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Boss ODB-3 Bass OverDrive
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Boss ODB-3 Bass OverDrive
MGR/Chris Jeffs MGR/Chris Jeffs

« Boss ODB3 Bass Overdrive »

Published on 01/03/07 at 15:00
I play electric bass in a band from Coburg. We play mostly punk and rock, but sometimes Jack (the drummer) and I like to play a bit of reggae.

I do all my shopping at Allans Music Store. They always give me fantastic deals - and I don't even ask! I picked up this handy pedal for $175.00. That's about half the list price.

I got this pedal because I needed something to completely change my sound, and provide an occasional lift.

The pedal provides you with a wide range of tonal options, from complete distortion, to an aggressive tone with a rough edge. It is of course an 'overdrive' pedal, for those who are unaware of what that means, it simulates an overdriven tube amp. Usually this would tae a range of different effects, but Boss have crammed it into one compact pedal.

If you roll back on the gain and the balance knob, and up te volume, the pedal can act as a simple volume boost.
The addition of a simple two band equalizer means you can change the level of bottom end, without dulling down highs or the lethal gain. If you like, you can simply turn back the balance and the gain, keep the volume even with your amp and use the two band eq to boost your bottom end.

I personally use it occasionally for long distorted intros to our songs, or as a light fuzz for a chorus or an outro.

There's not much I don't like about the pedal.

The only thing that annoys me sometimes is the two band eq. It's fine with a bit of gain, as you can boost or cut your bottom end for a more dimensional sound, but if you roll back on the balance and the gain, it sounds kid of flat and two dimensional.

I did say you could use it to boost your bottom end without gain, but it dulls down your highs and leaves a kind of muddy sound.

The build quality is absolutely fantastic. It may be made in Asia, but it's built like a rock. The steel construction makes it a lot heavier and more solid than it appears. You can drop it onto a hard surface, or down some stairs (I have) and it'll come through with absolutely no damage at all - and it'll sound exactly the same as it did when you first tried it out at the store.

Overall, this pedal is definitely one to stick next to your amplifier.

Anyone looking for something to boost their sound, or add some gain for the occasional distored bass line, should save up and buy one.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com