Popular bass drives

[WeHuntKings]

Hey y'all. Just joined a new band on bass, very excited about going on tour with these guys. They play very dark deathrock/goth inspired stuff, sounds similar to Disintegration era Cure and Closer era Joy Division. I'm used to almost always playing with loads of fuzz on bass in my other projects but I don't think it really fits the vibe with this group.

I'm looking for a sort of medium gain bass drive that has a clean blend so I can get a little grind. What does everyone like these days? Darkglass may be a little rich for my blood.

[popvulture]

Sansamp might work?

[WeHuntKings]

Yeah I have a sansamp VT 21 but I use it as an always on tone shaper more than a drive. Wish it had a separate footswitch for drive. Maybe I can just hit it with a clean boost?

[oscillofuzz]

If you want inexpensive, subtler than fuzz, and with a blend maybe try an Ehx Bass Soul Food, I've heard good things about it for both bass and guitar. Personally I think I probably prefer a TS 808, but cheap versions of that circuit usually don't feature a blend.

[spacelordmother]

sounds similar to Disintegration era Cure and Closer era Joy Division

You also need a BF2.

[Mudfuzz]

Sobbat makes my favorite bass dive pedal here is a deal on one.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sobbat-DB-BASS- ... OSwBlxZnxj~

What I like about it is it is a mashally sounding drive that is very sensitive to your pickups and tone control changes

[Bon Hoga]

hm2

[WeHuntKings]

sounds similar to Disintegration era Cure and Closer era Joy Division

You also need a BF2.

I've got a few chorus and flangers that nail that vibe pretty well.

[neonblack]

Mini was always my go-to for light bass drive.

Boneshaker? If you can still find one for 40 bucks.

Or yeah, HM-2

[WeHuntKings]

Hm 2 is way too gainy. I've had 3 in the past and never liked it. Fuck doesn't have a blend knob does it?

Honestly I really like the ODB-3 demos I'm hearing is that lame??

[neonblack]

Neither Fuck or Mini has a blend but I never felt like it was necessary.

TAFM also makes a pretty awesome low gain drive AND it has a blend.

Or Earthbound Audio Iron Pig. Awesome Rat, bass friendly. Rat on low gain is wonderful.

[JonnyAngle]

Mini
Elements
Anything with an lm386
Barbershop

Clean blend is dumb. It sounds like bees

[oscillateur]

Arion Bass Distortion. It's not expensive at all and sounds great. It has volume for both clean and overdriven sound. Very recommend.

[Jwar]

I'd say just fuck with your amp man but I'd also look into a Boss DS1 for medium gain stuff and in general. It's cheap and can do really good shit with bass. A lot of folks don't dig them but it slays with my active bass dude.

I don't think Peter Hook used any OD's in early Joy Division man. I think it was all amp and some chorus. I'm pretty sure he used a Trace Elliot, so that could be a lot if his tone right there. Listening to Closer right now, and I don't hear any od.

So, what kind of bass you using?

[BoatRich]

Clean blends are definitely over rated for this. Something like a Sansamp if you want the stereotypical Ampeg thing would be sick, I'd also heavily recommend a DOD BiFet boost. With the volume past 50% it does subtle break up incredibly well, and the preamp itself just sounds great. With a P-Bass a bifet, and a flanger I can get the cure thing perfectly.