Tech 21 SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver with fender Rumble 500

[Neetzo]

Hi everyone.

Im about to start in a Alice in Chains coverband.

I got a Fender Rumble 500 combo. And after some research i can see that Mike Inez, use the Sans Amp Bass drive to dirty up the sound. So i think about buying this for distortion. That will be the Sansamp programmable version. So i quickly can get into the sound of Stone and other distorted sounds.

Im not that good on gear, so this i need to know this. Will i just plug the Sansamp in like a normal distortion pedal? I will also have a chorus, flanger and tuner into my chain.

Anyone on what will be the best way to do this?

 

[DDXdesign]

You can do that, but since it's a preamp unto itself, you can also plug it into the effects return on the back of the amp. This bypasses all the knobs on the top, and your final tone and volume would be set by the sansamp.

 

[Neetzo]

You can do that, but since it's a preamp unto itself, you can also plug it into the effects return on the back of the amp. This bypasses all the knobs on the top, and your final tone and volume would be set by the sansamp.

Would you believe it will create a better sound to do like you say?

 

[DDXdesign]

Would you believe it will create a better sound to do like you say?

It depends on what you like about the sound; I've tried both ways and couldn't settle on anything perfect. Rumble 500 = 4 band EQ and a crunchy drive channel; SABDDI = different EQ setup altogether with dry blend and a gradual fat breakup type of drive. Together (bddi into the amp front) you might get the ultimate tailorable sound set or you might get analysis paralysis from all the options, especially with 3 channels on the BDDI programmable. If you love the BDDI sound and don't want the amp to color it, go the FX return route.

Sidenote: I don't like the programmable because I accidentally double-click soft-switch footswitches way more often than I should, which on that pedal saves your current settings over whatever was already stored. Heh.

 

[Neetzo]

Haha i get your point. But im not that good with gear yet, so it was important for me with quick live options. (The programmable) Because i dont trust myself doing the setup on the fly ;P I need a clean sound, a dirty distorsted standard sound, and heavy distorted for tracks like "Stones" - So i just have to stop ligthly But i might try both things.

 

[tech21nyc]

If going into the front of an amp, it's best to set the controls on the amp to a fairly neutral setting. Running a preamp into a preamp with two sets of tone controls will just make things confusing. The two EQ's will usually fight one another. You can use the controls on the amp to fine tune your settings once you get the optimum sound with the pedal. I always encourage people to try the pedal with the amp set flat or into the effects return (do not use the send) to get a handle on how the pedal sounds and the controls react.

Of course this is based on the assumption you are using the SansAmp as your main amp sound. If you decide you want to turn it on and off like a typical stompbox you will probably go the opposite way.

 

[Neetzo]

If going into the front of an amp, it's best to set the controls on the amp to a fairly neutral setting. Running a preamp into a preamp with two sets of tone controls will just make things confusing. The two EQ's will usually fight one another. You can use the controls on the amp to fine tune your settings once you get the optimum sound with the pedal. I always encourage people to try the pedal with the amp set flat or into the effects return (do not use the send) to get a handle on how the pedal sounds and the controls react.

Of course this is based on the assumption you are using the SansAmp as your main amp sound. If you decide you want to turn it on and off like a typical stompbox you will probably go the opposite way.

Thanks for your answer. Well i have not tried it yet, so i dont know what will be best. But the point of the Sansamp is to dirty up my sound. And make me switch between sounds. But i dont know what the best result will be. I want to come as close as possible to the Alice in Chains sound. I also bought a Spector bass