NPD Tech21 VT Bass Deluxe

[DaleASmith]

Always wanted one. 
 

any suggestions for settings? ✌️

[LukeFRC]

turn everything up to 11? 

[danbowskill]

My fave settings were...

Drive 11 (o clock)

Character 11

Low and high 12

Mids 2

Level to suit.

Gave me a lovely clear Ampeg tone with a P bass

[Tech21NYC]

Here is a link to the VT Bass Deluxe manual. Keep in mind that all sample settings are done with a vintage P or Jazz Bass into a mixer and studio monitors. Using the pedal into the front of an amp or power amp and speaker will yield different results. Once you edit a preset make sure to double click and save the preset. Do not keep playing while the pedal is in edit mode to avoid noise. 

[Skybone]

Or you could just tweak til you're happy with your sound.

[DaleASmith]

29 minutes ago, Skybone said:

Or you could just tweak til you're happy with your sound.

True, but the manual is useful for the character knob. I’ve not used it yet but I’m going to reset to the original 6 presets and start from there. 

[StingRayBoy42]

Jealous!

+1 for starting with the manual - it's worth understanding how the character knob works.

My favoutite setting (on the non-programmable version) is
Drive & character - 9 o'clock
Low & High - 2 o'clock
Mid - 12 o'clock

It's called something like 'Warm tube' or 'Fat Compression' in the manual - lovely old-skool thumpy sound, great for jazz, motown and reggae.
It also does roaring Ampeg SVT sounds if you want them.

Enjoy!
 

Edited April 7, 2024 by StingRayBoy42
clcok isn't a word

[uncle psychosis]

I've got one of these, but I don't really use the presets and I am not a big fan of the sound that you hear having no relation to where the knobs are physically set (which is partly why I don't use the presets).

 

Does the VT Bass DI sound the same? (or does a different Sansamp pedal sound the same? I can't keep up...). 

[Tech21NYC]

From the manual:

 

HOW TO FIND KNOB POSITIONING WITHIN A PRESET
When you turn a knob from its stored position, it “unlocks” and the channel indicator LED will
blink. The slower the blink, the farther away you are from the preset point. The faster the blink,
the closer you are. At the preset point, the LED stops blinking and remains on

 

The VT Bass Deluxe is an analog circuit that uses a digital processor to control and memorize the different settings. In order to have the knobs represent the position they are stored at would entail using motorized controls which would be more involved, make the unit more expensive, bigger and heavier and has its own set of downsides with possible noise and reliability issues.  

 

 

[fretmeister]

Close your eyes or look away from it and do your settings by ear, not with your eyes.

[DaleASmith]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Close your eyes or look away from it and do your settings by ear, not with your eyes.

 

Yeah sure I'm all for that, but there's a ton of tonal variation on it so a built in pre set or someone else's tone as a starting point might be worth pursuing.. 

[DaleASmith]

@Tech21NYC

Can i enquire where the effects loop insert is? I know it’s on the side of the pedal but where in the schematic is it? 
 

cheers

[Tech21NYC]

It's post SansAmp circuit and Level control. You should only put post amp type of effects like delay, reverb EQ. Do not put compressors, OD , fuzz in the loop. 

 

[DaleASmith]

31 minutes ago, Tech21NYC said:

It's post SansAmp circuit and Level control. You should only put post amp type of effects like delay, reverb EQ. Do not put compressors, OD , fuzz in the loop. 

 

brilliant. So it’s pretty much last aside from speaker sim. 👍

 out of interest why wouldn’t you run a compressor in there? 

[Tech21NYC]

No, it is after the speaker sim. Most stompbox compressors are designed for guitar input. The SansAmp circuit emulates an amp and also produces intentional distortion as well as the natural compression that is a byproduct of the tube amp emulation. A compressor in most cases will increase the noise floor. 

 

[borntohang]

On 07/04/2024 at 12:18, uncle psychosis said:

I've got one of these, but I don't really use the presets and I am not a big fan of the sound that you hear having no relation to where the knobs are physically set (which is partly why I don't use the presets).

 

Does the VT Bass DI sound the same? (or does a different Sansamp pedal sound the same? I can't keep up...). 

The VTDI is the same circuit just with a Blend, and also you can turn the Bite setting off (sub filter as I understand it). There's not much extra that you won't get out of the Deluxe but I do understand your dislike of the presets thing - I tend to use the DI as a single set and forget amp sound, but having the loop would be cool.

[DaleASmith]

On 09/04/2024 at 16:29, Tech21NYC said:

No, it is after the speaker sim. 

 

If the effects loop is after the speaker sim, how does the speaker sim defeat button effect the effects loop. 
as I understand it, the speaker sim defeat only effects the line/amp out and not the di? If this is the case the defeat must be before the effects loop no?

[Tech21NYC]

We made two versions. One with the speaker sim defeat and one without. My suggestion is to plug a 1/4" cable into the effects send and from there into an amp or mixer. Turn the switch on and off and listen for a change. 

[DaleASmith]

2 hours ago, Tech21NYC said:

We made two versions. One with the speaker sim defeat and one without. My suggestion is to plug a 1/4" cable into the effects send and from there into an amp or mixer. Turn the switch on and off and listen for a change. 

Yeah mine has the defeat switch