Creation Audio Grizzly Overdrive vs Darkglass Vintage Ultra

Bob Moulton

Bob Moulton

Feb 13, 2006
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Ypsilanti, MI
#1
I'm currently looking at clean boost and overdrive pedals. I've been using a '76 SVT into a Bergantino NV610, and play a Fender Precision and JMJ Mustang basses. I think I've narrowed it down to the Darkglass Vintage Ultra and a Creation Audio Grizzly Overdrive. I realize they're at completely different price points and the Darkglass has a few more bells and whistles, but that's really not the focus. Sound is #1.

I bought a very early version of the BK7 when they first came out and liked it, but felt it was a little too modern sounding. I am worried the Darkglass Vintage would be somewhat redundant with an vintage SVT and a sealed 610. I don't want it to sound too modern. Not a fan of new metal at all, but I still want to have low end definition with no tweeter and a P bass. I also use flats or nickel rounds, so my approach is more on the warm side. Love low mids. I'm looking for input from anyone that has experience with the Darkglass Vintage line and the Grizzly. Or am I missing another pedal that will double as a clean boost and mild overdrive? Any insight would be appreciated.
 
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#2
Grizzly and Vintage Ultra are both great for that usage. The Ultra has an amazingly versatile EQ, which is the main reason for the price bump. It does NOT have the default modern vibe of the B7K -- but with the powerful EQ you can dial in modern, vintage, you name it.

The Grizzly has a less flexible EQ, but it naturally leans vintage because of the mid cut and treble rolloff features (both of which can be set flat). It also has two distortion engines: for the sounds you are going for you'll probably want Overdrive rather than the Distortion, but maybe you'll prefer Distortion, or a combo of O plus D.



As for missing other pedals: that's a given these days! We musicians are fortunate to have so many options, and I'm sure you'll get many more suggestions. Having so many options is also a curse: pedal shopping becomes a huge rabbit hole, you can go crazy trying to choose between a dozen or more pedals that can deliver what you want, and once you choose one, then you'll wonder if one of the other ones would have been better, and that'll probably be true no matter how happy you are with the one you own. ;)
 
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#4
lavaman67 said:
Comparing the two strictly on their OD capabilities, what are your thoughts? Or are they really that close?
Click to expand...

They can be close, sure. Both can be set for neutral, gentle OD. The Grizzly has fewer controls, so it's easier to tweak. If you prefer to have control over a whole bunch of tonal parameters, the Ultra would be the obvious choice.

I recommend both of these pedals (and could add others such as the Damnation Audio MBD-1), but as noted, there are a whole bunch more that might work for you. Your thread is specific to these two pedals which is probably why you haven't gotten more responses. If you search the Effects forum for "transparent low gain OD" (something like that) then you should find a bunch of threads with enough different testimonials to make your head spin. :D Here's just one -- and OBTW it was started by Justin Meldal-Johnsen:

A very natural, rich sounding, subtle overdrive.
 
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#7
Both great pedals, both very different, the only way to find out which you prefer is to play through them yourself!

There are tons of others out there though, given that you’ve said P Bass with flats and lots of low mids, I’ll chuck the Xotic BB, SolidgoldFX Beta, Bearfoot Blueberry / Broughton AzureDrive, Catalinbread SFT, One Control Hookers Green / Sonic Silver, Pork Loin and Aguilar Tonehammer into the ring also!
 
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#9
lavaman67 said:
I'm currently looking at clean boost and overdrive pedals. I've been using a '76 SVT into a Bergantino NV610, and play a Fender Precision and JMJ Mustang basses. I think I've narrowed it down to the Darkglass Vintage Ultra and a Creation Audio Grizzly Overdrive. I realize they're at completely different price points and the Darkglass has a few more bells and whistles, but that's really not the focus. Sound is #1.

I bought a very early version of the BK7 when they first came out and liked it, but felt it was a little too modern sounding. I am worried the Darkglass Vintage would be somewhat redundant with an vintage SVT and a sealed 610. I don't want it to sound too modern. Not a fan of new metal at all, but I still want to have low end definition with no tweeter and a P bass. I also use flats or nickel rounds, so my approach is more on the warm side. Love low mids. I'm looking for input from anyone that has experience with the Darkglass Vintage line and the Grizzly. Or am I missing another pedal that will double as a clean boost and mild overdrive? Any insight would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I'd recommend the AO Ultra over the Vintage, due to the more versatile/blendable dirt circuits, the cab IR's and the graphic EQ: I've owned every DG pedal, and this is the king of them all in my opinion.

 
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#10
Just fyi, The DG Vintage has a very different flavor. I picked one up to replace a VT Bass Deluxe as an always on. But, it wasn't what I was hoping for. It didn't sound tubey nor vintage per se, to my ears. It was really dark sounding even with additional eq. That said, its a serviceable pedal, cuts through the mix well, and obviously works for others. I actually prefer the DG's A/O ability for clean boosting and overdrive(s)
 
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#12
Can't speak to the Vintage Ultra, but I can say that the Grizzly is very responsive to your touch. Play softly, and you get a nice bloom- play harder, and you can get some heavy drive, all without tweaking knobs. However, it does have less tweaking potential than the Darkglass, so YMMV.
 
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