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Distortion and overdrive pedals that are not Darkglass or Tech21 etc


fretmeister

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I'm thinking about getting a new drive pedal.

I'd like to investigate the relative unknowns, the ones that don't get the big social media exposure.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations for any forgotten heroes?

 

I don't have a particular sound in mind, or an example of a tune. Just fancy something different.

 

ta

 

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I had an Aguilar Agro for years. It is really good but doesn't have a blend knob. It doesn't cut bass, however it doesn't give that 'ooomph' low end push you get with some drives. More of an 'always on' drive. On low gain settings it doubles up well for a mild overdrive 'clank'. I only sold it because after nearly ten years I was just needed to try something new.

My pal also made me a GCI Bass Brutalist. Essentially it is a DIY bass distortion that is similar to a Rat circuit. Very greasy and dirty. 

Andertons also stock the Frost Giant Bass Mountain overdrive, which frankly is such an awesome combination of words that I really want one irrespective of how good they are. 

Catalinbread SFT might be worth a shout if you want an 'Ampeg in a box' kind of sound which is not a Tech 21 Bass Driver/VT Bass type pedal. I also tried a ZVex Basstortion for a similar vibe but didn't like it for the price.

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Can of worms.....



The best Rat style (sharp, edgy distortion) is the Blowerbox Idiotbox.

 

2 band EQ, no loss of low end and a really aggressive sound. It'll also do low gain really well too.

 

 

DHA VT1 are great, but the ones with the EQ are even better.

 

 

 

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One of my all time favourites is the Damnation Audio MBD2. I recorded sound samples for three people and they all went and bought one (which is saying a lot as my playing is terrible). Joespedals has them in occasionally. I’m not sure it can be said to not get attention though as it was reviewed by Hondo Felder on YouTube: 

 

 

My favourite at the minute is the Nightowl Parabellum v2. It’s a Nightowl Edison tube preamp and a Dunwich designed distortion. It’s one of the reasons I’ve put several pedals up in the classifieds. I’m not sure they’re on NOI’s website at the moment but I think the manufacturer is selling on Reverb at the time of writing.

 

 


I also picked up an IdiotBox No Moon recently and that’s crazy, it houses a Big Muff, Rat and Tubescreamer and they all run in parallel, rather than series. I’m a Star Wars nerd, which is why I bought it (and why I’m looking for Cog pedals), but it’s actually good. That makes sense though as the IdiotBox Blower Box is also renowned (and apparently about to be supplemented by a deluxe version).

 

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21 hours ago, paul_5 said:

Can of worms.....



The best Rat style (sharp, edgy distortion) is the Blowerbox Idiotbox.

 

2 band EQ, no loss of low end and a really aggressive sound. It'll also do low gain really well too.

 

 

DHA VT1 are great, but the ones with the EQ are even better.

 

 

 

Idiotbox Blowerbox is awesome! Quite aggressive but doesn't lose any bottom end. 

For something even different try out a Cog T65 (if you can get hold of one). The octave up is overdriven and you can mix in the octave and clean.... combined with a switchable parallel effects loop it has some great tones available. 

images.jpeg.33205488148e0188659012b85dc20f73.jpeg

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My current squeeze is the GCI N.E.W. Bass Overdrive. Basically a souped up, smoothed out version of the Boss ODB-3. I'm liking it greatly. So much so I'm thinking of a second one to have 2 different settings to switch between. 

 

But, it's a DIY job. You may be able to get somebody here to build one for you if you were interested. 

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I'm a big fan of the Joyo Orange Juice for everything from just a slight tube like breakup, over low gain overdrive, and all the way up to a medium kind of distortion.

 

I got 2 on my board, one used as part of my always on basic "clean" tone, set to an upper low gain overdrive and mixed in parallel with clean signal via a Boss LS-2, placed towards the start of my signal chain, and later a post reverb medium gain distortion, and I actually plan to even add a third for a high gain overdrive, placed towards the start of my signal chain.

 

Though I guess technically it is a seriously sized down clone of the Tech 21 Oxford, just with simplified EQ section and no cab sim filter, to accommodate it's miniature size, but I just had to mention it, since it is probably my favorite bass drive pedal for just about any level of drive, bar high gain distortion and fuzz. 

 

From what I heard the One Control Hooker's Green Bass Machine, as suggested by someone else earlier on the thread, sounds really great as well, providing a warmer, somewhat fuzzy, thickening kind of grit on lower gain settings and gets amazingly gnarly on higher gain settings, with as good as no low end loss, where as the Orange Juice is a somewhat other beast, more in the gritty grindy end of the spectrum with a good amount of bite as well.

Edited by Baloney Balderdash
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On 29/07/2022 at 22:56, Jonse said:

Xotic BB bass preamp!

 

Super versatile yet easy to use. A constant on every board I've done since I've had it. They come up used every now and again. 

preview (2).jpg

One showed up here in Aotearoa last month

 

I probably should of had a go

gets great reviews 

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Wounded Paw Battering Ram v2.6 

 

added bonus of a fuzz side

 

Soildgoldfx Beta Germanium 

 

I use this a boost rather than OD. The boost side adds a nice touch of hair

 

Free The Tone Bassblaster

 

expensive but A+ low gain. Great response to players touch. Works with Passive or Active, Rounds or Flats. IMO can’t go wrong with this pedal. 

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