considering a pedal to use with the Bongo

[shakinbacon]

In the past I've used a sansamp bass driver (great product and company by the way) but found that my SR5 which I owned at the time overdrove the unit even in bypass so I got rid of it.

The Bongo with its 18V preamp would likely do the same.

I no longer have the Sansamp but am considering getting either a stand alone distortion/fuzz pedal or a multi effects unit.

I will use the the effect maybe 5% of the time (lead fills when our lead guitarist is out for guitar intros for example) so the bypass must sound pristine

Here's what I like the sound of so far based on You Tube and could use your feedback on:

MXR Blowtorch
Aguilar Agro
Sansamp VT
MXR El Grande
Electro Harmonix Bass Blogger


*IF* I do a multi-effect unit it must be quiet and have a basic drum machine for practice at night. Not a big fan of a million options in a pedal but having compression, distortion a tuner and a DI all in one would be kinda convenient.

Again, this would be used exclusively with the Bongo so please keep at least its preamp (18V with dual mids) in mind.

Thanks,
shakin

 

[Alex001]

If you can swing the extra cash, go for the VT Bass Deluxe:

Everything the VT has + :

- Same fully analog tone
- Two input channels
- Six preset locations to store your favourite settings
- Programmable FX loop
- DI/XLR out

Otherwise, the standard VT is an impressive piece of kit.

 

[shakinbacon]

If you can swing the extra cash, go for the VT Bass Deluxe:

Everything the VT has + :

- Same fully analog tone
- Two input channels
- Six preset locations to store your favourite settings
- Programmable FX loop
- DI/XLR out

Otherwise, the standard VT is an impressive piece of kit.

Thanks for the suggestions Alex. Can the VT (standard or deluxe) handle the Bongo's hot signal?

 

[73jbass]

I used an Ibanez Turbo Tube Screamer with great success on bass several years ago.In Turbo mode you get the least amount of overdrive,but very little loss of low end.

 

[ScreaminFloyd]

No Drum Machine, but has a looper. Videos on Youtube. Boss GT-10B

 

[maddog]

I say, use the G.A.S. pedal.

 

[shakinbacon]

I say, use the G.A.S. pedal.

unfortunately that pedal has no brake to stop GAS

nyuk nyuk nyuk

 

[oddjob]

If you have the Bongo's volume turned all the way up, no. Very few things can handle the the volume being dimed. You have to think of the volume as more of a line level (was real hard for me to get my head around this but it is true). I run mine at about 60% and let the amp do the rest of the work and it works fine.

 

[OldManMusic]

I use the VT (standard) with my Bongos. Just like any bass with a distortion pedal, you can dial in and out some warm distortion by adjusting your output. Like Oddjob mentioned, I get a great sound out of my Bongo at 60-70% of the volume with the VT. Real warm and SVT-ish. I will take it to 80-100% volume to really get big distorted tone here and there for a part, I just don't leave it there. It's more about my tastes than something that the pedal can't handle.

 

[oli@bass]

I currently have the PBDDI, the MXR Blowtorch, and Alfred Overdrive and a Fulltone Bass-Drive Mosfet. The Bass-Drive is my favorite. It really depends on what type of overdrive/distortion you're looking for, and the purpose of the sound. IMO, the Blowtorch is great for high gain distortion while keeping a clear bass. The Bass-Drive is better for light edge, and you still can get more with the boost switch. Both pedals colour the bass sound less than the PBDDI does.

 

[Norm66]

Anyone have any hands on time with Markbass's Distorsore pedal? The demo video makes it look pretty cool but the guy playing in the demo was so far from my style it was hard to tell what it was really like.

 

[Double Agent]

If you have the Bongo's volume turned all the way up, no. Very few things can handle the the volume being dimed. You have to think of the volume as more of a line level (was real hard for me to get my head around this but it is true). I run mine at about 60% and let the amp do the rest of the work and it works fine.

I have 6-8 pedals at any given time and I have never had to run the volume on my Bongo at anything less than 100%. Some of them are older Boss pedals and they handle the Bongo's output just fine.

Remember, 18v doesn't necessarily mean hotter output, sometimes it is just more headroom. I have had 9v basses with hotter output than the Bongo, but none of them had the range of the Bongo's EQ. With pedals, if you are running your Bongo's EQ flat, or close to flat, you should be fine. A lot of modern pedals (like the VT Bass) are manufactured with the idea that many of today's players use high-output, active basses and are made to be capable of dealing with them. I have no personal experience with the VT Bass, but I would be shocked if it couldn't handle the Bongo's output level.

 

[oddjob]

I have 6-8 pedals at any given time and I have never had to run the volume on my Bongo at anything less than 100%. Some of them are older Boss pedals and they handle the Bongo's output just fine.

More power to you. At 100% with any eq my Markass clips, my GK clips (esp when I don't have the pad on), my SWR clips, my Line6 gear clips... pedals are a bit more forgiving but I can still hear the clipping. The bit about using the volume as a line level are BP's words not mine. If it works for you great but most of us around here have had to readjust our thinking about the volume knob on an active bass (very different on a passive bass)

 

[metalarch]

In the past I've used a sansamp bass driver (great product and company by the way) but found that my SR5 which I owned at the time overdrove the unit even in bypass so I got rid of it.

The Bongo with its 18V preamp would likely do the same.

I no longer have the Sansamp but am considering getting either a stand alone distortion/fuzz pedal or a multi effects unit.

I will use the the effect maybe 5% of the time (lead fills when our lead guitarist is out for guitar intros for example) so the bypass must sound pristine

Here's what I like the sound of so far based on You Tube and could use your feedback on:

MXR Blowtorch
Aguilar Agro
Sansamp VT
MXR El Grande
Electro Harmonix Bass Blogger


*IF* I do a multi-effect unit it must be quiet and have a basic drum machine for practice at night. Not a big fan of a million options in a pedal but having compression, distortion a tuner and a DI all in one would be kinda convenient.

Again, this would be used exclusively with the Bongo so please keep at least its preamp (18V with dual mids) in mind.

Thanks,
shakin

I can say that the Fulltone pedal is awesome! you should try it...
Fulltone Products

 

[bovinehost]

Pedals? Are you people guitarists?

 

[Powman]

Pedals? Are you people guitarists?

Good point sir! But...

I use my pedals sparingly, but they come in handy occasionally. eg.
Chorus: For some Guns and roses stuff, and for some expressive kinda parts.

Big Muff Pi: I use the dry setting that allows a blend of original tone and some distortion. I use this for about 20% of the stuff I do with one band I play with that has only one guitarist. so I m sort of covering the bass and rhythm parts with this pedal. When I play with 2 guitarists, I ditch an distortion as there is no sonic space for that anymore.

Bass synth: Only use it on one song: Ghostbusters. Its a blast for that, but thats it. Might return it.

Tuner: Duh! Some say its the only pedal a bass player needs.

If I could keep only one, it would be the Big Muff Pi. The "Dry" mode is my favorite setting.

 

[Powman]

Remember, 18v doesn't necessarily mean hotter output, sometimes it is just more headroom. I have had 9v basses with hotter output than the Bongo, but none of them had the range of the Bongo's level.

I agree. I find my Sterling at 9V to be hotter than my Bongo with 18V. I need to turn down the input gain on my Markbass amp when I switch from the Bongo to the Sterling.

 

[oli@bass]

Pedals? Are you people guitarists?

Yes. Most are bass guitarists, to be precise. Some, on the other hand, play tuba, as I've heard...

 

[Boogie.Man]

No more pedals for me.

I've had them all, but I found that I just like the sound of bass and amp. I can get quite a few tonal options out of what I have.

 

[rizzo9247]

I use 2 pedals to and fro gigs; gas and brake.