Onboard overdrive

[Ricky Caboverde]

I'm sure it can be done. Owe Biddle plays a Callowhill which has a Tube Screamer circuit installed onboard. And though not as elaborate as you are looking for, Alien Audio happens to make an onboard preamp for their basses (and separately as the "Tidal Wave") which has an overdrive circuit: Preamp — AlienAudioAlienAudio

 

[JediBassKnight]

Pretty sure I'm going to go with the Xotic SL Drive. It's tiny and the circuit board looks like it's split already. That should make it an easier install, at least I would think, as I wouldn't have to worry about a large board fitting in my control cavity, especially if I am doing the same with a reverb.

Need to go try one. Might just buy it blind, it's only about a hundred bucks.

 

[Feral Feline]

@JediBassKnight
I enjoyed the clips you posted.

I also like the ideas of Volto and going for the onboard reverb. You could have a switch, and a ...

MOMENTARY button. Set the reverb for a long ambient tail; hit a note with the momentary pressed with your pinky/thumb (whatever's convenient, you did map out the ergonomics before installing it, right? ) With the tail telling the tale of the key you're in, solo over top of it. Adjust the tail-length to suit the song, don't want the tail running over a key change, for instance.

 

[JediBassKnight]

@JediBassKnight
I enjoyed the clips you posted.

I also like the ideas of Volto and going for the onboard reverb. You could have a switch, and a ...

MOMENTARY button. Set the reverb for a long ambient tail; hit a note with the momentary pressed with your pinky/thumb (whatever's convenient, you did map out the ergonomics before installing it, right? ) With the tail telling the tale of the key you're in, solo over top of it. Adjust the tail-length to suit the song, don't want the tail running over a key change, for instance.

Hell yeah, sounds like you get what I'm going for. Probably just a switch but I plan on it being a long reverb with a little chorus on it but not the dry signal. For Volume swells for my psychedelic bits.

Going for a cosmic metal type thing lol

 

[JediBassKnight]

So change of plans. Found a different overdrive I liked more and then found out that they discontinued it so I bought the 4th to last left on Amazon.

I bought the Earthquaker Speaker Cranker!

One knob that controls the drive and the volume automatically adjusts to stay around unity volume, awesome! And the circuit is tiny!

 

[JediBassKnight]

I might have the knob on the bass with the switch, not sure. I'm already planning on drilling one hole. What's another? However I don't even have the bass yet as it's on pre-order lol and the virus stuff going on.

I bet it'll fit and I bet I won't have much issue with the reverb either. We'll see. If not I still have a badass overdrive.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Thanks, my friend Marco Cortes did a great job on it.

Since I already have outboard power plumbed in, and this is my new dedicated slide bass, I've actually been thinking about throwing a simple distortion board in there sooner than later. If I do that I'll be happy to share whatever design I work out for it.



For starters: clean/dirty and/or or wet/dry mix for time based effects, muting, and maybe preset switching.

You do know that I love you more by the day?......

 

[beer&bass]

Fernandes Introduces Triturador Deluxe Bass

Fernandes Jeff Walker of Carcass signature model, with onboard EBS distortion / overdrive circuit. Not sure what they are using for the overdrive, but I like the idea of an onboard ovedrive.

 

[beer&bass]

So change of plans. Found a different overdrive I liked more and then found out that they discontinued it so I bought the 4th to last left on Amazon.

I bought the Earthquaker Speaker Cranker!

One knob that controls the drive and the volume automatically adjusts to stay around unity volume, awesome! And the circuit is tiny!

I've been eyeing the Speaker Cranker for a while. How does it sound?

 

[FaithNoMan]

Doesn’t the “faith no more” bass player do exactly this?

I’m sure he has a built in overdrive in his bass.

Modeled after the "grunt" he got from his old Peavey amps.
(I just scored an old Mark IV like his. "Grunt" def describes it! A better choice for my Ric than a battery circuit)

 

[Nephilymbass]

I've always thought onboard overdrive would be amazing. I don't switch it on or off constantly. And I hate using pedals. And if all I need is an overdrive for my sound, it'd be nice to just grab my Bass and go with a di and wireless in the bass case, no amp needed, no pedals, no wires.

I know it's not new and there are companies who build them into their guitars, but what about the people who want it in their existing guitars and or basses.

Not feeling the black ice passive stuff. I want pedal companies to make onboard variants. Also having onboard cab sim with the OD would be even better.

I've contacted darkglass and they said no. Having a Vintage Ultra with most the knobs disconnected and at my settings would be amazing. Haven't bothered with other companies yet.

I'm in Iowa and Bilt Guitars are built here and feature onboard effects. I might try them next.

Tl;Dr
I want onboard overdrive, can't find it and know it's not a new idea.


Questions for you all. Do any of you use onboard overdrive, If so where did you get it/did you make it/can I buy one?

Something along the lines of 4 dual concentric knobs total on my Bass, controlling; Volume/Pickup Balance, Treble/Bass, Mids/Freq, Drive/Blend and a switch for cab sim. So just one dual knob to control the overdrive and a mini switch.

Would anyone rock this on their basses?

The Dingwall hellboy model appears to have exactly what you want.... Onboard darkglass drive.

 

[RyoCanCan]

GO DIY!

And if you don't wanna DIY it yourself, there are plenty of DIYers to semi-pro solder-jockeys who could do what you are requesting. Be prepared that your bass may need some additional wood removed from it to house all that you seek to include. Get your needs custom tailored to, you can't do that with commercial stuff.



4 dual concentrics and a sw is totally do-able.

1590A
Find a 1590A dirt pedal you like and ditch the housing and the stomper and stuff it in your bass.
Mooer has a cab sim in 1590A, and there are DIs that are nearly 1590A. Depending on your bass and willingness to excavate space — you could house 3 1590A pedals' guts in your bass.
I've seen a Darkglass B3K clone DIY that would fit in a 1590A pedal.

So ...
DIRT
CAB SIM
DI, all in your bass. Of course, the DI means you 'd be tethered unless your FOH / Recording studio engineers can take a wireless signal into their own DIs.

You could run an XLR cable and use phantom power... there's all sorts of ways to proceed...


I'm building an onboard pre with some grit for a guitar friend right now. Have 3 postage-stamp sized prototypes read to go and will make 2 more for him to choose one of them...

I need to know about this tiny B3K clone. Toying around with a B3K onboard thingy idea.

 

[bigsnack]

I still want to pursue this. Life with two young kids has made it a bit harder to carve out time, but the want is there and it WILL happen.

 

[RyoCanCan]

I still want to pursue this. Life with two young kids has made it a bit harder to carve out time, but the want is there and it WILL happen.

I'm having a hard time deciding which circuit to use. Mooer has great distortions/overdrives but I don't know how they work with bass, and getting a B3K kit somewhere is still out in the open.

Just gotta pick one and try it out.

 

[emal]

Following this thread as I want it to be my next project.
I was looking at the Guptech Bass Bone as it's a clone of the B3k
Bass Bone - Bass Preamp OD