Ray Jones

If you're handy with a soldering iron (or know someone that is) you could build one of these. It's supposed to emulate an Ampeg SB-12 Portaflex. There's a few posts in the DIY thread. https://www.musikding.de/ROG-Ginger-Ampsim-kit I can't compare it to the real thing but I'm happy with mine.

It seems to have the same layout as Dr. J D53 Sparrow Driver and DI but missing a ground lift. I don't think it has that much of a similarity to the Sansamp except that they are both maybe going for an Ampeg in a box thing. To be fair lots of bass pedals do. The Caline is lacking a lot of the the features of the BDDI. Looks totally worth the money though.

Another option could be the line 6 M5. They go for very cheap these days and have all the synth and filter sounds of the FM 4, purple stomp box modeller, plus the others too. I used to have the FM 4 years ago that I used with an expression pedal with for a live drum and bass band. I've been thinking about buying the m5 just to have those sounds again plus the delays and modulation stuff. Effects that I'd never use enough to buy a standalone stomp box for. You can actually download the line 6 vst as a free trial to try out if you have a computer interface.

Here's Pino getting some 80s synth like tones with an oc-2 Pino Palladino with Paul Young

You can get great synth like tones from combining fuzz with octave or envelope filter etc. I have a woolly mammoth clone going into a mooer envelope and oc-2 alike pedal. Gets really synthy in a nice analogue way and there are lots of options. It was a bit cheaper than most synth pedals too.

Hi, Sorry to bring up an old post but I'm thinking of ordering the Ginger kit from Musikding.de. Can it function as a preamp, as in can it get fully clean but still add a vintage amp tone and character? I was considering using it as a pre for certain instances and recording straight into the desk. I just built the Guma Antique and would like to put the Ginger after it.

If you can get one of these second hand though it fits the bill. I don't use it as a pedal. It Sits on top of the amp always on and sounds great in a mix.

I know that with the VMT/Guma the eq section is after the drive section so if you are happy with your own amps eq you could leave it flat. I don't know how transparent it is. It also has a blend.

It could be trying to emulate the compression tubes give. Tubes do mellow out the highs. Did you make the ampegulator? You could give the GUMA Antique Drive kit a try.

Does the ampegulator not add tube like warmth? For what it's worth I was doing some tracking at home with the DHA VT-1 earlier straight into the computer and it made the bass super warm and tubey. It's the one without the eq from 2008 or there abouts. I'd stopped using it because of the 12v power supply a while back but it sounds really great. I'm glad I dug it out.

Hi, I posted this during the week on Talkbass with sound clips. https://www.talkbass.com/threads/mosky-b-box.1385530/page-2#post-22290087 It would fit your needs perfectly I think and is only £16 delivered. It does really great clean boost to mild amp like breakup whilst keeping the bass tone intact. It can do higher gain too but not as well imo. I described it more in depth earlier in the thread. I got mine here