ART SGX Nightbass

[David Tyler]

I really am not a fan of stomp boxes. I prefer rack mount gear to them.

Having said that, I have been looking for a unit with a good distortion. Right now, in my rack, I have a DigiTech 1101 but that's really meant for guitar. (Yes, it's older, outdated equipment...I know). I think the distortion is a bit brittle and trebley. Maybe it can be tweaked, idk.

I'm seeing an ART NIGHTBASS rack unit on Craigslist for about $350 and I'm thinking about it.

Again, this is older gear and there might be something newer and better but I've been looking and not found any rackmounts for bass.

I would appreciate any and all information on this.


David

 

[Nighttrain1127]

I had a NightBass. was a fun gizmo with a lot of cool effects. Not many useable without tweeking the settings and the noise levels could be a problem. Changed out the tube first thing helped some with the noise .

 

[sburkart]

I had a NightBass. was a fun gizmo with a lot of cool effects. Not many useable without tweeking the settings and the noise levels could be a problem. Changed out the tube first thing helped some with the noise .

The compressor is the noisiest thing about the Nightbass, and it can dialed out. Certainly less noisy than a tube amp in most cases here. I just recently began using mine again for processing iPad synths and even BG vocals via the stereo line in, big fun with the X-15 controller!

 

[Feral Feline]

I've always liked the idea of the Art NightBassssss, though I've never had the chance to play around with one.


If all you're after is distortion, though, there are other options...

Wounded Paw

WP used to offer the Black Sheep as a rack pre-amp,

but I'm sure if you wanted a WP Attack Goat or WP Battering Ram in a rack format you could get it.


Viva Analog 's 360+ has an awesome distortion to it, IMO...

PAiA Quadrafuzz

"This sophisticated fuzz designed by Craig Anderton splits an instrument signal into four specially equalized channels and fuzzes each channel separately for the smoothest, cleanest sustaining sound with minimum harshness. Fuzz outputs are normalized to a single output but are also available at individual output jacks. Panel controls include separate level and resonance controls for each channel, effects loop send and receive jacks and foot switch input. If you're tired of the same old fuzz and want something that will let you realize an entire palette of distinctive sounds ... here it is."


PAiA Stack In A Box

"This mono tube pre-amp is optimized for use with guitar. Its vacuum tube stages add fullness and warmth while two switchable filters simulate the timbre of speaker cabinet resonances. You sound like you're playing through a stage stack even if you're using a practice amp or Direct Injecting.

And despite its low cost, this double high rack unit also features high and low impedance unbalanced inputs, "bright" and "fat" switches, an effects loop, a balanced XLR output for interfacing with pro studio gear and both normal and inverted unbalanced outputs. Best of all, this Craig Anderton and John Simonton collaboration just sounds WAY COOL. Wall mount power supply included."


All the aforementioned is available as new, I think.
Another option for new: Broughton Audio might do up a rack unit for you if you send TB member Azure Skies a meme.



Hunt the classifieds for USED GEAR...

RAT R2DU

MXR Omni

You could also search for an older Line6 rack Pod,

or the Digidesign rack interfaces,

Fractal's fricken Axepensive modelling,

the Chandler Tube Driver dealio

Thermionic Culture Vulture is quite popular in studios:

Then there's the ubiquitous Sans-Amp stuff.

Try searching other forums, too.




Also look at modular synth rack gear, there are some hidden gems to be found out there in synth land. The 500 series stuff is gaining popularity with ODs and even Muffs available ...





Lastly, why limit yourself to rack gear when you can take any stompbox and stick it in a rack drawer?

TBer Bassdokes setup a few years back:

 

[cdlynch]

I had a Nightbass in the early 90's, and I'm amazed they still go for that much! I had tons of fun with it and learned a lot about effects, but it's been so long and I've learned so much that I couldn't possibly say how the sound stacks up today. The only downside I remember was that patch switching was slow, and even just switching individual effects within a patch was slow, making performance weird. I had the OTT X-15 UltraFoot controller for it. It's really old tech, and I don't know if it ever got an overhaul. I got a chip upgrade for mine and I don't remember what it did, but it did not speed up the switching. I think it turned it into the SE version.

I do remember programming a distorted patch called BLOW CHUNX which was buckets o' fun.

EDIT: there are a couple on Reverb right now for $200

 

[thumbslapper]

I had a nightbass in the early 90's as well while playing in a prog-rock trio (Squelch, still avail on iTunes!). Gotta be honest, it sounded like crap. It checked all the boxes (programmable, foot pedal, distortion, compressor, etc) but did not sound good. A fellow bassist had a ADA-MP1 (programmable bass pre) that sounded way better.

I ended up getting a MIDI footpedal and audio switcher (can't think of the brand, they ended up going out of business) and would switch in & out all sorts of rack gear - Rane compressor, Blue Tube II pre, sony efx processor, and then into an alembic f1x (which is awesome and i still have).

However since rack gear is out of fashion you can probably find cheap stuff on reverb. just stay away from art nightbass...

 

[J Posega]

Save your money and get a modern effects unit like any of the AxeFX or Line 6 offerings.

 

[two fingers]

Save your money and get a modern effects unit like any of the AxeFX or Line 6 offerings.

This. I owned a Nightbass back when they were new. It was a fun toy for a 20 year old to play with. But it was noisy. And the sounds were just "meh". I ended up creating one customized preset (which was a pain in the butt to do) and only using that one preset live.

 

[spufman]

I remember a local player way back then with a Modulus 6 into a Nightbass/Bigfoot through a Goliath cabinet. That dude (whose name I forget) always had many great tones and serious chops. But yeah, I'd go with more modern processing at this point.

 

[warrplayer]

The effects on the ART Nightbass are pretty horrible. (Or maybe wonderfully 80s sounding if that is your thing.)

 

[cdlynch]

A fellow bassist had a ADA-MP1 (programmable bass pre) that sounded way better.

Ha, I actually switched from my Nightbass to an ADA MB-1 when I started getting more serious, but it also had slow patch switching, and in spite of a flexible EQ, I couldn't get a sound I loved out of that rig whether with EQ set flat, subtle, or wacky. When I tried an Ampeg V-4B with the EQ flat, I was home. I haven't tried a modern pre/power rack system, but I don't need to yet.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I'm seeing an ART NIGHTBASS rack unit on Craigslist for about $350 and I'm thinking about it.

Not even on a dare.

Riis

 

[TyCobb]

There's actually been a Nightbass on my local craigslist for a couple of weeks now for $175. Even has the foot board and manuals. I almost picked it up when I saw it... that was until I read this very thread

 

[Supadope]

I played through a Nightbass for many years. I loved the distortion on it. SUPADOPE.com - Pound Down Here’s a sample.