday.

Ive been a huge lover of the BDDI tone, and as much as i try and get away from it i keep going back. in fact i recently got a Programmable BDDI, as well as having a BDDI v2.

Since getting my Yamaha P34 ive preferred the tone without the BDDI, its seem to take away some of the mid punch. It works well with my Fender P bass, but the P34 is not an average P sounding bass and loses something when i use a BDDI. My COG 66 Knightfall sounds more neutral and could be 'the one' if it wasnt for the fact that i dont want to use mains powered effects at the moment. 

The Mojomojo seems to be just perfect for what im looking to do now though.

[Al Krow]

19 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

The Mojomojo seems to be just perfect for what im looking to do now though.

Dave - really glad to see that getting your Yammy BB P34 has given you your mojo back!  

[dave_bass5]

11 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Dave - really glad to see that getting your Yammy BB P34 has given you your mojo back!  

Haha, well put.

The Yammy and Mojomojo will have their first gig on Sunday. Im not even going to bother taking my BDDI.

[Jazzmaster62]

Got hold of a Spark Booster last month and can't believe what a sleeper this pedal is! Perfect for edge of valve break up and very minimal colouring to your original tone. I set it, turn it on and leave it for the rest of the gig. £40 new right now from GuitarGuitar! 

[mcnach]

On 10/07/2019 at 18:32, Jazzmaster62 said:

Got hold of a Spark Booster last month and can't believe what a sleeper this pedal is! Perfect for edge of valve break up and very minimal colouring to your original tone. I set it, turn it on and leave it for the rest of the gig. £40 new right now from GuitarGuitar! 

 

Based on your comments I checked a couple of videos and ordered one.

Thank you!

Really nice for those very low gain sounds, as you say. It has crazy amounts of boost too, if you wanted it.

I noticed it sounds a lot better plugged in than on batteries (although my battery may have been a little old).

 

[Al Krow]

@mcnach  you also mentioned elsewhere that the Spark Boost sounded better with some basses than others. Which basses does it work well with and which not? 

I've found that the J bridge pup on my Yammys produces a fair bit more sustain and bite with some of my drives than the P pup. 

[mcnach]

48 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

@mcnach  you also mentioned elsewhere that the Spark Boost sounded better with some basses than others. Which basses does it work well with and which not? 

I've found that the J bridge pup on my Yammys produces a fair bit more sustain and bite with some of my drives than the P pup. 

 

Of course it's subjective and I only owned the pedal for like a day... so I can't say it was an exhaustive test (even if it lasted a good 3 hours or so playing various basses on their own and along to backing tracks from my band stuff to try to simulate a bit how it mixes in etc).

My Precision and my JJ (J at the bridge, and additional J about an inch from that, towards the neck) were a little muddy and could not get it to give me the defined sound I wanted. It was not bad, but I wouldn't have kept the pedal based on that alone. I have to admit that especially the Precision seems to be a bit picky as to which overdrive pedals it prefers. Or rather, I am picky, I guess.

The ones that sounded great were the Stingray/SUB and the Schecter P/J (active, EMG).

It could be that those basses are closer to my 'ideal' sound, so it's only natural that the pedal sounds better with those, since it's pretty transparent and I'm not using it to change the sound drastically, just to add a little... something.