Overdrive for Bass (DOD 250 style)

[ck3]

If you're in the market for more affordable options, Mosky had a mini 250 clone on the market at one point (complete with the correct op amp per a Reddit review), and the Caline White Heat is another budget-priced knockoff.

[publicfig]

Another recc for the Salt Box, mostly using it on guitar right now but it sounds great on bass!

[D.o.S.]

Salt Box is a 250 with tweaks and it kills on bass. It was designed for the spec of the saltiest bass player I know.

250s are great.

[Seedy]

That DOD 250 sounds pretty awesome. But for some punch/grit on bass I love EHX Hot Tubes and the TC Mojomojo, each $50 when I got them. The Hot Tubes especially gives me an awesome sharp attack. It's on all the time now. The Mojomojo has a softer tone but still great for bass, including a bass knob. If you want a little dirtier I use a Fuzzhugger Algal Bloom with the Gain mostly up and the Starve fully starved-ed. None of these have a clean blend or dry-out.

[Kacey Y]

The EBS Multidrive is a pretty good option for subtle overdrive that's pleasant sounding. It can do "tube like" sounds without too much weird sag or extreme eq sounds, instead of a tone knob it has a 3 way switch for some different modes that have different levels of low end and compression. I find that it sounds best with the "active" button pushed in, even with passive basses. I've gone through a bunch of boutique overdrives that are well regarded for bass and still have mine. My other go-to overdrive for bass is my first gen reissue yellow DOD 250 (which I bought for $20 in the early 2000s), so I figured you might find the suggestion useful. There's a few different versions, I have one of the older ones and don't know if there's any difference beyond looks with newer ones.

[frodog]

I'm very happy with the Mask Audio SFD that I built. Don't know how it compares to a 250 but the thud is real. Breaks up in a nice, soft way from drive into low-end heavy fuzz territory with that pot, and you can cut the highs to taste. Dare I say it's a bit Ampeg-like.

[worra]

Tossing another salt box recommendation out there. Been very happy with the sounds from the proto I tried, waiting for my unit to arrive!

[D.o.S.]

The EBS Multidrive is a pretty good option for subtle overdrive that's pleasant sounding. It can do "tube like" sounds without too much weird sag or extreme eq sounds, instead of a tone knob it has a 3 way switch for some different modes that have different levels of low end and compression. I find that it sounds best with the "active" button pushed in, even with passive basses. I've gone through a bunch of boutique overdrives that are well regarded for bass and still have mine. My other go-to overdrive for bass is my first gen reissue yellow DOD 250 (which I bought for $20 in the early 2000s), so I figured you might find the suggestion useful. There's a few different versions, I have one of the older ones and don't know if there's any difference beyond looks with newer ones.

Yeah I have one of the old 2000's reissues (picked it up in 2008? for like something like 20-30) but Skully modded it in 2013 so I haven't used a proper 250 in a long time. They're rad. I kind of regret not picking up another reissue to leave stock.

[K2000]

The DOD 250 is okay, but the limited controls on it are... limiting. If you can find a cheap one, that's great. Spending a lot for one, when there are more flexible choices, seems like a mistake.

Don't get me wrong, I love simple controls on gear especially when it sounds great by default. But the 250 lacks... "corrective" tonal options.

If you really want to try one, maybe build or buy a "BYOC 250+" ?

[retinal orbita]

So in a freak act of strangeness one of my amps that’s been sitting on consignment for months sold yesterday and I’m flush with gear related cash - I decided to take the plunge on a Gray Channel as there’s a reasonably priced one on Reverb from a Canadian seller.

I find the HUGE Earthquaker boxes a tad frustrating in terms of pedal real estate but I’m hoping the options will give me enough versatility to justify the giant box.

Edit - looks like this is not the same size as the Data Corrupter - disregard my comments!!

[Chankgeez]

I like the Gray Channel because it lets you easily switch back and forth between two different flavors of 250.

[Kacey Y]

Yeah I have one of the old 2000's reissues (picked it up in 2008? for like something like 20-30) but Skully modded it in 2013 so I haven't used a proper 250 in a long time. They're rad. I kind of regret not picking up another reissue to leave stock.

I think mine is one of the 90's ones, I got it in 2002 I think and it was super old and beatup looking then. It rattled like a maraca when I picked it up and looked like it had been dragged behind a truck, but it was the best sounding dirt box in the entire store with a bass (I tried all of them and promised the guy at the counter I would buy one) and also happened to be the cheapest (seriously, it was less than $25 out the door with tax). Someone modded it for me a decade later, nothing circuit wise, just replaced the pots (which were super loose) and put a Boss style power jack in for me. I still always bring it with me if I go jam with new people and half the time I end up using it. It's not super flexible, but for an always on dirty tone, it just always sounds good to me. Several people saw me using one at gigs or practices in old bands and bought one, only to be disappointed with it. I've never owned any of the newer ones, so I've got no clue if they're really that different or what. I will never sell mine, because I got it so cheap and it's been so consistently reliable and great sounding.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Gray Channel looks awesome, seems like a good choice!!

[Kacey Y]

Let us know what you think of the Gray Channel.

[qersty]

gray channel looks very nice, i used to gas pretty hard for it when it first came out and ngl this thread has made me gas pretty hard for some 250 as well. No clipping mode seems really useful. Does anybody know if somebody has made a 250 with a bax eq or is that too close to OCD territory?