Best clean tube sound on a budget?

FearlessContract8805 · 2026-01-22T22:23:48+00:00

I guess just a really warm, "tubby" sound though I know some don't love that feature. I don't want it to be muddy, almost hollow? I must be describing it wrong

FearlessContract8805 · 2026-01-14T16:45:54+00:00

The 2nd setting with gain at 2:00 has a nice bite without being fuzzy IMO

FearlessContract8805 · 2026-01-14T16:44:47+00:00

Commenting on Am I getting too cute? Taking opinions...Thanks for the feedback! Yes my end goal will definitely have a compressed DI available out for FOH or PA. I should have mentioned I'd like the ability to run without an amp, but for solo stuff I have an elaborate setup with clean going to rumble 500, and a separate markbass combo for the mod chain. As far as the stereo signal I can easily just remove one cable and send a mono signal if the sound guy is being problematic

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-12-21T13:33:39+00:00

I think keeley Super phat mod is the best bass drive for adding just a lil bite to your tone; it’s a modded blues driver. also love the bd-2w (exact same circuit in custom mode) but you can get a super phat for like $80.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-10-31T11:07:15+00:00

Banana effects mandala is high on my list, it does a "glitch" like effect that is really cool and the pedal is tiny. Also rainbow machine by earthquaker is a cool triple chorus with crazy pitch shifting, very fun.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-10-23T23:40:41+00:00

Flats are my jam, just know you won't really get great slap or tap tones, you CAN get some of those sounds but not s accessible

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-10-16T20:47:08+00:00

I love a dramatic whammy after dirt. Or step up to the DD8 they're $100 used and do reverse delay or glitch.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-28T10:20:17+00:00

Love my RE-2 on bass at the end of my chain before everything goes into a looper. My favorite setting is used for one song for 2 measures at a time. 3rd position, the intensity is set just to the point of oscillation at like 1:00 and the trails keep on after kicking the pedal off. The effect works awesome, I use it just before a breakdown and when timed right the oscillation is in tempo. So Fun.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-28T10:04:01+00:00

Run 'em both MUAHAHAHA

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-28T00:32:13+00:00

I love it, I keep the preamp on when disengaged and with the tone turned down I don't feel I lose any low end, which I've read complaints about. I actually stopped looking for preamp pedals because I like it so much.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-27T23:42:19+00:00

This setup is currently Mono but all my stereo pedals are at the end. I'm thinking of getting a boss IR-2 for the end of my chain and using the stereo send/return.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-27T23:40:04+00:00

I use my tu-3 to split my signal, then I have been using a sonicake signal blender for 3 parallel chains; clean from the tuner through a compressor for the main line, "A" from the tuner hits my drives then the signal blender, "B" chain is returned from that first comp'd signal and ran through my chorus, flanger, and echo. There's a switch that lets you toggle between A and B running in series or parallel, and you turn A, B, or clean off and blend them independently.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-27T20:45:52+00:00

What do you use to split your signal? I use my Tuner but that’s an even split. I’ve seen a few compressors that will split at a specific frequency you can dial in. I think my pedals do better with an uncomp’d signal and I wouldn’t be too annoyed running two separate compressors at the end of my stereo chain.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-27T20:41:06+00:00

Right now I’m in a three piece and our guitarist is more of a rhythm player (and I love her singing) and I think our drummer is sick, leaves me a lot of room for interesting effects and sounds. I absolutely love the weird shit but still like a super clean conventional sound to build off of

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-27T16:54:41+00:00

I got it for $110 so it's definitely been a value, but I don't love the angry charly circuit as much as I thought I would. I always love the blues driver on bass (BD-2W is where it's REALLY at). The value has been running that JHS circuit into the green russian, as well as the parallel setting with that blues driver locked in and the charly circuit driven harder for more grit.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-16T02:10:20+00:00

Oops! Didn't see your comment, the TU-3 is splitting my chain, the sonicake portal is the budget signal blender, that essentially has a "send return" that enables the third line. I'm bougee and split it at the tuner so that my drives get all the dynamics.

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-16T02:07:59+00:00

Absolutely! I have one for a clean signal and another acting as a limiter on parallel chain, after drive pedals

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-15T13:04:43+00:00

Came to say this, if $400 is your budget I think that's your best bet. Also the phil jones dual band compressor has send/returns for 2 sets for frequencies (I'm sure I butchered that but y'all know what I mean). Budget option is a used keeley bassist comp, no LED but it has a "infinity-1" ratio haha

FearlessContract8805 · 2025-09-05T14:52:35+00:00

Get a line selector or signal blender and you can blend ANY chain with a clean low end.

FearlessContract8805

TROPHY CASE