Boss MD2 Megadistortion - actually quite cool on bass!

[mcnach]

I just got a Boss MD2 "Megadistortion" pedal as I was curious what it could do to a bass... and it's actually pretty cool.

It des not have a blend, but it has a concentric pot "tone/bottom". I have the bottom at max, and the tone at anything between 12-3 o'clock. It keeps the bottom end and you gan get insane amounts of gain without losing definition. If you must have an insane distortion on bass, throw away that ODB-3 and try an MD-2.

It does not do subtle, 'though.

The amount of drive is controlled by two knobs: "dist" and "gain boost". I can't quite describe what they do, but they both add distortion in slightly different ways. With both all the way down and a Jazz I just wanted to play RATM and Audioslave riffs. The "tone" in that case controls effectively how much "fizz" you get. If you back it off a bit, it's a very nice fat sound that is clearly not clean, yet not clearly distorted, if you know what I mean . I haven't tried that setting in a band context, but I think that will work really nicely to add a bit of presence. and body to the bass.
And if you want crazy insanely distorted bass which however still keeps note definition... turn up the dist/gain until you can't take it anymore.

It sounds great as it is, but I'm going to try it later with the Boss LS-2, which I use as a blend pedal and it allows me to mix dry signal and FX. I suspect that extra level of control is going to make me kick out a pedal or two from my current pedalboard.

And it's quite cheap too, £31 on eBay.

[Sibob]

Fancy doing a video? I'm keen

Si

[Mr. Foxen]

That the orange one? Bassist from Geisha uses one that he describes as 'the dog's kicked in bollocks'. I had one, made me do widdly shred bass, from the definition, moved it on.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen']I had one, made me do widdly shred bass[/quote]

The very one... and funny you say that because... I also used the bass as a guitar a bit, it just has so much definition!

[quote name='Sibob']Fancy doing a video? I'm keen[/quote]


I'd like to do a short demo, but (shamefully) I'm not well equipped to record audio or video at the moment.

I keep meaning to set up the recording stuff as I wanted to do a "game" of "guess what bass this is?" using various MM style pickup equipped basses... I can do that plus record some clips of the Boss MD2... it won't be great but...

I used it today in the RATM tribute band... and I'm loving it.
Using the "Tone" knob, I can add/reduce top end grit, and is a very versatile control. It allows the pedal to sound "distorted" or "fuzzy" or anything in between.
I am really surprised I haven't heard much about this pedal being used on bass. It works much better than other pedals marketed as "bass pedals", in my opinion.

I'm seriously considering buying a second one, to have two types of sounds readily available in my pedalboard. I was going to use an Ashdown Hyperdrive, which is quite good, but it's very bulky and I can put two MD2 in its place instead. We will see.


Oh, and I forgot to say... combined with an OC2 it's a LOT of fun especially on fretless!

Edited August 8, 2011 by mcnach

[GarethFlatlands]

I've only tried one on guitar and didn't get along with it. I just got drowned out in a band context no matter what settings I used. Interesting to see it works really well on bass.

[mcnach]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' post='1333566' date='Aug 9 2011, 01:43 PM']I've only tried one on guitar and didn't get along with it. I just got drowned out in a band context no matter what settings I used. Interesting to see it works really well on bass.[/quote]


I haven't tried it on guitar, funny enough. The demo I saw online didn't appeal to me, it seemed just another ultra distorted downtuned guitar noise box.
But it works well on bass.

One way I like to use it involves turning both gain boost and distortion all the way down. Lows nearly all the way up, to get an even change between dry and efected sound, and use the treble knob only. When you turn it down, you get a fat low gain fuzz sound, very mid-rich. Turn treble up and you start blending dirtorted fizz in. The mids are still there.
Then turn up gain boost if you feel you have to.

[tonyquipment]

I bought one this week and agreed, it DOES sound good on bass

I only intended for it to be part of my guitar setup as I was trading my DS1 in but I figured I might as well pass my bass through it as well and see what it sounds like.

Insane amounts of gain, fatter wetter amounts of drive and presence compared to some actual dist /od pedals

Sounds cool

However you might want to put this one on a separate loop as there is no blend as OP rightly stated.

Cool!

[Sibob]

I've always thought it sounded great on guitar, just lead work mind, it's not a chordal distortion IMO.
I used it for a while on bass, until I realized that there were pedals by Xotic & Fuzzrocious etc that do bass overdrive/fuzz/distortion much better.
Having said that the MD-2 blows the ODB-3 out the water, no question!

Si

[uncle psychosis]

Interesting. Might need to try one out...

[Pob]

It's a vicious thing indeed, i know what you mean about 'lead bass'. I like it on simple chords too. Shameless plug, but I've got a spare one (don't ask!) for a very reasonable price....