Recommendations for a really good bass overdrive that I can build?

[davepedals]

Can anyone recommend to me a really good bass overdrive that I can build?  Had to sell my VT bass pedal a while back and I've been crying ever since!  Let me tell you what I like and hate in overdrive pedals for bass:


Likes:
Old ampeg svt tube amp sounds.
Nice string sound clarity with the ability to add some balls when needed.
4 or less knobs.
Low noise.


Hates:
Death metal sounding chainsaw tone.
Burp/fart sounds usually coming from the lowest notes.
Fuzz.
Synth sounding junk.


My Sansamp VT bass was really nice. Never cared much for the sansamp bass driver DI , to me it sounded more like a simple bass booster with tiny little balls.


This may be as tough as my search for a vocalist who has Ronnie James Dio type qualities!

[Plexi]

I would try something like Hot Tubes.
And give a chance to the Rat: you can get a really nice Od from it.

[DavidRavenMoon]

I use a Joyo Ultimate Drive, which is an OCD clone. It sounds really good. I did remove the GE diode though.

Tube amps are great, but honestly SVTs are the worst. The EQ section is just awful. They roll all your low end off under about 75Hz, and there's either a big hump, or a big scoop at 250Hz.
It's just a lot of hype as to why they are popular. Back in the day everyone used Sunn, Acoustic, Hi-Watt, etc. My Mesa 400+ or Hartke LH500 sound way better.


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[Ben Lyman]

Dare I say it? ahem, Bazz Fuss... Wait! No, really! I like old Ampegs and my old Fender Bassmans, there's just something about that unpopular pre-1990 bass tone that I love.. I love.. WAY more than the common modern perfect bass tone. But that's just me, to each his own, or her own.

Anyway, where was I? Oh ya, Bazz Fuss. I made a sick version for old school bass tone and it's very simple. Just make the Bazz Fuss Deluxe version (with tone knob for killing all those ridiculous lows) and then simply replace the diode with a red LED and you are in classic tube amp heaven (or Hell as the case may or may not be)

[davepedals]

Obviously it's a matter of taste, and naturally I was referring to the older SVT amps. I had access to a 1973 Ampeg SVT head for roughly six months and it sounded absolutely fantastic! Another amp I really liked was the sunn , can't remember the year.

[davepedals]

Thanks for the recommendation so far, I've never really been that fond of fuzz but I will look into that once again!

[Plexi]

You will surprised of how soft can sound some fuzz's with bass [emoji6]

[davepedals]

Ha!  okay, you convinced me I hope will definitely give it a try.  Never personally liked it on guitar that much, and I admit I've only used one fuzz and it probably wasn't a good one for bass.  I have never been real big ol on effects... however like most I do at least utilize boost/overdrive almost always , compression , and a bit of chorus. Rarely some delay.

[lars-musik]

I built a Klon modified for bass for our band's bassplayer. He is playing an 80s Trace Elliot and it lacked some something for our mostly 60s sounding music. The Klon is a "always on" pedal for him now.

Here's the Madbean Sunking schematic with the values for bass. I used two separate 100K pots instead of the dual gang pot for gain, so the dry signal can be mixed in ad lib.

You really shoud give it a try, it's great!

[EBK]

For bass, sometimes a decent* compressor is all you need for a boost....

*Not an Orange Squeezer

[bool]

...

Tube amps are great, but honestly SVTs are the worst. The EQ section is just awful. They roll all your low end off under about 75Hz, and there's either a big hump, or a big scoop at 250Hz.

...

That roll-off and low-mid bump works with loud volumes on stages that would otherwise become too boomy. For some reasons drummers I met liked SVTs. I otoh liked T. Elliots best and as a distant second SWRs.

[jimilee]

Nobody mentioned the ginger, or the bass overdrive on byoc, go back has a driver and so does jmkpcbs. I've built the one from jmk, sounds great also.


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[davepedals]

I appreciate all of the recommendations. I have decided to build a red llama since I have all the parts anyway. Not sure if the input/output caps need to be changed for better bass frequencies but I guess I'll find out. Thanks again everyone.

[Marcos - Munky]

Another thing that you can try is to build an overdrive and something like a LPB1 but with bigger caps. Connect both inputs and feed them with your bass. Put a 10K resistor in series with each output (after the volume pots) and connect these resistors together, and that point is the output to your amp. This way you'll have distorted mids/highs and clean lows, and you can set how much volume of each you want. You need to check if the overdrive and the LPD are in phase. Check this thread for some ideas: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=112653

[DavidRavenMoon]

...

Tube amps are great, but honestly SVTs are the worst. The EQ section is just awful. They roll all your low end off under about 75Hz, and there's either a big hump, or a big scoop at 250Hz.

...

That roll-off and low-mid bump works with loud volumes on stages that would otherwise become too boomy. For some reasons drummers I met liked SVTs. I otoh liked T. Elliots best and as a distant second SWRs.

I loathe SVTs. And when I see bands with the bassist using one you can't make out what they are playing. It's just mud. They probably think it sounds good on stage.

Since every other bass amp doesn't roll off the lows, I think we can sadly say it's not needed. The guy who designed that preamp wasn't a musician, he designed phono preamps.

I currently use a Hartke LH500. Great sounding amp. I also have a Mesa 400+, but it's too heavy to lug around. Before the Hartke I used a Trace. But it was only 150 watts. SWR was another favorite. Never had one though. Before the Trace I used a GK 800 RB. I got tired of the EQ on that.

My intimate tone is my bass DI in the board. I don't want an amp to mess with my tone. Just make it louder.

Then I can add dirt, etc. [emoji3]


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[DavidRavenMoon]

I built a Klon modified for bass for our band's bassplayer. He is playing an 80s Trace Elliot and it lacked some something for our mostly 60s sounding music. The Klon is a "always on" pedal for him now.

Trace's are very 80s sounding. Especially if you use the mid scoop.

I used a Trace with a classic rock cover band. When I wanted a bit more of a retro thing, I used a BK Butler BlueTube in front of it.  Really warmed up the tone.

After the Trace I got a Hartke LH500 because it has a tube preamp.



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[Eddododo]

Fairfield Barbershop. super simple and easy build and it's an amazing sounding overdrive, and it goes anywhere from to be over drive to an almost old school fuzz, call and it also excels  at making other dirt sound sparkly and better

[davepedals]

Hi  David,  I wonder if you're referring to newer Svt amps?  As I said, the 1973 Ampeg SVT head that I had access to was great!   Perhaps the new models are lesser beasts than the old.  I did quite a few sessions using it with only compression and at times a slight chorus.  I have no experience with any other svt's.

[Plexi]

Red Llama!? Yeah! Huge output..!
Try the one in effectslayout blog with Big Muff tonestack.
If you're interested, I moddyfied it with bypasseable tonestack.

[davepedals]

Plexi, using the PCB layout I found at http://effectslayouts.blogspot.com/search?q=Red+llama


I'm actually going to build the stock , and the one with the tone stack since I have all the parts already . This thing actually sounds quite good on guitar is well , an added bonus. Actually I'm a bit of a bass freak so I'm gonna take all of these suggestions I have gotten to heart and try several different ones. And yes, I am interested... Would be great if you could send me via p.m. the updated PCB or schematic.
Thanks!