Heavy Bass Distortion

[vrom]

hmmm, reminds me of the HM-2, honky, but forceful.

I'm looking for the boulders... I think JWR hit the mark with his suggestion of a B7K... especially after I saw/heard this on the Darkglass site (B7K page, go figure):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCp8vE1ZT0g&feature=player_embedded

Which is as close as I've heard to the sound I'm thinking of... If I could cop that, the rest would be a small matter of switching preset eq's on the amp.

hmmm counting pennies...

In the mean time, I'll mess around with the BMC into the B3K, to simulate either one of the B7K's mid control knobs.

Thanks everyone for you help, here and the other place.

[jmoote]

That sound in the video... I don't see why you couldn't get that with just the B3K given the right bass, amp and settings on both. I guess assuming you have a 3-band preamp on your bass to boost the mids, though you could do the same with your BMC.

I am not that good at playing with a pick but I'll try it out with my setup and see what I can get.

[vrom]

Yeah, I agree... I haven't given up yet. And spending more money doesn't seem the answer...

I'm messing with my amp eq settings and the B3K... getting close, especially with the BMC.

Also, the addition of a Bluebeard seems promising, adds some rough-cut mids to the equation.

[Jwar]

My perfect distortion combo right now is (which I know I've mentioned) Okko Basstard, B7 and Dingwall bass and Eden tube amp. My other basses sound good with the pedals as well, but the Dingwall makes it happen. The electronics in this bass are just amazing! I fucking LOVE the tone I'm getting. Not over the top, sludgy, doom type stuff, but articulate, aggressive, fuck you in the face tone. AMAZING. I have to do a demo of it. Damn it I wish I had a proper set up for this.

[skullservant]

Yeah I had a SSTwosome which I used on bass and it ruled really fucking hard. Like super fucking hard. And it was gold. GOLD. Sorry I'm late on that one.

My youtube name is surgeofevan instead of skullservant

[vrom]

Well, the Bluebeard got me no closer to my goal here, but it did fill out the missing over the top harmonic mid-range fuzz tone.

Seriously sits right between the Unpleasant Surprise and Tall Font Russian. It can't do what either does on their own, but it does over lap them a bit, and like I said, really offers harmonics the other two can't (close, but not as insane as the Bluebeard).

It seems extravagent to own the Bluebeard and the other two, but then again, I have NO desire to try another fuzz pedal... like ever... so fuzz fullfilled right now... a good place to be.

Ok, back to ubber bass distortion...

[vrom]

So... been listening online, and narrowed down some fine suggestions from here and elsewhere. The following are effects I have not tried on my bass, all other suggestions that I have tried on my bass have been dismissed, with sincere gratitude for the thoughtful input.

EBS Metaldrive: no one (except the dude from Entombed) seems to use this, at least no one has an opinion about it that isn't endorsed by EBS. All the vids I see/hear lead me to believe it's too honky. Not the rumbling destruction I'm looking for... so it's off the list. $199 - verdict: no...

Heavy Electronics El Oso: Pretty much the same as above, honky and splattery. It almost sounds like there is some rumble in there, under all the splatter, but still, not what I'm after. $149 - verdict: no...

OKKO Basstard: Gotta say, the name is a turn off... I mean, we all agree calling a guitarist a Guitard is mean, so why would I want Basstard on my board? Yeah, I get it, bastard; like a dude who's mother got impregnated out of wedlock, but with two ss's, uh huh, yeah... Heh, anyway, 'clever' marketing aside, this one seems to suffer from similar honk as most bass distortions, but the low rumble seems more pronounced than the above two, maybe it can be dialed out... This made the shorter list. Too bad it's so pricey. $305 - verdict: maybe...

Dwarfcraft Baby Thundaa: Very cool fuzz, not the right kind of distortion though... $200 - verdict: nope

Landmine Distortion: Fuzz... I can get this sound and more from the TFR. $139 (if you can find it). - verdict: nope

smallsound/bigsound Mini: Not as distorted as I want, too tame. Sounds good, just not what I need. $159 - verdict: no

Darkglass B7K: It's a B3K with eq settings, and the closest I've heard online to what I'm after. I don't think I'd ever use the DI on this though. Still, a 4 band eq is tempting, and worth the mad duckets if it does what I need. $389 - verdict: maybe
____________________________

So, verdict: OKKO Basstard or B7K would potentially get me closer to what I'm after (with eq'ing and amp tweaking, of course). Damn I have expensive taste.

Ok, back to the drawing, I mean, pedalboard. I'm gonna mess with the B3K and different eq settings, onboard and off, to see if I really need to spend more money to get the grumbly rumbly I'm after.

[MEC]

Did you ever get a chance to check out the Mountainking Heavy Machine?

[Dark Barn]

Not sure if these have already been suggested but:

Fuzzrocious Rat Tail
Audio Monk Fuzz Potion
Mountainking Electronics Heavy Machine (or Huge Box II)

The Fuzz potion I have no direct experience with, I just want one! The other two I have owned and both worked well for me, especially the Rat Tail since it was so versatile, could do a great O.D. or distortion with it.

[Dark Barn]

I just watched the video from the post at the top of this page and I think you can get this sound with your B3K, my suggestions in my previous post don't really work for that sound so, ignore them. It sounds like fresh rounds, slight mid cut, bass boost and overdrive. When I think of (heavy bass) distortion I think "almost fuzz".

[Jwar]

Dude! Fuzzpotion fucking rules HARD. Especially with a Dwarfcraft Baby Thunda. Seriously awesome clarity in that fuzz!!!!

The Okko is amazing though. I would seriously get that. Just buy it when Prymaxe has a Black Friday sale or something.

[vrom]

hmm... seems like I need to replenish my effects pedal paypal account, heh, heh.

yeah, I when i have the cabbage for the OKKO i'll try one out. in the mean time, i'll move the BMC around the B3K, mess with my amp's eq settings (M9 has a shit-tone of eq control), and see what I can dig up. reading through Doug's post on TB about the B3K, I realize I should experiment more with the grunt switch. I was thinking of it as a bass boost, which it isn't, instead of a low-pass control, which it is. Basically, flipping it up allows your entire signal to be distorted, which is more of what I want. i've been using it mostly in the RAW setting to get that sweet midrange grind I love so much (a little Billy Gould anyone?). i think if i distort more of the bottom end the boulders will come out and cobble about the cauldron, as it were. that and some careful amp tweakage. i...am...going...to....figure...this...out...dammit!!!

i'll experiment today, after some sleep (fucking night shift, messing with my bass time).

thanks again for all the help fellow noise enthusiasts. i know others will read this and get some inspiration. at least they'll have a decent list of effects to sample!

oh yeah, I have tried a Rat Tail, and it ain't my thing at all. I have come to realize i simply don't like 'classic' distortion (tube screamers, rats, etc...)... ok, so I like my green muff clone, but that's it!

[ChetMagongalo]

Not sure if it's obvious or not but it's worth bringing up if it hasn't crossed your mind, fresh strings and aggressive or hard plucking or picking technique make the world of difference in getting the so heavy sound. Especially in my experience.

[vrom]

It has. Actually someone else mentioned it too, and I realize that I haven't changed my strings in like a year. Maybe I should save a couple hundred bucks and spend 50 instead... I have been meaning to try those Kerly Jazz heavies...

Thanks for the advice!

[ChetMagongalo]

Every time I change my strings I am amazed at how much difference it makes, always a good thing to remember.