Amptweaker Introduces TightDrive Bass Overdrive Pedal

After introducing the guitar version of the TightDrive overdrive pedal at January NAMM 2010, I was repeatedly asked if ‘it works for bass’. After Greg Weeks (bassist with The Red Chord) tried it, I made a few suggested tweaks to extend the range of the Tone and Tight controls down lower into the bass frequency range. The resulting Bass TightDrive is now available from www.amptweaker.com. Here are Greg’s comments about the results:

“The TightDrive Bass distortion pedal is a well rounded low end beast. While most bass overdrive pedals actually suck out the low end the TightDrive holds onto it and can release a warm round tone, a saturated "coming off its hinges" tone and everything in between. It is the perfect pedal for all players wanting to experiment with a thicker, fuller tone."

–Greg Weeks, Bassist with The Red Chord.

In addition to Greg, other artists using the Bass TightDrive include dUg Pinnick of King’s X, and Sean Frankhouser with Bugs Henderson.

The features are identical to the guitar version, including the Tight Control which allows the player to adjust the attack from a big thumpy, more traditional sounding bottom end to a tight, chunky, more aggressive attack that’s more akin to a guitar tone.

Another very popular feature is the effects loop on the back of the pedal, with its Pre/Post switch that moves the position of the loop to before or after the distortion.  This gives the player an easy way to build a ‘boost chain’ of effects and eq, and can even be used along with an outboard mixer pedal to blend in some dry bass tone when the Bass TightDrive is on.

Other features include a magnetic sliding battery door that requires no tools to access, and LED lighting on the knobs for dark stages. There’s also a battery switch so there’s no need to unplug the input cable after the gig. All this is housed in a 14 gauge steel chassis that is ergonomically designed to prevent knob breakage, and to allow for easier footswitching.

For more info visit www.amptweaker.com.