Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I'm not some kid with a Fender Squire P Bass who's hot on distortion. I'm a 45 year old live/recording bass player as well as an accomplished live sound engineer. I don't have an inflated view of my accomplishments or capabilities. I'm certainly not unique. I'm just giving some context so you can judge this review fairly. It's hard to wade through reviews on some sites.
Most bass player shoppers are looking for a distortion pedal that sounds like the song Hysteria from the Muse album Absolution. Great sound! Every serious gigging bass player should have something like that on their pedal board and if that's what you're looking for then this EBS Valve Drive isn't it. Instead, check out the Malekko Barker Assmaster or the Big Muff. (Bass players are a dirty bunch when naming things aren't we?)
This EBS ValveDrive pedal can shred with the best of them, don't get me wrong, but if that's all you're looking for you probably won't appreciate it more than a cheaper stomp box.
Go to the EBS website and listen to the sound samples for this model. You'll appreciate the subtlety of tone in a preamp that sounds like a classic. It will define your sound, not just give you an effect to stomp. It's expensive the same way designer shoes are expensive. Owning a pair of $300 shoes impresses nobody but you and people who appreciate shoes. This is a designer preamp. It gives you a tone that musicians, engineers and producers will fawn over but the average listener will not likely notice till you turn it off. THAT my friend, is art.
I was hesitant to spend $300 on a pedal especially when the mounting of the tube looked like a gimmick; a designer glow to make it look cool. It is worth every penny for it's added Vintage mode which gives an airier crunch. You get two distinct flavors of overdrive in one box. Most importantly, there is very little sacrifice on the low end with this pedal. Any amount of overdrive/distortion in a bass signal is bound to subtract some low end punch but this bad boy puts out as much low end as you want. Remember, EBS specializes in bass gear and they're passionate about bass tone. They're not just some division of a large corporation like most of the other pedal makers out there.
I can't say enough about this pedal. It is now in my "indispensable" category. In retrospect, I would spend my money on this before any amp modeling unit. I own a POD X3 Live and now run it without bass amp modeling so the tone of this preamp shines through. I keep the X3 for volume, tuner, and sub octave effects.
Click Here to see more reviews about: EBS ValveDrive Class A Bass Tube Preamp / Overdrive Pedal
EBS ValveDrive offers the possibility for classic and traditional warm tube sounds up to hard and pure tube distortion. The EBS ValveDrive tube preamp/overdrive pedal can make your bass either glow or growl, whether you want your instrument to sing or scream. The EBS ValveDrive delivers everything, from classic tube warmth to hard and pure tube distortion. The design in steel, chrome and Bakelite is based on a classic concept with an easy dial-in design.
Click here for more information about EBS ValveDrive Class A Bass Tube Preamp / Overdrive Pedal
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