Best bass overdrive

[carlitos71]

Hi all,

 

Currently considering getting an overdrive to complement C4 synth and other pedals and wonder what do you recommend? (Or please point to previous discussion)

Looking for something not too aggressive to add character (or balls) to sound.
Thanks for suggestions! 

[spyder]

The Zvex Basstortion will add balls to your sound. Works amazingly well with a passive bass.

[paul_5]

I'd recommend DHA stuff any day off the week, good luck finding one though!

 

[ped]

You’ll get a list of every OD pedal ever! But mine is the Valco KGB Dist. The impedance and polarity switches make a huge difference to the way the pedal behaves and I haven’t seen that function on anything else. It does a low gain breakup perfectly for me. 

[SumOne]

A couple of my favourites are the Creation Audio Grizzly Bass (partly probably because it looks cool!), and the Idiotbox Landphil.

 

But I suppose it is like 'what is the best food/bike/car etc' in that there isn't a definitive answer, depends on specific tastes and needs.

[DaleASmith]

Check out the new Fender Bass Driver ✌️

[MartinB]

On 24/01/2025 at 08:12, SumOne said:

But I suppose it is like 'what is the best food/bike/car etc' in that there isn't a definitive answer, depends on specific tastes and needs.

 

Exactly! If you tell us about some songs where you've heard the sort of tone that you're after, it'll help you get more focused replies

[SimonK]

I've always used a EHX big muff which is cheap and cheerful, but the controls do what they say and critically it has the "dry" mode to mix clean signal in with the fuzz so that you don't get lost in the mix when you engage it.

[Baloney Balderdash]

The big twin tubes EHX English Muff'n, that despite the name is not Big Muff based, but rather a Marshall inspired genuine tube overdrive, is pretty damn amazing for bass.

 

And the tubes in it run at proper high 300V plate voltage too.

 

Is not in production anymore, but fairly common to find on the used market, and for quite reasonable prices too, considering what it is.

 

Edited Saturday at 11:25 by Baloney Balderdash

[Higgie]

Hamstead Subspace for me. Brilliant pedal!

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I really like the boss bb-1x

[carlitos71]

On 23/01/2025 at 19:19, ped said:

You’ll get a list of every OD pedal ever! But mine is the Valco KGB Dist. The impedance and polarity switches make a huge difference to the way the pedal behaves and I haven’t seen that function on anything else. It does a low gain breakup perfectly for me. 

Thanks, never heard of these before, they look amazing and very tempting… the jnr version looks appealing

[Jasper]

I have had quite a few but my EBS Multidrive is still on my pedalboard... but it's not new for sale anymore. Maybe check out a EBS Black Haze 2 or Billy Sheehan ultimate. Both with a clean blend

 

edit: Sansamp VT bass DI for character and balls

 

 

Edited Sunday at 09:40 by Jasper

[ped]

3 minutes ago, carlitos71 said:

Thanks, never heard of these before, they look amazing and very tempting… the jnr version looks appealing

I think the Jr version doesn’t have the polarity or clean blend switch which are quite important (for me). What sort of a sound are you going for?

[carlitos71]

Just now, ped said:

I think the Jr version doesn’t have the polarity or clean blend switch which are quite important (for me). What sort of a sound are you going for?

I’d like something to add character and balls but not fuzz, will try to look for an example and post and hard to describe in words…

 

[DaleASmith]

 the new JPT-FX Bass Jive will be great. The original jive is a great drive pedal for anything. 

[carlitos71]

11 minutes ago, DaleASmith said:

 the new JPT-FX Bass Jive will be great. The original jive is a great drive pedal for anything. 

This one https://jptrfx.com/products/jptr-fx-jive-reel-saturator-overdrive ?

 

 

[DaleASmith]

8 minutes ago, carlitos71 said:

This one https://jptrfx.com/products/jptr-fx-jive-reel-saturator-overdrive ?

 

 

Yes. They’re just starting production on a bass version, which has a couple of additional features. 

[Quatschmacher]

Maybe start with a Source Audio Aftershock to see what flavour(s) of distortion float your boat. 

[2pods]

14 minutes ago, Quatschmacher said:

Maybe start with a Source Audio Aftershock to see what flavour(s) of distortion float your boat. 

 

Don't SA do a Bass OD then ?

[carlitos71]

1 minute ago, 2pods said:

 

Don't SA do a Bass OD then ?

Yes the aforementioned Aftershock

[carlitos71]

17 minutes ago, Quatschmacher said:

Maybe start with a Source Audio Aftershock to see what flavour(s) of distortion float your boat. 

Yes was considering that option

[fretmeister]

I'm really liking the Solid Gold FX Beta V at the moment. It has an ampeg flavour to it. Works great at low and high drive levels. No clean mix though if that is important to you.

 

I am also a big fan of the EBS Billy Sheehan Deluxe - a lot more versatile than people thing, and the Darkglass Alpha Omega.

 

Bit left field - but I love the kind of dirty drive the Fairfield 'The Accountant' compressor does when compressing a lot. It's absolutely horrible on its own, and just amazing in a mix.

[StingRayBoy42]

Shout out to the humble EHX Bass Soul Food!

£50 used, adds all the balls, built like a brick privvy... I've got one on each pedalboard.