Dan_Nailed Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 (edited) Just bought my second one of these, originally when I was rocking my Hartke/Peavey rig I had a fair few effects and this was on there as a tone shaper. It was the last thing to go when I downsized and I was reluctant selling as I loved it but I didn't use it at the time. Well after flirting through a few rig changes, going Ampeg w/ PSA-1 etc I've come arrived at a Mesa, and was looking for a DI for live use that didn't sound like an SVT(no BDDI for me). This sprung to mind, and had the added benefit of having the grindy distortion that in my earlier days I'd overlooked for not being aggressive enough. Well when you've got a Bass 400+ behind you aggression takes on a new meaning and suddenly my Ibanez PD7 isn't the sound I'm after... So a trip tp PMT and some abuse of their interest free credit deal and I walked out with this after only laying down £20, and it's better than I remember. Maybe my ears have changed but the distortion seems eminently more useable and thick, and there is no lack of mids whereas my PD7 is a scoopier sounding pedal, and while being aggressive didn't have the clarity I need. I've yet to test the M80 in a band mix but judging by my initial impressions after a couple of tweaks I'll be in the sweet spot. An added bonus is that I don't have to take my head and cab to gigs any more if I don't want to. Anyone else got a tingly feeling for this pedal? I know dood did but he sold out and went all Line 6 on us Edited March 7, 2009 by Dan_Nailed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 i still love your old m80 mate. currently using it as a di/ splitter in the studio (going to my old WEM valve combo) it's a cracking pedal - a really useful thing to have in the old case for emergencies! every one of my students gets the talk about the swiss army knife of pedals too! - to date three of them have been out and bought them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_Nailed Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 [quote name='dudewheresmybass' post='428325' date='Mar 8 2009, 12:27 AM']i still love your old m80 mate. currently using it as a di/ splitter in the studio (going to my old WEM valve combo) it's a cracking pedal - a really useful thing to have in the old case for emergencies! every one of my students gets the talk about the swiss army knife of pedals too! - to date three of them have been out and bought them![/quote] I think that was the very first thing I sold on here as well! With Bass Player coverage and all the net hype you'd think more people would own Sansamps, but the M80 is holding it's own in the UK for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskimoBassist Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I've been using an M-80 for a few months now and I think it's great, as a D.I., a nice distortion and as a pre-amp. I use it to send a clean, unaffected signal to FOH, at a little growl at times, when per say a full on overdrive would be too much and to add a little more tonal flexibility to my rig. Great pedal, and with the switchable distortion, I'd rate it over the standard SansAmp any day . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I have owned two M80's. I sold the first one.. missed it so much I bought another! - Had I have not found the POD X3, I would have kept the second one. Yes, it is a GREAT pedal and I much preferred it to the BDDI. That said.. I'd hasten to add that they are two very different beasts and would be like trying to compare apples and pears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noisyjon Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 [quote name='dudewheresmybass' post='428325' date='Mar 8 2009, 12:27 AM']...the swiss army knife of pedals...[/quote] +1 I have a lot of love for the M80 too, it's been on my board for a few years now and I can't speak highly enough of it. Last band rehearsal I got a great, slightly breaking up distortion going that reminded me a lot like the old Deep Purple sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I always figured putting a DI and overdrive in the same box didn't make much sense. I mean, I'd want the O/D first, and the DI last - where do I put all the other pedals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_Nailed Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='430764' date='Mar 10 2009, 05:37 PM']I always figured putting a DI and overdrive in the same box didn't make much sense. I mean, I'd want the O/D first, and the DI last - where do I put all the other pedals? [/quote] I see your point and I think it's a reason why people clamour for an fx loop on the M80, then the box would be unstoppable. Although I've always preferred my dirt at the end of the chain so never came up as a negative, and now that I've ditched all my pedals it's a one stop shop. After a couple rehearsals I'm still tinkering with my M80 every now and then, I've settled on blend at 12 o'clock, trigger on full and gain varies between 10 o'clock and 1 o'clock, still haven't found my sweet spot yet. Boosted mids and treble on the unit. Also due to the M80 scoop I've got my Bass 400+ mid control on 10 (flat), and I've noticed that my amp EQ is more noticeable now than before with the PD7, it seemed to mask any changes. Don't use the 400+ graphic EQ either. The noise gate seems a lot more effective than my old M80 - although I was running it on batteries at the time and not a wall wart. One thing that this pedal has got is GROWL. Works well with a Spector. I find myself going for a cleaner sound when I'm fiddling between songs, then as soon as we start playing I turn the gain back up for that cut in the mix. Gonna be fun in the studio finding a setting that works! Edited March 11, 2009 by Dan_Nailed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulfinger Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I bought mine from Dood (hi, Dood! ) and it´s great. The distortion feature is perfect for a nice, crunchy rock sound. I also have a Sansamp BDDI and they are completely different beasts tonewise. I can´t really say which I prefer, both are excellent IMO. Actually, the M-80 in distortion mode into the BDDI with the Drive cranked makes for some killer sounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_Nailed Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 [quote name='Soulfinger' post='432480' date='Mar 12 2009, 02:44 PM']I bought mine from Dood (hi, Dood! ) and it´s great. The distortion feature is perfect for a nice, crunchy rock sound. I also have a Sansamp BDDI and they are completely different beasts tonewise. I can´t really say which I prefer, both are excellent IMO. Actually, the M-80 in distortion mode into the BDDI with the Drive cranked makes for some killer sounds![/quote] And the award for inevitable BDDI comparison goes to Soulfinger (with an honourable mention to dood) Having tried them both, I get a fairly close sound through my 400+ with the M80 as a direct, fully-blended in BDDI. Not so close it's indistinguishable but same ballpark. Could be that the BDDI is a tube emulator and I've actually got tubes though One thing I will say, is that the M80's gain structure blends better with the hi-gain Engl sound (5150 on steroids tone) than the more Ampeg-y BDDI. I notice this a lot more on tremelo picked higher notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulfinger Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 [quote name='Dan_Nailed' post='433012' date='Mar 13 2009, 12:11 AM']And the award for inevitable BDDI comparison goes to Soulfinger (with an honourable mention to dood)[/quote] Actually, it was EskimoBassist who first brought up the Sansamp. The great thing about the MXR is that it doesn´t colour your sound (unless you want to). The great thing about the BDDI is that it colours your sound. Ok, i´ll get my coat now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I think this pedal needs a tuner with a mute switch, i could pretty much do away with my pedalboard then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_Nailed Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 [quote name='lemmywinks' post='435448' date='Mar 15 2009, 07:38 PM']I think this pedal needs a tuner with a mute switch, i could pretty much do away with my pedalboard then![/quote] That's one use of the parallel out, and certainly what I'm using mine for. Signal chain goes Spector->M80->Bass 400+. Started using the 40hz slider on the Bass 400+ to tame the low end on the M80 no, got a much tighter more defined sound. The pedal just gets better and better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Just got one and I'm loving it Love the dirt blend, and the player settings in the instructions, and the fact that it fits in my gig bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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