Big Muff Bass PI vs Audio Source Aftershock

[chris7273]

Hi 

I am not a pro for effects and I only use three for the songs of our band setlist : a Big Muff, a Boss OC-3 octaver and a TC Spark Booster. The octaver is only used for Uprising ans sometimes at home for my own fun.

I plan to buy an Audio Source Synth C4 just for me because I like the sound of the eighties 🙂 

But it seems that this pedal can also emulate an octaver : interesting as this could replace the OC-3 on my tiny pedalboard.... and then why not replace the big muff that generates some noise by the Aftershock ? 

Is the aftershock a good alternative to the big muff ?

Thank you for your return of experience 🙂  

[mcnach]

I never tried to make the Aftershock sound *exactly* like my big muff, but I got in the vicinity without trying very hard. It is super-tweakable (even too much! :D) so if you want it to sound just like it, I am pretty confident with a few tweaks on the Neuro app (which opens up a lot of additional parameters) you can get it to sound much like it. It can do anything, it seems. 

 

[chris7273]

Thank you. I don’t want an exact copy : if it’s close enough that’s good for me. 
 

 

[CameronJ]

Yep, an aftershock will be all the overdrive/distortion/fuzz you could ever need!

[chris7273]

It seems that there are also distortion possibilities integrated in the C4 synth. Any experience with them ? 

[CameronJ]

The C4 does have some drive capabilities and, depending on your needs, it might be enough. The Aftershock has waaaaay more drive models and tweakable options though. I wouldn’t be using the C4 as a standalone distortion if I had other options, personally. Here are some screenshots of the C4’s drive parameters:

Edited September 26, 2020 by CameronJ

[CameronJ]

The Aftershock has way more drive-specific control, as well as way more drive models which are designed to sound good standalone with a bass or guitar signal - many of which are modelled on actual pedals. In fact, it actually has a Bass Big Muff Pi model! So I’d be going with the Aftershock if I were you.

Edited September 26, 2020 by CameronJ

[dannybuoy]

I got better sounds from the Aftershock than the BBM! Being able to blend it in parallell with a RAT or a Darkglass style drive gives you a lot more options.

I didn't like the low gain overdrive sounds of the Aftershock, but it was great for heavy fuzz/distortion.

[moley6knipe]

Got a C4 a while back and yeah.... it’ll do “close enough” Muff. I’ve got a pretty good copy of my EHX Deluxe Pi going on.... I reckon it’ll be indistinguishable once the drums and guitars are on top.

Plus it’s going to mean the end of my EBS Octabass and MXR Filter.... if you can’t find an octave and/or filter sound you like from the C4 then you’re just being difficult 😀

[chris7273]

Great. Thank you for your experience sharing. I think I am going for the C4 and then add The aftershock if I don’t get the sound I want. I am not Too “difficult” and once he heavy guitars and drums are there I feel that all the finesse is lost 😀

[moley6knipe]

Yeah. Will you hear the diff if you A/B them at home in silence? Yes. Will the audience / you when the rest of the band’s kicked in and you’re all singing? Nah. 

[mcnach]

17 hours ago, chris7273 said:

Thank you. I don’t want an exact copy : if it’s close enough that’s good for me. 
 

 

 

Then you'll like it. It gets VERY close with minimum effort without getting into deep menus or anything, just from the default parameters accessed on the pedal controls. 

[clauster]

I picked up a used Aftershock at the weekend.  Amazingly versatile.  Highly recommended.  Now I want the C4 to go with it.

[chris7273]

C4 arrived yesterday. Quite happy and a lot of fun to discover all the options. 
Moley6knipe : did you publish your big muff preset on the neuro cloud ? 
thank you 

[moley6knipe]

Not yet. Due to wet weather this weekend I plan to polish it off and publish it. Form an orderly queue 😂

[chris7273]

Great 👍 

[SumOne]

Something about the Aftershock didn't do it for me. I bought it to replace a big muff and an overdrive but I found it wasn't quite as good at either of them - very close though. It's a good versatile pedal but perhaps jack of all trades and master of none?

Possibly that's me being unfair and its a mental thing: I might have been put off by too much choice and endless fine tuning - too much mucking about via laptop and phone when I'm trying to get away from them when playing Bass. It gave a feel of being clinical rather than soulful/musical analog pedals that you learn idiosyncrasies and what works with them in a way that feels more like learning a musical instrument than how to programme software.