Supernaut Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 I run a fairly basic rig to get more of an old school tone. Precision with flats into a Polytune, Spark Booster and then into a MarkBass combo. I also use a Radial DI box. I'm looking for edge of breakup/very low gain valve tones. Is there anything out there that beats the Spark Booster for this? I have tried: Xotic BB Bass Preamp SolidGold Beta Mk II Bearfoot Blueberry Phat Phuk B Way Huge Green Rhino The Spark Booster is the one I've always preferred. I predominantly use it on the 'clean' setting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 (edited) I have been wanting to the get the TC Electronic Spark Booster for a long time, cause I've heard so many great things about it, but haven't gotten around acquiring one yet. Though it will hardly help you I get the low gain, just above breakup point, overdrive grit on my bass from a combination of first an EHX Black Finger, with the input gain dialed up to drive the tubes in it to just on the verge of breakup, then a Joyo Oxford Sound dialed in to deliver a low gain overdrive, blended with clean signal at an about 50/50 ratio, via a Boss LS-2, then a NUX Melvin Lee Davis Bass Preamp with the Drive at a low gain setting, 9 o'clock, or 13/100, to be exact, and the clean blend at a 50/50 ratio, and then finally that into an ART Tube MP Project Series tube preamp/DI, with the tube in it also driven to just on the verge of breakup, and I am extremely satisfied with this combination. Which is actually also basically what makes up my always on "clean" tone of my "amp-less" setup. Edited March 13 by Baloney Balderdash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted November 18, 2023 Author Share Posted November 18, 2023 I would like just one pedal, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 2 hours ago, Supernaut said: I run a fairly basic rig to get more of an old school tone. Precision with flats into a Polytune, Spark Booster and then into a MarkBass combo. I also use a Radial DI box. I'm looking for edge of breakup/very low gain valve tones. Is there anything out there that beats the Spark Booster for this? I have tried: Xotic BB Bass Preamp SolidGold Beta Mk II Bearfoot Blueberry Phat Phuk B Way Huge Green Rhino The Spark Booster is the one I've always preferred. I predominantly use it on the 'clean' setting. In my experience it's very hard to do as everything needs to be set 'just so' and then your playing has to be super consistent. Then you change basses or switch to a pick for a song and it's all wrong again. I've had better luck with amps that get a little gritty themselves rather than pedals, although to be fair I haven't used a real amp in ages and these days it's either a sansamp or a helix for me, either of those do a decent job. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 Shameless plug - This fits the edge-of-breakup bill perfectly. I also have a spark booster and I'd describe this as kind of similar but 'bigger' sounding and with more control over the EQ, and possibly a little more Ampeg sounding than the more neutral voiced spark. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 Beta if you want more bass, @Osiris, beta 5 to dial that out... Fairfield Barbershop I like (I built a clone) same sort of idea comparing it to the Beta... my main question is - if you've tried half a dozen pedals and settled on the Spark, why are you still looking? If it sounds good, it is good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted November 18, 2023 Author Share Posted November 18, 2023 I think I'm also after something that has a mid control. A lot of pedal makers leave that out for some reason. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonse Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 Sansamp bddi V2 or VTDI, can get rid of your di box as well then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 39 minutes ago, Supernaut said: I think I'm also after something that has a mid control. A lot of pedal makers leave that out for some reason. Mids are a bit pointless unless they are semi parametric in my mind. Broughton SV pre or some other SVT a like, with the gain backed off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted November 18, 2023 Author Share Posted November 18, 2023 Not really after the SVT sound. I'm after something more neutral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 I really like the Ampeg SCR-DI for this. I don`t like it much for full-on gain/drive but for what you`ve specced out @Supernaut it`s a decent option, very good at adding that little bit so as as to make the notes not completely clean. You can either use the full pedal with all of its eq options or just the Scrambler part of it on your current eq. Added bonus of being a Preamp/DI so all of the uses that come with those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 I use the TC Spectradrive. This is an EQ (with adjustable high and low mids), DI, compressor and drive all in one unit. I use the 'clean boost' patch on the drive which is apparently the equivalent of the Spark Boost pedal. The amount of drive and the amount of gain have an interesting interplay. Works for me, anyway. I'm hoping one day they will do a pedal with all those things plus a tuner so I can lose something else off my board, such as it is. They could call it the TC Spectrapolytunedrive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 If you can find a used Dave Hall Amps VTI-EQ-Bass Drive I reckon that would be an improvement, and would also do the DI function. Something with a valve in it, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted November 18, 2023 Author Share Posted November 18, 2023 3 minutes ago, pete.young said: If you can find a used Dave Hall Amps VTI-EQ-Bass Drive I reckon that would be an improvement, and would also do the DI function. Something with a valve in it, anyway. I had a DHA VT1 EQ DI years ago and found the DI was super noisy so sold it. Good pedal otherwise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwilym Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 Durham Electronics Sex Drive has worked for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 Grizzly Bass can do this (and a range of other tones / dirt) as well. Only has mid-cut not mid-boost though. Wonder if the sound at 2.45 is what you are after? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 (edited) 4 hours ago, Al Krow said: Grizzly Bass can do this (and a range of other tones / dirt) as well. Only has mid-cut not mid-boost though. Wonder if the sound at 2.45 is what you are after? Is that the much dreaded ManPigBear? Edited November 18, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 After messing around with various Darkglass pedals (which I now can’t stand) I settled on a Sansamp Bass Driver v2 because it does exactly what you’re asking for here - takes the bass to breakup while maintaining the character. Mids are very controllable with this pedal. I found almost all other bass dirt pedals (I’ve tried several brands inc MXR, EHX, Ampeg and the aforementioned Darkglass) add a nasty rasping layer on top of the bass tone and I hate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDinsdale Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 Sushi box seem to do a lot of great stuff in that territory although never had chance to try one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 7 hours ago, Supernaut said: I think I'm also after something that has a mid control. A lot of pedal makers leave that out for some reason. The LPF on the Beta V is actually a mid control and not a low pass filter, no idea why they called it an LPF when it plainly isn't 🤷 Check out the bass the world review for an idea of what it can do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted November 19, 2023 Author Share Posted November 19, 2023 The Beta seems a little too dark for my liking. I want to take my original signal but add minimal colour to it - just make it more valve like. Has anyone tried the EHX Hot Tubes, Way Huge Pork Loin, Jam Lucy Dreamer or One Control Blackberry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinB Posted November 19, 2023 Share Posted November 19, 2023 I saw the thread title, thought "Spark Booster!", and then came in to find you were already using one 😆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Marshall Jackhammer overdrive/ distortion pedal. Great EQ control for bass and a big range of sounds from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 EHX Bass Soul Food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassybert Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Hudson Broadcast? Always seems to have a really nice warm breakup sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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