Adding Tube Warmth to Solid State amp

[Beedster]

This thread will result in a the purchase of an SVT

[Sharkfinger]

8 hours ago, Beedster said:

This thread will result in a the purchase of an SVT

That is my fear (joy?).  

[Sharkfinger]

10 hours ago, PJ-Bassist said:

Eden Glow Plug.

I've not tried one myself but I believe it's designed to-do what you are looking for, add tube warmth to Solid State amps via a real tube in a stomp box sized pedal.

There's a review here

http://www.bass-pedals.com/eden-glowplug-bass-tube-warmer-review/

I think the biggest issue with it is that it requires a 15v power supply.

Listened to the sound clips but it just sounds like it adds drive to me.

9 hours ago, Jack said:

I have both of the behringers. They are great preamps, but no good for this application as the tube was put there by the marketing department and not the engineering department. They don't really sound 'tubey'.

Ah good, to know.  Dead end avoided.

10 hours ago, danbowskill said:

I never got on with the BDDI..... but I absolutely love the VT bass, quite different I think. It beautifully "tubes" up any solid state If the ampeg sounds what you like,way more versitile sounds than the sft and come up £60-80 often in sales thread

 

16 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

These are the only pedal I’ve used that really has that spongey valvey feel to the sound.

OK, definitely worth a try then. Will see how the BDDI deluxe performs at a gig.

[Sparky Mark]

The Markbass compressore adds a nice amount of warmth and can be as subtle as you like. I like the VT bass pedal but it changes the overall tone much more than the Compressore. The downside of the Compressore is the 12ax7 valve needs a 12v supply whereas the VT is fine running from a PP3.

[ezbass]

I use a Tech21 VTDI with my ultra clean Phil Jones rig. Having played  with a few settings, just using ears as a guide, it seems that I have set it identical to what Tech21 calls ‘Fat Tube’ albeit with the blend at 2 o’clock. Sounds good to me and my drummer and guitarist have commented on how they like it.

[Sharkfinger]

40 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

The Markbass compressore adds a nice amount of warmth and can be as subtle as you like. I like the VT bass pedal but it changes the overall tone much more than the Compressore. The downside of the Compressore is the 12ax7 valve needs a 12v supply whereas the VT is fine running from a PP3.

Sounds good but I'd need another power supply or another power cable running off my board. Will give it some thought.

27 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I use a Tech21 VTDI with my ultra clean Phil Jones rig. Having played  with a few settings, just using ears as a guide, it seems that I have set it identical to what Tech21 calls ‘Fat Tube’ albeit with the blend at 2 o’clock. Sounds good to me and my drummer and guitarist have commented on how they like it.

Had one of these a while ago but sold it stupidly. The BDDI deluxe I have also has a Fat tube setting, I really wonder if it will sound that different?

[ezbass]

57 minutes ago, Sharkfinger said:

 

Had one of these a while ago but sold it stupidly. The BDDI deluxe I have also has a Fat tube setting, I really wonder if it will sound that different?

As I understand it, the BDDI has a pre-set mid scoop and one would be fighting with the pedal to alter that (unless you want a mid scoop of course), which is why I went with the VTDI. Not only does it have a mid control, but the character control seems like another mid control to me. Plus, you also have the bite and speaker emulation buttons (always on for me).

[Sibob]

Depending on your budget (these are not cheap), and whether you specifically want 'warmth' or a little drive, take a look at the Noble Bass Pre (about the size of a big pedal), or the Jule Monique (realistically a preamp to sit on your EA).

Both are fully tube front-ends basically, the Monique has more EQ options, whereas the Noble has the ability to power the rest of your pedal-board (within reason).

Both are upwards of £1000 though, hand-built though if that matters to you.

Si

Edited January 9, 2019 by Sibob

[pbasspecial]

I've used DHA pedals, VTDI pedal, Orange Terror amp, Randy Jackson Markbass head and then an Ampeg PF500 etc all to get that near impossible wish of a lightweight, loud Ampeg valve head sound.  Then in a moment of unusual personal clarity I thought 'what I really need to buy is a fudging valve amp!'  D'oh!

I discovered/bought a PF50T shortly after that!  Couldn't be happier.

[Sharkfinger]

41 minutes ago, pbasspecial said:

I've used DHA pedals, VTDI pedal, Orange Terror amp, Randy Jackson Markbass head and then an Ampeg PF500 etc all to get that near impossible wish of a lightweight, loud Ampeg valve head sound.  Then in a moment of unusual personal clarity I thought 'what I really need to buy is a fudging valve amp!'  D'oh!

I discovered/bought a PF50T shortly after that!  Couldn't be happier.

I get where you're coming from and the 9kg that head weighs would be acceptable but not the 50W output.  It would need to be 200W + to even come close to usable and that would at least double the weight. 

Would consider something like a SVT3-pro of and Ashdown Spyder, something like that maybe.  Rack mountable and no more than about 12Kg

59 minutes ago, Sibob said:

Depending on your budget (these are not cheap), and whether you specifically want 'warmth' or a little drive, take a look at the Noble Bass Pre (about the size of a big pedal), or the Jule Monique (realistically a preamp to sit on your EA).

Both are fully tube front-ends basically, the Monique has more EQ options, whereas the Noble has the ability to power the rest of your pedal-board (within reason).

Both are upwards of £1000 though, hand-built though if that matters to you.

Si

Yeah, no budget for that.

Guess what I'm after (as described by 'warmth') is maybe a little drive but more the richness that comes from the harmonics and compression.  Maybe the markbass compressore is really what I'm after?

[Al Krow]

18 minutes ago, Sharkfinger said:

Guess what I'm after (as described by 'warmth') is maybe a little drive but more the richness that comes from the harmonics and compression.  Maybe the markbass compressore is really what I'm after?

... except that a drive pedal will also involve compression so you get both. 

[jrixn1]

1 hour ago, Sharkfinger said:

Guess what I'm after (as described by 'warmth') is maybe a little drive but more the richness that comes from the harmonics and compression.  

I wonder if you have a particular bassist, band, recording, style of music, etc in mind, to help further narrow down the sound you are after? 

[Sharkfinger]

52 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

I wonder if you have a particular bassist, band, recording, style of music, etc in mind, to help further narrow down the sound you are after? 

What I'm after I guess is that SVT tone, like (almost) everyone else.

I would go for a modeller, but they just don't sound convincing to my ears.  I'll give the Markbass Compressore, MXR M87, sansamp VT a go and see how I get on.  

Failing that, I'll try another new amp.  Probably one of the ones I mentioned in a previous post.

OTOH, the BDDI deluxe might do the trick in a live situation, who knows?

Let's face it, I'm going to buy another amp, aren't I?

[paul_5]

3 hours ago, Sharkfinger said:

Let's face it, I'm going to buy another amp, aren't I?

Yes. Yes you are. 😉

[Linus27]

29 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

Yes. Yes you are. 😉

And then in 6 months time you'll be saying that your amp doesn't cut through the mix and you want a cleaner tone and what pedal should you buy 🤣😂

[Al Krow]

17 hours ago, Sharkfinger said:

What I'm after I guess is that SVT tone, like (almost) everyone else.

Well if you're after an SVT sound then 'this has 6x6550s just like an SVT'...

It will also provide you with a free work out 😀

Edited January 10, 2019 by Al Krow

[pbasspecial]

The PF50t is surprisingly loud for 50w, especially with an efficient cab such as my barefaced super compact.  It also has 2, yes 2 DI outputs if you need to stick it through the PA. not sure why you would need 200 + watts.  If you do, there is an Ashdown bta 200 for sale on the forums for just £550.

[LukeFRC]

Do you think that there’s much out there much better than the SFT? It essentially is a solid state SVT pre... 

beyond that it’s either a valve amp with valve power stage or something more valvey like a walkabout or a modern modelling solution ...

[Al Krow]

14 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

Do you think that there’s much out there much better than the SFT? It essentially is a solid state SVT pre... 

beyond that it’s either a valve amp with valve power stage or something more valvey like a walkabout or a modern modelling solution ...

+1 ^^

Which SFT do you have? The Mk III does look pretty cool... oh dear I sense a bout of GAS coming on  

How is that new 212 of yours sounding btw?!

 

Edited January 10, 2019 by Al Krow

[Sharkfinger]

21 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

+1 ^^

Which SFT do you have? The Mk III does look pretty cool... oh dear I think I sense a bout of GAS coming on  

How is that new 212 of yours sounding btw?!

 

It's sounding fantastic, thanks. A great one-cab solution.  More than loud enough for the gigs I've done with it so far.  Thinking of buying a stand to raise it up to ear level, as I've been putting it on chairs and that seems to work quite well.

Bought a fancy rack shelf to mount my head into the rack space in it.

As for the SFT, I've got this clone and run it at 18V.

[Al Krow]

Great that the cab is working out! I really do think the Mesa PH 212 is one of the best cabs available on the market, still, today. I always felt it easily held its own against my VK210 and BF SC, and easily surpassed my MB 112 for articulation.

I would strongly recommend avoiding spending any time on the WD-800 thread though, 'cos I've got an awful suspicion that it could tick every box in terms of what you're after! 😎 

[Beedster]

On 08/01/2019 at 23:32, Beedster said:

This thread will result in a the purchase of an SVT

 

19 hours ago, Sharkfinger said:

Let's face it, I'm going to buy another amp, aren't I?

All Joking aside, you do need to find an amp that works for you. It took me a very long time to do so as there's a whole lot more to it thanI originally thought. In my (limited and unschooled) experience, you simply can't 'warm-up' an otherwise cold sounding rig. The thread about the new Mesa Walkabout (ish) model is quite interesting, highlighting the fact that it's not just the pre-amp that defines the character and tone. I think much of the discussion of these things is around 'should work', 'does work' is a different thing.

 

[Sharkfinger]

31 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Great that the cab is working out! I really do think the Mesa PH 212 is one of the best cabs available on the market, still, today. I always felt it easily held its own against my VK210 and BF SC, and easily surpassed my MB 112 for articulation.

I would strongly recommend avoiding spending any time on the WD-800 thread though, 'cos I've got an awful suspicion that it could tick every box in terms of what you're after! 😎 

NOOOOOO! Why did you say that?  I have to look at it now.... 🤑

 

[Beedster]

7 minutes ago, Sharkfinger said:

NOOOOOO! Why did you say that?  I have to look at it now.... 🤑

 

Yes, you will

[Sharkfinger]

Ohhh, hello....

Just came across some demo's of the Basswitch Sonic Spark.  Sound like it does exactly what I need: add nice harmonics and overtones.

Ed Friedland's got a good demo of it on youtube.

Either way, I think I'm going to sell the BDDI Deluxe: just not for me, I think.  I like what the SFT clone does at low gain but I can't seem to dial in a tone that I like with just bass and trebble.