karlthebassist Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hey, Been playing a lot in a cover band recently that does all sorts - REM, Slade, The Jam, Stealers Wheels, Rolling Stones blah blah blah, and I want a bit more variation in my tone between different songs. I use a LMII head with a MIM P-bass with active Basslines pickups. GS112 is on the way but I have to wait weeks for shipment to arrive so I'm using whatever cabs I can borrow atm. 90+% of the time I play fingerstylie, but when I grab a pick and dig in I'm after is a sound thats fat and a bit gritty that would suit pickstyle rock. I need my sound to fill a bit of space becuase the guitarest is a bit hairy-fairy. I was wondering if maybe there are reasonably priced valve stomp boxes around with which I could grab a bit of dirt and fat tuby sound? I use various solid state overdrives/distortions but nothing comes close to what I'm after. Cheers Karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifeq Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 sansamp bddi or the ne one sansamp VT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 get some 15s and a valve amp, tis the sure fire way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adee Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 [quote name='fifeq' post='447174' date='Mar 27 2009, 12:57 PM']sansamp bddi or the ne one sansamp VT[/quote] You will not go wrong with a Tech 21 VT Bass Have a listen to this baby - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr8kdWpB3U4"]VT BASS[/url] Great bit of kit You WILL get the sound you want out of one of these Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Get a pedal with some valves in it. My DHA pedal with 2 valves sounds MEATY and THUNDEROUS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey1-8 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 [quote name='fifeq' post='447174' date='Mar 27 2009, 12:57 PM']sansamp bddi or the ne one sansamp VT[/quote] +1. Love my sansamp. Wouldn't be without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Ampeg SVP pro preamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etienne Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) another +1 on the VT Bass pedal! I use one regularly as a preamp for my DI-only gigs, and also run it into my Shuttle head to get a fat old-school tone when needed. Really good for the gritty, grindy stuff, but also does clean sounds very well too- very versatile! EDIT: It works very well with the LMII too (I used to have one myself until very recently)- set the amp completely flat and shape your tone with the pedal- it sounds great! Edited March 27, 2009 by Etienne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 [quote name='bremen' post='447232' date='Mar 27 2009, 01:52 PM']Ampeg SVP pro preamp.[/quote] Yup, Also the BDDI or MXR M80 can add grit, but both are totally different from each other.. There's the Line 6 route with digital modelling to look at as well. Interestingly, a guy did some audio tracks on TalkBass a while back, one recorded with a Jazz bass w/flats into an all valve Ampeg setup .. and another with a modern active jazz into a line 6. Most people couldn't tell the difference between the two. Take from that what you will! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 As others have said, VT Bass... or the DHA VT1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 [quote name='dood' post='447263' date='Mar 27 2009, 02:07 PM']Yup, Also the BDDI or MXR M80 can add grit, but both are totally different from each other.. There's the Line 6 route with digital modelling to look at as well. Interestingly, a guy did some audio tracks on TalkBass a while back, one recorded with a Jazz bass w/flats into an all valve Ampeg setup .. and another with a modern active jazz into a line 6. Most people couldn't tell the difference between the two. Take from that what you will![/quote] Ah yes, the Bass Pod XT Pro. Not much grittier than their version of the Hiwatt 200 through an Ampeg 8*10 :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Or a cheaper version... the Behringer BD21 DRIVER/DI. I use one in my Halen/Roth tribute. Adds a nice tubey grit when you dig in!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joegarcia Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I'm really getting on with my Blackstar HT Dual at the moment. It's a two channel version which I upgraded the valve in. It does lovely mild warm valvey crunch or light overdrive breakup on one channel and can do full on distortion with the other. Fantastic pedal and really warm sounding. You could even just set up one channel totally clean with just valve warmth and the second for mild overdrive or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adee Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 [quote name='yorick' post='447319' date='Mar 27 2009, 02:43 PM']Or a cheaper version... the Behringer BD21 DRIVER/DI. I use one in my Halen/Roth tribute. Adds a nice tubey grit when you dig in!!![/quote] I'm guessing that will be THE Dave Lee Wrath band with Rocky !? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 That'll be the one.... You know Rocky then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tischbein Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) I tried the EBS Valve Drive, the VT, all the sans amp stuff, but I got stuck on 1986 H+K Bass Master with 2 tubes inside. Adds a nice crunch and a light distortion, even quite funky with slap/pop. For more distortion I got me a crowther´s Prunes&Custard.... that´s all I need (4 now!!!) Edited March 27, 2009 by tischbein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cLepto-bass Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I use the Electro Harmonix LPB 2ube and it does just what your after. Dont let the fact that its only a preamp pedal put you off, when you combine the two channels and use both gains and volumes you get anything from a gritty bass sound to overblown fat distortion. It wont do super modern high gain fuzz but who wants that anyway, but since it full bandwidth you wont lose any of the bass like you do with other distortion type pedals. Seriously give it a go. The one gripe i do have with it is the funny power supply, its just a bit weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoe_BillySheehan Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 [quote name='yorick' post='447366' date='Mar 27 2009, 03:14 PM']That'll be the one.... You know Rocky then?[/quote] Hey, 'Adee' is my dad. yeah we know Rocky I speak to him on Myspace, and my dad used to be a Wrathchild fan many moons ago Z x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 (edited) Don't buy the behringer valve pedals! Well, at least not the VT911, as it's got a flimsy push switch and the stock valve is crap (lots of people state that a lower gain named valve brings it to life though) as it's a great big fat dirty distortion pedal rather than just overdrive (see, lower gain valve). It also hisses a bit, but that could be the cheap valve. The VT999 is a better bet for the extra £10-15, as it's got an onboard EQ and a noise gate (good!). Edited March 28, 2009 by Buzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I had the same situation myself a while back and ended up getting a valve compressor from Dave Hall. Worked really well although the amount of compression I actually use is minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlthebassist Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 SOOOOOO MANY! Cheers guys. Certainly not cheep things are they these pedals.... Sansamp VT seems pretty cool. Have listened to some samples. Electro Harmonix LPB 2ube looks nuts - but is flippin massive, probably nearly the size of my LMII! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joegarcia Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 [quote name='karlthebassist' post='448566' date='Mar 29 2009, 11:06 AM']SOOOOOO MANY! Cheers guys. Certainly not cheep things are they these pedals.... Sansamp VT seems pretty cool. Have listened to some samples. Electro Harmonix LPB 2ube looks nuts - but is flippin massive, probably nearly the size of my LMII![/quote] Lots of suggestions, guess you need to try and find somewhere you can try a few out for yourself really as one persons warm is another's wooly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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