Valvey warmth through a solid state amp. Which pedal?

[Beedster]

Looking to get some valveyness through my Ampeg mini rig, especially for the fretless (the fretted seems OK TBH). Don't really need distortion, just fat warmth. I've looked at the EBS Valve Driver and similarly priced items but doubt I'll get the chance to A-B any. Any recommendations? I'd prefer to buy from the UK if possible
Cheers
Chris

[Clarky]

Tech21 VT bass pedal is the jobbie

Great replication of a range of (Ampeg-based) valve sounds from thick, warm and rounded (ooo err missus) to overdriven

Does NOT though double up as a DI (unlike Sansamp or MXR M80) so its just a stomp pedal ...but if thats what you need its really very good

Edited March 9, 2010 by Clarky

[Low End Bee]

Or the plain old Sansamp does the job.

Must try one of these VT jobbies soon for a comparison.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Clarky' post='769425' date='Mar 9 2010, 04:52 PM']Tech21 VT bass pedal is the jobbie

Great replication of a range of (Ampeg-based) valve sounds from thick, warm and rounded (ooo err missus) to overdriven

Does NOT though double up as a DI (unlike Sansamp or MXR M80) so its just a stomp pedal ...but if thats what you need its really very good[/quote]


[quote name='Low End Bee' post='769428' date='Mar 9 2010, 04:54 PM']Or the plain old Sansamp does the job.

Must try one of these VT jobbies soon for a comparison.[/quote]

Thanks guys. Sansamp DI didn't really work for me, seemed to expand the tone a little but couldn't get the sound I was really after. Clarkey, does the VT do the Motown fatness and warmth? You know what I'm playing and what it's going through!

At the moment I'm liking the idea of one of the valve stmopboxes (e.g., Dave Hall, EBS). I'd really like to know whether they have the edge over the cheaper boxes. I'd also like to be able to turn on and off easily, or switch between tones if needs be (i.e., stompbox). Not really looking for a DI, but if the right box also doubles as a DI, well, that wouldn't be a bad thing would it!

C

Chris

[Clarky]

[quote name='Beedster' post='769504' date='Mar 9 2010, 05:58 PM']Clarkey, does the VT do the Motown fatness and warmth? You know what I'm playing and what it's going through![/quote]
People ears hear differently but in my opinion 'yes'. There are some reviews on BC and on the web to get second, third etc opinions and also I have seen Youtube clips. There is a control (can't remember the name) which turns alll the way from flip-top type sounds to overdriven gnarly SVT

Its also a lot cheaper than a valve driven pedal (eg there's one FS on BC at £115) so if you don't get on with it its a (relatively) modest outlay that you should be able to get all or most of back. If you divvied up >£200 on an EBS Valve-drive and didn't like it, I'm guessing you would end up selling at a chunky loss as its quite 'special interest'

[yorick]

Blackstar do some quite nice valve drive pedals

[LukeFRC]

i built a nice clone of a catalinbread SFT which does the trick....

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='yorick' post='769587' date='Mar 9 2010, 07:14 PM']Blackstar do some quite nice valve drive pedals [/quote]

Bit of bottom loss with the dual though. Totally gonna go play with mine right now though.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Beedster' post='769504' date='Mar 9 2010, 05:58 PM']Thanks guys. Sansamp DI didn't really work for me, seemed to expand the tone a little but couldn't get the sound I was really after.[/quote]

The SansAmp has a big mid cut going on, which is probably why it sounds a bit lifeless with your fretless. The VT Bass has a mid scoop too with all the knobs flat, but you can boost it back to flat with a little tweak apparently.

I'm interested in seeing where this thread goes because I like an old-school soul sound but have never found a decent vintage sound from a SansAmp (I've had three and sold them all). One recommendation I never tried is the Barber Linden EQ, which is supposedly a B-15 tone stack in a stomp box.

[Clarky]

Chris, this thread might be worth reading (I asked a simlar question a couple of months back):

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=74560&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=74560&hl=[/url]

[gafbass02]

said it before and ill say it again, never overlook the hartke vxl, punches way above its price ime/imho ;-)

[Tee]

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='769428' date='Mar 9 2010, 04:54 PM']Or the plain old Sansamp does the job.

Must try one of these VT jobbies soon for a comparison.[/quote]


I have both. I was thinking about reviewing the differences (imo) at some point. I've had a BDDI for about 4 years and i recently bought a VT pedal from dave_bass5.

+1 for the VT bass. I use it when going through a MAG300 to get a valvey sound. Having played through SVT-CLs, it works a treat. Turn the 'character' knob down for Motown. It'll certainly fatten up your tone.

Oh also, try the EHX English Muffin. It has 2 valves in it. You can turn the gain right down and still get the fattness. It has a responsive EQ on it. A bit big and has a not so great power supply though (not your standard)

Edited March 10, 2010 by Tee

[chenzo_1]

I'd say grab a Dave Hall VT bass pedal, V versatile pedal, can do valve warmth as well as full on distortion. I brought one a month ago and absolutely love it for the same sort of thing, just to add a little bit of warmth to my Eden, and now i'm maybe considering buying another to have one for full on overdrive/distortion sounds and another one just to leave on to give me some warmth. The pedal has an a hand built valve Pre-amp which uses a 12AX7 (ECC83) pre-amp valve.

[Mr.T]

I use a Sansamp VT with my LM2.

I was pulling my hair out trying to get the sound I wanted.
The VT pedal was an instant cure!

[Clarky]

Just listened to a Catlinbread clip on Youtube, blimey what a Motown sound. This you will like Chris [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_VjBTsx4gg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_VjBTsx4gg[/url]

[harvey1-8]

I use the SFT for precisely this. Very good it is too.

[Beedster]

Guys, can't thank you enough for all the input above. I've just bought Le Chat Noir's Sansamp VT, partly because it seems a good starting point but also because I need a solution sharpish - I've an audition upcoming and they've asked that I go through the house rig. Given I've spent many months getting my tone just right with amp/speaker only, this presents the possibility of showing up to be confronted by a mid-80's solid state Carlsbro', and whilst my fretted would be OK, my fretless needs some warmth to really sing.

I'm really interested in some of the boxes talked about above, and nearly bought an EBS valve thingy until I realised that it's about the same size as my head and rather undermines the whole small rig high portability thing! I like the look of the DHA stuff also, but as Clarkey pointed out in the other thread, mains power is a PITA sometimes.

Re getting the tone in question, my Mesa head needs no help, it has valveyness by the ton. The Micro SVT is great at low levels but I think could do with warming up at high volumes, it seems to lose some sweetness of tone when pushed. Much as it will drive, I'm always worried when that little LED stays on the whole way through a gig! I'll let you know whether the VT makes the grade.

Cheers

Chris

[Clarky]

Nice one Chris - I am 99% certain you won't be disppointed with the VT Bass. Gotta say that Catalinbread SFT sounded nice though

[GazWills]

worth considering an electronix submarine - i use mine to add a nice, warm, tubey-ness to my bass...

only issue is they're made to order in the states, so no real try before you buy option. good pedals though.

[nbtone]

There's nothing like a Nitewalker. [url="http://www.nitewalkerpreamp.com"]Visit My Website[/url]
[quote name='Beedster' post='769418' date='Mar 9 2010, 09:47 AM']Looking to get some valveyness through my Ampeg mini rig, especially for the fretless (the fretted seems OK TBH). Don't really need distortion, just fat warmth. I've looked at the EBS Valve Driver and similarly priced items but doubt I'll get the chance to A-B any. Any recommendations? I'd prefer to buy from the UK if possible
Cheers
Chris[/quote]

[Clarky]

[quote name='nbtone' post='778837' date='Mar 18 2010, 05:05 PM']There's nothing like a Nitewalker. [url="http://www.nitewalkerpreamp.com"]Visit My Website[/url][/quote]
I would hope so at $1,195 each! Welcome to the Forum

Edit: it does look great on your site, just a fair bit pricier than the alternatives discussed above in this thread. Unfortunately UK based citizens also get stung for import duty (c20%) fronm the US so in sterling terms it would cost me £950 to buy.

Edited March 18, 2010 by Clarky

[nbtone]

If you follow the link on the startpage that says patent pending you will find a basic schematic, so you can do some experimenting on your own if you don't want to pay. I'm a fellow musician, and maybe there is an electronics wiz out there who can take it even one step further than I have done.
[quote name='Clarky' post='778843' date='Mar 18 2010, 10:08 AM']I would hope so at $1,195 each! Welcome to the Forum

Edit: it does look great on your site, just a fair bit pricier than the alternatives discussed above in this thread. Unfortunately UK based citizens also get stung for import duty (c20%) fronm the US so in sterling terms it would cost me £950 to buy.[/quote]

[Daquifsta]

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='769588' date='Mar 9 2010, 07:15 PM']i built a nice clone of a catalinbread SFT which does the trick....[/quote]

Tell me more about this clone - your own interpretation of the design or a DIY kit or something?

I really like the sounds from the various youtube clips for this pedal, and I enjoy waggling a soldering iron about :-)

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Daquifsta' post='779926' date='Mar 19 2010, 03:55 PM']Tell me more about this clone - your own interpretation of the design or a DIY kit or something?

I really like the sounds from the various youtube clips for this pedal, and I enjoy waggling a soldering iron about :-)[/quote]


Well I wanted an ampeg style OD sound, and was going to make a 'flipster' project... following links took me to look at other alternatives and the SFT really stood out as as something doing the same thing really well. Anyway the freestompboxes.org forum has a load of folk who have backwards engineered one of them [url="http://freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7368&hilit=sft"]http://freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=...8&hilit=sft[/url] there's a number of different PCB layouts (the one on the last page looks like the best) and a vero-board layout (page 4 ?) which I made. Dead easy build, it was my first attempt at making something. There are different pictures of the insides if you want to guess at cap types.
My one isn't housed yet but my initial response would be
1 ) really really good SVT type drive sounds - better than the SVT model on the bass pod i had before
2 ) brilliant touch sensitivity. Other 'overdrive' pedals I have had/used actually seem more like some kinda warm fuzz pedels- your tone is just covered with this sound. This is better, if you set it up so, when you dig in it overdrives, when you don't it doesn't. Again comparing this to the bass pod model both did this yet the SFT is way more responsive to technique in your right hand, and sounds more natural as a response.
3) the Eq is amazing. Parametric Eq's have their place, as do graphic sliders. My amp has 4 different bands of parrallel Eq, the church amp has 7 knobs of series Eq.... this has two.... and sounds so so... musical. If victor wooton double thumbing are your thing, or funk slap, this may not work out for you, but for fingerstyle....... heaven..

I'm pretty happy as you can see!

[Daquifsta]

Wow thanks! - I've been searching for info on this pedal and missed that forum completely :-) I really want to have at go at this now!