"Dirty" tone for a low tuned bass? (distortion question)

[coreythompsonhm]

So I am currently planning out my pedal board setup, and would like to include this dirty tone as an option: http://youtu.be/HCp8vE1ZT0g

He got that tone using a quite expensive stompbox preamp through an Ampeg svt- pro4 with a ampeg 810. I currently cannot justify spending $400 on a single pedal. It will eventually be on my board, but not now.

Anyways, any suggestions on which stompbox(s) I can build to get me pretty close to that?

Eerily enough, I'm using the same bass as him already, same tuning, only difference being I'm running an Ampeg svt classic with an ampeg 810, not an svt pro4. That is a negligible difference however, as I'm expecting my head will warm up the tone a bit, which is what Im after.

Thank you for any advice in advance 

[Giglawyer]

From watching that video, I think that guy's playing style has a lot to do with that tone as well.  That said, It is a little difficult for the total sound to translate from a Youtube video. 

Try looking here:  http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Overdrive-Pedals.html.  John Kallas (I think that's his name) has built a ton of bass overdrives, and has lots of sound samples on his page.  I think he posts here as well (I know he posts on other forums I frequent).  You will find your sound there, for sure. 

In the interim, I think you are looking for something like a Mad Professor Blue Berry Overdrive, a Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKIII (Super Bass mode), a Malekko B:ASSMASTER maybe a DAM Ezekiel 25:17.  All of these can be built DIY, and there are verified layouts and material lists "available" on the internet. 

Check out these demos as well. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6kjd6GyvLc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RI1Lwv_tzE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCan3RajJm4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbb_vuoXZY

[Giglawyer]

You might want to check out www.bassfuzz.com as well.  There are a ton of pedal reviews there as well.

[Thecomedian]

do you have a pretty good set up at home with cab/amp? distortion pedals will sound muted and weak to downright awful if you have a barebones play kit.

giga is also correct that the playing style has to do with the sound. he's tearing at the strings with a pic, which is going to bring out sharper sound than finger work. I've even heard of some people that use their fingernails to play, in order to get that sharper and more "electric guitar" sound from the strings.

[coreythompsonhm]

Thank you for all those links! I think I will see where the Blueberry will get me tone wise.

I'm playing on the same setup at home, just with the master turned almost all the way down to control volume.

Him and I have fairly similar playing styles, using a pick, etc. Where there will be a tone difference in our setups is the fact he is running a solid state power section, I'm running tube. When I initially bought my amp head, I had the svt-pro4 and svt-classic next to each other, and kept switching between the two with similar settings. The classic has a rounder, warmer tone while the pro4 is sharper and more "open" sounding, very modern. With the wide range of tones I have to get (very hard hitting progressive metal), the classic had the best tone platform to build from IMO. All effects I have put in front of it seems to be better supported, firmer. Plus, completely bypass the pedals and I get awesome jazzy clean tones from the amp itself. Thats why I suspect when I finally can afford to spend the $400, my tone will be somewhat warmer than his.

Anyways, I'll get those parts ordered and report back with my results, might even get time to get some sound clips for you guys!

[roseblood11]

Catalinbread SFT!

[coreythompsonhm]

I'm actually having quite a hard time finding layouts, etc. for the SFT 

[Mustachio]

Here ya go , this looks like it.

http://madbeanpedals.com/projects/Faultline/docs/Faulltline_ver1.pdf