What can a sansamp do for me?

[dave74200]

I have an Ampeg SVT 4 Pro and to be honest, love it as an amp. I've joined a tribute band and need a more valvey/gritty sound. I've been looking at the Sansamp products and have become a bit confused by them all to be honest. Some are DI's, some are pedals.... are the pedals DI's too..... I mean do they send the 'sound' to the PA like the DI box ones claim too?

Anyone out there any recommendations? I use only a chorus pedal at the mo throught the effects loop. Could the Sansamp VT pedal be used in the same way to add a little grit when required?

Would really appreciate some help here, Cheers, Dave.

[thodrik]

I would have thought that any of the ampeg pro series would be able to pretty much nail the valve grit sound. I only have the bass driver DI, which is advertised as a DI, a pre-amp and a stompbox! It is a really good tool if you like the tone it gives you (some complain that it gives a very scooped sound). I personally think its more a preamp and DI than a stompbox as the speaker simulation drastically changes the character of the sound when you turn it on and off. For me its generally always on or not on at all.

The bass driver is very good at clean, slighty gritty sounds but if you have a valve preamp already it might take away rather than add to your sound. I think it works best with solid state amps and as preamp for a passive basses. It really is a bit of an Ampeg emulator, so if you have an Ampeg already, I'm not sure it is that useful.

I hear that the Vt bass is a lot better and less scooped sounding than the bass driver, but it doesn't have an xlr out so it isn't a DI box. I've not tried it yet so can't comment, but from what I've heard it is better than the bass driver at nailing the classic Ampeg grit.

I would maybe suggest trying to set the gain on your amp a bit higher to drive your preamp tubes a bit, or try a dedicated overdrive pedal, perhaps one with a tube to get a more authentic tube overdrive.

I hope that is some help.

[dave74200]

[quote name='thodrik' post='928286' date='Aug 18 2010, 02:13 AM']I would have thought that any of the ampeg pro series would be able to pretty much nail the valve grit sound. I only have the bass driver DI, which is advertised as a DI, a pre-amp and a stompbox! It is a really good tool if you like the tone it gives you (some complain that it gives a very scooped sound). I personally think its more a preamp and DI than a stompbox as the speaker simulation drastically changes the character of the sound when you turn it on and off. For me its generally always on or not on at all.

The bass driver is very good at clean, slighty gritty sounds but if you have a valve preamp already it might take away rather than add to your sound. I think it works best with solid state amps and as preamp for a passive basses. It really is a bit of an Ampeg emulator, so if you have an Ampeg already, I'm not sure it is that useful.

I hear that the Vt bass is a lot better and less scooped sounding than the bass driver, but it doesn't have an xlr out so it isn't a DI box. I've not tried it yet so can't comment, but from what I've heard it is better than the bass driver at nailing the classic Ampeg grit.

I would maybe suggest trying to set the gain on your amp a bit higher to drive your preamp tubes a bit, or try a dedicated overdrive pedal, perhaps one with a tube to get a more authentic tube overdrive.

I hope that is some help.[/quote]

Thankyou very much. Very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to put me straight, cheers.

[Mr. Foxen]

VT bass is great, but I think I might end up missing my BDDI, it has a few handy features for a tinkerer.

They also make you more attractive to women.

[Meenie]

I used a Sansamp bass driver deluxe last weekend,its the first time ive had a go on any sansamp stuff, the sound i got out of it was insane!
With just my Epi Pro t bird and an Ashdown combo i had this amazing Ampeg style growl and punch going on,i am really seriously looking at picking one up for myself now.

Just one question, do i need to splash out on the four switch deluxe driver or can i save some cash getting another model and not wasting my money on something which has a bunch of stuff i wouldnt use?

Or would you maybe suggest that i would use the extra features after having lived with it for a while and experimented?

any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Also is it a real problem using active basses with it?

that wasnt just one question at all now was it!

[Low End Bee]

I use mine a lot. If I can't get the sound right for a venue I just stick the signal through the Sansamp. I like a chunky overdriven sound and it nails it.

[dave_bass5]

IME you could do worse than to get a Behringer BDI21 to start with if your not 100%
These cost around £25 and by all accounts sound pretty similar. Ive had one for a few years now but have only just started using it properly.

I had a VT bass but felt it was a bit more than i needed and didn't really want an all out Ampeg tone.

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='Meenie' post='938226' date='Aug 27 2010, 04:12 PM']Just one question, do i need to splash out on the four switch deluxe driver or can i save some cash getting another model and not wasting my money on something which has a bunch of stuff i wouldnt use?[/quote]

Depends what you want really! The deluxe has an extra 3 presets available, a swtchable FX loop, 2 inputs and a parallell out. If you reckon you'll use them then go for it, if not then don't. I don't need any of the extra stuff personally but I saw the unit for £120 so I bought it. I've not had chance to road test it but it will be nice to gig it and know the kind of sound it'll be putting out front of house and that it's going through some decent kit.

[Meenie]

Maybe having a noodle about with one in a shop might be an idea, a trip to the Bass Centre might be on the cards me finx.

[The Goatreich]

My Sansamp stompbox is the best bit of kit I own. I can never get the sound I crave without it in the loop, even through my SVT3-Pro. If it got stolen today, I'd buy another one tomorrow.

It's also incredibly handy when we fly to gigs and can't take our own backline. Any P.O.S. amp that we end up using sounds like a beast.

Highly recommended.

[rmshaw37]

i can pretty much agree with all the above comments, and to beef up your sound, this is the exact thing!

i use a sansamp rpm through a power section, slightly more versatile than the vt bass but i've hear great things about the pedal - just watch out on the vt cause it has the speaker emulation perminantly on!

the rpm is the single biggest improvement in my sound i've ever had!

note - my setting is pretty much the svt setting anyway, so probably sounds just like the vt bass, i just like it being all neat and in a rack!

[Dood]

[quote name='rmshaw37' post='938681' date='Aug 28 2010, 11:07 AM']i can pretty much agree with all the above comments, and to beef up your sound, this is the exact thing!

i use a sansamp rpm through a power section, slightly more versatile than the vt bass but i've hear great things about the pedal - just watch out on the vt cause it has the speaker emulation perminantly on!

the rpm is the single biggest improvement in my sound i've ever had!

note - my setting is pretty much the svt setting anyway, so probably sounds just like the vt bass, i just like it being all neat and in a rack![/quote]

I've the pedal equivalent to the RPM, the ParaDriver. It's a brilliant piece of kit!

[GarethFlatlands]

If you're based in Sheffield you're welcome to have a tinker on mine. That goes for any other BCers too, as long as you don't steal it.

[gary mac]

[quote name='Meenie' post='938650' date='Aug 28 2010, 10:25 AM']Maybe having a noodle about with one in a shop might be an idea, a trip to the Bass Centre might be on the cards me finx.[/quote]

Is there a Bass Centre again these days?

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='thodrik' post='928286' date='Aug 18 2010, 02:13 AM']I hear that the Vt bass is a lot better and less scooped sounding than the bass driver, but it doesn't have an xlr out so it isn't a DI box. I've not tried it yet so can't comment, but from what I've heard it is better than the bass driver at nailing the classic Ampeg grit.[/quote]

There appears to be a new VT out, the VT Bass Deluxe in the same enclosure and with the features of the BDDI Deluxe including an XLR out. Looks pretty sweet!

[url="http://www.tech21nyc.com/products/sansamp/characterseries.html"]Drool[/url]

Edited August 30, 2010 by GarethFlatlands

[Grand Wazoo]

hearing is believing

[dave_bass5]

I wish they had put a cab sim bypass on the VTBass like they did with the second gen pedals.

[Happy Jack]

Context is essential.

If I put my BDDI Deluxe in front of my Eden WTX-500 (a very clean, hi-fi sort of amp) it offers a huge range of useable tones. If I put it in front of my Orange Terror Bass (a gritty amp with valve front end) it gets out of hand very quickly.

Similarly, used as a stand-alone box it is very versatile. Used on a reasonably normal pedal board, you can get some very unwelcome combinations.

If you can afford to have it living in your gig-bag, then it's a bloody useful reserve in case of equipment melt-down on the night.

[Clarky]

"Ask not what your sansamp can do for you - ask what you can do for your sansamp"


Sorry, couldn't help myself

Damn useful piece of kit, though, a sansamp. Just wish my VT Bass pedal had the new XLR out ...

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='Clarky' post='940298' date='Aug 30 2010, 08:10 PM']"Ask not what your sansamp can do for you - ask what you can do for your sansamp"


Sorry, couldn't help myself

Damn useful piece of kit, though, a sansamp. Just wish my VT Bass pedal had the new XLR out ...[/quote]

Presumably it outputs the same level as amp inputs, could you not stick a simple DI box in front of it? Another box to carry around but most small venues have them for bass anyway.

[Clarky]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' post='940331' date='Aug 30 2010, 08:34 PM']Presumably it outputs the same level as amp inputs, could you not stick a simple DI box in front of it? Another box to carry around but most small venues have them for bass anyway.[/quote]
I have a DI box for precisely this reason but it would have been simpler to have it all wrapped into one, space-saving pedal

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='Clarky' post='940344' date='Aug 30 2010, 08:42 PM']I have a DI box for precisely this reason but it would have been simpler to have it all wrapped into one, space-saving pedal[/quote]

Yeah, bit of an oversight on Sansamps part really. Shame you can't get it without shelling out for the Deluxe version.

[Meenie]

[quote name='gary mac' post='939506' date='Aug 29 2010, 06:07 PM']Is there a Bass Centre again these days?[/quote]


It appears not, not bieng a londoner i only frequented it a couple of times years ago.
Seems its mail order only now.

Oh well!

[GarethFlatlands]

Had my first proper practice tonight with the Sansamp and wow, through my practice amp, a Peavey TKO (or is it a TNT?) it sounded amazing. I wasn't even driving the amp hard but the sound filled the room. Just put the EQ on as flat as possible and used the amps volume controls. I totally underestimated the difference it would make. If you can try one out, you'll want one!

[Meenie]

Mine is officially on order!

Cant wait!