DIRT

[bigchiefbc]

I'm trying to figure out my dirt section. The problem is, I gotta get stuff that sounds good on bass and guitar. I'm only with an actual band playing bass, so I guess that's the priority, but I'm doing a solo recording project with guitar too. Right now, I got a TAFM, Grey Stache, and an Ultimate Drive (OCD clone). I've also tried a blower box, which was cool and I'd like to try another rat style distorition in the future, but not a priority for me.

Ideally, I'd cover all my needs with 3 pedals, but I wouldn't object to going with 4. I'm thinking a simple overdrive (low-med gain), a nice warm fuzz (mid gain?), and an octave fuzz that can cut through a mix on bass but isn't too harsh.

For the OD, I was thinking I'd keep the Ultimate Drive until I can upgrade to a Fuzzrocious demon, or alternatively I could try an OCD or something else like a fairfield barbershop. I like the idea of the Demon so I can get a 2nd gain mod and keep one as an almost always on low gain and then get a nice med gain or even a high gain on the 2nd setting.

For the "warm" fuzz, right now I'm thinking I'll keep the grey stache unless I can find something else I like better. I have the diode switch and usually keep it on silicone for warmer sound or no diodes for a harsher sound.

For the octave fuzz I have no idea what to do. Bassmaster clone (diabolik, b:assmaster, etc), Buzzzz, superfuzz, I don't know.

Finally, I might end up getting something else for a 4th dirt, maybe a Mini or a Fuck, maybe another rat style distortion, I don't know.

Ideas/suggestions/comments?

I'm in a similar situation, in that I'm playing bass in a currently gigging band, but also play guitar (and synth) in another group that is mostly studio work at this point. I'm not rich enough to have separate rigs, so all of my dirt must work for bass, guitar and synth. What I'm currently using:

overdrive: Elements - insane versatility, you can completely change the character of the pedal just by flipping the gain and bass cut toggles
"regular" fuzz - Algal Bloom - awesome warm sweet fuzz, very open sounding, not overly compressed - can get more harsh and gated by turning a knob or two
octave fuzz - Tone Machine - extremely underrated fuzz, sounds great on bass in the normal mode, octave is very prominent sounds fantastic

[kbit]

Tone Machine and Warmjet are both dope circuits, but would certainly recommend them for guitar+bass fuzzes. & the TAFM rocks on both as well. I kinda prefer it on guitar I think. Chunky.

[larsbars]

Great suggestions so far. I play both guitar and bass on regular basis, and my favorites have been the EQD Monarch or SS/BS mini for drive, and the Earthbound Supercollider for fuzz. My all-time favorite bass dirt and by turning up the mids and lowering the mass you can get some nice warm toanz for guitar on there.

[Adelbatross]

You can't go wrong with Fuzzrocious for dirt pedals that do well on guitar and bass. I've seen Rat used on both guitar and bass and thought it sounded great on both. Fuzzrocious to the Rat Tail and Rat King (though I think that's been changed to Cat Tail and Cat King now) and those are solid. Brian in Russian Circles who I think has some of the best bass tone going uses a Rat Tail.

I have the Demon and think it's pretty awesome. I generally swap between the Demon or a Fuck for main OD stacked with a Fairfield Barbershop but I only play guitar though.

[echodeluxe]

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[frigid midget]

Another Elements vote here. It could probably cover a lot of fuzz/dist ground, both for bass as well as for guitar.

Check some tone machine demos to make sure it's what you want. They can get kinda harsh and meh imo, I personally really prefer superfuzz flavoured circuits. In fact, I actually like the FZ-2 more than any 'real' superfuzz circuit I tried. Wouldn't really call it an octave fuzz though, but that's what makes it work so good on both bass and guitar imo. Well, that and the little bass/treble controls I guess.

If muffs are an option at all: I highly recommend the Musket, in case you're not familiar with it. Can be tweaked to sound distortion-y, or do all sorts of very gainy muff tones.

A rat (clone) can sound great or aweful depending on the amp imo. I wouldn't recommend it on bass though, that'd be a perfect way to drown your bass in a mix.

[ThurberMingus]

Superfuzz into a thick distortion or other fuzz sounds amazing. Especially on bass!

[PanicProne]

So I'm gonna go ahead and back what Goroth, Frigid and Bigchief have already said: Elements. It's such a versatile pedal sound wise, takes up very little space on your board, sounds great on both bass and guitar and is, I dare even say, "cheap" to buy considering what you get in return. If you were to start with no pedals, that would be my first suggestion.

Second would probably be the dwarfcraft ECT, depending on what style of music you play (forgive me if this has been mentioned, I'm a lazy reader sometimes). It sounds huge, no wait, I meant HUUUUGE! on both guitar and bass and is, although not as versatile as the elements, easy to tweak different sounds out of.

Sadly I haven't been able to try any fuzzrocious stuff yet, but hear a lot of people seem happy with them and if you like your current grey stache, then why not try their other dirt pedals?

One last, "boring" suggestion. Line 6 M5 (or M9) has a lot of cool dirt sounds in it. I especially like the "tube drive". Definitely a "budget" option if you need many different sounds, but don't have to be able to switch between them mid-song (M5 that is, with M9 it wouldn't be a problem). And then there's lots of other cool stuff in it too!