The continuing quest for OVERDRIVE

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:10 am

I sold my Bass Big Muff pi recently as I realized fuzz is not what I am looking for (no offense, Mr. Snow

). Today I went to Sam Ash intent on auditioning (and buying) a MXR Bass Overdrive given what I had read (and seen on youtube). While there I looked to see what else they had in the display case, and saw something that did not fly into my radar screen while researching pedals, a TC Electronic MOJOMOJO overdrive pedal. I had not heard of it and figuring it was a guitar pedal I wanted to try it, of course!

Darn, the little thing came home with me after playing with it for about an hour through a Gallien-Krueger 700RB II into a Markbass 4-10 cabinet, using my 4004L with rounds on it. I can get a pretty good approximation of an overdriven Marshall, something unattainable with the BBM pi, which was all about a fizzy gritty distortion no matter how I set it, just more or less of that. The MOJOMOJO can get that if cranked but it can be very subtle too, if needed. I also like that it has separate Bass and Treble tone controls vs. a 1 knob tone control on the BBM pi, giving me a much wider range of choices in my overdriven tone. No doubt, the search for the ultimate overdrive for bass will continue, as it has for the past several decades

but for now it will take a break.

Kopfjaeger · Post by **Kopfjaeger** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:14 pm

Jeff,

Way cool! I love finding things that enhance my sound!! "Back in the day" the only pedal I owned was a DOD 250 Overdrive Pre-amp pedal. I loved the dirt I was able to dial up with it and remember my band mates hating it. Well, the drummer did anyway. I still have the pedal and the box but since it takes 9v battery DC power only, It's not compatible with my "hi tech pedalboard and on board power supply!

Recently I gave a Blackstone Appliances MOSFET overdrive pedal a whirl. it was a nice little unit with two positions that I could pre set. it was really nice but it dropped out way to much low end. It was primarily a Guitar pedal and according to the owner, Jon Blackstone, I could swap out a capacitor to reclaim more low end. I'm told Billy Sheehan uses the same pedal. Unfortunately the Blackstone did not work for me and I sold it on "the bay" for as much as I purchased it for! Winning!!

I own a Way Huge Swollen Pickle.

Yes, perverse sounding, i know. It's OK but fuzz is not over drive!! It's good for somethings but not for I I mostly need it for.

I then moved to a Aguilar "Agro" bass overdrive pedal. Hey, I figured Aguilar makes bass specific products and they are very local to me in NYC. I was not disappointed by the purchase. No loss of low end and this thing is a beast!! It's not as "bullet-proof" as the Blackstone but it makes up for it in its performance!

Very happy top say the least!! Coupled with my Orange TB500, I can really get some wooly gain overdrive and a push of the button on my Aguilar pedal brings my sound to a whole other level!!

Sepp

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:39 pm

The only time I was able to try an AGRO was at the 2010 NAMM Show but conditions are far from ideal to really hear how things sound there. I wish there was a local Aguilar dealer here as I really would like to give that pedal a fair chance one of these days. But if it is anything, sound-wise, like the drive control (in combination with the rest of the controls) on my Tone Hammer 500 than I do have an idea of what it does.

You could modify your DOD pedal to work with the built-in supply on your pedalbaord. I did that to my old MXR Phase 90 to allow it to work with an outboard power supply.

The Blackstone Appliances MOSFET overdrive was recommended to me by a friend; the videos demos look great but I have yet to pop for one to try. Your mentioning the drop out of the bottom end reminded me that I forgot to mention that that is what happens with the MXR Bass Overdrive plus a slight hollowness is prevalent in it's effected tone. The Clean control barely does anything to bring back the original tone of the instrument so even cranked full up it did not help.

DriftSpace · Post by **DriftSpace** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:50 pm

I really like the vintage-style Roger Mayer pedals, and the "Stone Fuzz" is particularly great with a 4003.

Kopfjaeger · Post by **Kopfjaeger** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:49 pm

Jeff,

I'd have to go back to the Aguilar site to look at the video's and sound clips but I think i remember them saying the Tone Hammer has the Agro circuit built into that head. If memory servers me correctly.

The Blackstone was a very nice pedal but swapping out capacitors was not what I wanted to do. I really wanted to like it since it had a lot going for it. The two preset channels was huge!! The drop of low end was just too much to overcome.

I could hook up the DOD to my Voodoo power source after notching the case to allow the wire to pass through. I'm happy with my current assortment of pedals. I have 5 times as many pedals than I did when I first started out. My most indispensable pedal is mt Aphex Punch Factory. That thing is always on! Between that and my Digitech drop tune pedal, I can get by without pretty much everything else, if I had to.

Sepp

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:58 pm

Nice review. I've been happy enough over the years with my Sansamp, but lately I have been looking for something a little more organic sounding.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:52 pm

[quote="Kopfjaeger"I could hook up the DOD to my Voodoo power source after notching the case to allow the wire to pass through.

Sepp[/quote]
That is what I did on the Phase 90.

Eventually, the pedal died on me so I gutted it with the plan to make an A/B switcher in the case. Never did get around to that, yet, but I still have that old ('74) script logo case; I wonder what it would fetch on ebay?

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 5:10 am

I have one of theses that I really like. Great OD tone that wont steal your lows. It came highly recommended over at http://www.talkbass.com
For the money, you cant go wrong.

http://www.amazon.com/Joyo-JF-02-Overdr ... mate+drive

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:23 pm

The Amptweaker pedals designed for bass overdrive that Mike Snow demos at the NAMM show are the best I've ever heard. They are the Bass Tight Fuzz and Bass Tight Drive models. A little pricey, about $189 USD each distortion and overdrive for the pedal. These pedals have a control that lets you blend the original sound of you bass guitar with the overdriven or distortion signal, making sure you still have the punch and can be heard. It you really want the best sound, I guess they are worth the price.

The Amptweaker Swirlpool pedal gives Tremolo and/or Vibrato which works equally as good with bass guitars and it does with guitars. For example, think Chris Squire's bass playing in the Yes song, "Starship Trooper and John Paul Jones bass playing Led Zep's, "Heartbreaker".
Amptweaker-Pedals

Lots of fun playing through these pedals!

Ashgray · Post by **Ashgray** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:58 pm

rickenbrother wrote:The Amptweaker pedals designed for bass overdrive that Mike Snow demos at the NAMM show are the best I've ever heard. They are the Bass Tight Fuzz and Bass Tight Drive models. A little pricey, about $189 USD each distortion and overdrive for the pedal. These pedals have a control that lets you blend the original sound of you bass guitar with the overdriven or distortion signal, making sure you still have the punch and can be heard. It you really want the best sound, I guess they are worth the price.

The Amptweaker Swirlpool pedal gives Tremolo and/or Vibrato which works equally as good with bass guitars and it does with guitars. For example, think Chris Squire's bass playing in the Yes song, "Starship Trooper and John Paul Jones bass playing Led Zep's, "Heartbreaker".
Amptweaker-Pedals

Lots of fun playing through these pedals!

I couldn't agree more - I use 'em both. They're great pedals. The Swirlpool is the best way I've found yet of emulating Squire's Starship Trooper sound. Although it'as not intended as a Leslie cab emulator, the Swirlpool is great at ramping up and down the speed to give both tremolo and chorus sounds.

Ash

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:16 pm

Thanks, I'll have to check out some ~~Anteater~~ Amptweaker demos on line.

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:06 pm

rickenbrother wrote:The Amptweaker pedals designed for bass overdrive that Mike Snow demos at the NAMM show are the best I've ever heard. They are the Bass Tight Fuzz and Bass Tight Drive models. Lots of fun playing through these pedals!

I heard several bassists giving these Amptweakers a demo and they sounded good !

Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum